According to Anne Hidalgo, Mónica Fein, Célestine Ketcha Courtès and Ada Colau of The World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in 2017, in an article titled "Women mayors are ready to stand up and be counted,"
18th and 19th centuries
The first woman to serve as mayor in the United States is believed to be
Susanna M. Salter
Susanna Madora Salter (; March 2, 1860 – March 17, 1961) was an American politician and activist. She served as mayor of Argonia, Kansas, becoming the first woman elected to serve as mayor in the United States and one of the first women t ...
, who served as mayor of
Argonia, Kansas
Argonia is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 456.
History
Argonia was founded in 1881. It was named for the ship ''Argo'' in Greek mythology. In 1887, Susanna M. Salter beca ...
, in 1887.
However, the first woman recorded winning a mayoral election was
Nancy Smith in 1862, who declined to be sworn in as mayor of
Oskaloosa, Iowa.
20th century
21st century
See also
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List of first women governors and/or chief ministers
This is a list of first women who have been elected or appointed governor and/or chief minister of their respective states, provinces or dependent territories.
List
*''Italics'' denotes acting governors and/or chief ministers that are eithe ...
*
List of first women mayors in the United States
After Kansas granted women the right to vote in municipal elections in February 1887, Susanna Madora Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas on April 4, 1887, and became the first female mayor in the United States. Salter had been nominated wi ...
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List of the first women holders of political offices
This is a list of political offices which have been held by a woman, with details of the first woman holder of each office. It is ordered by country, by dates of appointment. Former countries, such as Yugoslavia, are also listed.
Africa
Asia ...
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Women in government
In many countries, women have been underrepresented in the government and different institutions. This historical tendency still persists, although women are increasingly being elected to be heads of state and government.
As of October 20 ...
References
{{Women in government
Mayors
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 as ...
Female
Female ( symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction.
A female has larger gametes than a male. Fema ...
mayors
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 as ...
First mayors