Mayor of Honolulu Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu
Seal of the City and County of Honolulu
Incumbent Rick Blangiardi since January 2, 2021
Term length	4 years Maximum of 2 consecutive full terms
Inaugural holder	Joseph James Fern
Formation	1909
Website	Office of the Mayor

The mayor of Honolulu is the main leader of the City and County of Honolulu. This important job was created in 1900. The mayor is chosen by a vote where everyone living in Honolulu can participate. They can serve for two terms, and each term lasts four years. Besides the mayor, other elected officials in Honolulu include the prosecuting attorney and council members from nine different areas.

The mayor of Honolulu has a lot of power. They can choose and remove people who work in city administration. They also have control over the heads of different city departments. The mayor can even say no to new laws passed by the Honolulu City Council. They also have a big say in how the city's budget, which is over $1 billion, is spent.

What Does the Mayor of Honolulu Do?
List of Mayors of Honolulu
Other Important People
More Information
See also

What Does the Mayor of Honolulu Do?

The mayor of Honolulu is like the chief executive officer of a big company, but for the entire city and county. They are responsible for making sure the city runs smoothly and serves its residents. This includes everything from managing public services to representing Honolulu on the world stage.

The Mayor's Office: Honolulu Hale

The mayor of Honolulu works from Honolulu Hale. This is the city's historic city hall building. It was built in 1928 and looks like a classical Spanish villa. You can find it in downtown Honolulu, near the Hawaii Capital Historic District. Other city workers who help the mayor have offices in different buildings nearby. These buildings are all part of the larger civic campus.

Honolulu Hale, the historic city hall where the mayor works.

Helping the City: Domestic Policy

Every year, the mayor gives a "State of the City" speech. They give this speech from the courtyard of Honolulu Hale. In this speech, the mayor talks about their plans for the city for the year ahead. They also explain how the city's money will be used compared to the previous year.

The mayor also manages many important public services. They oversee dozens of departments. These include the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, the Honolulu Fire Department, and the Honolulu Police Department. They also oversee the Oʻahu Civil Defense Agency. Unlike mayors in most other U.S. cities, the mayor of Honolulu does not manage schools. Schools are handled by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education.

Who Helps the Mayor?

The managing director of Honolulu helps the mayor with all these tasks. This person is very important. If the mayor is away or leaves office, the managing director steps in as acting mayor. The current managing director is Michael Formby.

Honolulu's Role in the World

Honolulu is sometimes called the "Geneva of the Pacific." This is because it's a very important place for business, trade, politics, and military activities in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Many international groups and meetings happen in Honolulu. It also hosts large multinational military exercises called RIMPAC. These exercises are led by the commander of the United States Pacific Command, whose main office is in Honolulu.

Because Honolulu is so important globally, its mayor often acts like a diplomat. This is different from most other mayors in the United States. The mayor of Honolulu often leads international groups of mayors. They also regularly organize special international meetings.

The First Lady of Honolulu

In Hawaii, there's a special tradition. The wife of the mayor of Honolulu is given the honorary title of "First Lady of Honolulu." This is unique because in most U.S. cities, this title is only for the wife of a state governor, the wife of the president of the United States, or the wife of a visiting foreign leader. Honolulu gives this title to reflect the mayor's wife's role. This role is important because of the mayor's many international duties. It's an honor, not an official law.

List of Mayors of Honolulu

No.	Name		Elected	Term in office
1	Joseph J. Fern (1872–1920)	Democratic	1908 1910 1912	January 4, 1909 – January 4, 1915 (lost re-election)
2	John C. Lane (1872–1958)	Republican	1914	January 4, 1915 – January 4, 1917 (lost re-election)
(1)	Joseph J. Fern (1872–1920)	Democratic	1916 1918	January 4, 1917 – February 20, 1920 (died in office)
3	John H. Wilson (1871–1956)	Democratic	1920 1922 1924	February 26, 1920 – January 2, 1927 (lost re-election)
4	Charles N. Arnold (1880–1929)	Republican	1926	January 2, 1927 – January 1, 1929 (lost re-election)
(3)	John H. Wilson (1871–1956)	Democratic	1928	January 1, 1929 – January 3, 1931 (lost re-election)
5	George F. Wright (1881–1938)	Republican	1930 1932 1934	January 3, 1931 – July 2, 1938 (died in office)
6	Charles Crane (1869–1958)	Republican	1938	July 15, 1938 – January 2, 1941 (lost re-election)
7	Lester Petrie (1878–1956)	Democratic	1940 1942 1944 1946	January 2, 1941 – January 2, 1949 (retired)
(3)	John H. Wilson (1871–1956)	Democratic	1948 1950 1952	January 2, 1949 – January 2, 1955 (lost re-election)
8	Neal Blaisdell (1902–1975)	Republican	1954 1956 1960 1964	January 2, 1955 – January 2, 1969 (retired)
9	Frank Fasi (1920–2010)	Democratic	1968 1972 1976	January 2, 1969 – January 2, 1981 (lost re-election)
10	Eileen Anderson (1928–2021)	Democratic	1980	January 2, 1981 – January 2, 1985 (lost re-election)
(9)	Frank Fasi (1920–2010)	Republican	1984 1988 1992	January 2, 1985 – September 17, 1994 (resigned)
11	Jeremy Harris (born 1950)	Democratic	1994 1996 2000	September 18, 1994 – January 2, 2005 (term limited)
12	Mufi Hannemann (born 1954)	Democratic	2004 2008	January 2, 2005 – July 20, 2010 (resigned)
–	Kirk Caldwell (born 1952)	Democratic	—	July 20, 2010 – October 11, 2010 (lost election)
13	Peter Carlisle (born 1952)	Independent	2010 sp	October 11, 2010 – January 2, 2013 (lost re-election)
14	Kirk Caldwell (born 1952)	Democratic	2012 2016	January 2, 2013 – January 2, 2021 (term limited)
15	Rick Blangiardi (born 1946)	Independent	2020	January 2, 2021 – present (incumbent)