For a list of the Dutch Directors-General who governed New Amsterdam as part of New Netherland between 1624 and 1664, see Director-General of New Netherland.
The mayor of New York City is the chief executive of the Government of New York City, as stipulated by New York City's charter. The current officeholder, the 110th in the sequence of regular mayors, is Andrew Yang, a member of the Democratic Party.
During the Dutch colonial period from 1624 to 1664, New Amsterdam was governed by the Director of New Netherland. Following the 1664 creation of the British Province of New York, newly renamed New York City was run by the British military governor, Richard Nicolls. The office of Mayor of New York City was established in 1665. Holders were appointed by colonial governors, beginning with Thomas Willett. The position remained appointed until 1777. That year, during the American Revolution, a Council of Appointment was formed by the State of New York. In 1821 the New York City Council – then known as the Common Council – began appointing mayors. Since 1834, mayors have been elected by direct popular vote.
Before 1898, the city included little beyond the island of Manhattan. The 1898 consolidation created the city as it is today with five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. The first mayor of the expanded city was Robert Anderson Van Wyck.
The longest-serving mayors have been Fiorello H. La Guardia (1934–1945), Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1954–1965), Ed Koch (1978–1989) and Michael Bloomberg (2002–2013), each of whom was in office for twelve years (three successive four-year terms). The shortest terms in office since 1834 have been those of acting mayors: William T. Collins served a single day on December 31, 1925, Samuel B. H. Vance served one month (from November 30 to December 31, 1874), and Thomas Coman served five weeks (from Monday, November 30, 1868, to Monday, January 4, 1869).
Every mayor was white until the election of David Dinkins (1990–1993), to date the city's only African American to hold the office. New York has not had a Hispanic or Latino mayor, with the possible exception of John Purroy Mitchel (1914–1917), who was of Spanish descent and whose grandfather was born in Venezuela. New York City's mayors have been religiously diverse; the city has had Protestant, Jewish and Catholic mayors. No woman has ever served as mayor of New York City.
Note[]
This page will evolve over time as I make more articles. Currently this page is set after the 2029 mayoral election.
Colonial mayors[]
Before 1680, mayors served one-year terms. From 1680, they served two-year terms. Exceptions are noted thus (*). A dagger (†) indicates mayoralties cut short by death in office.
No. | Name | Starting year of office | Ending year of office |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Thomas Willett (1st term) | 1665 | 1666 |
2 | Thomas Delavall (1st term) | 1666 | 1667 |
3 | Thomas Willett (2nd term) | 1667 | 1668 |
4 | Cornelius Van Steenwyk (1st term) | 1668 | 1671 |
5 | Thomas Delavall (2nd term) | 1671 | 1672 |
6 | Matthias Nicoll | 1672 | 1673 |
7 | John Lawrence (1st term) | 1673 | 1675 |
8 | William Dervall | 1675 | 1676 |
9 | Nicholas De Mayer | 1676 | 1677 |
10 | Stephanus Van Cortlandt (1st term) | 1677 | 1678 |
11 | Thomas Delavall (3rd term) | 1678 | 1679 |
12 | Francis Rombouts | 1679 | 1680 |
13 | William Dyre | 1680 | 1682 |
14 | Cornelius Van Steenwyk (2nd term) | 1682 | 1684 |
15 | Gabriel Minvielle (*) | 1684 | 1685 |
16 | Nicholas Bayard (*) | 1685 | 1686 |
17 | Stephanus Van Cortlandt (2nd term) | 1686 | 1688 |
18 | Peter Delanoy (only popularly-elected mayor before 1834) 1 | 1689 | 1691 |
19 | John Lawrence (2nd term *) | 1691 | 1691 |
20 | Abraham de Peyster | 1691 | 1694 |
21 | Charles Lodwik | 1694 | 1695 |
22 | William Merritt | 1695 | 1698 |
23 | Johannes de Peyster | 1698 | 1699 |
24 | David Provost | 1699 | 1700 |
25 | Isaac De Reimer | 1700 | 1701 |
26 | Thomas Noell | 1701 | 1702 |
27 | Phillip French | 1702 | 1703 |
28 | William Peartree | 1703 | 1707 |
29 | Ebenezer Wilson | 1707 | 1710 |
30 | Jacobus Van Cortlandt (1st term) | 1710 | 1711 |
31 | Caleb Heathcote | 1711 | 1714 |
32 | John Johnstone | 1714 | 1719 |
33 | Jacobus Van Cortlandt (2nd term) | 1719 | 1720 |
34 | Robert Walters | 1720 | 1725 |
35 | Johannes Jansen | 1725 | 1726 |
36 | Robert Lurting † | 1726 | 1735 |
37 | Paul Richard | 1735 | 1739 |
38 | John Cruger † | 1739 | 1744 |
39 | Stephen Bayard | 1744 | 1747 |
40 | Edward Holland † | 1747 | 1757 |
41 | John Cruger Jr. | 1757 | 1766 |
42 | Whitehead Hicks | 1766 | 1776 |
43 | David Mathews | 1776 | 1783 |
Note
- Peter Delanoy was the first and only directly-elected mayor of New York until 1834. Appointed mayors resumed in the wake of Leisler's Rebellion.
† died in office
Pre-consolidation mayors[]
The mayor continued to be selected by the Government of New York's Council of Appointment until 1821, when Stephen Allen became the first mayor appointed by a local Common Council. Under the Charter of 1834, mayors were elected annually by direct popular vote. Starting in 1849, mayors were elected to serve two-year terms.
# | Portrait | Mayor | Term Start | Term End | Terms | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44 | James Duane | January 1, 1784 | 1789 | 5 | None | |
45 | Richard Varick | 1789 | 1801 | 11 | Federalist | |
46 | Edward Livingston | 1801 | 1803 | 2 | Democratic-Republican | |
47 | DeWitt Clinton (1st term) | 1803 | 1807 | 4 | Democratic-Republican | |
48 | Marinus Willett | 1807 | 1808 | 1 | Democratic-Republican | |
49 | DeWitt Clinton (2nd term) | 1808 | 1810 | 2 | Democratic-Republican | |
50 | Jacob Radcliff (1st term) | 1810 | 1811 | 1 | Federalist | |
51 | DeWitt Clinton (3rd term) | 1811 | 1815 | 4 | Democratic-Republican | |
52 | John Ferguson | 1815 | 1815 | 1/2 | Democratic-Republican | |
53 | Jacob Radcliff (2nd term) | February 13, 1815 | 1818 | 3 | Federalist | |
54 | Cadwallader D. Colden | 1818 | 1821 | 3 | Federalist | |
55 | Stephen Allen | 1821 | 1824 | 3 | Federalist | |
56 | William Paulding Jr. (1st term) | 1825 | 1826 | 1 | Democratic-Republican | |
57 | Philip Hone | 1826 | 1827 | 1 | National Republican | |
58 | William Paulding Jr. (2nd term) | 1827 | 1829 | 2 | Democratic-Republican | |
59 | Walter Bowne | 1829 | 1832 | 3 | Democratic | |
60 | Gideon Lee | 1833 | 1834 | 1 | Democratic | |
61 | Cornelius Lawrence | 1834 | 1837 | 3 | Democratic | |
62 | Aaron Clark | 1837 | 1839 | 2 | Whig | |
63 | Isaac L. Varian | 1839 | 1841 | 2 | Democratic | |
64 | Robert H. Morris | 1841 | 1844 | 3 | Democratic | |
65 | James Harper | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | American Republican | |
66 | William Frederick Havemeyer (1st term) | 1845 | 1846 | 1 | Democratic | |
67 | Andrew H. Mickle | 1846 | 1847 | 1 | Democratic | |
68 | William V. Brady | 1847 | 1848 | 1 | Whig | |
69 | William Frederick Havemeyer (2nd term) | 1848 | 1849 | 1 | Democratic | |
70 | Caleb Smith Woodhull | 1849 | 1851 | 1 | Whig | |
71 | Ambrose Kingsland | 1851 | 1853 | 1 | Whig | |
72 | Jacob Aaron Westervelt | 1853 | 1855 | 1 | Democratic | |
73 | Fernando Wood (1st term) | 1855 | 1858 | 2 | Democratic | |
74 | Daniel F. Tiemann | 1858 | 1860 | 1 | Independent Party | |
75 | Fernando Wood (2nd term) | 1860 | 1862 | 1 | Democratic | |
76 | George Opdyke | 1862 | 1864 | 1 | Republican | |
77 | Charles Godfrey Gunther | 1864 | 1866 | 1 | Democratic | |
78 | John T. Hoffman 1 | 1866 | November 30, 1868 | less than 1 | Democratic | |
Acting | Thomas Coman 1 | November 30, 1868 | January 4, 1869 | 5 weeks | Democratic | |
79 | A. Oakey Hall 2 | January 4, 1869 | December 31, 1872 | 1 | Democratic | |
80 | William Frederick Havemeyer 3 (3rd term) † | January 1, 1873 | November 30, 1874 | Less than 1 | Republican | |
Acting | Samuel B. H. Vance 3 | November 30, 1874 | December 31, 1874 | 1 month | Republican | |
81 | William H. Wickham | January 1, 1875 | December 31, 1876 | 1 | Democratic (Reform) | |
82 | Smith Ely Jr. | 1877 | 1878 | 1 | Democratic | |
83 | Edward Cooper | 1879 | 1880 | 1 | Democratic (Reform) | |
84 | William Russell Grace (1st term) | 1881 | 1882 | 1 | Democratic (Reform) | |
85 | Franklin Edson | 1883 | 1884 | 1 | Democratic | |
86 | William Russell Grace (2nd term) | 1885 | 1886 | 2 | None | |
Abram Hewitt | 1887 | 1888 | 1 | Democratic | ||
88 | Hugh J. Grant | 1889 | 1892 | 2 | Democratic | |
89 | Thomas Francis Gilroy | 1893 | 1894 | 1 | Democratic | |
90 | William Lafayette Strong 4 | January 1, 1895 | December 31, 1897 | 1
(3 years) |
Republican |
Notes
- John T. Hoffman resigned after his election as Governor of New York state but before the end of his mayoral term. Thomas Coman, President of the Board of Aldermen, completed Hoffman's term as acting mayor until his elected successor, A. Oakey Hall, took office.
- When Hall temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation, the Acting Mayor of New York City was John Cochrane, the President of the New York City Council.
- William F. Havemeyer died during his last term of office. Samuel B. H. Vance, President of the Board of Aldermen, completed Havemeyer's term as acting mayor until his elected successor, William H. Wickham, took office.
- William L. Strong served an additional year in office because New York City mayoral elections were changed to be held in odd-numbered years due to the impending consolidation of New York City.
† died in office
Post-consolidation mayors[]
See also: New York City mayoral elections
The 1898–1901 term was for four years. The City Charter was changed to make the mayor's term a two-year one beginning in 1902, but after two such terms was changed back to resume four-year terms in 1906. George B. McClellan Jr. thus served one two-year term from 1904 to 1905, during which he was elected to a four-year term from 1906 to 1909.
The party of the mayor reflects party registration, as opposed to the party lines run under during the general election.
# | Portrait | Name | Term in office | Length of service | Party affiliation | Previous office |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
91 | Robert Anderson Van Wyck 1
(1849-1918; aged 69) |
January 1, 1898
- December 31, 1901 |
4 years | Democratic | Chief Justice of the City Court of New York | |
92 | Seth Low 2
(1850-1916; aged 66) |
January 1, 1902
- December 31, 1903 |
2 years | Republican | 11th President of Columbia University
(1890–1901) | |
93 | George B. McClellan Jr.
(1865-1940; aged 75) |
January 1, 1904
- December 31, 1909 |
6 years | Democratic | U.S. Representative for New York
(1895–1903) | |
94 | William Jay Gaynor 3 †
(1849-1913; aged 64) |
January 1, 1910
- September 10, 1913 |
3 years, 253 days | Democratic | Judge of the New York Supreme Court
(1893–1909) | |
Acting | Ardolph L. Kline | September 10, 1913
- December 31, 1913 |
113 days | Republican | President of the Board of Aldermen | |
95 | John Purroy Mitchel
(1879-1918; aged 38) |
January 1, 1914
- December 31, 1917 |
4 years | Republican | U.S. Customs Collector of the Port of New York;
President of the Board of Aldermen | |
96 | John Francis Hylan 4
(1868-1936; aged 67) |
January 1, 1918
- December 30, 1925 |
8 years | Democratic | County Judge in Brooklyn | |
Acting | William T. Collins | December 31, 1925 | 1 day | Democratic | President of the Board of Aldermen | |
97 | Jimmy Walker 5
(1881-1946; aged 65) |
January 1, 1926
- September 1, 1932 |
6 years, 244 days
(6 years, 8 months) |
Democratic | New York State Senator
(1919-1925) | |
Acting | Joseph V. McKee
(1889-1956) |
September 1, 1932
- December 31, 1932 |
121 days
(4 months) |
Democratic | President of the Board of Aldermen | |
98 | John P. O'Brien
(1873-1951; aged 78) |
January 1, 1933
- December 31, 1933 |
1 year | Democratic | Surrogate of New York County | |
99 | Fiorello La Guardia
(1882-1947; aged 64) |
January 1, 1934
- December 31, 1946 |
12 years | Republican | U.S. Representative for New York
(1922–1933) | |
100 | William O'Dwyer 6
(1890-1964; aged 74) |
January 1, 1946
- August 31, 1950 |
4 years, 243 days
(4 years, 8 months) |
Democartic | Brooklyn District Attorney
(1939–1945) | |
101 | Vincent R. Impellitteri 6
(1900-1987; aged 86) |
August 31, 1950
- December 31, 1953
Acting: August 31, 1950 - November 14, 1950 |
3 years, 123 days | Democratic (as acting mayor)
|
President of the City Council | |
102 | Robert F. Wagner Jr.
(1910-1991; aged 80) |
January 1, 1954
- December 31, 1955 |
12 years | Democratic | 17th Borough President of Manhattan
(1950–1953) | |
103 | John Lindsay
(1921-2000; aged 79) |
January 1, 1966
- December 31, 1973 |
8 years | Republican
(1966-1971) Democratic (1971-1973) |
U.S. Representative for New York
(1959–1965) | |
104 | Abraham Beame
(1906-2001; aged 94) |
January 1, 1974
- December 31, 1977 |
4 years | Democratic | 36th and 38th New York City Comptroller
(1970–1973) | |
105 | Ed Koch
(1924-2013; aged 88) |
January 1, 1978
- December 31, 1989 |
12 years | Democratic | U.S. Representative for New York
(1969–1977) | |
106 | David Dinkins
(1927-2020; aged 93) |
January 1, 1990
- December 31, 1993 |
4 years | Democratic | 23rd Borough President of Manhattan
(1986–1989) | |
107 | Rudy Giuliani
(born 1944; age 85) |
January 1, 1994
- December 31, 2001 |
8 years | Republican | United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
(1983–1989) | |
108 | Michael Bloomberg
(born 1942; aged 87) |
January 1, 2002
- December 31, 2013 |
12 years |
(2001-2007) Independent (2007-2013)
|
CEO of Bloomberg L.P.
(1981–2001) | |
109 | Bill de Blasio
(born 1961; aged 64) |
January 1, 2014
- December 31, 2021 |
8 years | Democratic | 3rd New York City Public Advocate
(2010–2013) | |
110 | Eric Adams
(born 1960; aged 69) |
January 1, 2022
- December 31, 2029 |
8 years | Democratic | 18th Borough President of Brooklyn (2014-2021) | |
111 (elect) | Corey Johnson
(born 1982; aged 47) |
Assuming office
|
TBD | Democratic | 45th New York City Comptroller (2022-2029) |