List of mayors of Rochester, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Rochester
Flag of the City of Rochester
Seal of the City of Rochester
Incumbent Malik Evans since January 1, 2022
Style	The Honorable
Term length	Four years; renewable
Inaugural holder	Jonathan Child
Formation	1834
Salary	$143,000 (2017)
Website	City of Rochester

This page lists all the people who have been the mayor of Rochester, New York. A mayor is like the chief leader of a city. They are in charge of making sure local laws are followed. Mayors also choose people for many important jobs in the city government.

When Rochester became a city in 1834, the mayor's job was different. The city council chose the mayor. The mayor mostly led council meetings and had fewer big responsibilities.

Things changed over time. In 1840, a new law in New York state said that people in cities should vote for their mayors. This made the mayor's job more important. Over the years, the mayor gained more power to appoint people to city roles.

In 1898, a new rule for all cities in New York was made. It created a "mayor-council government." This meant the mayor was in charge of all the city's daily operations. They also had the power to choose many officials.

Later, in 1925, Rochester tried a different way to run the city. This was called a "council-manager government." In this system, the mayor's role was mostly ceremonial. A "city manager," chosen by the council, handled the actual running of the city.

But in 1984, Rochester decided to go back to the "mayor-council government." This means the mayor once again became the main leader. They are responsible for the city's daily work and making important decisions.

List of Mayors of Rochester

This table shows all the mayors who have served Rochester since 1834. You can see their term dates and the political party they belonged to.