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Mayor of Boston

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mayor of Boston
Seal
Incumbent
Michelle Wu
since November 16, 2021
StyleHis/Her Honor
TypeChief executive
Member ofBoard of Aldermen
(1822–1854)
ResidenceNone official
SeatBoston City Hall
NominatorNon-partisan nominating petition
AppointerPopular vote
Term lengthFour years
Constituting instrumentBoston City Charter
PrecursorBoston Board of Selectmen
FormationOriginal Post:
1822
Current form:
1909
First holderJohn Phillips
Salary$199,000 (2018) [1]
Websiteboston.gov/departments/mayors-office

The mayor of Boston is the head of the municipal government in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Boston has a mayor–council government. Boston's mayoral elections are nonpartisan (as are all municipal elections in Boston), and elect a mayor to a four-year term; there are no term limits. The mayor's office is in Boston City Hall, in Government Center.

The current mayor of Boston is Michelle Wu.

History

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Prior to 1822, there was no mayor of Boston, because Boston was incorporated as a town. In Massachusetts, a town is typically governed by a town meeting, with a board of selectmen handling regular business. Boston was the first community in Massachusetts to receive a city charter, which was granted in 1822.[2] Under the terms of the new charter, the mayor was elected annually. In June 1895, the charter was amended, and the mayor's term was increased to two years.[3]

In 1909, the Republican-controlled state legislature enacted strong-mayor charter changes it hoped would dampen the rising power of Democratic Irish Americans.[4] Adopted by public vote in the November 1909 general election, changes included extending the mayoral term to four years, and making the post formally non-partisan.[5] The reforms did not have the intended effect; the first mayor elected under the new charter was Democrat John F. Fitzgerald ("Honey Fitz"), and every mayor since Republican Malcolm Nichols (1926–1930) has been known to be a Democrat.

In a bid to temper the rising power of James Michael Curley, the state legislature in 1918 passed legislation barring the mayor of Boston from serving consecutive terms in office;[6] Curley was prevented from running for re-election twice by this law (November 1925 and November 1933). The law was repealed in 1939,[7] after Curley's political career appeared to be in decline.[8]

Another charter change was enacted in 1949, partly in response to Curley's fourth term (1946–1950), during which he served prison time for crimes committed in an earlier term. Changes included adding a preliminary election to narrow the field to two mayoral candidates in advance of the general election, changing the Boston City Council from having 22 members (one from each city ward) to having nine members (elected at-large), and giving the council ability to override some mayoral vetoes.[9] These changes went into effect in 1951, resulting in the first term of John B. Hynes being shortened to two years.

From 1951 through 1991, Boston mayoral elections were held the year before presidential elections (e.g. mayoral election in 1951, presidential election in 1952). Starting in 1993, due to the election held following Raymond Flynn's appointment as United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Boston mayoral elections are held the year following presidential elections (e.g. presidential election in 1992, mayoral election in 1993).

Salary

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In June 2018, the council voted to increase the salary of the mayor to $207,000, effective after the mayoral election of November 2021 (term starting in January 2022); this increased the salary of councillors to $103,500, effective after the council elections of November 2019 (terms starting in January 2020). In October 2022, the council voted to increase the salary of the mayor to $250,000.[10][1]

Numbering

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There is no official count of Boston's mayors. The City of Boston does not number its mayors[11] and numbering has been inconsistent over time. For example, Thomas Menino was referred to as the 47th mayor at the time he was sworn in,[12] yet his successor, Marty Walsh, was identified as the 54th.[13] The Walsh administration cited Wikipedia for its use of 54.[13][a] That numbering scheme counted persons who served as elected mayors and counted those who served non-consecutive terms more than once (for example, James Michael Curley served four non-consecutive terms and was counted four times),[13] however, for reasons that are unclear, Leonard R. Cutter, who served as acting mayor in late 1873, was also included in the count. Kim Janey, who became acting mayor in March 2021, referred to herself as the 55th mayor.[14]

List of mayors

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Mayor Took office Left office Tenure Party[b] Election
John Phillips
(1770–1823)		 May 1, 1822 May 1, 1823 1 year, 0 days Federalist 1822
Josiah Quincy III
(1772–1864)		 May 1, 1823 January 5, 1829 5 years, 249 days Federalist 1823
1824
Apr. 1825
Dec. 1825
1826
1827
Harrison Gray Otis
(1765–1848)		 January 5, 1829 January 2, 1832 2 years, 362 days Federalist 1828
1829
1830
Charles Wells
(1786–1866)		 January 2, 1832 January 6, 1834 2 years, 4 days National Republican 1831
1832
Theodore Lyman II
(1792–1849)		 January 6, 1834 January 4, 1836 1 year, 363 days Democratic 1833
1834
Samuel Turell Armstrong
(1784–1850)		 January 4, 1836 January 1, 1837 363 days Whig 1835
Samuel Atkins Eliot
(1798–1862)		 January 1, 1837 January 6, 1840 3 years, 5 days Whig 1836
1837
1838
Jonathan Chapman
(1807–1848)		 January 6, 1840 January 2, 1843 2 years, 361 days Whig 1839
1840
1841
Martin Brimmer
(1793–1847)		 January 2, 1843 January 6, 1845 2 years, 4 days Whig 1842
1843
William Parker
(1793–1873)
Acting
[11]		 January 6, 1845 February 27, 1845 52 days Whig –
Thomas Aspinwall Davis
(1798–1845)		 February 27, 1845 November 22, 1845[c] 268 days Native American 1844–45
Benson Leavitt
(1797–1869)
Acting
[11]		 November 22, 1845 December 11, 1845 19 days Whig –
Josiah Quincy IV
(1802–1882)
Acting, then elected		 December 11, 1845 January 5, 1846 25 days Whig –
January 5, 1846 January 1, 1849 2 years, 362 days Dec. 1845
1846
1847
John P. Bigelow
(1797–1872)		 January 1, 1849 January 5, 1852 3 years, 4 days Whig 1848
1849
1850
Benjamin Seaver
(1795–1856)
[d]		 January 5, 1852 January 2, 1854 1 year, 362 days Whig 1851
1852
Jerome V. C. Smith
(1800–1879)
[d]		 January 2, 1854 January 7, 1856 2 years, 5 days American 1853–54
Dec. 1854
Alexander H. Rice
(1818–1895)		 January 7, 1856 January 4, 1858 1 year, 362 days Independent 1855
1856
Frederic W. Lincoln Jr.
(1817–1898)
1st time		 January 4, 1858 January 7, 1861 3 years, 3 days Republican 1857
1858
1859
Joseph Wightman
(1812–1885)		 January 7, 1861 January 5, 1863 1 year, 363 days Democratic 1860
1861
Frederic W. Lincoln Jr.
(1817–1898)
2nd time		 January 5, 1863 January 7, 1867 4 years, 2 days Republican 1862
1863
1864
1865
Otis Norcross
(1811–1882)		 January 7, 1867 January 6, 1868 364 days Republican 1866
Nathaniel B. Shurtleff
(1810–1874)		 January 6, 1868 January 2, 1871 2 years, 361 days Democratic 1867
1868
1869
William Gaston
(1820–1894)		 January 2, 1871 January 6, 1873 2 years, 4 days Democratic 1870
1871
Henry L. Pierce
(1825–1896)
1st time		 January 6, 1873 November 29, 1873[e] 327 days Republican 1872
Leonard R. Cutter
(1825–1894)
Acting
[15][16]		 November 29, 1873 January 5, 1874 37 days Democratic –
Samuel C. Cobb
(1826–1891)		 January 5, 1874 January 1, 1877 2 years, 362 days Independent 1873
1874
1875
Frederick O. Prince
(1818–1899)
1st time		 January 1, 1877 January 7, 1878 1 year, 6 days Democratic 1876
Henry L. Pierce
(1825–1896)
2nd time		 January 7, 1878 January 6, 1879 364 days Republican 1877
Frederick O. Prince
(1818–1899)
2nd time		 January 6, 1879 January 2, 1882 2 years, 361 days Democratic 1878
1879
1880
Samuel Abbott Green
(1830–1918)		 January 2, 1882 January 1, 1883 364 days Republican 1881
Albert Palmer
(1831–1887)		 January 1, 1883 January 7, 1884 1 year, 6 days Democratic 1882
Augustus Pearl Martin
(1835–1902)		 January 7, 1884 January 5, 1885 364 days Republican 1883
Hugh O'Brien
(1827–1895)		 January 5, 1885 January 7, 1889 4 years, 2 days Democratic 1884
1885
1886
1887
Thomas N. Hart
(1829–1927)
1st time		 January 7, 1889 December 31, 1890 1 year, 358 days Republican 1888
1889
Nathan Matthews Jr.
(1854–1927)		 January 1, 1891 January 7, 1895 4 years, 6 days Democratic 1890
1891
1892
1893
Edwin Upton Curtis
(1861–1922)		 January 7, 1895 January 6, 1896 364 days Republican 1894
Josiah Quincy VI
(1859–1919)		 January 6, 1896 January 1, 1900 3 years, 360 days Democratic 1895
1897
Thomas N. Hart
(1829–1927)
2nd time		 January 1, 1900 January 6, 1902 2 years, 5 days Republican 1899
Patrick Collins
(1844–1905)		 January 6, 1902 September 13, 1905[c] 3 years, 250 days Democratic 1901
1903
Daniel A. Whelton
(1872–1953)
Acting
[17][18]		 September 15, 1905 January 1, 1906 108 days Democratic –
John F. Fitzgerald
(1863–1950)
1st time		 January 1, 1906 January 6, 1908 2 years, 5 days Democratic 1905
George A. Hibbard
(1864–1910)		 January 6, 1908 February 7, 1910 2 years, 32 days Republican 1907
John F. Fitzgerald
(1863–1950)
2nd time		 February 7, 1910 February 2, 1914 3 years, 360 days Democratic 1910
James Michael Curley
(1874–1958)
1st time		 February 2, 1914 February 4, 1918 4 years, 2 days Democratic 1914
Andrew J. Peters
(1872–1938)		 February 4, 1918 February 6, 1922 4 years, 2 days Democratic 1917
James Michael Curley
(1874–1958)
2nd time		 February 6, 1922 January 4, 1926 3 years, 332 days Democratic 1921
Malcolm Nichols
(1876–1951)		 January 4, 1926 January 6, 1930 4 years, 2 days Republican 1925
James Michael Curley
(1874–1958)
3rd time		 January 6, 1930 January 1, 1934 3 years, 360 days Democratic 1929
Frederick Mansfield
(1877–1958)		 January 1, 1934 January 3, 1938 4 years, 2 days Democratic 1933
Maurice J. Tobin
(1901–1953)		 January 3, 1938 January 4, 1945[f] 7 years, 1 day Democratic 1937
1941
John E. Kerrigan
(1908–1987)
Acting
[19][20]		 January 4, 1945 January 7, 1946 1 year, 3 days Democratic –
James Michael Curley
(1874–1958)
4th time
[g]		 January 7, 1946 January 2, 1950 3 years, 360 days Democratic 1945
John Hynes
(1897–1970)
[11][21]		 January 2, 1950 January 4, 1960 10 years, 2 days Democratic 1949
1951
1955
John F. Collins
(1919–1995)		 January 4, 1960 January 1, 1968 7 years, 362 days Democratic 1959
1963
Kevin White
(1929–2012)		 January 1, 1968 January 2, 1984 16 years, 1 day Democratic 1967
1971
1975
1979
Raymond Flynn
(born 1939)
Mayoralty		 January 2, 1984 July 12, 1993[h] 9 years, 191 days Democratic 1983
1987
1991
Thomas Menino
(1942–2014)
Acting, then elected
Mayoralty
[22][23]		 July 12, 1993 November 16, 1993 127 days Democratic –
November 16, 1993 January 6, 2014 20 years, 51 days 1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
Marty Walsh
(born 1967)
Mayoralty		 January 6, 2014 March 22, 2021[i] 7 years, 75 days Democratic 2013
2017
Kim Janey
(born 1965)
Acting
[24][25]		 March 22, 2021 November 16, 2021 239 days Democratic –
Michelle Wu
(born 1985)
Mayoralty		 November 16, 2021 Incumbent 4 years, 286 days Democratic 2021
2025

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ The Wikipedia article itself first applied numbers to the list of mayors in August 2007, without citing a specific source for the numbering. The numbering was removed in May 2025.
  2. ↑ Municipal elections in Boston have been nonpartisan since 1909. The parties listed here are for informational purposes only.
  3. 1 2 Died in office.
  4. 1 2 Benjamin L. Allen, the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, served in an acting capacity from December 12, 1853, to January 9, 1854, during deadlocked ballots for the 1853–54 election.[11]
  5. ↑ Pierce resigned in order to become US representative for Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district.
  6. ↑ Tobin resigned in order to become Governor of Massachusetts.
  7. ↑ John Hynes served in an acting capacity from June 26 to November 26, 1947, during Curley's incarceration.[11][21]
  8. ↑ Flynn resigned in order to become Ambassador to the Holy See.
  9. ↑ Walsh resigned in order to become Secretary of Labor.

Sources

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  • Allison, Robert; Bulger, William (2011). James Michael Curley. Applewood Books. ISBN 9781933212753.
  • O'Neill, Gerard (2012). Rogues and Redeemers. New York: Crown Publisher. ISBN 9780307405364.

References

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  1. 1 2 Valencia, Milton J. (June 13, 2018). "Mayor, councilors could get 4% raises". The Boston Globe. p. B5. Retrieved March 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "(untitled)". Weekly Raleigh Register. Raleigh, North Carolina. March 22, 1822. p. 3. Retrieved March 24, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Charter Amended". The Boston Globe. June 2, 1895. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ O'Neill, pp. 39–42
  5. ↑ "New Boston Charter is the Worst Defeat Ever Given Boss Rule". The Marion Daily Mirror. Marion, Ohio. November 3, 1909. Retrieved March 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Report Bill to Stop Consecutive Terms". The Boston Globe. February 26, 1918. p. 6. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Elections". The Boston Globe. November 8, 1939. p. 1, 14. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Allison and Bulger, pp. 86–87
  9. ↑ "Plan A Wins; Boston to Get New Charter". The Boston Globe. November 9, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Editorial: Elected leaders profit as we pay". Boston Herald. June 29, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Past Mayors of Boston". boston.gov. July 8, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  12. ↑ Flint, Anthony (January 1, 1998). "New council support seen for Roache as president". The Boston Globe. p. 27. Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 3 Ryan, Andrew (January 6, 2014). "Is Walsh mayor 54? Or 48? Or 58?". Boston.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ Cotter, Sean Philip (March 27, 2021). "Analysis: What number mayor is Kim Janey, actually?". Boston Herald. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Resignation of the Mayor of Boston". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 25, 1873. p. 4. Retrieved March 12, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Boston Mayor Race – Dec 09, 1873". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Whelton is Acting Mayor". The Boston Globe. September 15, 1905. pp. 1, 8. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Boston Mayor Race – Dec 12, 1905". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  19. ↑ Doherty, Joseph (January 26, 1945). "Kerrigan First World War II Vet to Head City Government". The Boston Globe. pp. 1, 8. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Boston Mayor Race – Nov 06, 1945". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  21. 1 2 "Boston Mayor Race – Nov 08, 1949". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  22. ↑ McGrory, Brian (July 13, 1993). "Menino, 'a neighborhood guy,' now at center stage". The Boston Globe. p. 12. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Boston Mayor Race – Nov 02, 1993". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  24. ↑ Gavin, Christopher (March 22, 2021). "Kim Janey becomes Boston's acting mayor, makes history as first Black person, woman to hold the office". Boston Herald. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Unofficial Election Results". Boston.gov. October 3, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2021.

Further reading

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