List of mayors of Phoenix facts for kids

Phoenix, Arizona, is a big city, and like many cities, it has a special leader called a mayor. The mayor helps run the city, makes decisions, and works with other city leaders to make Phoenix a great place to live. This article tells you about the people who have served as mayor of Phoenix throughout history.

The mayor is like the chief executive officer of the city. They lead city council meetings, represent Phoenix to the rest of the world, and help guide the city's future.

Phoenix's First Mayors

The very first mayor of Phoenix was John T. Alsap. He took office in 1881. Back then, Phoenix was a much smaller town than it is today! After him, many other people served as mayor for a year or two at a time.

One interesting early mayor was Emil Ganz. He served two times, first from 1885 to 1886, and then again from 1899 to 1901. He was important because he was the first Jewish mayor of Phoenix.

Important Mayors and Milestones

Over the years, many different people have led Phoenix. Some mayors served for a short time, while others stayed in office for many years.

• Margaret Hance became mayor in 1976 and served until 1984. She was a very important leader because she was the first woman mayor of Phoenix! This was a big step for the city.
• Phil Gordon served as mayor from 2004 to 2012. He was the second Jewish mayor of Phoenix.
• Sometimes, if a mayor leaves office early, an "interim" mayor steps in to lead the city for a short time until a new mayor is elected. Thelda Williams served as an interim mayor three different times, showing how important she was to the city's leadership during transitions.
• The current mayor of Phoenix is Kate Gallego. She was elected in 2019. She is also a very important figure because she is the first female Jewish mayor of Phoenix.

Being mayor is a big job that involves working hard for the people of Phoenix. Each mayor has helped shape the city into what it is today.

Images for kids

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  John T. Alsap, Phoenix's first mayor.

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  DeForest Porter, who served two terms as mayor.

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  Emil Ganz, the first Jewish mayor of Phoenix.

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  James D. Monihon, who also served two terms.

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  George U. Young, mayor from 1914 to 1916.

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  Jack Williams, mayor from 1956 to 1960.

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  Margaret Hance, the first woman mayor of Phoenix.

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  Terry Goddard, mayor from 1984 to 1990.

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  Paul Johnson, mayor from 1990 to 1994.

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  Phil Gordon, mayor from 2004 to 2012.

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  Greg Stanton, mayor from 2012 to 2018.

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  Kate Gallego, the current mayor of Phoenix.

See also

• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States