Debra March

Debra March
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, public official
Title	Mayor of Henderson, Nevada
Known for	Mayor of Henderson, Nevada (2017–2023)
Awards	Chair of ULI Nevada

Debra March is an American politician and public official who served as the Mayor of Henderson, Nevada, the second-largest city in the state. First elected to the Henderson City Council in 2009, March rose to prominence when she won the mayoral election in April 2017, defeating six other candidates with 55 percent of the vote to become only the second woman ever to serve as mayor of Henderson. She served two terms as mayor and became known for her focus on economic development, sustainability, and urban planning. A member of the Democratic Party, March announced a bid for lieutenant governor of Nevada in 2021, running on a platform that emphasized her record of attracting investment and fostering conservation in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. After concluding her tenure as mayor, March continued her involvement in civic and urban development leadership, serving as chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nevada chapter beginning in 2024.

Early Life

Limited publicly documented information is available regarding Debra March's early life and upbringing prior to her entry into public service in Henderson, Nevada. What is known is that by the time she entered local politics in 2009, she had established herself as a resident of Henderson and developed an interest in municipal governance and community development. Her path into public life began with her first campaign for the Henderson City Council, a race that would prove to be a formative experience in her political career.

In 2009, March entered a crowded field of 18 candidates — she and 17 men — competing for a seat on the Henderson City Council. Despite being the sole woman in the race, March prevailed, securing a position on the council and launching what would become a more than decade-long career in Henderson city government. The experience of winning against such a large and predominantly male field became a notable part of her political biography, drawing attention from publications such as Governing magazine, which profiled her in 2019 under the headline "In Her First Race, She Ran Against 17 Men. She Won."

Career

Henderson City Council (2009–2017)

Debra March began her career in elected office when she won a seat on the Henderson City Council in 2009, emerging victorious from a field of 18 candidates. Her tenure on the city council spanned approximately eight years, during which she gained experience in municipal governance and developed a policy focus that would carry into her later role as mayor. As a council member, March worked on issues related to Henderson's growth and development, positioning herself as a knowledgeable voice on urban planning and local economic matters.

By the time she began considering a run for the mayor's office, March had established a track record as a public official familiar with the workings of Henderson's city government. Her years on the council provided her with both the institutional knowledge and the public profile necessary to mount a competitive mayoral campaign.

Mayor of Henderson, First Term (2017–2021)

In April 2017, March won the election for mayor of Henderson, capturing 55 percent of the vote in a seven-way race. Her victory made her only the second woman ever to serve as mayor of Henderson, Nevada's second-largest city. The margin of her win — a clear majority in a crowded field — was seen as a decisive mandate from Henderson voters.

March was officially sworn into office in June 2017. According to the Las Vegas Sun, she wasted no time in beginning her work as mayor. The newspaper reported that just minutes after taking the official oath, March was already moving forward with her priorities for the city. Her early tenure as mayor was characterized by an emphasis on economic development and efforts to attract new businesses and investment to Henderson.

During her first term, March focused on positioning Henderson as a competitive destination for economic activity within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. She worked to diversify the city's economic base and attract industries that would provide employment opportunities and contribute to the community's growth. Her approach to governance during this period drew attention from national publications focused on state and local government. Governing magazine featured March in a 2019 profile that highlighted her trajectory from council member to mayor and her status as one of a relatively small number of women leading major American cities at the time.

March became known during her first term for her interest in sustainability and environmental conservation. She advocated for policies that addressed water conservation and responsible development — issues of particular significance in the arid climate of southern Nevada. Her focus on these issues would continue throughout her time in office and become a central element of her public identity as a political figure.

Mayor of Henderson, Second Term (2021–2023)

March won reelection and served a second term as mayor of Henderson, solidifying her position as the city's leader during a period of continued growth and development. Urban Land Magazine described her as the "two-time Mayor of Henderson, Nevada's second-largest city," confirming that she served two full terms in the office.

During her second term, March continued to pursue economic development and sustainability initiatives. In a 2022 opinion column published in the Reno Gazette Journal, March wrote about her commitment to conservation, identifying it as a priority both for Henderson and for the broader state of Nevada. The column was published during her campaign for lieutenant governor, and in it she identified herself as both the mayor of Henderson and a Democratic candidate for that office, underscoring how her municipal work and statewide ambitions were closely intertwined during this period.

One of the notable projects associated with March's tenure as mayor was a partnership between the City of Henderson and the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) to open a special training facility. A 2023 article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal documented the opening of the facility, with a photograph showing then-current Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero alongside "former Henderson Mayor Debra March" and CSN President Federico Zaragoza, indicating that the project had roots in March's time as mayor but was completed or formally opened after her successor took office. The partnership between Henderson and CSN represented March's broader approach to workforce development and her belief in leveraging partnerships between government and educational institutions.

Campaign for Lieutenant Governor (2021–2022)

On November 24, 2021, March announced that she would run for lieutenant governor of Nevada in the 2022 election cycle. Running as a Democrat, she framed her candidacy around her record as mayor of Henderson, emphasizing her work in attracting economic investment to the city. In her announcement, March stated: "As mayor, my focus has been to attract..." businesses and investment to Henderson, suggesting that she intended to apply a similar approach to the state level.

The Nevada Appeal also covered her announcement, reporting that "Henderson Mayor Debra March plans to run for lieutenant governor in Nevada in the 2022 election" and noting that she was a Democrat who had served on the Henderson City Council and as mayor.

During the campaign, March continued to serve as mayor of Henderson while seeking the statewide office. She used her platform to advocate for conservation and environmental stewardship, as evidenced by her May 2022 opinion column in the Reno Gazette Journal in which she identified herself as both mayor and candidate. The column articulated her vision for responsible resource management at the state level, connecting her local experience in Henderson to broader statewide challenges.

March ultimately did not win the lieutenant governor's race, and she was succeeded as mayor of Henderson by Michelle Romero, as documented in the 2023 Las Vegas Review-Journal article in which March was identified as "former Henderson Mayor."

Post-Mayoral Career and ULI Leadership

Following her departure from the mayor's office, March remained active in civic and urban development leadership. In August 2024, Urban Land Magazine announced that March had been named chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nevada chapter for a two-year term. The ULI is a global nonprofit research and education organization focused on responsible land use and creating sustainable, thriving communities. The appointment reflected March's long-standing interest in urban planning, development, and sustainability.

The Urban Land Magazine article, titled "Leading Nevada to a Sustainable Future," described March's role as chair and connected her experience as a two-time mayor of Henderson to her new leadership position within ULI Nevada. The appointment positioned March to continue influencing urban development and land-use policy in Nevada from outside of elected office, leveraging her experience in municipal governance to contribute to the organization's mission.

The Henderson-CSN training facility opening in August 2023 also demonstrated March's continued engagement with projects initiated during her time as mayor. Her presence at the facility's opening, alongside her successor Mayor Romero, suggested an ongoing connection to Henderson's civic and educational development even after leaving office.

Personal Life

Limited publicly available information exists regarding Debra March's personal life. She is a resident of Henderson, Nevada, where she has lived and served in public office since at least 2009. March is a member of the Democratic Party, as confirmed by multiple news reports covering her candidacy for lieutenant governor.

March's public profile has been primarily defined by her work in local government and her advocacy for issues such as economic development, sustainability, and conservation. Her 2022 opinion column in the Reno Gazette Journal provided insight into her personal commitment to environmental conservation, though it was written in the context of her political campaign for lieutenant governor.

Recognition

Debra March has received recognition both regionally and nationally for her work in local government. In 2019, Governing magazine featured March in its Women in Government (WIG) series, profiling her under the headline "In Her First Race, She Ran Against 17 Men. She Won." The profile highlighted her political career and her distinction as only the second woman to serve as mayor of Henderson. The feature in Governing brought national attention to March's career and her role as a woman in municipal leadership.

In 2024, March was named chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nevada chapter for a two-year term, a position that recognized her expertise in urban planning and sustainable development. The appointment was announced by Urban Land Magazine, which published a feature article connecting March's mayoral experience to her new leadership role. Being named to lead a chapter of the ULI — one of the most prominent organizations in real estate and land-use policy — represented a significant recognition of March's contributions to urban development in Nevada.

Throughout her tenure as mayor, March was also recognized for her work in forging partnerships between the city government and educational institutions, as exemplified by the Henderson-CSN training facility partnership that came to fruition in 2023.

Legacy

Debra March's legacy in Henderson, Nevada, is defined by her more than decade-long career in the city's government, first as a council member beginning in 2009 and then as a two-term mayor from 2017 through the early 2020s. As only the second woman to serve as mayor of Henderson — Nevada's second-largest city — March's tenure represented a milestone in the city's political history.

Her initial election to the city council in 2009, in which she defeated 17 male candidates to win her seat, established an early narrative of breaking barriers that persisted throughout her career. Her subsequent mayoral victory in 2017, in which she won a decisive 55 percent of the vote in a seven-candidate field, further demonstrated her electoral appeal and her ability to attract broad support among Henderson voters.

As mayor, March's focus on economic development, sustainability, and conservation shaped Henderson's trajectory during a period of significant growth in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Her advocacy for responsible water and resource management — particularly notable in the context of southern Nevada's arid environment — positioned Henderson as a city attentive to long-term environmental challenges.

The Henderson-CSN training facility, which opened after March left office but was developed during her tenure, stands as a tangible example of her approach to governance through intergovernmental and institutional partnerships. Her continued involvement in urban development leadership through the Urban Land Institute following her time as mayor suggested that her influence on Nevada's built environment and land-use policy would extend beyond her years in elected office.

March's 2021 campaign for lieutenant governor, while unsuccessful, reflected her ambition to apply her municipal governance experience to statewide leadership and indicated her stature as a figure in Nevada Democratic politics beyond the city level.