Mayors of Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City, New Jersey, was incorporated on May 1, 1854. It is governed within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the mayor–council system of municipal government (Plan D), implemented by direct petition effective as of July 1, 1982.[2][3] The Atlantic City City Council is the governing body of Atlantic City. There are nine Council members, who are elected to serve for a term of four years, one from each of six wards and three serving at-large. The City Council exercises the legislative power of the municipality for the purpose of holding Council meetings to introduce ordinances and resolutions to regulate City government. In addition, Council members review budgets submitted by the Mayor; provide for an annual audit of the city's accounts and financial transactions; organize standing committees and hold public hearings to address important issues which impact Atlantic City.[4] Former Mayor Bob Levy created the Atlantic City Ethics Board in 2007, but the Board was dissolved two years later by vote of the Atlantic City Council. Since its incorporation in 1854, the town has had 41 mayors.[5][6]

Mayor of Atlantic City
Seal of the City of Atlantic City
Flag of the City of Atlantic City
since October 4, 2019 (2019-10-04)
Term lengthFour years
FormationMay 1, 1854 (1854-05-01)
First holderChalkley Steelman Leeds
Salary$103,000[1]

Mayors

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# Mayor Term start Term end Terms   Party Notes
1 Chalkley Steelman Leeds May 1, 1854 1856 2 None This was his first term.[7]
2 Richard Hackett 1856 1856 12 None
3 John George Washington Avery 1856 1857 1 None
4 Lewis Reed 1857 1861 4 None
5 James Harper 1861 1862 1 None
(1) Chalkley Steelman Leeds 1862 1863 1 None This was his second term.
6 Jacob Middleton 1863 1865 2 None
7 Robert T. Evard 1865 1866 1 Republican [8]
8 David W. Belisle 1866 1868 2 Republican
9 Lemuel G. Eldridge 1868 1868 Partial Republican
10 John James Gardner 1868 1872 4 Republican [9]
11 Charles Souder 1872 1874 2 Republican
(10) John James Gardner 1874 1876 2 Republican
12 Willard Wright 1876 1878 2 Democratic
13 John L. Bryant 1878 1879 1 Republican
(12) Willard Wright 1879 1880 1 Democratic
14 Harry L. Slape 1880 1881 1 Republican
(12) Willard Wright 1881 1882 1 Democratic
15 Charles Maxwell 1882 1885 3 Republican
16 Thomas C. Garrett 1885 1887 2 Republican
17 Samuel D. Hoffman 1887 1891 4 Republican
(12) Willard Wright 1891 1894 3 Democratic
18 Franklin Pierce Stoy 1894 1897 3 Republican (January 23, 1853 – July 22, 1911). He became a Councilman at Large of the local government in 1891 and, three years later, was elected chief executive. Known as the "Dandy Mayor,". He died in office in his second term of neuritis on July 22, 1911.[10][11]
19 Joseph Thompson 1897 1900 3 Democratic
(18) Franklin Pierce Stoy 1900 1911 3 Republican He became a Councilman at Large of the local government in 1891 and, three years later, was elected chief executive. Known as the "Dandy Mayor,". He died in office in his second term of neuritis on July 22, 1911.[10][11]
20 George Carmany 1911 1912 Partial Republican
21 Harry Bacharach[12] 1912 1912 1 Republican
22 William Riddle 1912 1916 1 Democratic
(21) Harry Bacharach 1916 1920 1 Republican [12][13]
23 Edward Lawrence Bader 1920 1927 2 Republican He died in office.[14]
24 Anthony Ruffu, Jr. 1927 1930 1 Republican [15]
25 Joseph A. Paxson 1930 1930 Partial Republican
(21) Harry Bacharach 1930 1935 1 Republican
26 Charles D. White 1935 1940 1 Republican
27 Thomas D. Taggart, Jr. 1940 1944 1 Democratic [16]
28 Joseph Altman 1944 1967 6 Republican He died in office. He served for 23 years. Joseph Altman is the longest-serving mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
29 Richard S. Jackson 1967 1969 Partial Republican
30 William Thomas Somers 1969 1972 1 Democratic
31 Joseph Bradway, Jr. 1972 1976 1 Republican
32 Joseph Lazarow 1976 1982 1 12 Republican [17]
33 Michael J. Matthews 1982 1984 12 Democratic
34 James Leroy Usry 1984 1990 1 12 Republican First African-American Mayor [18]
35 Jim Whelan 1990 2002 3 Democratic
36 Lorenzo Langford 2002 2005 1 Democratic [19]
37 Robert Levy 2006 2007 Partial Democratic [20]
38 Scott Evans 2007 2008 Partial Democratic [21]
(36) Lorenzo Langford[22] 2008 2013 1 12 Democratic [22]
39 Don Guardian 2014 2017 1 Republican [23]
40 Frank Gilliam 2018 2019 Partial Democratic Gilliam resigned as mayor on October 3, 2019, following pleading guilty to wire fraud earlier that day in Federal Court [24]
41 Marty Small Sr. 2019 Present 1 12 Democratic Served as Acting Mayor for an unexpired term ending on December 31, 2020. Reelected.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Perry, Wayne (2016-04-26). "Atlantic City council says no to 20 percent pay cut of own salaries". themorningcall.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  2. ^ 2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 12.
  3. ^ "The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law" Archived October 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, July 2007. Accessed October 22, 2013.
  4. ^ Elected Officials Archived 2016-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, Atlantic City. Accessed November 19, 2016.
  5. ^ "Mayors of Atlantic City, New Jersey". Atlantic City, New Jersey. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  6. ^ John F. Hall. The Daily Union History of Atlantic City and County, New Jersey. p. 159.
  7. ^ "Atlantic City Jubilee Ends. First Mayor Marches in a Procession with Present Executive". New York Times. June 19, 1904.
  8. ^ "In All Parts of Jersey". Philadelphia Record. February 25, 1890. Retrieved 2012-09-14. Robert T. Evard, one of Atlantic City's first Mayors, died on Sunday after short illness. He was 70 years of age.
  9. ^ Staff. "Ex-Congressman John J. Gardner", The New Jersey Law Journal, Volume 44, p. 95. Accessed February 4, 2013. "While not a lawyer it was not his fault that he was not a member of the New Jersey Bar. This is to be said of Ex-Congressman John J. Gardner of, formerly, Atlantic City, who died on his farm at Indian Mills, Burlington county on Feb. 7th last, of heart disease."
  10. ^ a b "Atlantic City Mayor Dies In Sanitarium. His Political Followers, Now Being Investigated, Stunned at the Unexpected News". New York Times. July 23, 1911. Retrieved 2011-10-04. Franklin Pierce Stoy Had Ruled His City for 20 Years. Welcomed Many National Gatherings ...
  11. ^ a b David G. Schwartz. "The Dandy Mayor". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  12. ^ a b "Died". Time magazine. May 26, 1947. Archived from the original on August 28, 2009. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  13. ^ "Bacharach Slated To Succeed Ruffu. Jersey Utility Commissioner to Fill Unexpired Term of Late Atlantic City Mayor. Long Deadlock Is Broken. New Executive Is Expected to Reorganize the Government of Shore Resort". New York Times. July 7, 1930. Retrieved 2012-09-14. Harry Bacharach, State Public Utility Commissioner and Mayor of Atlantic City from 1916 to 1920, will again act as the city's chief executive beginning Thursday. He will fill the unexpired term of the late Anthony M. Ruffu Jr., which ends in May, 1932. ...
  14. ^ "Mayor Bader Dies. Atlantic City Head. Succumbs to Appendicitis Early This Morning. Under Knife on Thursday. Elected For Eight Years. Former Member of University of Pennsylvania's Football Team. A Contractor for Many Years". New York Times. January 29, 1927. Retrieved 2012-08-08. ... He became Mayor of Atlantic City for the first time in 1920, after his election to the City Commission. His four colleagues chose him as their executive. ...
  15. ^ "Mayor Ruffu Killed With Three Others As Train Hits Auto". Associated Press in the New York Times. June 23, 1930. Retrieved 2012-09-14. Mayor Anthony M. Ruffu Jr., Mayor of Atlantic City, two unidentified women, and a man believed to have been Assemblyman Anthony J. Siracusa, were killed when a train struck an automobile here early today. ...
  16. ^ "New Board Pledges Montclair Economy. Commissioners Installed There and in Atlantic City". New York Times. May 22, 1940. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  17. ^ Atlantic City Free Public Library FAQ Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "James L. Usry, the first Black mayor of Atlantic City, Succumbs At 79" Archived 2006-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "Mayoral Showdown: Interview with Lorenzo Langford" Archived 2007-01-07 at the Wayback Machine, Gros, Roger, Casino Connection, May 2005
  20. ^ "And the newly sworn-in Atlantic City mayor is ... William 'Speedy' Marsh" Archived 2008-01-10 at the Wayback Machine, The Press of Atlantic City, October 10, 2007
  21. ^ "New AC mayor promises stability", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 21, 2007
  22. ^ a b "Langford back as Atlantic City mayor"[permanent dead link], The Press of Atlantic City, November 5, 2008
  23. ^ "Vote count appears to seal win for AC mayoral challenger Guardian", "Philadelphia Inquirer", December 1, 2014.
  24. ^ "Atlantic City Mayor Gilliam resigns after guilty plea in federal court, Small to take over " The Press of Atlantic City, October 03, 2019.
  25. ^ " Atlantic City Council votes Small, state 'won't miss a beat' with new mayor" The Press of Atlantic City, October 15, 2019.