Mayor of Cleveland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Cleveland
Seal of City of Cleveland
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 like the main boss of the city government in Cleveland, Ohio. The mayor is in charge of all the city's services. This includes things like keeping the streets clean and making sure public services work well. The mayor also makes sure that the city's rules and laws are followed.

The mayor's office is located at Cleveland City Hall. This building is at 601 Lakeside Avenue in Downtown Cleveland. Since 1836, Cleveland has had 54 different mayors. Some mayors even served more than one time. The current mayor is Justin Bibb.

History of Cleveland's Mayors

Cleveland was started by General Moses Cleaveland and his team on July 22, 1796. At first, it was a small settlement called "Cleaveland." It became a village on December 23, 1814. Back then, the leader was called the village president. Alfred Kelley was the first person elected to this job in June 1815.

When Cleveland became a city in 1836, it chose a "mayor–council" way of governing. This means the city has a mayor and a city council. John W. Willey was Cleveland's very first mayor.

Over time, the mayor's job became more powerful. In 1892, a plan called the Federal Plan gave the mayor much more authority. However, this plan was later found to be against the law in 1902. So, the mayor's powers were reduced again.

Later, in 1912, Ohio gave Cleveland "home rule." This meant the city could make more of its own rules. Because of this, the mayor's role became stronger again in 1913. For a short time, from 1924 to 1931, Cleveland tried a different system. It had a "city manager" who was chosen by the council. But in 1931, people voted to go back to the mayor–council system.

For many years, mayors were elected based on their political party. But in 1971, under Mayor Ralph Perk, the city changed its rules. Mayoral elections became "nonpartisan," meaning candidates do not run as members of a political party. The mayor's term used to be two years. In 1981, under Mayor George Voinovich, it changed to four years. There is no limit to how many terms a mayor can serve.

Village Presidents (1815–1835)

Before Cleveland became a city, it was a village. Its leaders were called presidents.

Alfred Kelley was the first village president of Cleveland, elected in 1815.

Mayors of Cleveland (Since 1836)

Here is a list of all the mayors who have led the city of Cleveland since 1836.

John W. Willey was Cleveland's first mayor.

#	Image	Mayor	Term start	Term end	Terms		Party
1		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	January 1, 1840	December 31, 1840	1		Whig
4		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	January 1, 1843	December 31, 1843	1		Democratic
7		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	1⁄2		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		Tom L. Johnson	January 1, 1901	December 31, 1909	5		Democratic
36		Herman C. Baehr	January 1, 1910	December 31, 1911	1		Republican
37		Newton D. Baker	January 1, 1912	December 31, 1915	2		Democratic
38		Harry L. Davis	January 1, 1916	December 31, 1919	2		Republican
39		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		Harry L. Davis	January 1, 1934	December 31, 1935	1		Republican
45		Harold H. Burton	January 1, 1936	January 2, 1941	2 1⁄2		Republican
46		Edward J. Blythin	January 3, 1941	December 31, 1941	1⁄2		Republican
47		Frank Lausche	January 1, 1942	December 31, 1945	2		Democratic
48		Thomas A. Burke	January 1, 1946	December 31, 1953	4		Democratic
49		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	January 2, 1972	December 31, 1977	3		Republican
53		Dennis Kucinich	January 1, 1978	December 31, 1979	1		Democratic
54		George Voinovich	January 1, 1980	December 31, 1989	3		Republican
55		Michael R. White	January 1, 1990	December 31, 2001	3		Democratic
56		Jane L. Campbell	January 1, 2002	December 31, 2005	1		Democratic
57		Frank G. Jackson	January 2, 2006	January 2, 2022	4		Democratic
58		Justin M. Bibb	January 3, 2022	Incumbent	1		Democratic

Longest-Serving Mayors

Some mayors served for many years. Here are the ones who held office the longest.

Mayors of Ohio City (1836–1854)

Before it became part of Cleveland, Ohio City was its own town. It had its own mayors. Ohio City joined Cleveland on June 5, 1854.

See also

• Cleveland City Council
• County Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio