Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey facts for kids
The Mayor of the City of Hoboken is the leader of the city's government in Hoboken, New Jersey. Think of the mayor as the chief executive officer for the city. They make sure the city's rules and plans are followed. The mayor also creates the city's yearly budget. They choose people to lead different city departments. The mayor can also approve or reject new rules made by the City Council.
People in Hoboken vote for their mayor in a special election. The mayor serves for four years. There is no limit to how many terms a mayor can serve.
Since Hoboken became a city in 1855, thirty-eight different people have been mayor. Cornelius V. Clickener was the very first mayor. He served two terms. The current mayor is Ravinder Bhalla. He was first elected in November 2017. In 2010, Hoboken decided to hold its city elections in November. This is the same time as the state's general election.
Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City of Hoboken |
|
|---|---|
 Ravinder Bhalla since 2018 |
|
| Term length | Four years |
| Inaugural holder | Cornelius V. Clickener |
| Formation | 1855 |
| Salary | $116,000 |
| Website | Mayor Ravi Bhalla |
What the Mayor Does
Hoboken's government works with a mayor-council system. This means the mayor is the executive leader. The City Council is the legislative part. They make the laws. Both the mayor and council members are elected by the people. They all serve four-year terms.
The mayor has many important jobs. They must make sure all city rules and state laws are followed. The mayor reports to the council and public each year. This report is about the city's condition. The mayor also oversees all city departments. They prepare the yearly budgets for the city. The mayor also manages all city property and services. They sign all contracts and bonds for the city. The mayor also helps negotiate new agreements.
The mayor can choose leaders for city departments. The City Council must approve these choices. The mayor can also remove department heads. But two-thirds of the City Council must agree. The mayor can approve or veto new city rules. If the mayor vetoes a rule, the council can still pass it. This needs a two-thirds vote from the council. The mayor can also appoint deputy mayors. The mayor can attend City Council meetings. They can speak but do not vote. However, if there's a tie to fill a council opening, the mayor can vote.
What Happens if the Mayor Can't Serve?
Sometimes, a mayor might be away or unable to do their job. In such cases, the mayor can choose someone to be an acting mayor. This person is usually the business administrator. Or it can be another department head. They can serve as acting mayor for up to 60 days.
If the mayor's office becomes empty, the President of the City Council steps in. They become the acting mayor. The City Council then has 30 days to choose an interim mayor. If they don't choose one, the Council President continues as acting mayor. This lasts until a new mayor is elected. Or until the council chooses a new President. Before 1971, there was no clear plan for this.
Hoboken's Mayors
| Rank | Rank | Mayor | Years in office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Cornelius V. Clickener | 1855–1857 | Cornelius V. Clickener was the first mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey. |
| 2 | 2, 4 | Franklin B. Carpenter | 1857–1858, 1859–1860 | He was a lumber merchant. He served two terms as mayor. He also served in the New Jersey General Assembly. |
| 3 | 3 | George William Morton | 1858–1859 | Morton was Hoboken's first Treasurer. He served one term as mayor. |
| 4 | 5 | John R. Johnston | 1860–1863 | He was highly respected by the community. |
| 5 | 6 | Lorenzo Welton Elder | 1863–1864 | He was a brigade surgeon. He helped create the Hudson County Board of Health. |
| 6 | 7 | Charles T. Perry | 1864–1865 | He was president of the Hudson County Gaslight Company. He was also a bank director. |
| 7 | 8 | Frederick Beasley Ogden | 1865–1867 | |
| 8 | 9 | Frederick W. Bohnstedt | 1867–1869 | |
| 9 | 10 | Hazen Kimball | 1869–1871 | He was a bank vice president. He died in Hoboken in 1890. |
| 10 | 11 | Frederick L. Schmersahl | 1871–1873 | He was a German-American merchant. |
| 11 | 12 | Peter McGavisk | 1873–1875 | |
| 12 | 13 | Joseph Russel | 1875–1878 | |
| 13 | 14, 16 | Elbridge Van Syckel Besson | 1878–1880, 1881–1883 | |
| 14 | 15 | John A. O'Neill | 1880–1881 | |
| 15 | 17 | Herman L. Timken | 1883–1886 | |
| 16 | 18 | Edwin J. Kerr | 1886–1888 | |
| 17 | 19 | August Grassman | 1888–1891 | |
| 18 | 20 | Edward R. Stanton | 1891–1892 | |
| 19 | 21 | William Ellis | 1892–1893 | |
| 20 | 22 | Lawrence Fagan | 1893–1901 | |
| 21 | 23 | Adolph Lankering | 1901–1906 | |
| 22 | 24 | George Henry Steil | 1906–1910 | |
| 23 | 25 | George Washington Gonzales | 1910–1912 | |
| 24 | 26 | Martin Cooke | 1912–1915 | |
| 25 | 27 | Patrick R. Griffin | 1915–1926 | |
| 26 | 28 | Gustav Bach | 1926–1929 | |
| 27 | 29 | Bernard N. McFeely | 1930–1947 | |
| 28 | 30 | Fred M. De Sapio | 1947–1953 | |
| 29 | 31 | John J. Grogan | 1953–1965 | |
| 30 | 32, 34 | Louis De Pascale | 1965, 1965–1973 | |
| 31 | 33 | Silvio Failla | 1965 | |
| 32 | 35 | Steve Cappiello | 1973–1985 | |
| 33 | 36 | Thomas Vezzetti | 1985–1988 | He served as mayor until he passed away in 1988. He worked to protect the city's character. |
| 34 | 37 | Patrick Pasculli | 1988–1993 | He became acting mayor after Vezzetti's death. He supported developing the Hoboken waterfront. |
| 35 | 38 | Anthony Russo | 1993–2001 | |
| 36 | 39 | David Roberts | 2001–2009 | A former firefighter, he served two terms. |
| 37 | 40 | Peter Cammarano | 2009 | He resigned shortly after becoming mayor. |
| 38 | 41 | Dawn Zimmer | 2009–2017 | Dawn Zimmer was the first female mayor of Hoboken. She became acting mayor after the previous mayor resigned. She was then elected in her own right. |
| 39 | 42 | Ravi Bhalla | 2017– | Ravi Bhalla is the first Sikh Mayor of Hoboken. The previous mayor, Dawn Zimmer, supported his election. |
