Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky
Incumbent
Craig Greenberg
since January 2, 2023
Formation1828
First holderJohn Bucklin
WebsiteOffice of the Mayor

The history of Louisville, Kentucky, United States, as a city is considered to have started on February 13, 1828, the date of the first city charter. From the time of its first organization as a village, on February 7, 1781, until its incorporation as a city, it was governed by a board of trustees. At the time when its growth and commercial importance demanded the change of its government, it was chartered by the state legislature into a city of five wards and placed under the government of a mayor and city council, the latter being composed of ten members, two from each ward.

History of the office

The first election under the Act of Incorporation took place in March 1828. All free white males who had lived in the city for at least six months prior to the election could vote, although mayors were not elected directly initially. The two top vote-getters were referred to the governor, who selected the mayor from the two, with senate approval. The early mayor was relatively weak, acting mostly as a Justice of the Peace, serving a one-year term, and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties.

A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election of a mayor, extended the term to three years, and prevented incumbents from running for re-election. The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870, then returned to three, and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894. In the early 20th century, corruption and political machines were rampant, causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts. All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929. Mayoral term limits were set at three in 1986.

On January 6, 2003, the city of Louisville and Jefferson County governments merged to form the government of Louisville Metro, and the office of Mayor of Louisville Metro was created.

Incorporated city

MayorImageTerm beganTerm endedPolitical party
John Bucklin18281833
John Joyes18341836
W. A. Cocke18361836Whig
Frederick A. Kaye18371840Whig
David L. Beatty18411843Democratic
Frederick A. Kaye18441846Whig
William R. Vance18471850Whig
John M. Delph18501852Whig
James Stephens Speed18531854Whig
John Barbee18551856Know Nothing
William S. Pilcher1857August 1858[1]Know Nothing
Thomas W. RileyAugust 1858April 1859[2]Whig
Thomas H. CrawfordApril 18591860Unionist
John M. Delph18611862Unionist
William Kaye18631865Democratic
Philip Tomppert1865December 28, 1865[3]Democratic
James S. LithgowJanuary 2, 1866February 14, 1867[4]Democratic
Philip TomppertFebruary 14, 18671868Democratic
Joseph H. Bunce1869March 1870Democratic
John G. Baxter18701872Democratic
Charles D. Jacob18731878Democratic
John G. Baxter18791881Democratic
Charles D. Jacob18821884Democratic
P. Booker Reed18851887Democratic
Charles D. Jacob18881890Democratic
William L. LyonsMay 12, 1890[5]August 1890Democratic
Henry S. Tyler1891January 14, 1896[6]Democratic
Robert Emmet KingJanuary 14, 1896January 31, 1896
(pro tem)		Republican
George Davidson ToddJanuary 31, 1896December 1897Republican
Charles P. WeaverDecember 1897December 1901Democratic
Charles F. GraingerDecember 1901December 1905Democratic
Paul C. BarthDecember 1905July 1907[7]Democratic
Robert Worth BinghamJuly 1907December 1907[8]Democratic
James F. GrinsteadDecember 1907December 1909Republican
William O. HeadDecember 1909December 1913Democratic
John H. BuschemeyerDecember 1913December 1917Democratic
George Weissinger SmithDecember 1917December 1921Republican
Huston QuinDecember 1921December 1925Republican
Arthur A. WillDecember 1925June 1927[9]Republican
Joseph T. O'NealJune 1927December 1927Democratic
William B. HarrisonDecember 1927December 1933Republican
Neville MillerDecember 1933December 1937Democratic
Joseph D. ScholtzDecember 1937December 1941Democratic
Wilson W. WyattDecember 1941December 1945Democratic
E. Leland TaylorDecember 1945February 16, 1948[10]Democratic
Charles R. FarnsleyFebruary 16, 1948December 1953Democratic
Andrew BroaddusDecember 1953December 1957Democratic
Bruce HoblitzellDecember 1957December 1961Democratic
William CowgerDecember 1961December 1965Republican
Kenneth A. SchmiedDecember 1965December 1969Republican
Frank W. BurkeDecember 1969December 1, 1973Democratic
Harvey I. SloaneDecember 1, 1973December 1, 1977Democratic
William B. StansburyDecember 1, 1977January 1, 1982Democratic
Harvey I. SloaneJanuary 1, 1982January 1, 1986Democratic
Jerry AbramsonJanuary 1, 1986January 1, 1999Democratic
David L. ArmstrongJanuary 1, 1999January 5, 2003Democratic

Louisville Metro

MayorImageTerm beganTerm endedPolitical party
Jerry AbramsonJanuary 6, 2003January 2, 2011Democratic
Greg FischerJanuary 3, 2011January 1, 2023Democratic
Craig GreenbergJanuary 2, 2023PresentDemocratic

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Died in office in August 1858.
  2. ↑ Served as mayor Served as mayor pro tempore. Left office in April 1859.
  3. ↑ Impeached by Board of Aldermen for failure to approve an infrastructure bill tainted by bribery
  4. ↑ Resigned on February 14, 1867 after the Kentucky Court of Appeals restored Tomppert.
  5. ↑ Served as mayor pro tempore.
  6. ↑ Left office on January 14, 1896.
  7. ↑ Removed from office in June 1907 as election was found to be fraudulent.
  8. ↑ Appointed interim mayor
  9. ↑ Removed from office in June 1927 as election was found to be fraudulent.
  10. ↑ Died in office on February 16, 1948.

References

  • Memorial History of Louisville, 1896, Volume 1, page 77 by J. Stoddard Johnson.
  • "UofL Libraries:Mayors of Louisville". Archived from the original on 2007-04-27.
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