This is a list of mayors of La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States. La Crosse was originally incorporated as a village in 1851. In the 9th Wisconsin Legislature (1856), La Crosse was re-incorporated as a city. La Crosse has always since then utilized a mayor-council form of government. Mayors were initially elected every year. Mayoral terms were increased to two years in 1885, and extended to four years in 1981.

The first mayor of La Crosse was Thomas Benton Stoddard, a pioneer lawyer and railroad developer. The current mayor is Shaundel Washington-Spivey, a former member of the La Crosse School Board. Washington-Spivey is also La Crosse's first black mayor and first LGBTQ mayor. Patrick Zielke was the longest-serving mayor, holding office from 1975 to 1997.

Village presidents (1851–1856)

Mayors with 1-year term (1856–1885)

Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes 1 Thomas Benton Stoddard 1856 1857 2 Erasmus D. Campbell 1857 1858 3 David Taylor 1858 1859 4 James I. Lyndes 1859 1860 5 John M. Levy 1860 1861 6 Wilson Colwell 1861 1862 7 Albert W. Pettibone 1862 1865 8 William J. Lloyd 1865 1866 9 John M. Levy 1866 1868 10 Theodore Rodolf 1868 1869 11 Charles. L. Colman 1869 1870 12 Theodore Rodolf 1870 1871 13 Alexander McMillan 1871 1872 14 James I. Lyndes 1872 1873 15 Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr. 1873 1874 16 Gilbert M. Woodward 1874 1875 17 James J. Hogan 1875 1877 18 George Edwards 1877 1878 19 David Law 1878 1880 20 Joseph Clark 1880 1881 21 Hiram F. Smiley 1881 1882 22 David Law 1882 1884 23 William A. Roosevelt 1884 1885

Mayors with 2-year term (1885–1981)

Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes 24 David Franklin Powell 1885 1887 25 David Austin 1887 1889 26 John Dengler 1889 1891 27 Frederick A. Copeland 1891 1893 28 David Franklin Powell 1893 1897 29 James McCord 1897 1899 30 Wendell Abraham Anderson 1899 1901 31 Joseph Boschert 1901 1903 32 William Torrance 1903 1907 33 Wendell Abraham Anderson 1907 1909 34 Ori J. Sorenson 1909 1911 35 John Denger 1911 1913 36 Ori J. Sorenson 1913 1915 37 Arthur A. Bentley 1915 1923 38 Joseph J. Verchota 1923 1929 39 John E. Langdon 1929 1931 40 Joseph J. Verchota 1931 1935 41 Carl August Boerner 1935 1939 42 Joseph J. Verchota 1939 1947 43 Charles A. Beranek 1947 1949 44 Henry J. Ahrens 1949 1955 45 Milo Knutson 1955 1965 "Milo Knutson, former senator dies". The Milwaukee Journal, March 22, 1981, p. 14. 46 Warren Loveland 1965 1971 Elected 1965, 1967, 1969.Lost 1971 election."Voters Oust Mayor at La Crosse". The Milwaukee Journal, April 7, 1971, p. 13. 47 W. Peter Gilbertson 1971 1975 Elected 1971, 1973.Lost 1975 election. 48 Patrick Zielke 1975 1981 Elected 1975, 1977, 1979.

Mayors with 4-year term (1981–present) At the November 1980 general election, La Crosse voters agreed to a referendum to increase the mayoral term from two years to four years.

Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes 48 Patrick Zielke 1981 1997 Elected 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993. Retired.First mayor to win seven terms.Longest-serving mayor. 49 John Medinger 1997 2005 Elected 1997, 2001. Retired. 50 Mark Johnsrud 2005 2009 Elected 2005. Lost 2009 primary. 51 Mathias Harter 2009 2013 Elected 2009.Youngest mayor (24 when elected). 52 Tim Kabat 2013 2021 Elected 2013, 2017. Retired.'Swantz elected Common Council President,' La Crosse Tribune. April 16, 2013. 53 Mitch Reynolds 2021 2025 Elected 2021. Retired. 54 Shaundel Washington-Spivey 2025 present Elected 2025.First black mayor.First LGBTQ mayor.

See also La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse County, Wisconsin Political subdivisions of Wisconsin

References

External links City of La Crosse La Crosse County