List of mayors of Murray, Utah facts for kids

Murray, Utah became an official city on July 3, 1902. When it became a city, it set up a special way of being governed called a mayor-council system. This means the city has a mayor who leads, and a city council that helps make decisions. The mayor's job in Murray used to be connected to political parties (this is called partisan), but now it's not. This means the mayor doesn't represent a specific political party, which is called non-partisan. Also, the mayor's term in office used to be two years. But in the 1940s, it changed to a four-year term, just like state law suggested. Below, you'll find a list of all the people who have served as mayor of Murray, Utah.

What is a Mayor?

A mayor is the top leader of a city or town. They are usually elected by the people who live there. The mayor's job is to make sure the city runs smoothly. They work with the city council to make important decisions. These decisions can be about things like city services, parks, and how the city grows.

Murray's Government System

Murray, Utah, uses a mayor-council form of government. In this system, the mayor is the chief executive. This means they are in charge of the city's day-to-day operations. The city council acts like a legislative body. They create and approve the city's laws and budget.

The mayor's position in Murray used to be partisan. This means candidates would run for mayor as part of a political party, like Democrats or Republicans. Over time, this changed. Now, the mayor's position is non-partisan. This means candidates do not run as members of a political party. They focus on their own ideas for the city.

How Long Does a Mayor Serve?

When Murray first became a city, the mayor served for two years. This was a common term length for many local leaders. However, in the 1940s, the state of Utah changed its laws. To match these new state rules, Murray also changed its mayor's term. Since then, the mayor of Murray serves a four-year term. This longer term allows the mayor more time to work on projects and see them through.

Past Mayors of Murray

Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Murray, Utah, since the city was founded.

No.	Image	Name	Term began	Term ended
1		Chillion L. Miller	January 1, 1902	December 31, 1903
2		Joseph Stratton	January 1, 1904	December 31, 1905
3		Charles Brown	January 1, 1906	December 31, 1909
4		Phillip Bentz	January 1, 1910	December 31, 1911
5		George Huscher	January 1, 1912	December 31, 1915
6		James W. McHenry	January 1, 1916	December 31, 1917
7		Norman Erekson	January 1, 1918	December 31, 1919
8		Charles Anderson	January 1, 1920	December 31, 1923
9		Isaac Lester	January 1, 1924	December 31, 1929
10		Arthur Townsend	January 1, 1930	December 31, 1931
11		Fred Peters	January 1, 1932	December 31, 1933
12		Gottlieb Berger	January 1, 1934	December 31, 1941
13		Curtis Shaw	January 1, 1942	December 31, 1943
14		J. Clifford Hansen	January 1, 1944	December 31, 1945
15		William Ernest Smith	January 1, 1946	December 31, 1947
16		J. Clifford Hansen	January 1, 1948	December 31, 1957
17		Ray Greenwood	January 1, 1958	December 31, 1965
18		William E. Dunn	January 1, 1966	December 31, 1970
19		Vaughn Soffe	January 1, 1971	December 31, 1977
20		LaRell Muir	January 1, 1978	December 31, 1985
21		Lavar McMillan	January 1, 1986	December 31, 1989
22		Lynn Pett	January 1, 1990	December 31, 1998
23		Dan Snarr	January 1, 1999	December 31, 2013
24		Ted Eyre	January 1, 2014	September 19, 2017
25		Blair Camp	September 19, 2017	December 31, 2021
26		Brett Hales	January 1, 2022