Mayor of Chicago
Encyclopedia
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive
of Chicago
, Illinois
, the third largest city
in the United States
. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council
, appoints department and agency leaders.
and Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department
. He or she is also responsible for appointing the heads of city departments, the largest of which are the Water Management Department (formed by the consolidation of the former Water Department and Sewer Department under Richard M. Daley) and the Streets & Sanitation Department. He or she additionally appoints members to the boards of several special purpose municipalities including the Chicago Park District
, Chicago Public Library
, Chicago Housing Authority
, Chicago Transit Authority
, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
, et al. Under Richard M. Daley
, the Illinois legislature
granted the mayor power to appoint the Chief Executive Officer
of the Chicago Public Schools
and subordinated the district under the mayor's authority; the district had long been an independent political field.
The Chicago City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected separately, as are the fifty aldermen who form the City Council. The mayor is empowered, however, to fill vacancies in any of these fifty-two elected offices by appointment. In turn, the City Council elect one of their own in the event the mayor's office is vacated.
of service for its mayor.
. Two sets of father and son have been elected Mayor of Chicago: Carter Harrison, Sr.
and Carter Harrison, Jr.
as well as Richard J. Daley
and Richard M. Daley
. Carter Harrison, Jr. was the first of the mayors to have been born within city limits. The first, and only woman to hold the office was Jane Byrne
. The first Black mayor was Harold Washington
. As an interim mayor, David Duvall Orr
has the shortest mayoral term. Richard M. Daley was originally elected in 1989 and re-elected for the sixth time in 2007. In September 2010, Daley announced he would not seek a seventh term re-election as mayor. On December 26, 2010, Daley became the longest serving mayor of the city, surpassing his father's record. Rahm Emanuel
is the current Mayor, having won the 2011 election with 55% of the votes to 25% for his closest opponent, Gery Chico
. Emanuel was sworn in on May 16, 2011.
.
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."
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the third largest city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
, appoints department and agency leaders.
Appointment powers
The Mayor appoints the Commissioner of the Chicago Fire DepartmentChicago Fire Department
The Chicago Fire Department, also known as the CFD, is the principal fire suppression, prevention, and rescue agency of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the second largest fire department in the United States after the New York City...
and Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
. He or she is also responsible for appointing the heads of city departments, the largest of which are the Water Management Department (formed by the consolidation of the former Water Department and Sewer Department under Richard M. Daley) and the Streets & Sanitation Department. He or she additionally appoints members to the boards of several special purpose municipalities including the Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
, Chicago Public Library
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....
, Chicago Housing Authority
Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority is a municipal corporation established by the State of Illinois in 1937 with jurisdiction for the administrative oversight of public housing within the City of Chicago...
, Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, commonly known as McPier or MPEA, is a corporation that was created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1989 from the Metropolitan Fair and Exposition Authority by the "Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act". It owns and manages several...
, et al. Under Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
, the Illinois legislature
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
granted the mayor power to appoint the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
and subordinated the district under the mayor's authority; the district had long been an independent political field.
The Chicago City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected separately, as are the fifty aldermen who form the City Council. The mayor is empowered, however, to fill vacancies in any of these fifty-two elected offices by appointment. In turn, the City Council elect one of their own in the event the mayor's office is vacated.
Election
The Mayor of Chicago is elected by popular vote every four years, on the last Tuesday in February. A run-off election, in the event no candidate garners more than fifty percent of the vote, is held on the first Tuesday in April. The election is held on a non-partisan basis. Chicago is the largest city in the United States of America not to limit the termTerm limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
of service for its mayor.
History
The first mayor was William Butler OgdenWilliam Butler Ogden
William Butler Ogden was the first Mayor of Chicago.Ogden was born in Walton, New York. When still a teenager, his father died and Ogden took over the family real estate business...
. Two sets of father and son have been elected Mayor of Chicago: Carter Harrison, Sr.
Carter Harrison, Sr.
Carter Henry Harrison, Sr. was an American politician who served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1879 until 1887; he was subsequently elected to a fifth term in 1893 but was assassinated before completing his term. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives...
and Carter Harrison, Jr.
Carter Harrison, Jr.
Carter Henry Harrison, Jr. served as Mayor of Chicago . The City's 30th mayor, he was the first actually born in Chicago....
as well as Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
and Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
. Carter Harrison, Jr. was the first of the mayors to have been born within city limits. The first, and only woman to hold the office was Jane Byrne
Jane Byrne
Jane Margaret Byrne was the first and to date only female Mayor of Chicago. She served from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2011.-Early political career:...
. The first Black mayor was Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
. As an interim mayor, David Duvall Orr
David Duvall Orr
David Duvall Orr is an American Democratic politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was Alderman of the 49th Ward in Chicago from 1979 to 1991. In 1987, he served briefly as Mayor of Chicago after the death of Mayor Harold Washington. Since 1991, he has been County Clerk of Cook County...
has the shortest mayoral term. Richard M. Daley was originally elected in 1989 and re-elected for the sixth time in 2007. In September 2010, Daley announced he would not seek a seventh term re-election as mayor. On December 26, 2010, Daley became the longest serving mayor of the city, surpassing his father's record. Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
is the current Mayor, having won the 2011 election with 55% of the votes to 25% for his closest opponent, Gery Chico
Gery Chico
Gery Chico is a Chicago lawyer, public official, former Democratic primary candidate for United States Senate, and former candidate for Mayor of Chicago. Chico served as the Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley from 1992 to 1995, and board president of the Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to...
. Emanuel was sworn in on May 16, 2011.
List of mayors
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 1872Cities and Villages Act of 1872
The Cities and Villages Act of 1872 is a piece of Illinois legislation that governs the operation of unincorporated groups of habitations within the state. The act was an immediate source of political controversy...
.
| # | Name | Term | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Butler Ogden William Butler Ogden William Butler Ogden was the first Mayor of Chicago.Ogden was born in Walton, New York. When still a teenager, his father died and Ogden took over the family real estate business... |
1837–1838 | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|
| 2 | Buckner Stith Morris Buckner Stith Morris Buckner Stith Morris served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Whig Party.Morris traveled north from Georgia in 1832, marrying Evelina Barker in Kentucky. The couple arrived in Chicago in 1834 where Morris established a law practice with J. Young Scammon and created the Chicago Lyceum, the... |
1838–1839 | Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic... |
|
| 3 | Benjamin Wright Raymond Benjamin Wright Raymond Benjamin Wright Raymond was an American politician who twice served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Whig Party.During his terms as mayor, Raymond ensured that State Street would be a wide thoroughfare... |
1839–1840 | Whig | |
| 4 | Alexander Loyd | 1840–1841 | Democratic | |
| 5 | Francis Cornwall Sherman Francis Cornwall Sherman Francis Cornwall Sherman served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois three terms for the Democratic Party.... |
1841–1842 | Democratic | |
| 6 | Benjamin Wright Raymond Benjamin Wright Raymond Benjamin Wright Raymond was an American politician who twice served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Whig Party.During his terms as mayor, Raymond ensured that State Street would be a wide thoroughfare... |
1842–1843 | Whig | |
| 7 | Augustus Garrett Augustus Garrett Augustus Garrett twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.Garrett married Eliza Clark in 1825 and moved to Chicago from New York in 1834... |
1843–1844 | Democratic | |
| 8 | Alson Sherman Alson Sherman Alson Sherman served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Independent Democrat Party.... |
1844–1845 | Independent Democrat | |
| 9 | Augustus Garrett Augustus Garrett Augustus Garrett twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.Garrett married Eliza Clark in 1825 and moved to Chicago from New York in 1834... |
1845–1846 | Democratic | |
| 10 | John Putnam Chapin John Putnam Chapin John Putnam Chapin served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Whig Party.... |
1846–1847 | Whig | |
| 11 | James Curtiss James Curtiss James Curtiss was an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.-Early Life:... |
1847–1848 | Democratic | |
| 12 | James Hutchinson Woodworth James Hutchinson Woodworth James Hutchinson Woodworth , was a former member of the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois State House of Representatives, served as a Chicago Alderman, was elected to consecutive terms as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as an Independent Democrat, and served one term in the US House... |
1848–1850 | Independent Democrat Independent Democrat Independent Democrat is a term occasionally adopted by American politicians to refer to their party affiliation. Several elected officials, including members of Congress, have identified as " Independent Democrats."... |
|
| 13 | James Curtiss James Curtiss James Curtiss was an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.-Early Life:... |
1850–1851 | Democratic | |
| 14 | Walter S. Gurnee Walter S. Gurnee Walter S. Gurnee served as Mayor of Chicago for the Democratic Party. The town of Gurnee, Illinois is named for him.... |
1851–1853 | Democratic | |
| 15 | Charles McNeill Gray Charles McNeill Gray Charles McNeill Gray served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.... |
1853–1854 | Democratic | |
| 16 | Isaac Lawrence Milliken Isaac Lawrence Milliken Isaac Lawrence Milliken served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1854 to 1855. He was a member of the Democratic Party... |
1854–1855 | Democratic | |
| 17 | Levi Day Boone | 1855–1856 | American Party Know Nothing The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by... |
|
| 18 | Thomas Dyer Thomas Dyer Thomas Dyer served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party. He also served as the founding president of the Chicago Board of Trade.-External links:* *... |
1856–1857 | Democratic | |
| 19 | John Wentworth John Wentworth (mayor) "Long" John Wentworth was the editor of the Chicago Democrat, a two-term mayor of Chicago, and a six-term member of the United States House of Representatives.... |
1857–1858 | Republican | |
| 20 | John Charles Haines John Charles Haines John Charles Haines served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.... |
1858–1860 | Democratic | |
| 21 | John Wentworth John Wentworth (mayor) "Long" John Wentworth was the editor of the Chicago Democrat, a two-term mayor of Chicago, and a six-term member of the United States House of Representatives.... |
1860–1861 | Republican | |
| 22 | Julian Sidney Rumsey Julian Sidney Rumsey Julian Sidney Rumsey served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party.... |
1861–1862 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
|
| 23 | Francis Cornwall Sherman Francis Cornwall Sherman Francis Cornwall Sherman served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois three terms for the Democratic Party.... |
1862–1865 | Democratic | |
| 24 | John Blake Rice John Blake Rice John Blake Rice was an American actor, theatrical producer and politician who served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois as a member of the Republican Party.... |
1865–1869 | Republican | |
| 25 | Roswell B. Mason Roswell B. Mason Roswell B. Mason served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Citizens Party.... |
1869–1871 | Citizens | Mayor during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. |
| 26 | Joseph Medill Joseph Medill Joseph Medill was an American newspaper editor and publisher, and politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and was Mayor of Chicago.-Biography:... |
1871–1873 | Fireproof | Born in Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
| 27 | Harvey Doolittle Colvin Harvey Doolittle Colvin Harvey Doolittle Colvin served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the People's Party.... |
1873–1875 | People's | |
| 28 | Monroe Heath Monroe Heath Monroe Heath was a U.S. politician. He served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery.... |
1876–1879 | Republican | |
| 29 | Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Henry Harrison, Sr. was an American politician who served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1879 until 1887; he was subsequently elected to a fifth term in 1893 but was assassinated before completing his term. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives... |
1879–1887 | Democratic | father of Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Henry Harrison, Jr. served as Mayor of Chicago . The City's 30th mayor, he was the first actually born in Chicago.... |
| 30 | John A. Roche John A. Roche John A. Roche served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He was elected as 30th mayor, 39th term He was born in Utica New York, and served as an apprentice to his brother for three years... |
1887–1889 | Republican | |
| 31 | DeWitt Clinton Cregier DeWitt Clinton Cregier DeWitt Clinton Cregier served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party. Prior to this he was an engineer with the City of Chicago, and was awarded, in 1875, and in 1876, , both for fire hydrants. The latter was a combination drinking fountain, fire hydrant, and watering basin for... |
1889–1891 | Democratic | |
| 32 | Hempstead Washburne Hempstead Washburne Hempstead Washburne served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He was the son of Elihu B. Washburne, Congressman, Secretary of State, and Minister to France.... |
1891–1893 | Republican | |
| 33 | Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Henry Harrison, Sr. was an American politician who served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1879 until 1887; he was subsequently elected to a fifth term in 1893 but was assassinated before completing his term. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives... |
1893 | Democratic | Assassinated in office; father of Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Henry Harrison, Jr. served as Mayor of Chicago . The City's 30th mayor, he was the first actually born in Chicago.... |
| 34 | George Bell Swift George Bell Swift George Bell Swift served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He was selected to replace the assassinated Carter Harrison, Sr. as Mayor pro tem in 1893 and lost his re-election bid. He was re-elected when he ran in 1895.Swift was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Samuel W... |
1893 | Republican | Mayor Pro Tem |
| 35 | John Patrick Hopkins John Patrick Hopkins John Patrick Hopkins served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party. John Patrick Hopkins was the first of nine Irish-American Catholic mayors of Chicago.... |
1893–1895 | Democratic | |
| 36 | George Bell Swift George Bell Swift George Bell Swift served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He was selected to replace the assassinated Carter Harrison, Sr. as Mayor pro tem in 1893 and lost his re-election bid. He was re-elected when he ran in 1895.Swift was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Samuel W... |
1895–1897 | Republican | |
| 37 | Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Henry Harrison, Jr. served as Mayor of Chicago . The City's 30th mayor, he was the first actually born in Chicago.... |
1897–1905 | Democratic | First Chicago born mayor; son of Mayor Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Harrison, Sr. Carter Henry Harrison, Sr. was an American politician who served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1879 until 1887; he was subsequently elected to a fifth term in 1893 but was assassinated before completing his term. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives... |
| 38 | Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne was an American politician who was the 24th Governor of Illinois from 1913 to 1917 and previously served as the 38th mayor of Chicago from April 5, 1905 to 1907.-Early years:... |
1905–1907 | Democratic | |
| 39 | Fred A. Busse Fred A. Busse Fred Busse was the mayor of Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois, from 1907 to 1911.Busse became a local Republican leader, first elected to the Illinois Legislature in 1894, and eventually serving as State Treasurer beginning in 1902... |
1907–1911 | Republican | |
| 40 | Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Harrison, Jr. Carter Henry Harrison, Jr. served as Mayor of Chicago . The City's 30th mayor, he was the first actually born in Chicago.... |
1911–1915 | Democratic | |
| 41 | William Hale Thompson William Hale Thompson William Hale Thompson was Mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago, and ranks among the most unethical mayors in American history.Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale... |
1915–1923 | Republican | |
| 42 | William Emmett Dever William Emmett Dever William Emmett Dever served as the Democratic mayor of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. from 1923 to 1927.-Biography:... |
1923–1927 | Democratic | |
| 43 | William Hale Thompson William Hale Thompson William Hale Thompson was Mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago, and ranks among the most unethical mayors in American history.Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale... |
1927–1931 | Republican | |
| 44 | Anton Cermak Anton Cermak Anton Joseph Cermak was the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1931 until his assassination by Giuseppe Zangara in 1933.-Early life and career:... |
1931–1933 | Democratic | Assassinated in office; second foreign born (in Austria -Hungary) |
| 45 | Frank J. Corr Frank J. Corr Frank J. Corr served as acting mayor of Chicago, Illinois in 1933 following the assassination of Anton Cermak... |
1933 | Democratic | 32 days, Acting Mayor |
| 46 | Edward Joseph Kelly Edward Joseph Kelly Edward Joseph Kelly served as chief engineer of the Chicago sanitary district in the 1920s, and later as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.... |
1933–1947 | Democratic | Act of the Illinois legislature permitted City Council to elect a non-alderman to fill the vacancy. |
| 47 | Martin H. Kennelly Martin H. Kennelly Martin H. Kennelly served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party.-Early Life:... |
1947–1955 | Democratic | |
| 48 | Richard J. Daley Richard J. Daley Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F... |
1955–1976 | Democratic | Died in office; father of Richard M. Daley Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his... |
| 49 | Michael Anthony Bilandic Michael Anthony Bilandic Michael Anthony Bilandic was an Illinois politician who served as the mayor of Chicago, Illinois and as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was a member of the Democratic Party.... |
1976–1979 | Democratic | |
| 50 | Jane Margaret Byrne | 1979–1983 | Democratic | First female mayor |
| 51 | Harold Washington Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :... |
1983–1987 | Democratic | Died in office; first Black/African-American mayor |
| 52 | David Duvall Orr David Duvall Orr David Duvall Orr is an American Democratic politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was Alderman of the 49th Ward in Chicago from 1979 to 1991. In 1987, he served briefly as Mayor of Chicago after the death of Mayor Harold Washington. Since 1991, he has been County Clerk of Cook County... |
1987 | Democratic | 8 days, Interim Mayor |
| 53 | Eugene Sawyer Eugene Sawyer Eugene Sawyer was an American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as a member of the Democratic Party. He was the second African American to serve as mayor of Chicago.... |
1987–1989 | Democratic | Elected by city council to complete Mayor Washington's term |
| 54 | Richard M. Daley Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his... |
1989–2011 | Democratic | Longest serving mayor; son of Richard J. Daley Richard J. Daley Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F... |
| 55 | Rahm Emanuel Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama... |
2011–present | Nonpartisan1 | First Jewish mayor |
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."