Democrat Kim Bracey beat Republican Wendell Banks in Tuesday's general election. Democratic voters in York outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1.
Bracey is the city's former director of community development.
York was the site of weeks of race rioting in 1969. The killings of a white police officer and black woman went unsolved for decades.
Bracey says she embraces the significance of her election. She calls it a historic accomplishment and says she's pleased voters trust her to lead the city.