The mayor of Cleveland is the head of the executive branch of
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
of the
City of Cleveland,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
. As the chief executive in Cleveland's
mayor–council (strong mayor) system, the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
oversees all city services and is "responsible for enforcing the city charter, city ordinances, and the laws of the State of Ohio."
The mayor's office is located at
Cleveland City Hall
Cleveland City Hall is the seat of government for the City of Cleveland, Ohio, and the home of Cleveland City Council and the office of the Mayor of Cleveland. It opened in 1916 and is located at 601 Lakeside Avenue in the Civic Center area of Dow ...
at 601 Lakeside Avenue in
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of Cleveland, Ohio. The economic and symbolic center of the city and the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area, it is Cleveland's oldest district, with its Public Square laid out b ...
. Since 1836, the city has had a total of 54 mayors, including the city's current mayor,
Justin Bibb
Justin Morris Bibb (born April 26, 1987) is an American politician and former non-profit leader serving as the 58th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio since January 2022. Prior to serving as mayor, Bibb was the Co-Chair of Teach for America – Ohio, and ...
, encompassing 58 mayoral administrations, as four mayors have served in non-consecutive terms.
History
Cleveland was established by General
Moses Cleaveland
Moses Cleaveland (January 29, 1754 – November 16, 1806) was an American lawyer, politician, soldier, and surveyor from Connecticut who founded the city of Cleveland, Ohio, while surveying the Connecticut Western Reserve in 1796. During the Ame ...
and surveyors of the
Connecticut Land Company
The Connecticut Company or Connecticut Land Company (e.-1795) was a post-colonial land speculation company formed in the late eighteenth century to survey and encourage settlement in the eastern parts of the newly chartered Connecticut Western Re ...
on July 22, 1796.
The settlement (then known as "Cleaveland", after its founder) was incorporated as a village on December 23, 1814.
At this time, the position of municipal executive was the village president.
Alfred Kelley
Alfred Kelley (November 7, 1789—December 2, 1859) was a Banking, banker, canal builder, lawyer, railroad executive, and state legislator in the U.S. state, state of Ohio in the United States. He is considered by historians to be one of the mo ...
was the first to be elected to that post in June 1815. When Cleveland became a city in 1836, it adopted a mayor–council form of government.
John W. Willey
John Wheelock Willey (1797 – July 9, 1841) was an Americans, American politician of the United States Democratic Party, Democratic Party who served as the first Mayor of Cleveland, Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1836 to 1837.
Born in New Hampsh ...
was the city's first mayor.
Initially,
Cleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of government for the City of Cleveland, Ohio. Its chambers are located at Cleveland City Hall at 601 Lakeside Avenue, across the street from Public Auditorium in Downtown Cleveland. Cleveland Ci ...
had greater power in Cleveland's city government, but this changed with the adoption of the 1892 Federal Plan, which significantly strengthened the office of the mayor. When the plan was ruled unconstitutional in 1902 by the
Supreme Court of Ohio
The Ohio Supreme Court, Officially known as The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a ...
, the powers of the mayor were lessened in the city's new municipal code.
However, after the state granted Cleveland municipal
home rule
Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
in 1912, the role of the mayor was enhanced in the 1913
municipal charter
A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Traditionally the granting of a charter ...
.
When the city adopted a
council–manager government
The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council govern ...
in 1924, the city manager, selected by council, assumed the role of the municipal executive.
However, the council–manager experiment was brief and, in November 1931, voters approved returning to the mayor–council system.
For much of
Cleveland's history, mayoral elections were
partisan
Partisan may refer to:
Military
* Partisan (weapon), a pole weapon
* Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line
Films
* ''Partisan'' (film), a 2015 Australian film
* ''Hell River'', a 1974 Yugoslavian film also know ...
, but in 1971, under the mayoral administration of
Ralph Perk
Ralph Joseph Perk (January 19, 1914 – April 21, 1999) was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the 52nd mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.
Early life
Born to an ethnic Czech American family in Cleveland, Perk dropped out of ...
, the city amended its charter to make elections
nonpartisan
Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party.
While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
. The term of office for the mayor and members of council was traditionally two years, but was extended to four years in 1981 under Mayor
George Voinovich
George Victor Voinovich (July 15, 1936June 12, 2016) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Ohio from 1999 to 2011, the 65th governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998 and the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989, th ...
.
According to the Cleveland City Charter, there are currently no term limits for the mayor.
Presidents, 1815–1835
Mayors since 1836
Longest-serving mayors
Mayors of Ohio City, 1836–1854
Prior to its
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
on June 5, 1854,
Ohio City was a separate municipality and a fierce rival of Cleveland.
It had twelve mayoral administrations from 1836 to 1854.
[Avery, p]
179
See also
*
Cleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of government for the City of Cleveland, Ohio. Its chambers are located at Cleveland City Hall at 601 Lakeside Avenue, across the street from Public Auditorium in Downtown Cleveland. Cleveland Ci ...
*
County Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio
The County Executive of Cuyahoga County, the second largest county in Ohio, and the 29th largest county by population in the United States, is the elected chief executive of the Cuyahoga County government. Democrat Chris Ronanye is the current cou ...
Notes
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
Office of the Mayor of the City of Cleveland
{{Cleveland
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
Mayors of Cleveland
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
1836 establishments in Ohio