Mayors, 1890-1948

The Freeholders Charter of 1890 changed the term of office for the Mayor to two years and made the incumbent ineligible for re-election until after the lapse of two years. Elections were held on the first Monday in March. The two-year term was maintained under a new Freeholders' Charter of 1896, but the restriction on re-election was removed. Elections were changed to the Tuesday following the first Monday in March. A charter amendment passed by the voters on March 8, 1910, established non-partisan nominations and elections for all City elective offices. In 1921 the State Legislature established elections on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May. Two years later, the elections were moved back to the second Tuesday in March.

Harry White

Second Term Began 10/14/1890
Elected under 1890 Freeholders Charter.
Resigned 11/30/1891.
Republican

Byron Phelps

Term Began 3/19/1894
Republican
 
 
 
 

Thomas J. Humes

First Term Began 11/19/1897
Elected by City Council on the 65th ballot
to fill Wood's unexpired term.
Second Term Began 3/21/1898
Third Term Began 3/19/1900
Fourth Term Began 3/17/1902
Republican

John F. Miller

Term Began 3/16/1908
Republican
 

George F. Cotterill

Term Began 3/18/1912
 
 

C.B. Fitzgerald

Term Began 8/28/1919
Appointed to fill Hanson's unexpired term.

Bertha K. Landes

Term Began 6/7/1926
Landes was the first woman
mayor of a large metropolitan
American city.

John F. Dore

First Term Began 6/6/1932
 
 
 
 

Arthur B. Langlie

First Term Began 4/27/1938
Took office early ue to Dore's death.
Second Term Began 6/3/1940
Resigned 1/11/1941 to become
Governor of Washington.

William F. Devin

First Term Began 6/1/1942
Second Term Began 6/1/1944
Third Term Began 6/1/1946

George Hall

Term Began 12/9/1891
Appointed by City Council to fill
the remainder of White's term.
Republican

Frank D. Black

Term Began 3/16/1896
Black resigned after three weeks
in office. A contemporary historian
says Black was nominated, elected,
and installed over his protests.
Republican

Richard A. Ballinger

Term Began 3/21/1904
Republican
 
 
 
 
 

Hiram C. Gill

First Term Began 3/21/1910
Recalled at 2/9/1911 special election.
Republican

Hiram C. Gill

Second Term Began 3/16/1914
Third Term Began 3/20/1916
 

Hugh M. Caldwell

Term Began 3/15/1920
 

Frank E. Edwards

First Term Began 6/4/1928
Second Term Began 6/2/1930
Recalled at special election
on 7/13/1931.

Charles L. Smith

Term Began 6/4/1934
 
 
 
 

John E. Carroll

Term Began 1/27/1941
Appointed to serve until an
election could be held in
March 1941.

James T. Ronald

Term Began 3/31/1892
Democrat
 
 

W.D. Wood

Term Began 4/6/1896
Wood was appointed to fill the
unexpired term, but subsequently
left the City to take part in the
Klondike Gold Rush.
Republican

William Hickman Moore

Term Began 3/19/1906
Democrat
 
 
 
 
 

George W. Dilling

Term Began 2/11/1911
Elected to fill Gill's unexpired term.
 

Ole Hanson

Term Began 3/18/1918
Left for California on 3/18/1919
and resigned 8/28/1919.

Edwin J. Brown

First Term Began 6/5/1922
Second Term Began 6/2/1924

Robert H. Harlin

Term Began 7/14/1931
Appointed by City Council to
fill Edwards' unexpired term.
 

John F. Dore

Second Term Began 6/1/1936
Became gravely ill and was
relieved of his office by City
Council on 4/13/1938. He died
five days later.

Earl Millikin

Term Began 3/27/1941
Elected to serve the remainder
of Langlie's term.