List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky explained

Post:	Mayor
Body:	Louisville, Kentucky
Incumbent:	Craig Greenberg
Incumbentsince:	January 2, 2023
Formation:	1828
First:	John Bucklin

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

Mayor	Image	Term began	Term ended	Political party
		1828	1833
		1834	1836
		1836	1836	Whig
		1837	1840	Whig
		1841	1843	Democratic
		1844	1846	Whig
		1847	1850	Whig
		1850	1852	Whig
		1853	1854	Whig
		1855	1856	Know Nothing
		1857	August 1858^[1]	Know Nothing
		August 1858	April 1859^[2]	Whig
		April 1859	1860	Unionist
		1861	1862	Unionist
		1863	1865	Democratic
		1865	December 28, 1865^[3]	Democratic
		January 2, 1866	February 14, 1867^[4]	Democratic
		February 14, 1867	1868	Democratic
		1869	March 1870	Democratic
		1870	1872	Democratic
		1873	1878	Democratic
		1879	1881	Democratic
		1882	1884	Democratic
		1885	1887	Democratic
		1888	1890	Democratic
		May 12, 1890^[5]	August 1890	Democratic
		1891	January 14, 1896^[6]	Democratic
		January 14, 1896	January 31, 1896 (pro tem)	Republican
		January 31, 1896	December 1897	Republican
		December 1897	December 1901	Democratic
		December 1901	December 1905	Democratic
		December 1905	July 1907^[7]	Democratic
		July 1907	December 1907^[8]	Democratic
		December 1907	December 1909	Republican
		December 1909	December 1913	Democratic
		December 1913	December 1917	Democratic
		December 1917	December 1921	Republican
		December 1921	December 1925	Republican
		December 1925	June 1927^[9]	Republican
		June 1927	December 1927	Democratic
		December 1927	December 1933	Republican
		December 1933	December 1937	Democratic
		December 1937	December 1941	Democratic
		December 1941	December 1945	Democratic
		December 1945	February 16, 1948^[10]	Democratic
		February 16, 1948	December 1953	Democratic
		December 1953	December 1957	Democratic
		December 1957	December 1961	Democratic
		December 1961	December 1965	Republican
		December 1965	December 1969	Republican
		December 1969	December 1, 1973	Democratic
		December 1, 1973	December 1, 1977	Democratic
		December 1, 1977	January 1, 1982	Democratic
		January 1, 1982	January 1, 1986	Democratic
		January 1, 1986	January 1, 1999	Democratic
		January 1, 1999	January 5, 2003	Democratic

Louisville Metro

Mayor	Image	Term began	Term ended	Political party
		January 6, 2003	January 2, 2011	Democratic
		January 3, 2011	January 1, 2023	Democratic
		January 2, 2023	Present	Democratic

See also

• 2022 Louisville mayoral election
• Louisville Metro Council
• Government of Louisville, Kentucky
• History of Louisville, Kentucky
• Timeline of Louisville, Kentucky

References

• Memorial History of Louisville, 1896, Volume 1, page 77 by J. Stoddard Johnson.
• Web site: UofL Libraries:Mayors of Louisville . https://web.archive.org/web/20070427000425/http://library.louisville.edu/government/states/kentucky/kyplaces/louisville/mayors/mayors.html . April 27, 2007.

Notes and References

1. Died in office in August 1858.
2. Served as mayor Served as mayor pro tempore. Left office in April 1859.
3. [Impeachment in the United States|Impeached]
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.