It seems like you're asking for the forms of government—specifically city manager (council-manager) versus strong mayor—for the top ten capital cities in the United States, likely ranked by population. Your previous question asked about "top ten capital cities" globally, but this one specifies "in the United States of America," so I'll interpret it as the ten most populous state capital cities in the U.S. as of the latest estimates. I'll then identify whether each operates under a council-manager system (city manager) or a strong mayor system, based on their municipal governance structures. The current date is February 20, 2025, and I'll use the most recent data available to me.
Top Ten U.S. State Capital Cities by Population
Here's the list of the top ten U.S. state capital cities by population, using the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates (typically 2020 city proper figures, with updates where available), followed by their forms of government:
Phoenix, Arizona
Population: ~1.6 million (2020)
Form of Government: Council-Manager
Phoenix operates under a council-manager system. The city council, including a mayor elected at-large, appoints a professional city manager to oversee daily operations and implement policies. The mayor has a vote on the council but lacks veto power or strong executive authority, typical of a weak mayor in this system.
Austin, Texas
Population: ~961,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Council-Manager
Austin uses a council-manager system. The mayor is elected citywide and serves on the council, but the city manager, appointed by the council, holds executive authority over administration. The mayor's role is largely ceremonial and legislative, not a strong executive.
Columbus, Ohio
Population: ~905,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Strong Mayor
Columbus has a mayor-council government with a strong mayor system. The mayor is directly elected, serves as the chief executive, appoints department heads, and has veto power over council legislation, which the council can override with a two-thirds vote.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Population: ~887,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Strong Mayor
Indianapolis operates under a consolidated city-county government (Unigov) with a strong mayor system. The mayor is directly elected, exercises significant executive authority, appoints officials, and manages the budget, while the council serves as the legislative body.
Denver, Colorado
Population: ~715,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Strong Mayor
Denver has a strong mayor-council system. The mayor is directly elected, holds broad executive powers (appointing department heads, preparing the budget, veto power), and operates independently of the city council, which handles legislation.
Nashville, Tennessee
Population: ~689,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Strong Mayor
Nashville uses a metropolitan government structure with a strong mayor system. The mayor, elected at-large, serves as the chief executive with authority over administration, budget, and appointments, while the Metro Council legislates.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Population: ~681,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Council-Manager
Oklahoma City employs a council-manager system. The mayor is elected citywide and sits on the council, but the city manager, appointed by the council, manages day-to-day operations and executes policies, limiting the mayor to a weaker role.
Sacramento, California
Population: ~524,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Council-Manager
Sacramento operates under a council-manager system. The mayor is elected at-large and serves as a council member, but the city manager, appointed by the council, holds executive authority over city operations.
Boston, Massachusetts
Population: ~675,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Strong Mayor
Boston has a strong mayor-council system. The mayor is directly elected, wields significant executive power (appointments, budget control, veto power), and operates separately from the city council, which focuses on legislation.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Population: ~467,000 (2020)
Form of Government: Council-Manager
Raleigh uses a council-manager system. The mayor is elected citywide and presides over the council, but the city manager, appointed by the council, runs the administration, making the mayor's role more ceremonial than executive.
Summary Table
Rank
City
State
Population (2020)
Form of Government
1
Phoenix
Arizona
1,608,000
Council-Manager
2
Austin
Texas
961,000
Council-Manager
3
Columbus
Ohio
905,000
Strong Mayor
4
Indianapolis
Indiana
887,000
Strong Mayor
5
Denver
Colorado
715,000
Strong Mayor
6
Nashville
Tennessee
689,000
Strong Mayor
7
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
681,000
Council-Manager
8
Sacramento
California
524,000
Council-Manager
9
Boston
Massachusetts
675,000
Strong Mayor
10
Raleigh
North Carolina
467,000
Council-Manager
Observations
Split Between Systems: Among the top ten U.S. state capital cities by population, five use a council-manager system (Phoenix, Austin, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Raleigh), and five use a strong mayor system (Columbus, Indianapolis, Denver, Nashville, Boston).
Geographic Trends: Council-manager systems appear more common in the West and Southwest (Phoenix, Austin, Oklahoma City, Sacramento), while strong mayor systems dominate in the Midwest and East (Columbus, Indianapolis, Denver, Nashville, Boston).
Population Correlation: There's no strict correlation between population size and government type here, as both systems are evenly represented across this range (~467,000 to 1.6 million).
If you intended a different ranking (e.g., alphabetically or by another metric) or meant all 50 state capitals, let me know, and I'll adjust the list! This response focuses on the most populous state capitals as the most reasonable interpretation of "top ten" in a U.S. context.
Henry McClure
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