The mayor of Novara is an elected politician who, along with the Novara City Council, is accountable for the strategic government of Novara in Piedmont, Italy.
The current mayor is Alessandro Canelli (Lega), who took office on 21 June 2016.
According to the Italian Constitution, the mayor of Novara is member of the City Council.
The mayor is elected by the population of Novara, who also elect the members of the City Council, controlling the mayor's policy guidelines and able to enforce his resignation by a motion of no confidence. The mayor is entitled to appoint and release the members of his government.
Since 1993 the mayor is elected directly by Novara's electorate: in all mayoral elections in Italian cities with a population higher than 15,000 the voters express a direct choice for the mayor or an indirect choice voting for the party of the candidate's coalition. If no candidate receives at least 50% of votes, the top two candidates go to a second round after two weeks. The election of the City Council is based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote: the candidate with the majority of the preferences is elected. The number of the seats for each party is determined proportionally.
From 1946 to 1993, the mayor of Novara was elected by the City Council.
Since 1993, under provisions of new local administration law, the mayor of Novara is chosen by direct election, originally every four, then every five years.