List of mayors of Indianapolis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City of Indianapolis
Seal of the Office of the Mayor of the City of Indianapolis
Incumbent Joe Hogsett since January 1, 2016
Term length	Four years
Inaugural holder	Samuel Henderson
Formation	1847
Salary	$95,317.60 annually
Website	Office of the Mayor

The Mayor of Indianapolis is like the chief leader of the city and Marion County. Think of them as the main boss for the city's government. Their job is to make sure all the different parts of the city government, like departments and agencies, are working well.

The mayor also has an important power: they can either approve or reject new laws. These laws are first passed by the Indianapolis City-County Council, which is the group that makes the laws. A mayor serves for four years. There is no limit to how many terms they can serve. In 2016, the mayor earned about $95,317 each year. The Mayor's Office is located on the twenty-fifth floor of the City-County Building.

Choosing the Mayor: Elections

The Mayor of Indianapolis is chosen by voters every four years. These elections happen in November, one year before the United States presidential elections. The new mayor usually starts their job on January 1 after the election. The next election for mayor will be in 2027.

Indianapolis city elections are partisan. This means that candidates have a political party listed next to their name on the ballot. Before the main election in November, there are "primary elections" in May. In these primary elections, people from each political party choose who they want to represent their party in the general election.

Who Has Been Mayor?

So far, 43 different people have been mayor of Indianapolis. However, the job has been held 49 times. This is because six people served as mayor more than once, but not in a row. For example, John Caven and Caleb S. Denny each served two separate times.

The person who served the longest was William "Bill" Hudnut. He was mayor for 16 years, serving four terms in a row. The shortest time anyone served as mayor was Claude E. Negley, who was mayor for only 13 days!

Mayors Before Unigov

Before 1970, the mayor's job was a bit different. The Old Indianapolis City Hall was where the Mayor's Office was located from 1910 until 1962.

Old Indianapolis City Hall was the Mayor's Office from 1910 to 1962.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end		Party
1		Henderson, SamuelSamuel Henderson (1800–1883; aged 83)	May 1, 1847	1849		Whig
2		Newcomb, Horatio C.Horatio C. Newcomb (1821–1882; aged 61)	1849	November 7, 1851		Whig
3		Scudder, CalebCaleb Scudder (1795–1866; aged 71)	November 1851	1854		Whig
4		McCready, JamesJames McCready (1816–1909; aged 93)	1854	1856		Democratic
5		West, Henry F.Henry F. West (1796–1856; aged 60)	1856	November 8, 1856		Democratic
6		Coulon, Charles G.Charles G. Coulon (1825–1881; aged 56)	November 8, 1856	November 22, 1856		Democratic
7		Wallace, William J.William J. Wallace (1814–1894; aged 80)	1856	May 5, 1858		Republican
8		Maxwell, Samuel D.Samuel D. Maxwell (1803–1873; aged 70)	May 5, 1858	January 1, 1863		Republican
9		Caven, JohnJohn Caven (1st) (1824–1905; aged 81)	1863	1867		Republican
10		McCauley, DanielDaniel McCauley (1839–1894; aged 55)	1867	1873		Republican
11		Mitchell, James L.James L. Mitchell (1834–1894; aged 60)	1873	1875		Democratic
12		Caven, JohnJohn Caven (2nd)	1875	1881		Republican
13		Grubbs, Daniel W.Daniel W. Grubbs (1835–1917; aged 82)	May 12, 1881	January 1, 1884		Republican
14		McMaster, John L.John L. McMaster (1843–1914; aged 71)	January 1, 1884	January 1, 1886		Republican
15		Denny, Caleb S.Caleb S. Denny (1st) (1850–1926; aged 76)	January 1, 1886	January 1, 1890		Republican
16		Sullivan, Thomas L.Thomas L. Sullivan (1846–1936; aged 90)	1890	1893		Democratic
17		Denny, Caleb S.Caleb S. Denny (2nd)	October 12, 1893	October 10, 1895		Republican
18		Taggart, ThomasThomas Taggart (1856–1929; aged 73)	January 1, 1895	December 31, 1901		Democratic
19		Bookwalter, Charles A.Charles A. Bookwalter (1st) (1860–1926; aged 66)	1901	November 1903		Republican
20		Holtzman, John W.John W. Holtzman (1858–1942; aged 84)	November 1903	1906		Democratic
21		Bookwalter, Charles A.Charles A. Bookwalter (2nd)	1906	1910		Republican
22		Shank, Samuel L.Samuel L. Shank (1st) (1872–1927; aged 55)	1910	November 28, 1913		Republican
23		Wallace, Henry R.Henry R. Wallace (1869–1915; aged 46)	November 28, 1913	January 5, 1914		Republican
24		Bell, Joseph E.Joseph E. Bell (1865–1923; aged 58)	1914	1918		Democratic
25		Jewett, Charles W.Charles W. Jewett (1884–1961; aged 77)	1918	1922		Republican
26		Shank, Samuel L.Samuel L. Shank (2nd)	1922	1926		Republican
27		Duvall, John L.John L. Duvall (1874–1962; aged 88)	January 4, 1926	October 27, 1927		Republican
28		Negley, Claude E.Claude E. Negley (1873–1943; aged 70)	October 27, 1927	November 9, 1927		Republican
29		Slack, Lemuel ErtusLemuel Ertus Slack (1874–1952; aged 78)	November 9, 1927	1930		Democratic
30		Sullivan, Reginald H.Reginald H. Sullivan (1st) (1876–1980; aged 103)	1930	1935		Democratic
31		Kern, John W.John W. Kern (1900–1971; aged 71)	1935	September 2, 1937		Democratic
32		Boetcher, Walter C.Walter C. Boetcher (1881–1951; aged 70)	1937	1939		Democratic
33		Sullivan, Reginald H.Reginald H. Sullivan (2nd)	1939	1943		Democratic
34		Tyndall, RobertRobert Tyndall (1877–1947; aged 70)	1943	July 9, 1947		Republican
35		Denny, George L.George L. Denny (1878–1958; aged 80)	July 9, 1947	January 1, 1948		Republican
36		Feeney, Albert G.Albert G. Feeney (1892–1950; aged 58)	January 1, 1948	November 12, 1950		Democratic
37		Bayt, Philip L.Philip L. Bayt (1st) (1910–1989; aged 79)	November 12, 1950	November 24, 1951		Democratic
38		Emhardt, Christian J.Christian J. Emhardt (1883–1971; aged 88)	November 24, 1951	January 1, 1952		Democratic
39		Clark, Alex M.Alex M. Clark (1916–1991; aged 75)	January 1, 1952	January 1, 1956		Republican
40		Bayt, Philip L.Philip L. Bayt (2nd)	January 1, 1956	January 1, 1960		Democratic
41		Boswell, Charles H.Charles H. Boswell (1909–2006; aged 97)	January 1, 1960	August 6, 1962		Democratic
42		Losche, Albert H.Albert H. Losche (1891–1966; aged 75)	August 6, 1962	January 1, 1964		Democratic
43		Barton, John J.John J. Barton (1906–2004; aged 98)	January 1, 1964	January 1, 1968		Democratic

Mayors After Unigov

On January 1, 1970, a big change happened called Unigov. This combined the governments of Indianapolis and Marion County. Because of Unigov, the Mayor of Indianapolis became the main leader for both the city and the entire county.

This means that everyone living in Marion County can vote for the Mayor of Indianapolis. This is true even if they live in a separate town within Marion County, like Beech Grove. Residents there can vote for their own mayor and also for the Mayor of Indianapolis! Richard Lugar was the first mayor under this new system.

Richard Lugar was the 44th mayor of Indianapolis, and the first under Unigov.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end		Party
44		Lugar, RichardRichard Lugar (1932–2019; aged 87)	January 1, 1968	January 1, 1976		Republican
45		Hudnut, William H.William H. Hudnut (1932–2016; aged 84)	January 1, 1976	January 1, 1992		Republican
46		Goldsmith, StephenStephen Goldsmith (born in 1946; age 78)	January 1, 1992	January 1, 2000		Republican
47		Peterson, BartBart Peterson (born in 1958; age 67)	January 1, 2000	January 1, 2008		Democratic
48		Ballard, GregGreg Ballard (born in 1954; age 70)	January 1, 2008	January 1, 2016		Republican
49		Hogsett, JoeJoe Hogsett (born in 1956; age 68)	January 1, 2016	incumbent		Democratic

More to Explore

• Government of Indianapolis
• Timeline of Indianapolis