The 1981 Cleveland mayoral election took place on November 3, 1981, to elect the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. The election was officially nonpartisan, with the top two candidates from the September 29 primary advancing to the general election.

1981 Cleveland mayoral election

← 1979 November 3, 1981 1985 →

Candidate George Voinovich Patrick Sweeney Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 107,472 32,940 Percentage 76.54% 23.46%

Mayor before election George Voinovich Republican Elected Mayor George Voinovich Republican

This was the first Cleveland mayoral election to a four-year term.^{[citation needed]}