John Marks (mayor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Marks
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Marks in 2010
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| 125th Mayor of Tallahassee | |
| In office February 28, 2003 – November 21, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Scott Maddox |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Gillum |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Robert Marks III
July 25, 1947 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jane A. Marks |
| Children | John R. Marks IV |
| Profession | Attorney |
John Robert Marks III was born on July 25, 1947. He is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, from February 2003 until November 2014.
Marks holds the record for being the longest-serving mayor in Tallahassee's history. He was elected three times in a row, serving for almost ten years. He chose not to run for a fourth term in 2014. Andrew Gillum became the next mayor on November 21, 2014. John Marks was the fifth African-American mayor of Tallahassee. He was also the first African-American mayor to be elected by the city's voters.
Early Life and Education
Marks' great-grandfather, Oliver Lewis Coleman, started a school in 1887. This school was called Coleman College and was in Gibsland, Louisiana. It was a college mainly for Black students. Coleman College closed in 1952.
John Marks attended Florida State University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1969. He then received his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law in 1972. He is married to Jane, and they have a son named John Marks IV.
John Marks' Career
John Marks worked for the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) for eight years. This commission helps make rules for public services. These services include things like electricity and phone companies. Governor Bob Graham appointed him to the FPSC in 1979. Marks served as the chairman of the commission for two years.
During his time at the FPSC, he helped manage big changes. One change was when AT&T, a large phone company, was split into smaller companies. He also helped put a law into action called the Federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). This law helps manage how utility companies work. Before joining the commission, he worked as a judge for the FPSC. Today, he is a partner in a law firm in Tallahassee called Marks & Marks. He also taught law at Florida State University's College of Law.
Becoming Mayor of Tallahassee
On January 4, 2003, the mayor before John Marks, Scott Maddox, was elected to a new role. He became the Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. Mayor Maddox announced he would leave his position in Tallahassee in late February 2003. This meant a special election would be held to choose the next mayor.
John Marks decided to run in this special election. He had experience as a state public service commissioner. On February 4, 2003, Marks won the most votes in the first election. He received 43% of the votes. Three other candidates also ran. His closest opponent was John Paul Bailey, a Republican and a city commissioner. Bailey received 27% of the votes.
Since no candidate won more than 50% of the votes, a second election was held. This is called a runoff election. The runoff election between Marks and John Paul Bailey took place on February 25, 2003. Marks won the runoff election by a large margin. He received 19,118 votes (67.10%). John Paul Bailey received 9,374 votes (32.90%). John Marks officially became the Mayor of Tallahassee.
