which form of city government is most often in very large cities where the leader of the city is elected by a direct vote

a. commission
b. council-manager
c. strong mayor
d. weak mayor

c. strong mayor.

The form of city government most often found in very large cities where the leader of the city is elected by a direct vote is the "strong mayor" system, option c.

The form of city government that is most often found in very large cities where the leader is elected through a direct vote is the "strong mayor" system. To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the different types of city governments and their characteristics.

a. The "commission" form of city government is typically found in smaller municipalities where a group of commissioners is elected, and each commissioner is responsible for a particular area or department. This system usually doesn't involve a directly elected city leader.

b. The "council-manager" form of city government is a common structure in which an elected city council is responsible for making policy decisions, and a professional city manager is hired to handle the administrative tasks. In this system, the city manager, not the mayor, holds significant executive authority.

c. In the "strong mayor" form of city government, the mayor is directly elected by the people and holds substantial executive powers. They have the authority to make policy decisions, appoint department heads, and have veto power over council decisions. This system is often seen in larger cities.

d. The "weak mayor" system refers to a form of city government where the mayor's role is primarily ceremonial or limited in power. In this structure, the mayor's authority is often shared with a city council or city manager.

Considering these explanations, we can see that the option "c. strong mayor" aligns with the description of a direct election of city leaders in large cities.