List of mayors of Minneapolis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Minneapolis
Incumbent Jacob Frey since January 2, 2018
Government of Minneapolis
Seat	Minneapolis City Hall
Term length	Four years
Inaugural holder	Dorilus Morrison
Formation	1867; 158 years ago (1867)

The Mayor of Minneapolis is the main leader of the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The mayor is in charge of making sure the city runs smoothly. They are also the official face of Minneapolis to the state, country, and even other parts of the world. The Mayor's Office is located in the beautiful Minneapolis City Hall.

History of Minneapolis Mayors

Minneapolis has had many different mayors since it became a city. These leaders have come from various political groups over the years. Mayors have belonged to the Republican, Democratic, Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Farmer-Labor, and Socialist parties. Some mayors were even independent, meaning they didn't belong to any major party.

Some important past mayors include A.A. "Doc" Ames, who served many times. Hubert Humphrey was another famous mayor who later became the Vice President of the United States. Sharon Sayles Belton made history as the first African American and first woman to be mayor of Minneapolis.

How Long Mayors Serve

A Mayor of Minneapolis serves for four years. There is no limit to how many times a person can be elected mayor. The new mayor officially starts their job in January after the city election.

In the early days, from 1867 to 1878, mayors served only one-year terms. Then, the term was changed to two years starting in 1878. Finally, in January 1982, the term became four years. This longer term gives mayors more time to work on their plans for the city.

What the Mayor Does

As the main leader of Minneapolis, the mayor has many important jobs. They make sure all city laws are followed. The mayor also oversees and helps coordinate all the different city departments. These departments handle everything from parks to public safety.

Each year, the mayor creates and presents the city's budget. This budget shows how the city plans to spend its money. The mayor also has the power to approve or reject new laws. These laws are first passed by the Minneapolis City Council.

The Mayor's Office includes the mayor and their team of staff members. This team works on many important areas for the city. These include technology, connecting with neighborhoods, public safety, city services, making sure everyone is included, and helping with climate issues.

List of Minneapolis Mayors

Here is a list of the people who have served as Mayor of Minneapolis.

No.	Image	Name	Elected	Took office	Left office	Party
1		Dorilus Morrison		February 26, 1867	April 14, 1868		Republican
2		Hugh G. Harrison		April 14, 1868	April 13, 1869		Republican
3		Dorilus Morrison		April 13, 1869	April 12, 1870		Republican
4		Eli B. Ames		April 12, 1870	April 9, 1872		Democratic
5		Eugene McLanahan Wilson		April 9, 1872	April 8, 1873		Democratic
6		George A. Brackett		April 8, 1873	April 14, 1874		Republican
7		Eugene McLanahan Wilson		April 14, 1874	April 13, 1875		Democratic
8		Orlando C. Merriman		April 13, 1875	April 11, 1876		Democratic
9		A.A. (Doc.) Ames		April 11, 1876	April 10, 1877		Democratic
10		John De Laittre		April 10, 1877	April 9, 1878		Republican
11		Alonzo Cooper Rand		April 9, 1878	April 11, 1882		Republican
12		A.A. (Doc.) Ames		April 11, 1882	April 8, 1884		Democratic
13		George A. Pillsbury		April 8, 1884	April 13, 1886		Republican
14		A.A. (Doc.) Ames		April 13, 1886	January 7, 1889		Democratic
15		Edward C. Babb		January 7, 1889	January 5, 1891		Republican
16		Phillip B. Winston		January 5, 1891	January 2, 1893		Democratic
17		William H. Eustis		January 2, 1893	January 7, 1895		Republican
18		Robert Pratt		January 7, 1895	January 2, 1899		Republican
19		James Gray		January 2, 1899	January 7, 1901		Democratic
20		A.A. (Doc.) Ames		January 7, 1901	August 27, 1902		Republican
21		David P. Jones		August 27, 1902	January 5, 1903		Republican
22		J. C. Haynes		January 5, 1903	January 2, 1905		Democratic
23		David P. Jones		January 2, 1905	January 7, 1907		Republican
24		J. C. Haynes		January 7, 1907	January 6, 1913		Democratic
25		Wallace G. Nye		January 6, 1913	January 1, 1917		Republican
26		Thomas Van Lear		January 1, 1917	January 6, 1919		Socialist
27		J. E. Meyers		January 6, 1919	July 3, 1921		Loyalist
28		George E. Leach		July 4, 1921	July 7, 1929		Republican
29		William F. Kunze		July 8, 1929	July 5, 1931		Republican
30		William A. Anderson		July 6, 1931	July 2, 1933		Farmer–Labor
31		A. G. Bainbridge		July 3, 1933	July 7, 1935		Republican
32		Thomas E. Latimer		July 8, 1935	July 4, 1937		Farmer–Labor
33		George E. Leach		July 5, 1937	July 6, 1941		Republican
34		Marvin L. Kline		July 7, 1941	July 1, 1945		Republican
35		Hubert Humphrey		July 2, 1945	November 30, 1948		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
36		Eric G. Hoyer		December 1, 1948	July 7, 1957		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
37		P. Kenneth Peterson		July 8, 1957	July 2, 1961		Republican
38		Arthur Naftalin		July 3, 1961	July 6, 1969		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
39		Charles Stenvig		July 7, 1969	December 31, 1973		Independent
40		Richard Erdall	N/A	December 31, 1973			Republican
41		Albert Hofstede		January 1, 1974	December 31, 1975		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
42		Charles Stenvig		January 1, 1976	December 31, 1977		Independent
43		Albert Hofstede		January 1, 1978	December 31, 1979		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
44		Donald M. Fraser		January 1, 1980	December 31, 1993		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
45		Sharon Sayles Belton	1993	January 1, 1994	December 31, 2001		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
			1997
46		R. T. Rybak	2001	January 1, 2002	December 31, 2013		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
			2005
			2009
47		Betsy Hodges	2013	January 1, 2014	January 2, 2018		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
48		Jacob Frey	2017	January 2, 2018	incumbent		Democratic–Farmer–Labor
			2021

Mayors by Political Party

This table shows how many mayors have belonged to each political party.

Images for kids

• 

  Henry T. Welles

• 

  Alvaren Allen

• 

  David A. Secombe

• William W. Wales.jpg

  William W. Wales

• Orrin Curtis.jpg

  Orrin Curtis

• R.B. Graves.jpg

  R.B. Graves

• 

  Orlando C. Merriman

• Edwin S. Brown.jpg

  Edwin S. Brown

• Winthrop Young.jpg

  Winthrop Young

• 

  William W. McNair