Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois
Encyclopedia
The office of Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois has existed since the Rock Island
's incorporation in 1841 with Benjamin Barrett serving as the city's first mayor. Rock Island adopted a Mayor-Council form of government. It held that form of government for the next 110 years when in 1952 the city adopted a new popular form of city government, the council-manager form. Carl F. Bauer was elected as the first mayor under this form in 1953. This form of government still elected a mayor but the mayor is nothing more than a figurehead where as the true power lay in the hands of the City Council
and City Manager
.
The Rock Island mayoralty is a ceremonial position that is often used as a stepping stone for higher political office. Most of Rock Island's mayors did not go far past the mayoralty but a few did, mostly running for State Representative, State Senator
, and U.S. Congress. Rock Island held partisan election throughout much of its history. For a brief time from 1911–1923, Rock Island's mayor served as a non-partisan mayor then again in 1923 the City went back to partisan elections. The Republican Party
has dominated the mayoralty, the city had more Republican mayors than Democratic
mayors. In 1953 when the city adopted the Council-Manager form of government the city once again went to non-partisan elections and it continues to this day.
In 1984 a referendum appeared on the city ballot asking whether voters wanted to adopted partisan elections or continue with non-partisan elections, the referendum was defeated by an overwhelming margin.
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
's incorporation in 1841 with Benjamin Barrett serving as the city's first mayor. Rock Island adopted a Mayor-Council form of government. It held that form of government for the next 110 years when in 1952 the city adopted a new popular form of city government, the council-manager form. Carl F. Bauer was elected as the first mayor under this form in 1953. This form of government still elected a mayor but the mayor is nothing more than a figurehead where as the true power lay in the hands of the City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
and City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
.
The Rock Island mayoralty is a ceremonial position that is often used as a stepping stone for higher political office. Most of Rock Island's mayors did not go far past the mayoralty but a few did, mostly running for State Representative, State Senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
, and U.S. Congress. Rock Island held partisan election throughout much of its history. For a brief time from 1911–1923, Rock Island's mayor served as a non-partisan mayor then again in 1923 the City went back to partisan elections. The Republican Party
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...
has dominated the mayoralty, the city had more Republican mayors than 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...
mayors. In 1953 when the city adopted the Council-Manager form of government the city once again went to non-partisan elections and it continues to this day.
In 1984 a referendum appeared on the city ballot asking whether voters wanted to adopted partisan elections or continue with non-partisan elections, the referendum was defeated by an overwhelming margin.
Rock Island mayors
Rock Island's mayors since the city's first mayoral election in 1849:| In office | Mayor |
|---|---|
| 1849–1850 | Benjamin Barrett |
| 1850–1851 | Joshua Hatch |
| 1851–1852 | Patrick Whitaker |
| 1852–1854 | William Frizzell William Frizzell William Jasper Frizzell is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1984 to 1993. He played college football at North Carolina Central University and was drafted in the tenth round of... |
| 1854–1855 | Ben Harper Ben Harper (politician) Benjamin “Ben” Harper was an American businessman and politician.Harper was born February 12, 1817 in Philadelphia. He lived in Ohio and Missouri before he came 1850 to Illinois. From 1854 until 1855 Harper was Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois... |
| 1855–1856 | Benjamin Barrett |
| 1856–1857 | William Bailey William Bailey William Bailey was an American actor. He appeared in 222 films between 1911 and 1959. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Bailey died in Hollywood, California in 1962 at the age of 76.-Selected filmography:... |
| 1857–1858 | Patrick Gregg |
| 1858–1860 | Thomas Bulford |
| 1860–1861 | Calvin Truesdale |
| 1861–1866 | Bailey Davenport |
| 1866–1867 | Calvin Truesdale |
| 1867 | B. H. Kimball |
| 1867–1868 | William Eggleston |
| 1868–1869 | Thomas Murdock |
| 1869–1870 | James Buford |
| 1870–1871 | Porter Skinner |
| 1871–1872 | Elijah Carter |
| 1872–1873 | Thomas Murdock |
| 1873–1874 | Bailey Davenport |
| 1874–1875 | Thomas Gaft |
| 1875–1876 | Bailey Davenport |
| 1876–1878 | William Butler |
| 1878–1880 | Elisha Reynolds |
| 1880–1883 | Henry Carse |
| 1883–1885 | James Z. Mott |
| 1885–1887 | Thomas Murdock |
| 1887–1889 | Virgil M. Blanding |
| 1889–1893 | William McConochie |
| 1893–1895 | Thomas J. Medill, Jr. |
| 1895–1897 | B. Frank Knox |
| 1897–1899 | Thomas J. Medill, Jr. |
| 1899–1901 | William McConochie |
| 1901–1903 | B. Frank Knox |
| 1903–1905 | William McConochie |
| 1905–1907 | George W. McCaskrin |
| 1907–1909 | Harry C. Schaffer |
| 1909–1911 | George W. McCaskrin |
| 1911–1915 | Harry M. Shriver |
| 1915–1918 | William McConochie |
| 1919–1923 | Harry M. Shriver |
| 1923–1927 | Walter A. Rosenfield |
| 1927–1933 | Chester C. Thompson Chester C. Thompson Chester Charles Thompson was an Illinois politician who represented Illinois' 14th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1933 to 1939. Before serving in Congress he served the people as Rock Island County Treasurer and as mayor of Rock Island.-Early life:Thompson was born... |
| 1933 | Clarence Hodson |
| 1933 | Herman Brown |
| 1934–1935 | John Graham |
| 1935 | Charles Johnson |
| 1935–1937 | John Bengston |
| 1937–1945 | Robert P. Galbraith |
| 1945–1953 | Melvin McKay |
| 1953–1957 | Carl F. Bauer |
| 1957–1961 | Warren Yerger |
| 1961–1965 | Morris E. Muhleman Morris E. Muhleman Morris E. “Morrie” Muhleman was a politician in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, for most of his life. He was an Illinois State Senator, sheriff of Rock Island County, and mayor of the city of Rock Island.... |
| 1965–1977 | James H. Haymaker |
| 1977–1978 | Alan A. Campbell |
| 1978–1985 | James R. Davis |
| 1985–1989 | Robert Millett |
| 1989–2009 | Mark Schwiebert Mark Schwiebert Mark William Schwiebert was Mayor of the City of Rock Island, Illinois from May 1989 until May 2009. Prior to his election as Rock Island Mayor, Schwiebert served the people of his City as an attorney and City Councilman since the mid-1970s... |
| 2009–present | Dennis Pauley |