Incumbent Democratic mayor Chris Beutler was prevented from running by a term-limits amendment to the city charter that was approved by voters on November 6, 2018. In the summer of 2018, several prominent Republican politicians successfully led a petition drive for an amendment to the city charter that would limit the Lincoln mayor to serving three consecutive terms. The amendment would apply retroactively, thereby prohibiting Beutler from running for a fourth term in the 2019 municipal election.[2]