Brown announced his candidacy for the Manukau MayoraltyCity mayoralty in 2006,<ref name="Announcement">{{cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0608/S00188.htm |title=Len Brown Announces Manukau Mayoralty Candidacy |publisher=scoop.co.nz |last=Brown |first=Ken |date=18 August 2006 |accessdate=26 October 2007}}</ref> Barry Curtis announced that he would not be running for re-election, and Brown's main opposition were former Olympic runner [[Dick Quax]] and radio personality [[Willie Jackson (politician)|Willie Jackson]]. Brown resigned from Wynard Wood in 2007 to focus on his candidacy full-time. In August 2007, both Quax and Brown were polling "neck and neck".<ref name="NeckandNeck">{{cite news |title=The Banks, Hubbard show and a few other risky predictions |first=Matt |last=McCarten |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/government/news/article.cfm?c_id=49&objectid=10458557 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=19 August 2007}}</ref> Brown ran on several policies, including; capping rates at the cost of inflation, increasing public transport, and working with youth in the region.<ref name="BrownIdeas">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/brown-shares-his-ideas/3752871/|title=Brown shares his ideas |publisher=theaucklander.co.nz |accessdate=26 October 2007}}</ref>
Brown won [[New Zealand local elections, 2007|the election in October 2007]] with more than 32,000 votes; his next closest rival Dick Quax had less than 18,000,<ref name="ElectionWin">{{cite news| title=Len Brown wins Manukau mayoralty |url=http://www.times.co.nz/cms/front_page_feature/2007/10/art100018140.php |publisher=times.co.nz |last=Taylor |first=Phil |date=17 October 2007 |accessdate=26 October 2007}}</ref> and the election was humorously termed a 'Lenslide' by some.<ref name="GREYMAN"/> He was sworn in on 26 October 2007 at the Manukau City Council hall.<ref name="SwornIn">{{cite news| url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10472198 |title=Ovation as Brown sworn in |last=Haka |first=James |publisher=nzherald.co.nz |date=26 October 2007 |accessdate=26 October 2007}}</ref>
