Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City of Jersey City |
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Flag of Jersey City
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 Steven Fulop since July 1, 2013 |
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| Seat | Jersey City City Hall |
| Term length | Four years |
| Formation | February 22, 1838 |
| First holder | Dudley S. Gregory |
| Deputy | Vivian Brady-Phillips Marcos Vigil |
The Mayor of the City of Jersey City is the main leader of the government in Jersey City, New Jersey. The mayor's job is to make sure the city's rules and laws are followed. They also create the yearly budget and choose people to lead different city departments. The mayor can also approve or reject new laws made by the City Council.
People in Jersey City vote for their mayor in a special election where candidates don't run as part of a political party. The mayor serves for four years and can be re-elected many times.
Jersey City became a city on February 22, 1838. Since then, 44 different people have been mayor. Dudley S. Gregory was the very first mayor. He served three times for a total of five years. The current mayor is Steven Fulop. He became mayor on July 1, 2013, after winning the election against the previous mayor, Jerramiah Healy.
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What the Mayor Does: Duties and Powers
Jersey City's government is set up with a mayor and a city council. This system is called a mayor–council government, following a state law known as the Faulkner Act. The mayor is the executive leader, meaning they run the city's daily operations. The Municipal Council makes the laws. Both the mayor and council members are chosen in nonpartisan elections and serve four-year terms.
The mayor has several important duties. They must make sure all city and state laws are followed. They report to the council and the public each year about the city's condition. The mayor also oversees all city departments, properties, and agencies. They prepare the city's yearly budget and sign important contracts and bonds.
The mayor also has powers like choosing department heads, but the Municipal Council must agree. They can also remove department heads if two-thirds of the council doesn't disagree. The mayor can approve or veto (reject) new laws. If the mayor vetoes a law, the council can still pass it if two-thirds of them vote to override the veto. The mayor can also appoint deputy mayors. They can attend council meetings and speak, but they don't vote unless there's a tie when filling a council vacancy.
How Mayors Are Elected
Mayors in Jersey City are elected every four years. The election usually happens on the second Tuesday in May. If no candidate gets more than half of the votes, a second election, called a runoff, is held. This runoff election takes place on the fourth Tuesday after the first election. The mayor's term officially starts on July 1. The next mayoral election for Jersey City is planned for 2025.
Over time, the rules for electing mayors have changed. When Jersey City first became a city in 1838, mayors were elected for just one year. In 1868, the state changed the term to two years. Then, in 1892, it became five years. In 1913, the city tried a different government style with a five-member commission. One of these commissioners was chosen as mayor, but they had limited power. Jersey City switched to its current mayor-council government on May 7, 1961.
What Happens if a Mayor Can't Serve
If the mayor is away, sick, or can't do their job, they can choose someone like the business administrator or another department head to be the acting mayor for up to 60 days. If the mayor's office becomes empty, the President of the Municipal Council becomes the acting mayor. The council then has 30 days to choose a temporary mayor. If they don't choose one, the Council President continues as acting mayor until a new mayor is elected or the council picks a new president. Before 1971, there wasn't a clear rule for this. For example, in 1963, the office was empty for 47 days because the city council couldn't agree on a temporary mayor.
Past Mayors of Jersey City
| # | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dudley Sanford Gregory | April 1838 | April 1840 | Whig | First mayor of Jersey City. | |
| 2 | Peter McMartin | April 1840 | April 1841 | Unknown | ||
| 3 | Dudley Sanford Gregory | April 1841 | April 1842 | Whig | Second term. | |
| 4 | Thomas A. Alexander | April 1842 | April 1843 | Unknown | ||
| 5 | Peter Bentley | April 1843 | April 1844 | Democratic | ||
| 6 | Phineas Cook Dummer | April 1844 | April 20, 1848 | Whig | ||
| 7 | Henry Taylor | April 21, 1848 | April 18, 1850 | Whig | ||
| 8 | Robert Gilchrist | April 19, 1850 | May 2, 1852 | Whig | ||
| 9 | David Stout Manners | May 3, 1852 | May 3, 1857 | Whig | ||
| 10 | Samuel Wescott | May 4, 1857 | May 2, 1858 | Democratic | ||
| 11 | Dudley Sanford Gregory | May 3, 1858 | May 6, 1860 | Republican | Third term. | |
| 12 | Cornelius Van Vorst | May 7, 1860 | May 4, 1862 | Democratic | ||
| 13 | John B. Romar | May 5, 1861 | May 1, 1864 | Democratic | ||
| 14 | Orestes Cleveland | May 2, 1864 | May 5, 1867 | Democratic | ||
| 15 | James Gopsill | May 6, 1867 | May 3, 1868 | Republican | ||
| 16 | Charles H. O'Neill | May 4, 1868 | April 10, 1869 | Democratic | O'Neill resigned after one year. William Clarke was appointed interim mayor. | |
| 17 | William Clarke | April 11, 1869 | May 1, 1870 | Democratic | Appointed temporary mayor by the Municipal Council. | |
| 18 | Charles H. O'Neill | May 2, 1870 | May 3, 1874 | Democratic | ||
| 19 | Henry Traphagen | May 4, 1874 | April 30, 1876 | Democratic | ||
| 20 | Charles Siedler | May 1, 1876 | May 5, 1878 | Republican | ||
| 21 | Henry J. Hopper | May 6, 1878 | May 2, 1880 | Democratic | ||
| 22 | Isaac William Taussig | May 3, 1880 | May 4, 1884 | Democratic | First Jewish mayor of Jersey City. His company faced financial difficulties during his term. | |
| 23 | Gilbert Collins | May 5, 1884 | May 2, 1886 | Republican | ||
| 24 | Orestes Cleveland | May 3, 1886 | May 1, 1892 | Democratic | ||
| 25 | Peter Farmer Wanser | May 2, 1892 | May 2, 1897 | Republican | ||
| 26 | Edward Hoos | May 3, 1897 | December 31, 1901 | Democratic | ||
| 27 | Mark M. Fagan | January 1, 1902 | December 31, 1907 | Republican | ||
| 28 | H. Otto Wittpenn | January 1, 1908 | June 16, 1913 | Democratic | ||
| 29 | Mark M. Fagan | June 17, 1913 | May 14, 1917 | Republican | ||
| 30 | Frank Hague | May 15, 1917 | June 17, 1947 | Democratic | Longest-serving mayor of Jersey City. He served for 30 years. | |
| 31 | Frank Hague Eggers | June 17, 1947 | May 16, 1949 | Democratic | Nephew of Frank Hague. | |
| 32 | John Vincent Kenny | July 1, 1949 | December 15, 1953 | Democratic | Resigned after winning re-election due to poor health. | |
| 33 | Bernard J. Berry | December 15, 1953 | June 30, 1957 | Democratic | ||
| 34 | Charles S. Witkowski | July 1, 1957 | June 30, 1961 | Democratic | ||
| 35 | Thomas Gangemi | July 1, 1961 | September 26, 1963 | Democratic | Resigned from office when it was found he was not a United States citizen. | |
| 36 | Thomas J. Whelan | November 13, 1963 | July 6, 1971 | Democratic | Removed from office. | |
| 37 | Charles Kiva Krieger | August 5, 1971 | November 8, 1971 | Democratic | Appointed temporary mayor by the Municipal Council. Second Jewish Mayor of Jersey City. | |
| 38 | Paul T. Jordan | November 9, 1971 | June 30, 1977 | Democratic | At age 30, Jordan became the youngest mayor of Jersey City. | |
| 39 | Thomas F.X. Smith | July 1, 1977 | May 12, 1981 | Democratic | Resigned to run for governor. | |
| 40 | Gerald McCann | July 1, 1981 | June 30, 1985 | Democratic | At age 31, McCann was the second-youngest mayor of Jersey City. | |
| 41 | Anthony R. Cucci | July 1, 1985 | June 30, 1989 | Democratic | ||
| 42 | Gerald McCann | July 1, 1989 | February 13, 1992 | Democratic | Removed from office during his second term. | |
| 43 | Marilyn Roman | February 14, 1992 | June 30, 1992 | Democratic | First female mayor of Jersey City. | |
| 44 | Joseph Rakowski | July 1, 1992 | November 10, 1992 | Democratic | Acting mayor. | |
| 45 | Bret Schundler | November 11, 1992 | June 30, 2001 | Republican | First Republican mayor elected since 1913. | |
| 46 | Glenn Cunningham | July 1, 2001 | May 25, 2004 | Democratic | First African-American mayor of Jersey City. Died in office. | |
| 47 | L. Harvey Smith | May 26, 2004 | November 11, 2004 | Democratic | Acting mayor. | |
| 48 | Jerramiah Healy | November 12, 2004 | June 30, 2013 | Democratic | ||
| 49 | Steven Fulop | July 1, 2013 | Incumbent | Democratic | Third Jewish mayor of Jersey City. | |
Other Important Roles Held by Mayors
Some mayors of Jersey City have also held other important public offices, either before or after being mayor.
| Mayor | Mayoral term(s) | Other offices held | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dudley S. Gregory | 1838–1840, 1841–1842, 1858–1860 | U.S. Representative (1847–1849) | |
| Samuel Wescott | 1857–1858 | New Jersey State Senator (1860–1862) | |
| Orestes Cleveland | 1864–1867, 1886–1892 | U.S. Representative (1869–1871) | |
| Peter Farmer Wanser | 1892–1897 | New Jersey General Assemblyman (1882–1883) | |
| Glenn Cunningham | 2001–2004 | New Jersey State Senator (2004) | |
| L. Harvey Smith | 2004 | New Jersey State Senator (2003–2004) New Jersey General Assemblyman (2008–2010) |
See also
