kids encyclopedia robot

Mayor of Cleveland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Mayor of Cleveland
Seal of Cleveland, Ohio.svg
Seal of City of Cleveland
Mayoral candidate Justin M. Bibb 02 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Justin Bibb

since January 3, 2022
Style The Honorable
Seat Cleveland City Hall
Term length Four years, no term limits
Constituting instrument Cleveland City Charter
Inaugural holder John W. Willey
Formation March 6, 1836
Salary $140,888.56 (in 2017)
Website Office of the Mayor

The mayor of Cleveland is the head of the executive branch of government of the City of Cleveland, Ohio. As the chief executive in Cleveland's mayor–council (strong mayor) system, the mayor oversees all city services and is "responsible for enforcing the city charter, city ordinances, and the laws of the State of Ohio." The mayor's office is located at Cleveland City Hall at 601 Lakeside Avenue in Downtown Cleveland. Since 1836, the city has had a total of 54 mayors, including the city's current mayor, Justin Bibb, encompassing 58 mayoral administrations, as four mayors have served in non-consecutive terms.

History

Cleveland was established by General Moses Cleaveland and surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company on July 22, 1796. The settlement (then known as "Cleaveland", after its founder) was incorporated as a village on December 23, 1814. At this time, the position of municipal executive was the village president. Alfred Kelley was the first to be elected to that post in June 1815. When Cleveland became a city in 1836, it adopted a mayor–council form of government. John W. Willey was the city's first mayor.

Initially, Cleveland City Council had greater power in Cleveland's city government, but this changed with the adoption of the 1892 Federal Plan, which significantly strengthened the office of the mayor. When the plan was ruled unconstitutional in 1902 by the Supreme Court of Ohio, the powers of the mayor were lessened in the city's new municipal code. However, after the state granted Cleveland municipal home rule in 1912, the role of the mayor was enhanced in the 1913 municipal charter. When the city adopted a council–manager government in 1924, the city manager, selected by council, assumed the role of the municipal executive. However, the council–manager experiment was brief and, in November 1931, voters approved returning to the mayor–council system.

For much of Cleveland's history, mayoral elections were partisan, but in 1971, under the mayoral administration of Ralph Perk, the city amended its charter to make elections nonpartisan. The term of office for the mayor and members of council was traditionally two years, but was extended to four years in 1981 under Mayor George Voinovich. According to the Cleveland City Charter, there are currently no term limits for the mayor.

Presidents, 1815–1835

Alfred Kelley
Alfred Kelley was elected the first village president of Cleveland (then known as "Cleaveland") in June 1815
# President Term start Term end
1 Alfred Kelley 1815 1816
2 Daniel Kelley 1816 1819
3 Horace Perry 1820 1821
4 Reuben Wood 1821 1821
5 Leonard Case, Sr. 1821 1825
6 Eleazur Waterman 1825 1828
7 Oirson Cathan 1828 1829
8 David Long 1829 1830
9 Richard Hilliard 1830 1832
10 John W. Allen 1832 1835

Mayors since 1836

John W. Willey 002
John W. Willey, the first mayor of Cleveland
# Image Mayor Term start Term end Terms   Party
1 John W. Willey 002.png John W. Willey March 6, 1836 December 31, 1837 2 Democratic
2 Joshua Mills January 1, 1838 December 31, 1839 2 Whig
3 Nicholas Dockstader.png Nicholas Dockstader January 1, 1840 December 31, 1840 1 Whig
4 John W Allen.jpg John W. Allen January 1, 1841 December 31, 1841 1 Whig
5 Joshua Mills January 1, 1842 December 31, 1842 1 Whig
6 Nelson Hayward.jpg Nelson Hayward January 1, 1843 December 31, 1843 1 Democratic
7 Samuel Starkweather.png Samuel Starkweather January 1, 1844 December 31, 1845 2 Democratic
8 George Hoadley January 1, 1846 December 31, 1846 1 None
9 Josiah A. Harris January 1, 1847 December 31, 1847 1 Whig
10 Lorenzo A. Kelsey January 1, 1848 December 31, 1848 1 Democratic
11 Flavel W. Bingham January 1, 1849 December 31, 1849 1 Whig
12 William Case January 1, 1850 December 31, 1851 2 Whig
13 Abner C. Brownell January 1, 1852 December 31, 1854 3 Democratic
14 William B. Castle January 1, 1855 December 31, 1856 2 Republican
15 Samuel Starkweather January 1, 1857 December 31, 1858 2 Democratic
16 George B. Senter January 1, 1859 December 31, 1860 2 Republican
17 Edward S. Flint January 1, 1861 December 31, 1862 2 Democratic
18 Irvine U. Masters January 1, 1863 May 1864 2 Republican
19 George B. Senter May 1864 December 31, 1864 12 Republican
20 Herman M. Chapin January 1, 1865 December 31, 1866 1 None
21 Stephen Buhrer January 1, 1867 December 31, 1870 1 Democratic
22 Frederick W. Pelton January 1, 1871 December 31, 1872 1 Republican
23 Charles A. Otis January 1, 1873 December 31, 1874 1 Democratic
24 Nathan P. Payne January 1, 1875 December 31, 1876 1 Democratic
25 William G. Rose January 1, 1877 December 31, 1878 1 Republican
26 Rensselaer R. Herrick January 1, 1879 December 31, 1882 2 Republican
27 John H. Farley January 1, 1883 December 31, 1884 1 Democratic
28 George W. Gardner January 1, 1885 December 31, 1886 1 Republican
29 Brenton D. Babcock January 1, 1887 December 31, 1888 1 Democratic
30 George W. Gardner January 1, 1889 December 31, 1890 1 Republican
31 William G. Rose January 1, 1891 December 31, 1892 1 Republican
32 Robert Blee January 1, 1893 December 31, 1894 1 Democratic
33 Robert E. McKisson January 1, 1895 December 31, 1898 2 Republican
34 John H. Farley January 1, 1899 December 31, 1900 1 Democratic
35 Tljohnson.jpg Tom L. Johnson January 1, 1901 December 31, 1909 5 Democratic
36 Herman C Baehr 1906.jpg Herman C. Baehr January 1, 1910 December 31, 1911 1 Republican
37 Newton Baker, Bain bw photo portrait.jpg Newton D. Baker January 1, 1912 December 31, 1915 2 Democratic
38 HarryLDavis.jpg Harry L. Davis January 1, 1916 December 31, 1919 2 Republican
39 William Sinton FitzGerald 1910.jpg William S. Fitzgerald January 1, 1920 December 31, 1921 1 Republican
40 Fred Kohler January 1, 1922 December 31, 1923 1 Republican
41 William R. Hopkins January 1, 1924 December 31, 1929 3 Republican
42 Daniel E. Morgan January 1, 1930 December 31, 1931 1 Republican
43 Ray T. Miller January 1, 1932 December 31, 1933 1 Democratic
44 HarryLDavis.jpg Harry L. Davis January 1, 1934 December 31, 1935 1 Republican
45 Harold Burton.jpg Harold H. Burton January 1, 1936 January 2, 1941 2 12 Republican
46 Edward J. Blythin January 3, 1941 December 31, 1941 12 Republican
47 Frank Lausche (OH).png Frank Lausche January 1, 1942 December 31, 1945 2 Democratic
48 ThomasBurke.jpg Thomas A. Burke January 1, 1946 December 31, 1953 4 Democratic
49 Celebrez.jpg Anthony J. Celebrezze January 1, 1954 December 31, 1961 4 Democratic
50 Ralph S. Locher January 1, 1962 December 31, 1967 3 Democratic
51 Carl Stokes January 1, 1968 December 31, 1971 2 Democratic
52 Ralph Perk.jpg Ralph Perk January 2, 1972 December 31, 1977 3 Republican
53 Dennis Kucinich, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg Dennis Kucinich January 1, 1978 December 31, 1979 1 Democratic
54 George Voinovich, official photo portrait, 2006.jpg George Voinovich January 1, 1980 December 31, 1989 3 Republican
55 Michael White, former mayor of Cleveland.jpg Michael R. White January 1, 1990 December 31, 2001 3 Democratic
56 Jcampbell.jpg Jane L. Campbell January 1, 2002 December 31, 2005 1 Democratic
57 Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson (47929591013) (a).jpg Frank G. Jackson January 2, 2006 January 2, 2022 4 Democratic
58 Mayoral candidate Justin M. Bibb 02 (cropped).jpg Justin M. Bibb January 3, 2022 Incumbent 1 Democratic

Longest-serving mayors

Years in office Term Name
16 January 2, 2006 – January 2, 2022 Frank G. Jackson
12 January 1, 1990 - December 31, 2001 Michael R. White
10 January 1, 1980 - December 31, 1989 George V. Voinovich
9 January 1, 1901 - December 31, 1909 Tom L. Johnson
8 January 1, 1954 - December 31, 1961 Anthony J. Celebrezze
8 January 1, 1946 - December 31, 1953 Thomas A. Burke

Mayors of Ohio City, 1836–1854

Prior to its annexation on June 5, 1854, Ohio City was a separate municipality and a fierce rival of Cleveland. It had twelve mayoral administrations from 1836 to 1854.

# Mayor Term
1 Josiah Barber 1836
2 Francis A. Burrows 1837
3 Norman C. Baldwin 1838–1839
4 Needham M. Standart 1840–1841
5 Francis A. Burrows (second) 1842
6 Richard Lord 1843
7 Daniel H. Lamb 1844–1846
8 David Griffith 1847
9 John Beverlin 1848
10 Thomas Burnham 1849–1850
11 Benjamin Sheldon 1851–1852
12 William B. Castle 1853–1854

See also

kids search engine
Mayor of Cleveland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.