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 (born July 25, 1947) 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 to lead the city for three terms, which lasted 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 people of Tallahassee.
Contents
About John Marks
Early Life and Family History
John Marks' great-grandfather, Oliver Lewis Coleman, started a special school called Coleman College in Louisiana in 1887. This school was important because it was one of the colleges created for African-American students. It helped many students get an education during a time when they faced many challenges. Coleman College closed in 1952.
Education and Family
John Marks studied business at Florida State University. He earned his degree in 1969. Later, in 1972, he received his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law. He is married to Jane, and they have a son named John Marks IV, who was born around 1976.
John Marks' Career
Working for Public Services
Before becoming mayor, John Marks worked for eight years on the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC). This group helps make sure that public services like electricity and phone companies are fair for everyone. He was even the chairman, or leader, of the FPSC for two years, starting in 1979. He was appointed to this role by Governor Bob Graham.
During his time at the FPSC, Marks helped with big changes in the phone industry. He also helped put into action a law that made sure utility companies bought power from smaller producers. Before joining the FPSC, he worked as a judge who helped settle disagreements about laws for these services.
Law and Teaching
John Marks is also a partner in a law firm in Tallahassee called Marks & Marks. He has also taught law at Florida State University's College of Law. He taught about laws that control utility companies. He also helped train people who work in utility regulation.
Mayor of Tallahassee
How He Became Mayor
In January 2003, the mayor of Tallahassee at the time, Scott Maddox, decided to step down. He was chosen to lead the Florida Democratic Party. This meant a special election was needed to choose a new mayor for Tallahassee. John Marks decided to run for the position.
The 2003 Mayoral Election
On February 4, 2003, the first election for mayor took place. John Marks received the most votes, with 43% of people choosing him. Three other candidates also ran. His closest opponent was John Paul Bailey, who was a city commissioner and former police officer. Bailey received 27% of the votes.
Since no candidate received more than half of the votes, a second election, called a runoff election, was held. This runoff election was between John Marks and John Paul Bailey. It took place on February 25, 2003.
Winning the Runoff Election
In the runoff election, John Marks won by a large margin. He received 19,118 votes, which was about 67% of all the votes. John Paul Bailey received 9,374 votes, or about 33%. This victory made John Marks the new mayor of Tallahassee. He served the city for many years, becoming its longest-serving mayor.
