Mayor of Seattle

Mayor of Seattle
Incumbent
Bruce Harrell
since January 1, 2022
Government of Seattle
StyleThe Honorable
Term length4 years
Inaugural holderHenry A. Atkins
FormationDecember 2, 1869
WebsiteOfficial website

The Mayor of Seattle is the head of the executive branch of the city government of Seattle, Washington. The mayor is authorized by the city charter to enforce laws enacted by the Seattle City Council, as well as direct subordinate officers in city departments. (The Seattle City Council, the legislative branch of city government, is led by the council president.)

The mayor serves a four-year term, without term limits, and is chosen in citywide, two-round elections between nonpartisan candidates.

Since the appointment of Henry A. Atkins in 1869, 56 individuals have held the office of mayor. The city elected Bertha Knight Landes, the first female mayor of a major U.S. city, in 1926. Several mayors have served non-consecutive terms, while others have resigned or faced recall elections. Charles Royer holds the record for longest mayoral tenure in the city's history, serving three full terms from 1978 to 1990.

Bruce Harrell took office as mayor on January 1, 2022, becoming the first Asian-American and second African-American mayor in Seattle's History.

History

Seattle was initially incorporated as a town on January 14, 1865, by the Washington Territorial Legislature, governed by a board of trustees. Charles C. Terry served as president of the board of trustees, which remained unchanged until the town's disincorporation on January 28, 1867. The town of Seattle was incorporated a second time on December 2, 1869, with a new city charter that established the position of mayor. Henry A. Atkins was appointed as the first mayor of Seattle by the Territorial Legislature, and was elected to the office on July 11, 1870.

A new city charter, the Freeholders Charter, was adopted in 1890 and extended the mayor's term in office from one year to two years, but barred consecutive terms. The charter also moved elections to the first Monday in March and required the mayor to be at least 30 years of age and live within the city for two years.

A new city charter that was approved by the city's voters in 1946 lengthened the term of office for mayors from two years to four years, starting with the 1948 elections. In 1969 the age and residence requirements were removed from the charter.

Duties and powers

The mayor is the head of the executive branch of Seattle's municipal government, charged with the appointment and management of 25 department and commission heads that work directly for the mayor. In the event of an absence of the mayor, the president of the Seattle City Council assumes the duties of the position as mayor pro tem until their return, but a notification is not necessary under the city charter.

Elections and succession

The mayor is elected in a citywide election held every four years, composed of two stages: a primary election in August and a general election between the top two candidates in November. Elections are officially non-partisan.

If the office of mayor becomes vacant, the president of the city council becomes mayor for a five-day period to immediately fill the position. If the president of the city council declines to remain mayor, the city council is authorized to vote to appoint a councilmember to the role of mayor. The councilmember appointed to the position under both scenarios will forfeit their position on the city council until the next election. A mayor-elect can also take office earlier than the official inauguration date (January 1), upon certification of the election results and a decision by the city council to replace the appointed mayor.

A two-thirds majority vote of the city council can remove the mayor from office for a willful violation of duty or an offense involving moral turpitude.

List of mayors

# Photo Mayor Took office Left office Election results and notes
1   Henry A. Atkins December 2, 1869 July 31, 1871 Appointed on December 2, 1869. Elected July 11, 1870.
2   John T. Jordan July 31, 1871 July 29, 1872 Elected July 10, 1871.
3   Corliss P. Stone July 29, 1872 February 23, 1873 Elected July 8, 1872. Left office on February 23, 1873, due to alleged embezzlement of funds.
    John T. Jordan April 5, 1873 June 5, 1873 Appointed to fill position until special election.
4   Moses R. Maddocks June 5, 1873 August 3, 1873 Won special election on June 5, 1873, to serve the rest of Stone's regular term.
5   John Collins August 3, 1873 August 2, 1874 Elected on July 14, 1873.
6   Henry Yesler August 2, 1874 August 2, 1875 Elected July 13, 1874.
7   Bailey Gatzert August 2, 1875 July 31, 1876 Elected August 2, 1875.
8   Gideon A. Weed July 31, 1876 July 29, 1878 Elected July 10, 1876, and re-elected July 9, 1877.
9   Beriah Brown July 29, 1878 August 3, 1879 Elected July 8, 1878.
10   Orange Jacobs August 3, 1879 August 2, 1880 Elected July 14, 1879.
11   Leonard P. Smith August 2, 1880 July 31, 1882 Elected July 12, 1880.
12   Henry G. Struve July 31, 1882 August 3, 1884 Elected July 10, 1882, and re-elected on July 9, 1883.
13   John Leary August 3, 1884 August 3, 1885 Elected July 14, 1884.
    Henry Yesler August 3, 1885 August 2, 1886 Elected July 13, 1885, to a non-consecutive second term.
14   William H. Shoudy August 2, 1886 August 1, 1887 Elected July 12, 1886.
15   Thomas T. Minor August 1, 1887 July 30, 1888 Elected July 11, 1887.
16   Robert Moran July 30, 1888 August 3, 1890 Elected July 9, 1888, and re-elected July 8, 1889.
17   Harry White August 3, 1890 December 9, 1891 Elected July 14, 1890, to an abbreviated term under 1890 charter. Resigned on November 30, 1891.
18   George W. Hall December 9, 1891 March 31, 1892 Appointed.
19   James T. Ronald March 31, 1892 March 19, 1894 Elected March 8, 1892.
20   Byron Phelps March 19, 1894 March 16, 1896 Elected March 12, 1894.
21   Frank D. Black March 16, 1896 April 6, 1896 Elected March 9, 1896. Resigned after three weeks in office.
22   W. D. Wood April 6, 1896 July 1897 Appointed to fill unexpired term. Resigned in July 1897 to participate in the Klondike Gold Rush.
23   Thomas J. Humes November 19, 1897 March 21, 1904 Elected by City Council to fill unexpired term.
24   Richard A. Ballinger March 21, 1904 March 19, 1906 Elected March 8, 1904.
25   William Hickman Moore March 19, 1906 March 16, 1908 Elected March 6, 1906.
26   John Miller March 16, 1908 March 21, 1910 Elected March 3, 1908.
27   Hiram C. Gill March 21, 1910 February 11, 1911 Elected March 8, 1910. Recalled in special election held February 9, 1911.
28   George W. Dilling February 11, 1911 March 18, 1912 Elected February 7, 1911.
29   George F. Cotterill March 18, 1912 March 16, 1914 Elected March 5, 1912.
    Hiram C. Gill March 16, 1914 March 18, 1918 Elected March 3, 1914.
30   Ole Hanson March 18, 1918 August 28, 1919 Elected March 5, 1918. Resigned August 28, 1919, to move to California.
31   C. B. Fitzgerald August 28, 1919 March 14, 1920 Appointed to fill unexpired term.
32   Hugh M. Caldwell March 14, 1920 June 5, 1922 Elected March 2, 1920.
33   Edwin J. Brown June 5, 1922 June 7, 1926 Elected May 2, 1922, and re-elected March 4, 1924.
34   Bertha Knight Landes June 7, 1926 June 4, 1928 Elected March 9, 1926. First female mayor.
35   Frank E. Edwards June 4, 1928 July 14, 1931 Elected March 6, 1928, and re-elected March 4, 1930. Recalled in special election held July 13, 1931.
36   Robert H. Harlin July 14, 1931 June 4, 1932 Appointed to finish unexpired term.
37   John F. Dore June 4, 1932 June 4, 1934 Elected March 8, 1932.
38   Charles L. Smith June 4, 1934 June 1, 1936 Elected March 6, 1934.
    John F. Dore June 1, 1936 April 13, 1938 Elected March 3, 1936. Relieved of office on April 13, 1938, due to sickness. Died on April 18, 1938.
    James Scavotto April 13, 1938 April 27, 1938 Appointed to fill position until city council decision.[citation needed]
39   Arthur B. Langlie April 27, 1938 January 11, 1941 Elected March 8, 1938. Appointed as mayor-elect due to relieving (and death) of Mayor Dore. Re-elected May 5, 1940. Resigned January 11, 1941, to become Governor of Washington.
40   John E. Carroll January 27, 1941 March 27, 1941 Appointed until special election.
41   Earl Millikin March 27, 1941 June 1, 1942 Elected March 4, 1941, to finish unexpired term.
42   William F. Devin June 1, 1942 June 1, 1952 Elected March 3, 1942. Re-elected on March 7, 1944, March 5, 1946, and March 2, 1948.
43   Allan Pomeroy June 1, 1952 June 4, 1956 Elected March 4, 1952.
44   Gordon Clinton June 4, 1956 April 6, 1964 Elected March 6, 1956, and re-elected March 8, 1960.
45   James d'Orma Braman April 6, 1964 March 23, 1969 Elected March 10, 1964. Resigned to accept appointment as Assistant Secretary of Urban Systems and Environment in the U.S. Department of Transportation.
46   Floyd C. Miller March 23, 1969 December 1, 1969
47   Wesley C. Uhlman December 1, 1969 January 1, 1978 Elected November 4, 1969, and re-elected November 6, 1973. Survived recall attempt on July 1, 1975.
48   Charles Royer January 1, 1978 January 1, 1990 Elected November 8, 1977. Re-elected on November 3, 1981, and November 5, 1985.
49   Norm Rice January 1, 1990 January 1, 1998 Elected November 7, 1989, and re-elected November 2, 1993. First African-American mayor.
50   Paul Schell January 1, 1998 January 1, 2002 Elected November 4, 1997.
51   Greg Nickels January 1, 2002 January 1, 2010 Elected November 6, 2001, and re-elected November 8, 2005.
52   Michael McGinn January 1, 2010 January 1, 2014 Elected November 3, 2009.
53   Ed Murray January 1, 2014 September 13, 2017 Elected November 5, 2013. Resigned due to sexual abuse allegations. First gay mayor.
54   Bruce Harrell September 13, 2017 September 18, 2017 Appointed through position as City Council President to finish unexpired term, declined to accept appointment and therefore a replacement was selected by City Council. First Asian-American mayor and second African-American mayor.
55   Tim Burgess September 18, 2017 November 28, 2017 Appointed by Seattle City Council to finish unexpired term.
56   Jenny Durkan November 28, 2017 January 1, 2022 Elected November 7, 2017.
57   Bruce Harrell January 1, 2022 Incumbent Elected November 2, 2021.

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