List of mayors of Holyoke, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Holyoke
Seal of Holyoke
Incumbent Joshua A. Garcia since November 15, 2021
Seat	Holyoke City Hall
Term length	4 years (2015-present) 2 years (1936-2015) 1 year (1874-1936)
Formation	1874
First holder	William B. C. Pearsons
Website	Official website: https://www.holyoke.org/departments/mayors-office

The mayor of Holyoke is like the chief executive officer of the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts. The mayor is in charge of the city's daily operations and leads its government. They are responsible for important tasks like suggesting the city's yearly budget to the city council. The mayor also chooses key leaders for city departments, such as the chief of police and fire commissioners.

Even though people from different political groups have become mayor, elections for city jobs in Holyoke are officially nonpartisan. This means that when candidates run for mayor, they don't list themselves as members of a specific political party. They also don't need official support from a party to run.

What Does the Mayor Do?

The mayor of Holyoke has several important jobs. They lead the city's government and make sure city services run smoothly. This includes things like managing public safety, city planning, and community projects. The mayor works closely with the city council to make decisions that benefit everyone in Holyoke.

How Long Does a Mayor Serve?

When Holyoke first became a city in 1874, the mayor served for just one year. They were elected at the end of each year. Over time, this changed. In 1936, during the time of Mayor William P. Yoerg, the term length was increased to two years. Later, in 2015, when Alex B. Morse was mayor, the term was extended again to four years.

Since 1959, Holyoke has held primary elections for mayor. In these primaries, the two candidates who get the most votes then move on to the main election.

"Room One"

Sometimes, people refer to the mayor's office as "Room One." This is because the mayor's office has been in the same room in Holyoke City Hall since the city was first formed. It's a way to talk about the mayor's position and the people who have held it over the years.

History of Holyoke Mayors

Since Holyoke became a city in 1873, many different people have served as its mayor. Each mayor has played a role in shaping the city's history and development.

Mayor John Cronin shakes hands with George Pearsons, son of the City's first mayor William B. C. Pearsons, during a celebration of the City's fiftieth anniversary.

Here are some of the individuals who have served as mayor of Holyoke:

#	Mayor	Picture	Term	Notes
1st	William B. C. Pearsons		1874–1876	Holyoke's very first mayor.
2nd	Roswell P. Crafts		1877
3rd	William Whiting II		1878–1879
4th	William Ruddy		1880
5th	Franklin P. Goodall		1881
6th	Roswell P. Crafts		1882–1883	Served a second time.
7th	James E. Delaney		1884–1885
8th	James J. O'Connor		1886–1887
9th	James E. Delaney		1888	Served a second time.
10th	Jeremiah F. Sullivan		1889–1890
11th	Michael J. Griffin		1891
12th	Jeremiah F. Sullivan		1892	Served a second time.
13th	Dennie L. Farr		1893
14th	Marciene H. Whitcomb		1894
15th	Henry A. Chase		1895
16th	James J. Curran		1896
17th	George H. Smith		1897
18th	Michael Connors		1898
19th	Arthur B. Chapin		1899–1904
20th	Nathan P. Avery		1904–1910
21st	John J. White		1911–1913
22nd	John H. Woods		1914–1915
23rd	John J. White		1916–1917	Served a second time.
24th	John D. Ryan		1918–1919
25th	John F. Cronin		1920–1925
26th	Gregory J. Scanlon		1926
27th	John F. Cronin		1927	Served a second time.
28th	Fred G. Burnham		1928–1929
29th	William T. Dillon		1930–1931
30th	Fred G. Burnham		1932	Passed away while in office.
Acting	William M. Hart		1932	Served as acting mayor.
31st	Henry J. Toepfert		1932–1935	First elected in a special election to finish Burnham's term.
32nd	William P. Yoerg		1936–1939	Did not run for re-election.
33rd	Henry J. Toepfert		1940–1953	Served the longest term as mayor. Passed away while in office.
Acting	James T. Doherty		1953	Served as acting mayor.
34th	Edwin A. Seibel		1953–1957	Elected in a special election to finish Toepfert's term. Passed away while in office.
Acting	Samuel Resnic		1957	Served as acting mayor after Seibel's passing.
Acting	Paul L. Brougham		1957	Elected in a special election to finish Seibel's term.
35th	Samuel Resnic		1958–1963	Holyoke's first Jewish mayor.
36th	Daniel F. Dibble		1964–1967
37th	William Taupier		1968–1975	Left office to become City Manager of Lowell, Massachusetts.
Acting	Thomas Monahan		1975	Served as acting mayor.
38th	Ernest E. Proulx		1976–1986
39th	Martin J. Dunn		1987–1991	Left office to become a State Senator.
Acting	Joseph M. McGiverin		1991	Served as acting mayor.
40th	William Hamilton		1991–1995	Elected in a special election to finish Dunn's term.
41st	Daniel Szostkiewicz		1995–1999
42nd	Michael J. Sullivan		2000–2009
43rd	Elaine A. Pluta		2010–2011	Holyoke's first female mayor.
44th	Alex Morse		2012–2021	The youngest mayor in the city's history, elected at age 22. Left office to become Town Manager of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Acting	Todd A. McGee		2021	Served as acting mayor.
Acting	Terence "Terry" Murphy		2021	Served as acting mayor.
45th	Joshua A. Garcia		2021–	Holyoke's first Latino mayor.