Mason served as superintendent of the East Saint Louis school district.
[3] Mason won by a margin of 6,457 votes to 5,600 in an election marked by low voter turnout.
[2] Mason's term marked a return to patronage politics with only one of eighteen council members belonging to the prior mayor's independent status with the other seventeen all part of the Democratic political machine.
[4] His term began contentiously with Mason dismissing 20 supporters of former Mayor Williams.
[4] During his term, Mason was successful in soliciting $54 million in federal funds and reducing crime by 21%[4] but was unable to improve on the 30% unemployment rate and halt the declining population.