List of mayors of Baltimore

Mayor of the City of Baltimore
Seal of Baltimore
Flag of Baltimore
Incumbent Catherine E. Pugh since December 6, 2016
Residence	Private residence Ashburton
Term length	Four years
Inaugural holder	James Calhoun 1794
Formation	1797
Website	Office of the Mayor

Elections in Maryland
Federal government Presidential elections 1788-89 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential primaries Democratic 2008 2012 2016 Republican 2008 2012 2016 U.S. Senate elections 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 U.S. House elections 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Special elections 4th district, 2008
State government Gubernatorial elections 1966 1969 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Attorney General elections 2006 2010 2014 Comptroller elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 General Assembly elections 2006 2010 2014 2018
County government County executive elections 2006 2010 2018 County offices 2006 2010 2018
Ballot measures 2012 Question 6
Elections by year State Elections 2006 2010
Annapolis Mayoral elections 2017
Baltimore Mayoral elections 1999 2007 2011 2016 2020 Other elections Question P
Frederick Mayoral elections 2017
Government

The Mayor of Baltimore is the head of the executive branch of the government of the City of Baltimore, Maryland. The Mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills / ordinances / resolutions passed by the unicameral (one chamber) Baltimore City Council. In addition, the Mayor oversees all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and shares with the Governor of Maryland, responsibilities for the public school system within the city limits. As of January 1, 2017, the Office of Mayor of the City of Baltimore has changed hands 60 times with 50 different individuals in assuming office in the 220 years of city government, 1797-2017. The current incumbent, Ms. Pugh is the 50th Mayor of the City of Baltimore.

The Office of the Mayor is located in the historic / architectural landmark with signatory dome of the Baltimore City Hall (built 1867-1875), at 100 Holliday Street (between East Fayette and East Lexington Streets) facing City Hall / War Memorial Plaza and the War Memorial building, in downtown Baltimore. Recent incumbent Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (and former President and earlier youngest member of the Baltimore City Council), decided not to run for reelection. Maryland State Senator Catherine E. Pugh beat out previous Mayor Shelia Dixon, (who had been removed from office in 2010 for corruption after being convicted of theft of donated holiday gift cards) in the Democratic Party municipal primary election. She then defeated Republican Alan Walden and Green Party candidate Joshua Harris to become the 50th Mayor of Baltimore. She was sworn in on December 6, 2016.

History

James Calhoun was first elected in 1794 under the old Baltimore Town government, and continued as the new first mayor under the new City Charter in 1796-97, when the City was incorporated as the "City of Baltimore" (occasionally entitled officially as the "Mayor and City Council of Baltimore") under the authority of the General Assembly of Maryland. Calhoun continued to serve for another seven years until 1804.

Serving as the "county seat" of surrounding Baltimore County since 1767, the City was separated from the county by the provisions of the adoption of the new second Maryland Constitution of 1851 and became an independent city with the same status as the other 22 (later 23) counties of Maryland. Then the county seat for Baltimore County was moved after an election/referendum to Towsontown (later Towson, Maryland) with the building there of its first courthouse three years later between Allegheny, Pennsylvania and Chesapeake Streets in 1854.

Six individuals are credited with multiple, non-consecutive returns to the office after completing an initial term, and are counted as separate mayoralties. These are: Edward Johnson (twice), John Montgomery, Ferdinand C. Latrobe (elected four times), Howard W. Jackson, William F. Broening, and Theodore R. McKeldin.

Originally elected for a term of only two years under the original first City Charter of 1796/1797, now traditionally, the current edition of the Baltimore City Charter limits a mayoral term to four years since the revisions of 1920 (who can be reelected without term limits). However, the 2015 municipal /mayoral primary / general elections will be postponed to 2016 in order to better align with national elections.

List

References

• List of Mayors of Baltimore from the Maryland Archives