Breakdown of Депутаты единогласно избрали его мэром города.
город
city
его
him / it (acc)
мэр
mayor
депутат
deputy
Questions & Answers about Депутаты единогласно избрали его мэром города.
Why is мэром in the Instrumental case here?
The verb избрать (to elect) is a verb of appointing. In Russian, when you appoint, elect, or name someone to a position, that role takes the Instrumental case. The person being elected (его) is the direct object in the Accusative case, while the new title (мэром) takes the Instrumental.
Could I use выбрали instead of избрали in this sentence?
You would be understood, but избрали is the correct, formal word for official elections. Выбрать is the general word for "to choose" or "to pick" (like choosing what to eat), whereas избрать is used specifically for electing someone to an office.
Is there a trick to remembering the word единогласно?
Yes! It literally translates to "with one voice." It combines the roots един- (one, single) and глас- (voice, or vote in this context). It is the standard adverb for "unanimously."
Why does города immediately follow мэром, and what case is it in?
Города is in the Genitive case, translating to "of the city." When a noun specifies or belongs to another noun, it typically follows it directly. The phrase мэром города acts as a single cohesive unit meaning "mayor of the city."