Ruthanne Fuller

Ruthanne Fuller
Fuller speaking in 2022
Mayor of Newton
In office
January 1, 2018 – January 1, 2026
Preceded bySetti Warren
Succeeded byMarc Laredo
Member of the Newton Board of Aldermen
In office
January 1, 2010 – January 1, 2028
Preceded byVern Vance
ConstituencyWard 7
Personal details
Born1957 (age 68–69)
Detroit, Michigan
PartyDemocratic
Children3

Ruthanne Fuller (née Schwartz, born December 1957) is an American politician. She was the first female mayor of Newton, Massachusetts, serving from 2018 to 2026.

Early life and education

Fuller was born in December 1957 in Detroit, Michigan. She is Jewish.

Fuller attended Brown University in Rhode Island, and later earned an MBA from Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard, she married Joe Fuller, with whom she has three children. In the early 1990s, Fuller and her family moved to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where she would go on to work in strategic planning.

Political career

In 2009, Fuller was elected to the Newton Board of Aldermen (today known as the City Council), representing Ward 7, after being encouraged to run by retiring member Vern Vance.

In 2017, Fuller ran for mayor of Newton. She won the election with 50.6% of the vote, defeating City Council president Scott Lennon, becoming the city's first female mayor and 31st mayor overall.

In 2021, Fuller won re-election against former city councilwoman Amy Mah Sangiolo.

On December 3, 2024, Fuller announced that she would not run for a third term as mayor.

Electoral history

2021

2021 Newton Mayoral Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ruthanne Fuller 10,912 53.61%
Democratic Amy Mah Sangiolo 9,380 46.09%
Write-in 60 0.29%
Total votes 20,352 100.00%
Blank/invalid ballots 291

2017

2017 Newton Mayoral Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ruthanne Fuller 12,474 50.58%
Democratic Scott F. Lennon 12,101 49.06%
Write-in 88 0.04%
Total votes 24,663 100.00%
Blank ballots 247

References

  1. 1 2 Farrar, Molly (December 3, 2024). "Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller says she's not running for re-election". Boston.com. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  2. ↑ Algemeiner, The. "Amid Stir Over Israel Bias, Boston-Area Mayoral Candidates Back Putting School Texts Online". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
  3. 1 2 McGoingle, Bryan (December 29, 2025). "Her Story: Fuller reflects on challenges, triumphs and legacy of historic political career". Newton Beacon. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  4. ↑ Mooney, Mary Elizabeth (November 8, 2017). "Newton Elects Ruthanne Fuller the City's First Female Mayor". The Heights. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  5. ↑ Glaun, Dan (November 8, 2017). "Ruthanne Fuller wins Newton mayor race, narrowly beating Scott Lennon". MassLive. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ruthanne Fuller, Newton's first female mayor, elected to second term in office". WCVB. November 2, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Official City Election Results November 2, 2021". City of Newton, Massachusetts. November 2, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  8. ↑ "2017 November Local Election Official Results". City of Newton, Massachusetts. November 7, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2026.