List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky

Last updated

Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville mayor and mandala (cropped) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Craig Greenberg
since January 2, 2023
Formation1828
First holder John Bucklin
Website Office of the Mayor

The history of Louisville, Kentucky, United States, as a city is considered to have started on February 13, 1828, the date of the first city charter. From the time of its first organization as a village, on February 7, 1781, until its incorporation as a city, it was governed by a board of trustees. At the time when its growth and commercial importance demanded the change of its government, it was chartered by the state legislature into a city of five wards and placed under the government of a mayor and city council, the latter being composed of ten members, two from each ward.

Contents

History of the office

The first election under the Act of Incorporation took place in March 1828. All free white males who had lived in the city for at least six months prior to the election could vote, although mayors were not elected directly initially. The two top vote-getters were referred to the governor, who selected the mayor from the two, with senate approval. The early mayor was relatively weak, acting mostly as a Justice of the Peace, serving a one-year term, and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties.

A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election of a mayor, extended the term to three years, and prevented incumbents from running for re-election. The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870, then returned to three, and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894. In the early 20th century, corruption and political machines were rampant, causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts. All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929. Mayoral term limits were set at three in 1986.

On January 6, 2003, the city of Louisville and Jefferson County governments merged to form the government of Louisville Metro, and the office of Mayor of Louisville Metro was created.

Incorporated city

MayorImageTerm beganTerm endedPolitical party
John Bucklin Mayor John Carpenter Bucklin.jpg 18281833
John Joyes 18341836
W. A. Cocke 18361836Whig
Frederick A. Kaye 18371840 Whig
David L. Beatty 18411843Democratic
Frederick A. Kaye 18441846Whig
William R. Vance 18471850Whig
John M. Delph 18501852Whig
James Stephens Speed James Stephens Speed.jpg 18531854Whig
John Barbee 18551856 Know Nothing
William S. Pilcher 1857August 1858 [1] Know Nothing
Thomas W. Riley August 1858April 1859 [2] Whig
Thomas H. Crawford April 18591860 Unionist
John M. Delph 18611862 Unionist
William Kaye William Kaye drawing (cropped).png 18631865 Democratic
Philip Tomppert 1865December 28, 1865 [3] Democratic
James S. Lithgow James S. Lithgow portrait (cropped).png January 2, 1866February 14, 1867 [4] Democratic
Philip Tomppert February 14, 18671868Democratic
Joseph H. Bunce 1869March 1870Democratic
John G. Baxter Baxter brooks.jpg 18701872Democratic
Charles D. Jacob Hon. Charles D. Jacob (cropped).png 18731878Democratic
John G. Baxter Baxter brooks.jpg 18791881Democratic
Charles D. Jacob Hon. Charles D. Jacob (cropped).png 18821884Democratic
P. Booker Reed Booker-Reed.jpg 18851887Democratic
Charles D. Jacob Hon. Charles D. Jacob (cropped).png 18881890Democratic
William L. Lyons May 12, 1890 [5] August 1890Democratic
Henry S. Tyler 1891January 14, 1896 [6] Democratic
Robert Emmet King January 14, 1896January 31, 1896
(pro tem)
Republican
George Davidson Todd George Davidson Todd.png January 31, 1896December 1897Republican
Charles P. Weaver December 1897December 1901Democratic
Charles F. Grainger Charles F. Grainger.jpg December 1901December 1905Democratic
Paul C. Barth Paul C. Barth.jpg December 1905July 1907 [7] Democratic
Robert Worth Bingham Robert Worth Bingham (1871-1937).png July 1907December 1907 [8] Democratic
James F. Grinstead December 1907December 1909Republican
William O. Head William O. Head (1859-1931).jpg December 1909December 1913Democratic
John H. Buschemeyer John Henry Buschemeyer (1869-1935).png December 1913December 1917Democratic
George Weissinger Smith December 1917December 1921 Republican
Huston Quin December 1921December 1925 Republican
Arthur A. Will Arthur A. Will LCCN2014718926.tif December 1925June 1927 [9] Republican
Joseph T. O'Neal June 1927December 1927Democratic
William B. Harrison December 1927December 1933Republican
Neville Miller December 1933December 1937Democratic
Joseph D. Scholtz Joseph D. Scholtz (standing, cropped).tif December 1937December 1941Democratic
Wilson W. Wyatt Wilson W. Wyatt 1946.jpg December 1941December 1945Democratic
E. Leland Taylor December 1945February 16, 1948 [10] Democratic
Charles R. Farnsley Charles R. Farnsley.jpg February 16, 1948December 1953Democratic
Andrew Broaddus December 1953December 1957Democratic
Bruce Hoblitzell December 1957December 1961Democratic
William Cowger William O. Cowger.jpg December 1961December 1965Republican
Kenneth A. Schmied December 1965December 1969Republican
Frank W. Burke Frank W. Burke.jpg December 1969December 1, 1973Democratic
Harvey I. Sloane December 1, 1973December 1, 1977Democratic
William B. Stansbury December 1, 1977January 1, 1982Democratic
Harvey I. Sloane January 1, 1982January 1, 1986Democratic
Jerry Abramson Jerry E. Abramson.jpg January 1, 1986January 1, 1999Democratic
David L. Armstrong January 1, 1999January 5, 2003Democratic

Louisville Metro

MayorImageTerm beganTerm endedPolitical party
Jerry Abramson Jerry E. Abramson.jpg January 6, 2003January 2, 2011Democratic
Greg Fischer GregFischer.jpg January 3, 2011January 1, 2023Democratic
Craig Greenberg Louisville mayor and mandala (cropped).jpg January 2, 2023PresentDemocratic

See also

Notes

  1. Died in office in August 1858.
  2. Served as mayor Served as mayor pro tempore. Left office in April 1859.
  3. Impeached by Board of Aldermen for failure to approve an infrastructure bill tainted by bribery
  4. Resigned on February 14, 1867, after the Kentucky Court of Appeals restored Tomppert.
  5. Served as mayor pro tempore.
  6. Left office on January 14, 1896.
  7. Removed from office in June 1907 as election was found to be fraudulent.
  8. Appointed interim mayor
  9. Removed from office in June 1927 as election was found to be fraudulent.
  10. Died in office on February 16, 1948.

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