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Mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey facts for kids

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Mayor of New Brunswick
Incumbent
James M. Cahill
since 1991
Inaugural holder Thomas Farmer
Formation 1747
Website Mayor's Office

The Mayor of New Brunswick is the main leader of the city government in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The mayor is in charge of the city's executive branch, which means they help run the city day-to-day.

How New Brunswick's Mayors Were Chosen

In the early days of New Brunswick, the city's leaders were not chosen by public vote.

Early Colonial Mayors

The first four mayors were called "colonial" mayors. This means their power came from special documents called royal charters. These charters were given by the British monarchy, which ruled the area at the time.

From Royal Charters to State Laws

After 1784, the city's leader served under a new charter. This one was granted by the State of New Jersey, not the British king. For a while, from 1784 to 1801, the top official was called the "president of the city" instead of mayor.

Mayors Chosen by Commissioners

From 1915 to 1970, New Brunswick had a different system. Every four years, people would elect five "commissioners." These commissioners would then choose one of themselves to be the mayor. Often, the person who got the most votes in the election would become mayor.

Recent Mayors of New Brunswick

Here are some of the mayors who have led New Brunswick, especially focusing on more recent times and important firsts.

# Term of office Mayor Born and died Notes
61 1991– James M. Cahill James M. Cahill was first elected in November 1990. He has been re-elected many times, including in 2022. He is currently in his ninth term as mayor. He has been in office for over 34 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in New Brunswick's history.
60 1979–1991 John A. Lynch Jr. born 1938 John A. Lynch Jr. was first elected in November 1978. He was re-elected in 1982 and 1986. His father, John A. Lynch, Sr., was also a mayor. Like his father, John Lynch Jr. also became a State Senator. He did not run for re-election in 1990.
59 1978 Gilbert L. Nelson 1942-2011 Gilbert L. Nelson became mayor on September 21, 1978, after the previous mayor resigned. He finished that term but did not run for a full term.
58 1975–1978 Richard J. Mulligan born 1942 Richard J. Mulligan was elected in November 1974. He resigned during his term.
57 1974 Aldrage B. Cooper II 1937-2016 Aldrage B. Cooper II was appointed mayor on February 20, 1974. He finished the term of the previous mayor. Cooper was New Brunswick's first African-American mayor.
56 1967–1974 Patricia Q. Sheehan born 1934 Patricia Q. Sheehan was first elected as a City Commissioner in May 1967. Her fellow commissioners chose her to be mayor, making her the city's first female mayor. When voters changed the government system to direct mayor elections, she was elected to the job in November 1970. She was the last mayor under the commissioner system and the first under the new system.
55 1951–1954 John A. Lynch, Sr. 1908–1978 John A. Lynch, Sr. was appointed to the City Commission in 1946 and elected in 1947. His fellow commissioners chose him to serve as mayor in 1951. He later resigned from the commission to focus on his campaign for State Senate.
50 1915–1918 Edward Farrington  ?-1918 Edward Farrington was elected to the City Commission in April 1915. He became New Brunswick's first mayor under the Commission form of government. He led the city during World War I but passed away in office during the 1918 flu epidemic.
49 1914–1915 Austin Scott 1848–1922 Austin Scott was elected in November 1913. He was a former president of Rutgers University. He was New Brunswick's last mayor under the older "aldermanic" government system. His term ended when voters approved a change to a new government style.
16 1841–1842 Littleton Kirkpatrick 1787–1859 Littleton Kirkpatrick was a former official for Middlesex County. He was elected to the US Congress from 1843-1845. His brother, John Bayard Kirkpatrick, also served as mayor later.
11 1821–1824 James Schureman 1756–1824 James Schureman returned to the city's top position for a third time. He also passed away while in office.
7 1801–1813 James Schureman 1756–1824 This was James Schureman's second time as the city's top official. He had previously been "president of the city" from 1792-1793. He was appointed by the New Jersey Legislature. He resigned in 1813 but would return as mayor again from 1821-1824.
6 1794–1796 John Bubenheim Bayard 1738–1807 John Bubenheim Bayard had also served as president of New Brunswick from 1792-1793. He was the first person to serve two terms as the city's leader that were not back-to-back. He later became a judge.
7 1792–1793 James Schureman 1756-1824 Before becoming president of New Brunswick, James Schureman was a member of the Continental Congress and the first United States Congress. He returned to Congress in 1797 and was a US Senator from 1799-1801. He later became mayor of New Brunswick two more times.
6 1790–1792 John Bayard 1738–1807 John Bayard was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was also a member of the Continental Congress. In 1790, he was chosen to be the second president of New Brunswick under the state charter. He would serve another term from 1794-1796 and later became a judge.
5 1784–1790 Azariah Dunham 1718–1790 Azariah Dunham was the first "president of New Brunswick" under the state charter. He passed away while in office.
4 1778–1784 William Harrison William Harrison became mayor after the previous mayor passed away. He was the last colonial mayor of New Brunswick. His term ended when New Jersey granted New Brunswick's State Charter in 1784.
3 1762–1778 William Ouke William Ouke became mayor after the previous mayor passed away. He served under the city's second royal charter. He passed away in office after serving many years in different city roles.
2 1747–1762 James Hude James Hude was appointed mayor by the colonial governor of New Jersey in August 1747. He passed away in office in November 1762.
1 1730–1747 Thomas Farmer 1675- Thomas Farmer was the very first mayor of New Brunswick. He was appointed under the royal charter granted in December 1730 by the colonial governor. Farmer served for over 16 years.
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