The holder of the position is a directly elected mayor using the supplementary vote every four years.

The current mayor of Watford is Peter Taylor, who was elected in May 2018 for the Liberal Democrats.

Thornhill was the first female directly elected mayor in England and the Liberal Democrats' first directly elected mayor.

In the 2018 election, Peter Taylor, also member of the Liberal Democrats, was elected as Mayor of Watford.

The position was established after a referendum in 2001 and the first election was held in 2002.