Mayor of Chicago

Mayor of Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
	Incumbent; Brandon Johnson; since May 15, 2023
Term length	4 years
Inaugural holder	William Butler Ogden
Formation	1837
Website	Office of the Mayor

The mayoral term in Chicago was one year from 1837 through 1863, when it was increased to two years. In 1907 it was again lengthened to four years, the present duration.

Until 1861, municipal elections were held in March. In that year, legislation changed them to April. In 1869, however, election time was changed to November, and terms expiring in April of that year were lengthened.

In 1875, the election day was moved back to April by the city's vote to operate under the Cities and Villages Act of 1872. Lester L. Bond was the acting mayor when Joseph Medill left to a tour around Europe. Thomas Hoyne won election as mayor, but could not become the mayor so the election became a void. As of 1995, no mayor can run for a political party, they are considered as nonpartisans.

List of mayors

#No.	Name	Term start	Term end	Terms	Years	Party
Town presidents
1	Thomas Jefferson Vance Owen	August 12, 1833	August 11, 1834	1	1	None
2	John H. Kinzie	1834	May 1837	3	3 years	Whig
Mayors
1	William B. Ogden	May 1837	March 1838	1	10 months	Democratic
2	Buckner S. Morris	1838	1839	1	1	Whig
3	Benjamin W. Raymond	1839	1840	1	1	Whig
4	Alexander Loyd	March 9, 1840	March 4, 1841	1	1	Democratic
5	Francis C. Sherman	March 4, 1841	March 7, 1842	1	1	Democratic
6	Benjamin W. Raymond	March 7, 1842	March 7, 1843	1	1	Whig
7	Augustus Garrett	March 7, 1843	April 2, 1844	1	1 year, 1 month	Democratic
8	Alson Sherman	April 2, 1844	March 10, 1845	1	11 months	Independent Democratic
9	Augustus Garrett	March 10, 1845	March 3, 1846	1	1	Democratic
10	John P. Chapin	March 3, 1846	March 9, 1847	1	1	Whig
11	James Curtiss	March 9, 1847	March 14, 1848	1	1	Democratic
12	James H. Woodworth	March 14, 1848	March 12, 1850	2	2	Independent Democratic
13	James Curtiss	March 12, 1850	March 11, 1851	1	1	Democratic
14	Walter S. Gurnee	March 11, 1851	March 7, 1853	2	2	Democratic
15	Charles McNeill Gray	March 7, 1853	March 15, 1854	1	1	Democratic
16	Isaac L. Milliken	March 15, 1854	March 13, 1855	1	1	Democratic
17	Levi Boone	March 13, 1855	March 11, 1856	1	1	American (Know Nothing)
18	Thomas Dyer	March 11, 1856	March 10, 1857	1	1	Democratic
19	John Wentworth	March 10, 1857	March 2, 1858	1	1	Republican
20	John C. Haines	March 2, 1858	March 22, 1860	2	2	Republican
21	John Wentworth	March 22, 1860	May 6, 1861	1	1 year, 1.5 months	Democratic
22	Julian S. Rumsey	May 6, 1861	May 5, 1862	1	1	Republican
23	Francis C. Sherman	May 5, 1862	May 3, 1865	2	3	Democratic
24	John B. Rice	May 3, 1865	December 6, 1869	2	4 years, 6 months	Republican
25	Roswell B. Mason	December 6, 1869	December 4, 1871	1	2	Citizens
26	Joseph Medill	December 4, 1871	August 22, 1873	1	2	Republican (Dry)
--	Lester L. Bond (acting)	August 22, 1873	December 1, 1873	--	3 months	Republican
27	Harvey Doolittle Colvin	December 1, 1873	July 24, 1876	1	2 years, 8 months	Republican (Wet)
28	Monroe Heath	July 24, 1876	April 28, 1879	2	2 years, 7 months	Republican
29	Carter Harrison III	April 28, 1879	April 18, 1887	4	8	Democratic
30	John A. Roche	April 18, 1887	April 15, 1889	1	2	Republican
31	DeWitt C. Cregier	April 15, 1889	April 27, 1891	1	2	Democratic
32	Hempstead Washburne	April 27, 1891	April 17, 1893	1	2	Republican
33	Carter Harrison III †	April 17, 1893	October 28, 1893	1	6 months	Democratic
34	George Bell Swift (interim mayor)	November 9, 1893	December 27, 1893	¹⁄₁₂	¹⁄₆	Republican
35	John P. Hopkins	December 27, 1893	April 8, 1895	1	1 year, 4 months	Democratic
36	George Bell Swift	April 8, 1895	April 15, 1897	1	2	Republican
37	Carter Harrison IV	April 15, 1897	April 10, 1905	4	8	Democratic
38	Edward F. Dunne	April 10, 1905	April 15, 1907	1	2	Democratic
39	Fred A. Busse	April 15, 1907	April 17, 1911	1	4	Republican
40	Carter Harrison IV	April 17, 1911	April 26, 1915	1	4	Democratic
41	William H. Thompson	April 26, 1915	April 16, 1923	2	8	Republican
42	William E. Dever	April 16, 1923	April 18, 1927	1	4	Democratic
43	William H. Thompson	April 18, 1927	April 9, 1931	1	4	Republican
44	Anton Cermak †	April 9, 1931	March 6, 1933	1	1 year, 11 months	Democratic
45	Frank J. Corr (acting mayor)	March 15, 1933	April 8, 1933	--	24 days	Democratic
46	Edward J. Kelly	April 17, 1933	April 15, 1947	3 ¹⁄₂	14	Democratic
47	Martin H. Kennelly	April 15, 1947	April 20, 1955	2	8	Democratic
48	Richard J. Daley †	April 20, 1955	December 20, 1976	6	21 years, 8 months	Democratic
49	Michael A. Bilandic	December 20, 1976	April 16, 1979	1	2 years, 4 months	Democratic
50	Jane Byrne	April 16, 1979	April 29, 1983	1	4	Democratic
51	Harold Washington †	April 29, 1983	November 25, 1987	2	4 years, 7 months	Democratic
52	David Orr (acting mayor)	November 25, 1987	December 2, 1987	--	7 days	Democratic
53	Eugene Sawyer	December 2, 1987	April 24, 1989	1	1 year, 4.5 months	Democratic
54	Richard M. Daley	April 24, 1989	May 16, 2011	6 (5 elected)	22 years, 1 month	Democratic¹
55	Rahm Emanuel	May 16, 2011	May 20, 2019	2	8	Democratic¹
56	Lori Lightfoot	May 20, 2019	May 15, 2023	1	4	Democratic¹
57	Brandon Johnson	May 15, 2023	incumbent	1		Democratic¹

Vice Mayor

The city council elects a vice mayor who is interim mayor in the event of a vacancy in the office of the mayor or the inability of the mayor to serve due to illness or injury.

Past holders of this office have included Walter Burnett Jr. (2023–2025), Tom Tunney (2019–2023), Brendan Reilly (2015–2019) Ray Suarez (2011–2015), and David Orr.

No.		Took office	Left office	Party		Mayor(s) served under
1	Casey Laskowski (1918–2003)	1976	1979		Democratic	Michael A. Bilandic
2	Richard Mell (born 1938)	April 16, 1979	April 24, 1987		Democratic	Jane Byrne Harold Washington
3	David Orr (born 1944)	April 1987	May 1988		Democratic	Harold Washington Himself (acting) Eugene Sawyer
4	Terry Gabinski (born 1938)	1988	1998		Democratic	Eugene Sawyer Richard M. Daley
5	Bernard Stone (1927–2014)	1998	2011		Democratic	Richard M. Daley
6	Ray Suarez (born 1946)	May 16, 2011	May 20, 2015	Unknown		Rahm Emanuel
7	Brendan Reilly (born 1971)	May 18, 2015	May 20, 2019		Democratic	Rahm Emanuel
8	Tom Tunney (born 1955)	May 20, 2019	May 15, 2023		Democratic	Lori Lightfoot
9	Walter Burnett Jr. (born 1963)	May 15, 2023	August 7, 2025		Democratic	Brandon Johnson

Notes

¹ Rahm Emanuel is a Democrat, but he and all other candidates in the 2011 election officially ran as nonpartisans. Under a 1995 Illinois law, "candidates for mayor . . . no longer would run under party labels in Chicago."

References

↑ "Chicago Mayors". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
↑ "Chicago Mayors, 1837-2007". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
↑ Sullivan, Emmet. "What Would Actually Happen if Rahm Resigns". ChicagoMag.org. Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
↑ Pratt, John Byrne, Juan Perez Jr , Gregory. "Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot aces first test of her power: City Council overhaul approved". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-05-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
1 2 Spielman, Fran (20 May 2015). "City Council shuffle rewards Emanuel allies". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015.
1 2 Dumke, Mick (18 May 2011). "The first meeting of the new mayor and City Council is nothing if not efficient". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
↑ "CASIMIR LASKOWSKI, 84". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
↑ Colby, Peter W.; Peter W. Colby and Paul Michael Green, Paul Michael (February 1979). "The vote power of Chicago Democrats from Cermak to Bilandic The consolidation of clout". Illinois Issues: 20. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
↑ "Chicago City Council: Richard Mell". NBC Chicago. November 11, 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
1 2 Dold, R. Bruce (26 May 1988). "COUNCIL REPLACES ORR AS VICE MAYOR". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
1 2 Simpson, Dick (2018). Rogues, Rebels, And Rubber Stamps: The Politics Of The Chicago City Council, 1863 To The Present. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-97719-0. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
↑ Tribune, Chicago (5 May 1988). "GABINSKI'S TOP AIDE LIKELY TO SUCCEED HIM". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
↑ "Chicago's Vice Mayor". Chicago Tonight. WTTW. April 10, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
↑ Geiger, Kim; Washburn, Gay (22 December 2014). "Former Chicago Alderman Bernie Stone dead at 87". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
↑ Sullivan, Emmet. "What Would Actually Happen if Rahm Resigns". ChicagoMag.org. Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
↑ Pratt, John Byrne, Juan Perez Jr, Gregory. "Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot aces first test of her power: City Council overhaul approved". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-05-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Spielman, Fran (2023-06-01). "Inside the political survival of Chicago City Council dean". Chicago Sun-Times.
↑ Hardy, Thomas (July 7, 1995). "Gov. Edgar To End City Partisan Votes". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-27.

Other websites

"A Chronology of Chicago's Mayors". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved May 26, 2010.

[1] "Chicago Mayors". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-23.

[2] "Chicago Mayors, 1837-2007". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2018.

[3] Sullivan, Emmet. "What Would Actually Happen if Rahm Resigns". ChicagoMag.org. Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019.

[4] Pratt, John Byrne, Juan Perez Jr , Gregory. "Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot aces first test of her power: City Council overhaul approved". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-05-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[spielman-5] 1 2 Spielman, Fran (20 May 2015). "City Council shuffle rewards Emanuel allies". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015.

[dumke-6] 1 2 Dumke, Mick (18 May 2011). "The first meeting of the new mayor and City Council is nothing if not efficient". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 1 March 2020.

[7] "CASIMIR LASKOWSKI, 84". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2020.

[8] Colby, Peter W.; Peter W. Colby and Paul Michael Green, Paul Michael (February 1979). "The vote power of Chicago Democrats from Cermak to Bilandic The consolidation of clout". Illinois Issues: 20. Retrieved 16 April 2020.

[9] "Chicago City Council: Richard Mell". NBC Chicago. November 11, 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2020.

[dold1-10] 1 2 Dold, R. Bruce (26 May 1988). "COUNCIL REPLACES ORR AS VICE MAYOR". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2020.

[dicksimpson-11] 1 2 Simpson, Dick (2018). Rogues, Rebels, And Rubber Stamps: The Politics Of The Chicago City Council, 1863 To The Present. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-97719-0. Retrieved 16 April 2020.

[12] Tribune, Chicago (5 May 1988). "GABINSKI'S TOP AIDE LIKELY TO SUCCEED HIM". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2020.

[13] "Chicago's Vice Mayor". Chicago Tonight. WTTW. April 10, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2015.

[14] Geiger, Kim; Washburn, Gay (22 December 2014). "Former Chicago Alderman Bernie Stone dead at 87". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 April 2020.

[15] Sullivan, Emmet. "What Would Actually Happen if Rahm Resigns". ChicagoMag.org. Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019.

[16] Pratt, John Byrne, Juan Perez Jr, Gregory. "Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot aces first test of her power: City Council overhaul approved". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-05-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[17] Spielman, Fran (2023-06-01). "Inside the political survival of Chicago City Council dean". Chicago Sun-Times.

[18] Hardy, Thomas (July 7, 1995). "Gov. Edgar To End City Partisan Votes". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-27.

Mayor of Chicago
Incumbent Brandon Johnson since May 15, 2023
Term length	4 years
Inaugural holder	William Butler Ogden
Formation	1837
Website	Office of the Mayor

v t e City of Chicago
Police Department Flag (Mayor) Public Libraries Performing arts Public schools Skyscrapers
Cook County Metropolitan area Illinois United States

v t e Mayors of Chicago
William B. Ogden (1837–38) Buckner Stith Morris (1838–39) Benjamin Wright Raymond (1839–40) Alexander Loyd (1840–41) Francis Cornwall Sherman (1841–42; 1862–65) Raymond (1842–43) Augustus Garrett (1843–44; 1845–46) Alson Sherman (1844–45) John Putnam Chapin (1846–47) James Curtiss (1847–48; 1850–51) Woodworth (1848–50) Walter S. Gurnee (1851–53) Charles McNeill Gray (1853–54) Isaac Lawrence Milliken (1854–55) Levi Boone (1855–56) Thomas Dyer (1856–57) John Wentworth (1857–58; 1860–61) John Charles Haines (1857–60) Julian Sidney Rumsey (1861–62) John Blake Rice (1865–69) Roswell B. Mason (1869–71) Joseph Medill (1871–73) Bond (1873¹) Harvey Doolittle Colvin (1873–76) Hoyne (1876²) Monroe Heath (1876–79) Carter Harrison III (1879–87; 1893) John A. Roche (1887–89) DeWitt Clinton Cregier (1889–91) Hempstead Washburne (1891–93) George Bell Swift (1893¹; 1895–97) John Patrick Hopkins (1893–95) Carter Harrison IV (1897–1905; 1911–15) Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne (1905–07) Fred A. Busse (1907–11) William Hale Thompson (1915–23; 1927–31) William Emmett Dever (1923–27) Anton Cermak (1931–33) Frank J. Corr (1933¹) Edward Joseph Kelly (1933–47) Martin H. Kennelly (1947–55) Richard J. Daley (1955–76) Michael A. Bilandic (1976–77¹; 1977–79) Jane Byrne (1979–83) Harold Washington (1983–87) David Orr (acting 1987¹) Eugene Sawyer (1987–89) Richard M. Daley (1989–2011) Rahm Emanuel (2011–19) Lori Lightfoot (2019–23) Brandon Johnson (2023–present)
¹ Acting officeholder. ² Election declared null and void.