Some of the longest-serving mayors in the United States are listed according to their length of service in that currently or has served in that part of the state or legislative office. The office of mayor is the highest ranking local official and responsibilities may vary from ceremonial (see weak mayor) to full-time responsibility for city operations (see strong mayor).
Serving mayors A list of mayors still in office and ordered by their length of continuous service in that office. (If there is a break in their service, then this length is measured from their return to the office.)
Years Name Municipality Notes Margaret M. Doud Mackinac Island, Michigan Entered office on April 14, 1975. Robert Heidenescher Dupont, Ohio Entered office on January 5, 1976. William D. Tate Grapevine, Texas Served from May 1, 1973 to May 1, 1985. Re-entered office on May 1, 1988. Lamar Scroggs Oakwood, Georgia Entered office on January 12, 1976. Harold Rainwater Wilmore, Kentucky Entered office on November 2, 1976. Rutledge B. Leland, III McClellanville, South Carolina Entered office on March 14, 1976. Robert Chatfield Prospect, Connecticut Entered office on November 7, 1977. Phil Williams McLemoresville, Tennessee Entered office on January 11, 1977. He is the longest serving mayor in Tennessee history.Mary Hawkins ButlerMadison, MississippiEntered office on June 7, 1981. Jeffery D. Schielke Batavia, Illinois Entered office on May 4, 1981. Gerald R. Bennett Palos Hills, IllinoisEntered office in 1981. Mark Anthony McClure Danville, West Virginia Entered office on July 6, 1981. Johnny B. Thomas Glendora, Mississippi Entered office in March 16, 1982. James V. Bender Jr Pollocksville, North Carolina Entered office on November 1, 1982. Alan Haught Harrisville, West Virginia Entered office on July 1, 1983. William "Bill" McIntosh Moultrie, Georgia Entered office in September 13, 1983. years Louie Davis Waldo, Florida Entered office in 1985.38 yearsDennis M. CloughWestlake, OhioEntered office in 1986. Richard TurnerWeehawken, New JerseyEntered office July 1, 1990 Ravi BhaskerSocorro, New MexicoEntered office on November 6, 1990. James M. CahillNew Brunswick, New JerseyEntered office on January 1, 1991. yearsMark Lauretti Shelton, Connecticut Entered office in 1991. J. Christian Bollwage Elizabeth, New Jersey Entered office on January 1, 1993. Dean J. MazzarellaLeominster, Massachusetts Entered office on January 3, 1994.
Former mayors A list of mayors in order of their total length of service. (If there is a break in their service, then this length is measured as the sum of their terms.)
Years Name Municipality Notes Hilmar Moore Richmond, Texas Served from September 22, 1949, until his death on December 4, 2012. John H. Land Apopka, Florida Served from January 1, 1950, to January 1, 1968, and from January 1, 1971, to April 22, 2014. 60 years Charles E. LongBooneville, Kentucky Served from 1958 until his death on August 3, 2019. Robert Linn Beaver, Pennsylvania Served from January 2, 1946, to August 22, 2004. Bruce Arnold Valparaiso, Florida Served from January 21, 1964, until his death on February 23, 2017. 56 years Paul JurkoYankee Lake, Ohio Served from November, 1931 until his death on March 1, 1988. Robert L. ButlerMarion, Illinois Served from May 6, 1963 until his resignation on January 31, 2018. 52 yearsGerald CalabreseCliffside Park, New Jersey Served from 1961 to 1963 and 1965 to 2015.. 52 years Frank CaliperColp, Illinois Served from 1935 until his death on March 28, 1987.John M. CoyneBrooklyn, Ohio Served from 1948 to January 2000.The date of inauguration for Mayor John Coyne is not clear. It is clear that his successor, Kenneth Patton, took office in January 2000. References appear to confuse the 1999 election defeat with the day he left office. Most references state that he served 52 years, some from 1947–1999, a few from 1948 to 1999, and others from 1948 to 2000. Donald Stephens Rosemont, Illinois First Mayor of Rosemont. Served from village's incorporation in 1956 to 2007. Robert M. Blais Lake George, New York Served from April 5, 1971, to April 1, 2023. Dock Hulett Gabbert Derma, Mississippi Served from July 1, 1969, to December 30, 2020. Leonard ScarcellaStafford, Texas Served from September 4, 1969, until his death on June 28, 2020. Leonard T. Connors Surf City, New Jersey Served from 1966 to January 5, 2016. Frank E. Rodgers Harrison, New Jersey Served from September 4, 1946, to August 22, 1995. Randall Wise Niceville, Florida Served from August, 1972 until his death on January 20, 2020.48 yearsJohn Lewis GayBerea, KentuckyServed from 1910 to 1958.47 years, 11 monthsFrank KellyCollingdale, PennsylvaniaServed from 1970 until his death on November 22, 2018. Nicholas B. Blase Niles, Illinois Served from May 2, 1961, until his resignation on August 25, 2008.Milt KramerManchester, Iowa Served from September 19, 1974, to January 1, 2022.Noel B. CummingsHodgkins, IllinoisServed from 1979 until his formal retirement was announced on Oct. 3, 2022 at the age of 95.H. Ford GravittCumming, Georgia Served from January 1, 1971, to December 31, 2017.46 years, 222 daysJoseph SiebNorridge, Illinois Served from November 14, 1951, until his death on June 23, 1998.45 yearsMarvin JohnsonIndependence, MinnesotaFirst elected in November 1979, retired on January 7, 2025.44 yearsCharles "Sonny" PenhaleHelena, AlabamaServed from 1968 to 2012.44 yearsThomas M. TarttLivingston, AlabamaServed from 1980 to February 22, 2024.44 yearsGerald H. ThompsonFitzgerald, GeorgiaServed from January 1, 1968, to January 1, 2012.45 years Richard A. MolaElmwood Park, New Jersey Served from 1972 until his death in 2016. Published in print as: ; and . Paul W. CassidyParma Heights, Ohio Served from January, 1958 to January, 2001. Tom ReidPearland, Texas Served from 1978 to 1990 and 1993 to May, 2020. years Gary W. Starr Middleburg Heights, Ohio Entered office in 1981. Erastus Corning II Albany, New York Served from January 2, 1942, to May 28, 1983. Harold Wayne Ford Galva, KS Served from June 6, 1977, to January 31, 2019. He was the longest serving mayor of Galva, KS.41 yearsGlenn L. SiscoKinnelon, New JerseyServed from 1969 to 2010.40 years, 180 daysDuane DawsonMilan, IllinoisServed from May 6, 1985, to November 3, 2025.40 YearsBetty DugganFieldon, IL Served from 1981 - 2021 40 yearsDennis SatreHoffman, MNServed from 1985 to 202540 yearsGeorge C. ClantonTappahannock, VirginiaServed from 1948 to 198840 years, 34 daysMichael S. EinhornCrete, IllinoisServed from April 8, 1985 to May 12, 2025 Joseph P. Riley Jr. Charleston, South Carolina Served from December 15, 1975, to January 11, 2016. years Louis Bay 2nd Hawthorne, New Jersey Served from 1947 to 1987. William W. Dickinson Jr.Wallingford, Connecticut Served from January 2, 1984, to December 31, 2023. John Ferrero City of Industry, California Served from Industry's incorporation in 1957 till his death on September 26, 1996.39 yearsJames B. GrantLouisville, AlabamaServed from 1986 to 2025. 37–38 years James Eagan Florissant, Missouri Served from 1963 to 2000.36 yearsRoss AragonPagosa Springs, ColoradoServed from 1978 to 201436 years Randall RamseyParma, Missouri Served from 1962 to 1974 and from 1991 to 2015. Orville L. HubbardDearborn, Michigan Served from 1942 to 1978. Edward J. Zabrocki Tinley Park, Illinois Served from May 1, 1981, until his resignation in June, 2016.34–35 yearsWillis ConnerDexter, MissouriServed for about 35 years.34–35 yearsGlendel StephensonMebane, North CarolinaServed from 1975 to 1983 and 1993 to 2019.34 years F. Edward Biertuempfel Union Township, Union County, New Jersey Served from 1939 to 197333 years, 10 monthsDavid W. Smith Newark, CaliforniaServed from March 1978 to December 2011 33 years, 3 monthsJoseph BarabeMellen, WisconsinServed from April 1987 to April 2001 and April 2003 to July 202233 yearsRichard A. NowackOak Grove, IllinoisServed from May 2, 1978 until his death on September 20, 2011.33 yearsGary V. GottschalkOakwood Village, OhioServed from 1992 until his death on Sept. 12, 2025 33 yearsJoseph SmithEast Newark, New JerseyServed from 1987 to 202032 yearsAnthony Vacco Evergreen Park, Illinois Served from 1969 to 2001. 32 yearsShawn Hogan Hornell, New York Served from 1985 to 2017. 32 yearsKenneth J. SimsEuclid, OhioServed from 1938 until his retirement in June 197031 years, 6 monthsJames A. AnzaldiClifton, New JerseyEntered office July 1, 1990 and left office on December 31, 2022Rimbach, Jean. "New Clifton leaders make it official", The Record,July 2, 1990. Accessed December 18, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Promising to guide Clifton in unity through what many say will be its toughest years yet, new Mayor James Anzaldi and his six council colleagues were sworn to office Sunday in a ceremony attended by more than 600 residents. The two-term councilman was named mayor by unanimous vote of the council during a small meeting that was later reenacted for the public."Fagan, Matt. "Clifton's longest-serving mayor, James Anzaldi, not seeking reelection", The Record, August 31, 2022. Accessed December 18, 2023. "It appears that Clifton may get its first new mayor in 32 years.... He was first elected mayor by council colleagues in 1990, and he has remained the top vote-getter in every subsequent election." Frank Hague Jersey City, New Jersey Served from 1917 to 1947.30 years Richard Homrighausen Dover, OhioServed from 1992 until his suspension from office in May 202230 yearsEmmett Dofner Jr.McClelland, IowaServed from 1987 until his death on May 2, 2017.30 yearsGlenn LewisMoore, OklahomaServed from 1994 until 2024Daniel R. BrooksNorth College Hill, OhioServed from January 1, 1984, until his resignation on December 21, 2013 Dr. LeRoy G. Suire Erath, Louisiana Served from 1961 to 1990. Willie Oswalt Lake City, Georgia Served from 1989 to 2018. Arnold Klentz West Allis, Wisconsin Served from April 18, 1944, until his death on March 5, 1973.Both sources agree that Klentz was inaugurated in 1944; West Allis gives a date of April 18. West Allis inaccurately gives Klentz's death date as March 1971, whereas the contemporary source cited gives it as March 5, 1973. Don Plusquellic Akron, Ohio Served from January 1, 1987, until his resignation on May 31, 2015.28 years, 4 daysJames BrainardCarmel, IndianaServed from January 1, 1996 to January 4, 202428 yearsPaul AmicoSecaucus, New JerseyServed from 1964 to 1992.28 yearsHenry ClarkStephenville, TexasServed from 1928 to 1956. Henry Maier Milwaukee, Wisconsin Served from 1960 to 1988.28 yearsWalter A. ScottJackson, MississippiServed from 1917 to 1945.28 yearsThomas Gerard DunnElizabeth, New Jersey1964 to 1992. At his retirement, Dunn was the longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 people; that record was eventually broken by his successor, J. Christian Bollwage.28 yearsGeorge H. LysleMcKeesport, PennsylvaniaServed from 1914 to 1942. Stephen R. Reed Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Served from 1982 to 2010. Don Robart Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Served from 1986 to 2013.26 years, 30 daysMiguel A. PulidoSanta Ana, CaliforniaServed from 1994 to 2020.26 yearsManuel Lamela AbreuQuebradillas, Puerto RicoServed from 1918 to 1944.24 yearsTimothy HannaAppleton, WisconsinServed From 1996 to 2020.24 yearsJohn AntaramianKenosha, WisconsinServed From 1992 to 2008 and 2016 to 2024.23 yearsJohn W. PreeceDelbarton, West VirginiaServed from 1997 to 2019, was reelected in 2023, dying during his term
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