Incumbent Democratic mayor Susan Savage decided not to run for re-election.

The subsequent open seat was won by Republican nominee Bill LaFortune.

[1] Eight Republicans ran in the primary on 5 February 2002, with Bill LaFortune emerging as the frontrunner and winning the nomination with an undisclosed number of votes.

Four Democrats ran in the primary on 5 February 2002, with Gary Watts emerging as the frontrunner and winning the nomination with an undisclosed number of votes.

Republican nominee Bill LaFortune won the election by a margin of 18,045 votes against his foremost opponent Democratic candidate Gary Watts, thereby gaining Republican control over the office of Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.