Although Haddad came in second place on the popular vote, he did not win any electoral zone, while Marta Suplicy (PMDB), who came in fourth place, managed to win a plurality of the votes in 2 electoral zones.

The campaign happened in the context of the ongoing political crisis and the fallout after the recently impeached president Dilma Rousseff, of the Workers' Party (PT).

[3] This event played a huge role in the election, which would see a weakened Worker's Party (PT).

Incumbent mayor Fernando Haddad ran a reelection campaign on keeping the left-wing status-quo, in contrast to Doria's campaign, which emphasized mostly socially liberal economic reforms, as part of the "liberal wave" following the fallout of Dilma's impeachment.

Among other candidates were Celso Russomano (PRB), Marta Suplicy (PMDB), Altino Prazeres (PSTU), Ricardo Young (REDE), João Bico (PSDC), Levy Fidelix (PRTB), Luiza Erundina (PSOL) and Major Olímpio (SD).