Mayor of Gainesville

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Mayor of Gainesville
Ward-web 1 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Harvey Ward
since January 5, 2023
Term length Four Years
renewable once
Salary$44,696.22 (as of July 1, 2022) [1]
Website Office of the Mayor

The Mayor of Gainesville is, for ceremonially purposes, receipt of service of legal processes and the purposes of military law, official head of the city of Gainesville, Florida and otherwise a member of, and chair of, the city commission, required to preside at all meetings thereof. The mayor is also allowed to vote on all matters that come before the city commission, but has no veto powers. [2]

Contents

History of the Mayor's Office

On May 26, 1866, E. W. Perry was elected intendant (mayor) when the aldermen of Gainesville met to incorporate for the first time. On April 12, 1869, Gainesville re-incorporated, and mayors were elected for one-year terms except when they filled an unexpired term. In 1891, because the city charter was amended, two general elections were held that year. From 1927 to 1997 mayors were not elected, the position being simply that of mayor-commissioner, but as of 1998 mayors are again elected, [3] initially to three year terms, but as of 2022, to four year terms. [4]

Election

The mayor is elected in a citywide nonpartisan election using a two-round system, i.e., if no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election ensues between the two candidates who received the most votes. [5]

The mayor (like other commissioners) is elected to a four-year term (as of 2022, but currently in transition from a three-year term); [4] in any case, the mayor may not serve more than two consecutive terms, excepting following a partial term created by a vacancy; however, mayoral terms are reckoned separately from terms as another commissioner, allowing a commissioner to serve more consecutive terms by alternating between the positions. [6]

Succession

Per city code of ordinances, the mayor-commissioner pro tempore performs the functions and duties of the office of mayor in the absence of the mayor. If the mayor's seat is vacated, and less than 6 months remain in the unexpired term or until the next regular election, then the commission appoints a successor to serve until a new mayor is elected. If there is more than 6 months remaining in the term or until the next general election, the seat is filled by a special election not more than 60 days after the occurrence the vacancy. [2]

The mayor is subject to recall as provided by Florida law. [7]

Mayors of Gainesville

ImageYears of serviceMayorNotes / Citation
1869Samuel Y. FinleyFirst mayor of Gainesville, son of Jesse J. Finley [8]
Mayors elected to one-year terms [3]
 ?
Walls josiah.jpg 1873 Josiah T. Walls First African-American mayor of Gainesville [9]
1874Watson Porter [9]
 ?
1877S.J. Burnett [3]
 ?
1882John Varnum [3]
 ?
1885J.B. Brown [3]
1886S.J. Burnett (2nd term) [3]
1887W.W. Scott [3]
1888–1889J.B. Brown (2nd term) [3]
1890S.J. Burnett (3rd term) [3]
1891J.B. Brown (3rd term) [3]
1891H.E. DayThe city charter was amended in 1891 and two general elections were held that year [3]
1892L.C. Lynch [3]
 ?
1897Clarence Stringfellow [10] Died in November 1897 [11]
 ?
1899–1900J. F. Bartleson [3]
Portrait of W R Thomas.png 1901–1907 William Reuben Thomas
1908–1909Horatio Davis [12]
1910–1917Chris Matheson [13]
1918Gordon "J.B." Tyson [14]
1919Robert W. Davis [3]
1920–1921J.C. Adkins [3]
1922George S. Waldo [3]
1923–1924H.L. Phifer [3]
1925–1927J.R. FowlerAfter Fowler's term, mayors were appointed by the City Commission to one-year terms [3]
1927–1929Lee Graham [3]
1929–1930C.R. Layton [3]
1930–1931Hal C. Batey [3]
1931–1932Lee Graham (2nd term) [3]
1932–1933C.R. Layton (2nd term) [3]
1933–1934Hal C. Batey (2nd term) [3]
1934–1935M.H. Baxley [3]
1935–1936B.M. Tench [3]
1936–1937Hal C. Batey (3rd term) [3]
1937–1938R.B. Livingston [3]
1938–1939J.M. Dell [3]
1939–1940J.M. Butler [3]
1940–1941J.B. Carmichael [3]
1941–1942C.S. Brooking [3]
1942–1943J.B. Carmichael (2nd term) [3]
1943–1944J.M. Dell (2nd term) [3]
1944–1945Fred M. Cone [3]
1945–1946J.M. Butler (2nd term) [3]
1946–1947C.S. Brooking (2nd term) [3]
1947–1948Henry Gray [3]
1948–1949J.M. Butler (3rd term) [3]
1949–1950Roy L. Purvis [3]
1950–1951J. Milton Brownlee [3]
1951–1952Fred M. Cone (2 term) [3]
1952–1953Roy L. Purvis (2nd term) [3]
1953–1954C. B. Bohannon Jr. [3]
1954–1955Joseph C. Wise [12] [3]
1955–1956S. Clark Butler [3]
1956–1957R.M. Chamberlin [3]
1957J.M. Steadham [3]
1957–1958Walter E. Murphree [3]
1958–1959Myrl J. Hanes [12] [3]
1959–1960S. J. Adkins [3]
1960–1961Harry C. Edwards [3]
1961–1962Norwood W. Hope [3]
1962–1963Edwin J. Andrews [3]
1963–1964Byron M. Winn Jr. [3]
1964–1965Howard Towles McKinney [3]
1965–1966Edwin B. Turlington [3]
1966–1967James G. Richardson [3]
1967–1968Walter E. Murphree [3]
1968–1969T.E. "Ted" Williams [3]
1969–1970Walter E. Murphree [3]
Perry McGriff.jpg 1970–1971 Perry McGriff [15]
Neil A. Butler, mayor of Gainesville.png 1971–February 1972 Neil A. Butler [3] First post-Reconstruction African-American mayor of Gainesville [16] [17]
February 1972–March 1972T.E. "Ted" Williams [3]
1972–1973Richard T. Jones [3]
1973–1974James G. Richardson [3]
Neil A. Butler, mayor of Gainesville.png 1974–1975 Neil A. Butler (2nd term) [3]
1975–1976Joseph W. Little [18]
1976–1977James G. Richardson [3]
1977–1978Aaron A. Green [3]
1978–1979Roberta Lane Lisle [3] First female mayor of Gainesville[ citation needed ]
1979–1980William M. Howard [3]
1980–1981Mark Kane Goldstein [3]
1981–1982Courtland A. Collieralso served as mayor from 1990–1991 [3]
1982–1983Gary R. Junior [3]
1983–1984W.E. "Mac" McEachern [3]
1984–1985Jean Chalmers [18]
1985–1986Gary Gordon [3]
1986–1987Beverly Hill [3]
1987–1988N. David Flagg [18]
1988–1989David Coffey [18]
Cynthia Moore Chestnut.jpg 1989–1990 Cynthia Moore Chestnut [18] First female African-American mayor of Gainesville [19]
1990–1991Courtland A. Collier [3]
Rodney L. Long 2020.jpg 1991–1992Rodney J. Long [18]
1992–1993Thomas McKnew [3]
1993–1994James Painter [3]
Paula M. DeLaney, Alachula County commissioner and mayor of Gainesville.jpg 1994–1995Paula M. DeLaney [18]
1996–1997Ed Jennings Sr. [3]
1997–1998Bruce L. Delaney [18]
Paula M. DeLaney, Alachula County commissioner and mayor of Gainesville.jpg 1998–2001Paula M. DeLaney [18] First elected mayor of Gainesville since 1927 [20]
Thomas D. Bussing, mayor of Gainesville.jpg 2001–2004Thomas D. Bussing [18]
Pegeen Hanrahan, mayor of Gainesville.jpg 2004–2010 Pegeen Hanrahan [18]
SHK 0171 (cropped).JPG 2010–2013 Craig Lowe [18] [21]
Ed Braddy.jpg 2013–2016Ed Braddy [22]
Lauren Poe.jpg 2016–2023 Lauren Poe [23] [24]
Ward-web 1 (cropped).jpg 2023-present Harvey Ward [25]

References

  1. ""Information for Candidates"". Qualifying Information. City of Gainesville, City Clerk. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Martin, Doug (July 28, 2004). "Politics: "A different sort of beast"". The Gainesville Sun . Archived from the original on April 19, 2021 via Wayback Machine.
  4. 1 2 Kim A. Barton. "Kim A. Barton: Expanded early voting part of city election changes". The Gainesville Sun . Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  5. "Municode Library". library.municode.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  6. Gainesville, Florida's City Commission (November 12, 2019). "Eligibility". Gainesville, Florida - Code of Ordinances. Municode. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  8. Taylor Jr., George Lansing (November 12, 2012). "Jesse Johnson Finley Marker, Gainesville, FL". University of North Florida Digital Commons.
  9. 1 2 Klingman, Peter D. (2017). Josiah Wales, Florida's Black Congressman of Reconstruction. University of Florida Press. ISBN   978-1947372122. Sometime during this period, Walls became the mayor of Gainesville. Neither the exact dates of his term in office nor a record of his administration are available, but a few details are clear. He served in the summer of 1873, resigning on or about September 1. His successor, a pro-Walls white Republican, was Watson Porter, Gainesville postmaster and physician.
  10. "Must Obey The Law". The Ocala Evening Star . April 30, 1897 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Hon. Clarence Stringfellow". The Ocala Evening Star . December 3, 1897 via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 3 Lawrence Kestenbaum (ed.). "Mayors of Gainesville, Florida". Political Graveyard . Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  13. "FLOR500: Garden 303 - Xavier Cortada, Inc". www.xaviercortada.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  14. History of Florida, Past and Present: Historical and Biographical. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1923.
  15. "Perry Colson McGriff, Jr.", Gainesville Sun , February 5, 2017
  16. Rausch, Paula (July 27, 2004). "Neil Butler, politician". Gainesville Sun . Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  17. Van Giesen, John (May 25, 1969). "Negroes Rising Rapidly in Florida Politics". Pensacola News Journal via Newspapers.com.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Gainesville mayors, past and present, oppose the road tax", Gainesville Sun , October 25, 2012
  19. Hyson, Katie (October 11, 2021). "Candidate Q&A with Cynthia Chestnut, who hopes to return to the Gainesville City Commission, three decades later". WUFT (TV) . In those 34 years, she became the first Black woman mayor of Gainesville
  20. "City Commission". Gainesville, Florida Official Homepage. Archived from the original on December 5, 2000 via Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
  21. "Alachua County Supervisor of Elections - Preliminary Results - Gainesville Run-off Election 2013, April 16, 2013" (PDF). April 16, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  22. "Poe Defeats Braddy In Gainesville Mayoral Race", WUFT.org, University of Florida, March 15, 2016
  23. "Official results - Gainesville Regular Election" (PDF). March 15, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2015.
  24. "Official results - Gainesville Run-off Election" (PDF). April 12, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2015.
  25. "Harvey Ward defeats Ed Bielarski for Gainesville mayor". The Independent Florida Alligator. Retrieved November 23, 2022.