Mayor of Philadelphia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Philadelphia |
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![]() Seal of the City of Philadelphia
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Term length | four years
limited to two
consecutive terms |
Inaugural holder | Humphrey Morrey |
Formation | 1691 |
Salary | $218,000 |
Website | Office of the Mayor |
The mayor of Philadelphia is the top leader of the city government in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This important job is set out in the city's official rulebook, called the Charter of the City of Philadelphia. The current mayor of Philadelphia is Cherelle Parker. She made history by becoming the first woman to ever hold this position!
The Mayor of Philadelphia: A Look at History
Early Mayors: 1600s and 1700s
The very first mayor of Philadelphia was Humphrey Morrey. He was chosen by William Penn, who founded both the city and the colony of Pennsylvania. After Morrey, Penn also appointed Edward Shippen in 1701. Later, the Philadelphia City Council (a group of city leaders) started electing mayors for one-year terms.
In those early days, mayors didn't get paid. Sometimes, people chosen for the job didn't want it! They would even pay a fine to avoid serving as mayor. For example, in 1704, Griffith Jones was elected but refused, so he had to pay twenty pounds. In 1747, a mayor named Anthony Morris even secretly left town to avoid being told he was elected!
Eventually, the city council decided to offer a salary of 100 pounds a year for the mayor's job. This made the position more appealing.
Changes in the 1800s
In 1826, the city council changed the rules. They allowed any citizen of Philadelphia to run for mayor. Then, starting in 1839, people got to vote directly for their mayor! If no candidate won more than half the votes, the city councils would pick the winner from the top two. John Swift was the first mayor chosen directly by the people in 1840.
Over time, the mayor's term in office got longer. It went from one year to two years in 1854, then to three years in 1861, and finally to four years in 1885. A rule was also added in 1885 that mayors couldn't serve two terms in a row.
The 1900s and Today
In the 1940s, the rule about not serving consecutive terms was removed. This allowed mayors like Bernard Samuel to run for reelection. In 1951, a new city rulebook, called the Home Rule Charter, set a limit: mayors could only serve two terms in a row. This means they can't be mayor for more than eight years straight, but they could run again later if someone else served in between.
For more than 70 years, since 1952, Philadelphia has had mayors from the Democratic Party. The only time a Republican came very close to winning was in 1999, when Sam Katz almost became mayor.
List of Mayors of Philadelphia
- Parties
Democratic (18) Democratic-Republican (4) Federalist (6) Keystone (1) National Republican (2) Republican (19) Whig (5)
Colonial Mayors Elected by the Common Council
No. | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Mayorship | Term |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Humphrey Morrey | May 20, 1691 | October 25, 1701 | 1 | 1 |
2 | Edward Shippen I | October 25, 1701 | October 24, 1702 | 2 | 2 |
October 24, 1702 | October 5, 1703 | 3 | |||
3 | Anthony Morris I | October 5, 1703 | October 3, 1704 | 3 | 4 |
4 | Griffith Jones | October 3, 1704 | October 2, 1705 | 4 | 5 |
5 | Joseph Willcox | October 2, 1705 | October 1, 1706 | 5 | 6 |
6 | Nathan Stanbury | October 1, 1706 | October 7, 1707 | 6 | 7 |
7 | Thomas Masters | October 7, 1707 | October 5, 1708 | 7 | 8 |
October 5, 1708 | October 4, 1709 | 9 | |||
8 | Richard Hill | October 4, 1709 | October 3, 1710 | 8 | 10 |
9 | William Carter | October 3, 1710 | October 2, 1711 | 9 | 11 |
10 | Samuel Preston | October 2, 1711 | October 7, 1712 | 10 | 12 |
11 | Jonathan Dickinson | October 7, 1712 | October 6, 1713 | 11 | 13 |
12 | George Roch | October 6, 1713 | October 5, 1714 | 12 | 14 |
(8) | Richard Hill | October 5, 1714 | October 4, 1715 | 13 | 15 |
October 4, 1715 | October 2, 1716 | 16 | |||
October 2, 1716 | October 1, 1717 | 17 | |||
(11) | Jonathan Dickinson | October 1, 1717 | October 7, 1718 | 14 | 18 |
October 7, 1718 | October 6, 1719 | 19 | |||
13 | William Fishbourn | October 6, 1719 | October 4, 1720 | 15 | 20 |
October 4, 1720 | October 3, 1721 | 21 | |||
October 3, 1721 | October 2, 1722 | 22 | |||
14 | James Logan | October 2, 1722 | October 1, 1723 | 16 | 23 |
15 | Clement Plumsted | October 1, 1723 | October 6, 1724 | 17 | 24 |
16 | Isaac Norris | October 6, 1724 | October 5, 1725 | 18 | 25 |
17 | William Hudson | October 5, 1725 | October 4, 1726 | 19 | 26 |
18 | Charles Read | October 4, 1726 | October 3, 1727 | 20 | 27 |
19 | Thomas Lawrence I | October 3, 1727 | October 2, 1728 | 21 | 28 |
October 2, 1728 | October 7, 1729 | 29 | |||
20 | Thomas Griffitts | October 7, 1729 | October 6, 1730 | 22 | 30 |
October 6, 1730 | October 6, 1731 | 31 | |||
21 | Samuel Hasell | October 6, 1731 | October 3, 1732 | 23 | 32 |
October 3, 1732 | October 2, 1733 | 33 | |||
(20) | Thomas Griffitts | October 2, 1733 | October 1, 1734 | 24 | 34 |
(19) | Thomas Lawrence I | October 1, 1734 | October 7, 1735 | 25 | 35 |
22 | William Allen | October 7, 1735 | October 5, 1736 | 26 | 36 |
(15) | Clement Plumsted | October 5, 1736 | October 4, 1737 | 27 | 37 |
(20) | Thomas Griffitts | October 4, 1737 | October 3, 1738 | 28 | 38 |
23 | Anthony Morris II | October 3, 1738 | October 2, 1739 | 29 | 39 |
24 | Edward Roberts | October 2, 1739 | October 7, 1740 | 30 | 40 |
(21) | Samuel Hasell | October 7, 1740 | October 6, 1741 | 31 | 41 |
(15) | Clement Plumsted | October 6, 1741 | October 5, 1742 | 32 | 42 |
25 | William Till | October 5, 1742 | October 4, 1743 | 33 | 43 |
26 | Benjamin Shoemaker | October 4, 1743 | October 2, 1744 | 34 | 44 |
27 | Edward Shippen III | October 2, 1744 | October 1, 1745 | 35 | 45 |
28 | James Hamilton | October 1, 1745 | October 7, 1746 | 36 | 46 |
29 | William Attwood | October 7, 1746 | October 6, 1747 | 37 | 47 |
October 9, 1747 | October 4, 1748 | 48 | |||
30 | Charles Willing | October 4, 1748 | October 3, 1749 | 38 | 49 |
(19) | Thomas Lawrence I | October 3, 1749 | October 2, 1750 | 39 | 50 |
31 | William Plumsted | October 2, 1750 | October 1, 1751 | 40 | 51 |
32 | Robert Strettell | October 1, 1751 | October 3, 1752 | 41 | 52 |
(26) | Benjamin Shoemaker | October 3, 1752 | October 2, 1753 | 42 | 53 |
(19) | Thomas Lawrence I | October 2, 1753 | April 25, 1754 | 43 | 54 |
(30) | Charles Willing | April 25, 1754 | October 1, 1754 | 44 | 55 |
October 1, 1754 | December 4, 1754 | 56 | |||
(31) | William Plumsted | December 4, 1754 | October 7, 1755 | 45 | 57 |
October 7, 1755 | October 5, 1756 | 58 | |||
33 | Attwood Shute | October 5, 1756 | October 4, 1757 | 46 | 59 |
October 4, 1757 | October 3, 1758 | 60 | |||
34 | Thomas Lawrence II | October 15, 1758 | October 2, 1759 | 47 | 61 |
35 | John Stamper | October 2, 1759 | October 7, 1760 | 48 | 62 |
(26) | Benjamin Shoemaker | October 7, 1760 | October 6, 1761 | 49 | 63 |
36 | Jacob Duché | October 6, 1761 | October 5, 1762 | 50 | 64 |
37 | Henry Harrison | October 5, 1762 | October 4, 1763 | 51 | 65 |
38 | Thomas Willing | October 4, 1763 | October 2, 1764 | 52 | 66 |
(34) | Thomas Lawrence II | October 2, 1764 | October 1, 1765 | 53 | 67 |
39 | John Lawrence | October 1, 1765 | October 7, 1766 | 54 | 68 |
October 7, 1766 | October 6, 1767 | 69 | |||
40 | Isaac Jones | October 6, 1767 | October 4, 1768 | 55 | 70 |
October 4, 1768 | October 3, 1769 | 71 | |||
41 | Samuel Shoemaker | October 3, 1769 | October 2, 1770 | 56 | 72 |
October 2, 1770 | October 1, 1771 | 73 | |||
42 | John Gibson | October 1, 1771 | October 6, 1772 | 57 | 74 |
October 6, 1772 | October 5, 1773 | 75 | |||
43 | William Fisher | October 5, 1773 | October 4, 1774 | 58 | 76 |
44 | Samuel Rhoads | October 4, 1774 | October 5, 1775 | 59 | 77 |
45 | Samuel Powel | October 5, 1775 | July 4, 1776 | 60 | 78 |
Mayors After Independence (Elected by Council)
No. | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | Mayorship | Term | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(45) | Samuel Powel | April 11, 1789 | April 12, 1790 | Federalist | 61 | 79 | |
46 | Samuel Miles | April 12, 1790 | April 13, 1791 | Federalist | 62 | 80 | |
47 | John Barclay | April 13, 1791 | April 13, 1792 | Federalist | 63 | 81 | |
48 | Matthew Clarkson | April 13, 1792 | April 3, 1793 | Federalist | 64 | 82 | |
April 3, 1793 | April 15, 1794 | 83 | |||||
April 15, 1794 | April 6, 1795 | 84 | |||||
April 6, 1795 | May 5, 1796 | 85 | |||||
May 5, 1796 | October 18, 1796 | 86 | |||||
49 | Hilary Baker | October 18, 1796 | October 17, 1797 | Federalist | 65 | 87 | |
October 17, 1797 | October 16, 1798 | 88 | |||||
50 | Robert Wharton | October 16, 1798 | October 11, 1799 | Federalist | 66 | 89 | |
October 11, 1799 | October 21, 1800 | 90 | |||||
51 | John Inskeep | October 21, 1800 | October 16, 1801 | Federalist | 67 | 91 | |
52 | Matthew Lawler | October 16, 1801 | October 19, 1802 | Democratic- Republican |
68 | 92 | |
October 19, 1802 | October 18, 1803 | 93 | |||||
October 18, 1803 | October 16, 1804 | 94 | |||||
October 16, 1804 | October 15, 1805 | 95 | |||||
(51) | John Inskeep | October 15, 1805 | October 21, 1806 | Federalist | 69 | 96 | |
(50) | Robert Wharton | October 21, 1806 | October 20, 1807 | Federalist | 70 | 97 | |
October 20, 1807 | October 18, 1808 | 98 | |||||
53 | John Barker | October 18, 1808 | October 17, 1809 | Democratic- Republican |
71 | 99 | |
October 17, 1809 | October 16, 1810 | 100 | |||||
(50) | Robert Wharton | October 16, 1810 | October 15, 1811 | Federalist | 72 | 101 | |
54 | Michael Keppele | October 15, 1811 | October 20, 1812 | Democratic- Republican |
73 | 102 | |
(53) | John Barker | October 20, 1812 | October 19, 1813 | Democratic- Republican |
74 | 103 | |
55 | John Geyer | October 19, 1813 | October 18, 1814 | Democratic- Republican |
75 | 104 | |
(50) | Robert Wharton | October 18, 1814 | October 17, 1815 | Federalist | 76 | 105 | |
October 17, 1815 | October 15, 1816 | 106 | |||||
October 15, 1816 | October 21, 1817 | 107 | |||||
October 21, 1817 | October 20, 1818 | 108 | |||||
October 20, 1818 | October 19, 1819 | 109 | |||||
56 | James N. Barker | October 19, 1819 | October 17, 1820 | Democratic- Republican |
77 | 110 | |
(50) | Robert Wharton | October 17, 1820 | October 16, 1821 | Federalist | 78 | 111 | |
October 16, 1821 | October 15, 1822 | 112 | |||||
October 15, 1822 | October 21, 1823 | 113 | |||||
October 21, 1823 | October 19, 1824 | 114 | |||||
57 | Joseph Watson | October 19, 1824 | October 18, 1825 | National Republican |
79 | 115 | |
October 18, 1825 | October 18, 1826 | 116 | |||||
October 18, 1826 | October 16, 1827 | 117 | |||||
October 16, 1827 | October 21, 1828 | 118 | |||||
58 | George M. Dallas | October 21, 1828 | April 15, 1829 | Democrat | 80 | 119 | |
59 | Benjamin W. Richards | April 15, 1829 | October 20, 1829 | Democratic | 81 | 120 | |
60 | William Milnor | October 20, 1829 | October 19, 1830 | National Republican |
82 | 121 | |
(59) | Benjamin W. Richards | October 19, 1830 | October 18, 1831 | Democratic | 83 | 122 | |
October 18, 1831 | October 16, 1832 | 123 | |||||
61 | John Swift | October 16, 1832 | October 15, 1833 | Whig | 84 | 124 | |
October 15, 1833 | October 21, 1834 | 125 | |||||
October 21, 1834 | October 20, 1835 | 126 | |||||
October 20, 1835 | October 18, 1836 | 127 | |||||
October 18, 1836 | October 17, 1837 | 128 | |||||
October 17, 1837 | October 16, 1838 | 129 | |||||
62 | Isaac Roach | October 16, 1838 | October 15, 1839 | Democratic | 85 | 130 |
Mayors Chosen by Popular Vote
Mayors After the Act of Consolidation
Mayors Under the 1951 Home Rule Charter
No. | Image | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | Mayorship | Term | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
90 | ![]() |
Joseph S. Clark Jr. | January 7, 1952 | January 2, 1956 | Democratic | 116 | 176 | |
91 | ![]() |
Richardson Dilworth | January 2, 1956 | January 4, 1960 | Democratic | 117 | 177 | |
January 4, 1960 | February 13, 1962 | 178 | ||||||
92 | ![]() |
James Tate | February 13, 1962 | January 6, 1964 | Democratic | 118 | 179 | |
January 6, 1964 | January 1, 1968 | 180 | ||||||
January 1, 1968 | January 3, 1972 | 181 | ||||||
93 | ![]() |
Frank Rizzo | January 3, 1972 | January 5, 1976 | Democratic | 119 | 182 | |
January 5, 1976 | January 7, 1980 | 183 | ||||||
94 | ![]() |
William J. Green III | January 7, 1980 | January 2, 1984 | Democratic | 120 | 184 | |
95 | ![]() |
Wilson Goode | January 2, 1984 | January 4, 1988 | Democratic | 121 | 185 | |
January 4, 1988 | January 6, 1992 | 186 | ||||||
96 | ![]() |
Ed Rendell | January 6, 1992 | January 1, 1996 | Democratic | 122 | 187 | |
January 1, 1996 | January 3, 2000 | 188 | ||||||
97 | ![]() |
John F. Street | January 3, 2000 | January 5, 2004 | Democratic | 123 | 189 | |
January 5, 2004 | January 7, 2008 | 190 | ||||||
98 | ![]() |
Michael Nutter | January 7, 2008 | January 2, 2012 | Democratic | 124 | 191 | |
January 2, 2012 | January 4, 2016 | 192 | ||||||
99 | ![]() |
Jim Kenney | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2020 | Democratic | 125 | 193 | |
January 7, 2020 | January 1, 2024 | 194 | ||||||
100 | ![]() |
Cherelle Parker | January 2, 2024 | incumbent | Democratic | 126 | 195 |
See Also
- History of Philadelphia
- Timeline of Philadelphia