List of mayors of Newark, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Newark |
|
|---|---|
| Style | His Honor |
| Residence | Private |
| Term length | Four years; may serve consecutive terms |
| Inaugural holder | William Halsey |
| Formation | 1836 |
| Salary | $180,000 in 2019 |
| Website | Office of the Mayor (Official): https://www.newarknj.gov/city-mayor |
The Mayor of Newark is the main leader of the city government in Newark, New Jersey, United States. The mayor's job is to make sure the city's rules and laws are followed. They also create the city's yearly budget. The mayor gets to choose people for important jobs, like deputy mayors and department heads. They can also approve or reject new laws passed by the City Council.
Newark, New Jersey, was started in 1666. It became a city in 1836. Today, Newark is run under a special law called the Faulkner Act. This law helps cities choose how their government will work. Newark uses a "Mayor-Council" system. This means the mayor leads the city, and the City Council makes the laws. This system started on July 1, 1954.
The mayor of Newark is elected for a four-year term. Elections for mayor and the City Council are "nonpartisan." This means candidates do not run as members of a political party. These elections happen on the second Tuesday in May. The current mayor, Ras Baraka, was first elected on May 13, 2014.
Contents
Understanding the Mayor's Role
The mayor is like the chief executive officer of the city. They are in charge of the day-to-day operations. This includes managing city departments and services. The mayor works to improve the city for its residents.
How Newark's Government Works
Newark's government follows a system where the mayor has a lot of power. They lead the "executive branch." This branch is responsible for carrying out the laws. The City Council is the "legislative branch." They are responsible for creating the laws. The mayor and council work together to govern the city.
Past Mayors of Newark
Newark has had many mayors since it became a city. The first mayor was William Halsey, who started his term in 1836. This section lists all the people who have served as mayor.
| # | Mayor | Term Start | Term End | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Halsey | 1836 | April 13, 1837 | Whig | William Halsey was the first mayor of Newark. | |
| 2 | Theodore Frelinghuysen | April 13, 1837 | 1838 | Whig | ||
| 3 | James Miller | 1838 | 1840 | Whig | ||
| 4 | Oliver Spencer Halstead | 1840 | 1841 | Whig | ||
| 5 | William Wright | 1841 | 1843 | Whig | ||
| 6 | Stephen Dod | 1844 | April 3, 1845 | Whig | ||
| 7 | Isaac Baldwin | April 3, 1845 | April 21, 1846 | Whig | ||
| 8 | Beach Vanderpool | April 21, 1846 | 1848 | Whig | ||
| 9 | James Miller | 1848 | January 7, 1851 | Whig | ||
| 10 | James M. Quinby | January 7, 1851 | January 3, 1854 | Whig | ||
| 11 | Horace J. Poinier | January 3, 1854 | 1857 | Whig | ||
| 12 | Moses Bigelow | 1857 | 1864 | Democratic | ||
| 13 | Theodore Runyon | 1864 | 1866 | Democratic | ||
| 14 | Thomas Baldwin Peddie | 1866 | Jan 4, 1870 | Republican | ||
| 15 | Frederick William Ricord | Jan 4, 1870 | Jan 6, 1874 | Republican | ||
| 16 | Nehemiah Perry | Jan 6, 1874 | Jan 4, 1876 | Democratic | ||
| 17 | Henry J. Yates | Jan 4, 1876 | January 6, 1880 | Republican | ||
| 18 | William H. F. Fiedler | January 6, 1880 | January 3, 1882 | Democratic | ||
| 19 | Henry Lang | January 3, 1882 | January 8, 1884 | Republican | ||
| 20 | Joseph E. Haynes | January 8, 1884 | May 7, 1894 | Democratic | ||
| 21 | Julius A. Lebkuecher | May 7, 1894 | May 1, 1896 | Republican | ||
| 22 | James M. Seymour | May 1, 1896 | January 1, 1903 | Democratic | ||
| 23 | Henry Meade Doremus | January 1, 1903 | January 1, 1907 | Republican | ||
| 24 | Jacob Haussling | January 1, 1907 | January 1, 1915 | Democratic | ||
| 25 | Thomas Lynch Raymond | January 1, 1915 | Nov 20, 1917 | Republican | ||
| 26 | Charles P. Gillen | Nov 20, 1917 | May 17, 1921 | Democratic | ||
| 27 | Alexander Archibald | May 17, 1921 | Feb 11, 1922 | Democratic | Term ended when he passed away. | |
| 28 | Frederick C. Breidenbach | Feb 11, 1922 | May 19, 1925 | Republican | Chosen by the board after Archibald's death. | |
| 29 | Thomas Lynch Raymond | May 19, 1925 | Oct 6, 1928 | Republican | Term ended when he passed away. | |
| 30 | Jerome T. Congleton | Oct 22, 1928 | May 16, 1933 | Republican | Appointed after Raymond's death. | |
| 31 | Meyer C. Ellenstein | May 16, 1933 | May 19, 1941 | Republican | ||
| 32 | Vincent J. Murphy | May 19, 1941 | May 17, 1949 | Democratic | ||
| 33 | Ralph A. Villani | May 17, 1949 | May 15, 1953 | Republican | ||
| 34 | Leo P. Carlin | May 15, 1953 | July 1, 1962 | Democratic | ||
| 35 | Hugh Joseph Addonizio | July 1, 1962 | July 1, 1970 | Democratic | ||
| 36 | Kenneth Allen Gibson | July 1, 1970 | July 1, 1986 | Democratic | Kenneth Allen Gibson was the first African-American Mayor of Newark. He was also the first African American elected mayor of any big city in the Northeastern United States. | |
| 37 | Sharpe James | July 1, 1986 | July 1, 2006 | Democratic | Served for 20 years. | |
| 38 | Cory Booker | July 1, 2006 | October 31, 2013 | Democratic | Ran against Sharpe James in 2002 and lost. He won in 2006 when James did not run again. | |
| 39 | Luis A. Quintana | November 4, 2013 | July 1, 2014 | Democratic | Became acting mayor after Cory Booker left to become a U.S. Senator. | |
| 40 | Ras Baraka | July 1, 2014 | Incumbent | Democratic | Ras Baraka is the current mayor of Newark. He has been serving for 11 years and 30 days. | |
See also
- List of elected officials in Newark, New Jersey
- 1970 Newark mayoral election
- 2014 Newark mayoral election
- History of Newark, New Jersey
