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Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey

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Mayor of the City of Jersey City
Flag of Jersey City
Incumbent
Steven Fulop
since July 1, 2013
TypeMayor–council
StatusActive
SeatJersey City City Hall
Term lengthFour years
FormationFebruary 22, 1838 (1838-02-22)
First holderDudley S. Gregory
DeputyVivian Brady-Phillips
Marcos Vigil
Websitewww.jerseycitynj.gov

The Mayor of the City of Jersey City is the head of the executive branch of the government of Jersey City, New Jersey. The mayor has the duty to enforce the municipal charter and local ordinances, prepare the annual budget, appoint deputy mayors and department heads, and approve or veto ordinances passed by the Municipal Council. The mayor is popularly elected in a nonpartisan general election. The office is held for a four-year term without term limits.

Since the city was chartered on February 22, 1838, forty-four individuals have held the office of mayor. Dudley S. Gregory was the city's inaugural mayor and served on three separate occasions for a total of five years. The current mayor is Steven Fulop, who assumed office on July 1, 2013, after defeating the incumbent, Jerramiah Healy, in the May 2013 election.

Duties and powers

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The City of Jersey City is organized as a mayor–council government under the Faulkner Act. This provides for a citywide elected mayor serving in an executive role and a Municipal Council serving in a legislative role. All of these offices are selected in a nonpartisan municipal election, and all terms are four years.[1]

Under state law, the mayor has the duty to enforce the charter and ordinances of the city and all applicable state laws; report annually to the council and the public on the state of the city; supervise and control all departments of the government; prepare and submit to the council annual operating and capital budgets; supervise all city property, institutions, and agencies; sign all contracts and municipal bonds requiring the approval of the city; negotiate all contracts; and serve as a member, either voting or ex officio, of all appointive bodies.[2]

The mayor has the power to appoint department heads with the Municipal Council's approval and can remove department heads, subject to a two-thirds disapproval by the council. The mayor may also approve or veto ordinances, subject to an override vote of two-thirds of the council, and appoint deputy mayors. The mayor is permitted to attend and participate in Municipal Council meetings without a vote, except in the case of a tie on the question to fill a council vacancy.[2]

Elections

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See also: 2001 Jersey City mayoral election, 2004 Jersey City mayoral special election, 2005 Jersey City mayoral election, 2009 Jersey City mayoral election, 2013 Jersey City mayoral election, 2017 Jersey City mayoral election, and 2025 Jersey City mayoral election

Under the original 1838 charter, mayors were elected citywide for a one-year term. In 1868, the New Jersey Legislature extended the term of office to two years.[3] In 1892, the legislature again changed the term to five years.[4] The city adopted a commission form of government under the Walsh Act in 1913.[5] This form provided for a five-member commission with both executive and legislative powers, elected for four years. The commissioners elected one of their members as mayor. Under this system, the mayor's only specific power was to appoint the school board; otherwise, he was first among equals. Jersey City adopted its current mayor-council form of government on May 7, 1961.[6]

Elections for mayor are held every four years on the second Tuesday in May.[7] If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff election is held on the fourth Tuesday following the general election.[8] The term of office commences on July 1.[9] The next Jersey City mayoral election is scheduled to be held in 2025.[10]

Succession

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If the mayor is absent, disabled, or otherwise prevented from performing their duties, the mayor may designate the business administrator or any other department head as acting mayor for up to 60 days.[2] In the event of a vacancy, the President of the Municipal Council becomes acting mayor, and the council has 30 days to name an interim mayor.[11] If no interim mayor is named, the Council President continues as acting mayor until a successor is elected or the council reorganizes and selects a new president.[11] Prior to 1971, there was no automatic succession law.[12] The office was left vacant for 47 days in 1963 when the city council failed to reach a decision on appointing an interim mayor.[13]

Mayors

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Black and white drawing of a white man wearing a dark jacket and bow tie
Dudley S. Gregory, 1st mayor of Jersey City
Black and white drawing of a white man wearing a high collared blouse and dark jacket
Robert Gilchrist, 8th mayor of Jersey City
Black and white drawing of a white man wearing a white shirt, dark bow tie, and dark jacket and vest
James Gopsill, 15th mayor of Jersey City
Black and white photograph of a white man wearing a high collared shirt, tie, and dark jacket
Frank Hague, 30th mayor of Jersey City
Color photograph of a white man in glasses wearing a collared shirt, tie, and jacket
Jerramiah Healy, 48th mayor of Jersey City
# Mayor Term start Term end Party Notes
1 Dudley Sanford Gregory April 1838 April 1840 Whig First term. Gregory was the first mayor of Jersey City. Originally a Whig, he switched to the Republican Party in the 1850s.[14]
2 Peter McMartin April 1840 April 1841 Unknown No source has been found to verify a party affiliation.
3 Dudley Sanford Gregory April 1841 April 1842 Whig Second term.
4 Thomas A. Alexander April 1842 April 1843 Unknown No source has been found to verify a party affiliation.
5 Peter Bentley April 1843 April 1844 Democratic
6 Phineas Cook Dummer April 1844 April 20, 1848 Whig
7 Henry Taylor April 21, 1848 April 18, 1850 Whig
8 Robert Gilchrist April 19, 1850 May 2, 1852 Whig
9 David Stout Manners May 3, 1852 May 3, 1857 Whig
10 Samuel Wescott May 4, 1857 May 2, 1858 Democratic
11 Dudley Sanford Gregory May 3, 1858 May 6, 1860 Republican Third term.
12 Cornelius Van Vorst May 7, 1860 May 4, 1862 Democratic
13 John B. Romar May 5, 1861 May 1, 1864 Democratic
14 Orestes Cleveland May 2, 1864 May 5, 1867 Democratic
15 James Gopsill May 6, 1867 May 3, 1868 Republican
16 Charles H. O'Neill May 4, 1868 April 10, 1869 Democratic O'Neill resigned after one year, refusing to serve the new two-year term mandated by the legislature. William Clarke was appointed interim mayor.[3]
17 William Clarke April 11, 1869 May 1, 1870 Democratic Appointed interim mayor by the Municipal Council.
18 Charles H. O'Neill May 2, 1870 May 3, 1874 Democratic
19 Henry Traphagen May 4, 1874 April 30, 1876 Democratic
20 Charles Siedler May 1, 1876 May 5, 1878 Republican
21 Henry J. Hopper May 6, 1878 May 2, 1880 Democratic
22 Isaac William Taussig May 3, 1880 May 4, 1884 Democratic First Jewish mayor of Jersey City.[15] His rock candy company went bankrupt during his term, and he and his partner were arrested and successfully sued for fraud.[16][17]
23 Gilbert Collins May 5, 1884 May 2, 1886 Republican
24 Orestes Cleveland May 3, 1886 May 1, 1892 Democratic
25 Peter Farmer Wanser May 2, 1892 May 2, 1897 Republican
26 Edward Hoos May 3, 1897 December 31, 1901 Democratic
27 Mark M. Fagan January 1, 1902 December 31, 1907 Republican
28 H. Otto Wittpenn January 1, 1908 June 16, 1913 Democratic
29 Mark M. Fagan June 17, 1913 May 14, 1917 Republican
30 Frank Hague May 15, 1917 June 17, 1947 Democratic Longest-serving mayor of Jersey City, having served for 30 years, 33 days. He retired during his eighth term.[18][19]
31 Frank Hague Eggers June 17, 1947 May 16, 1949 Democratic Nephew of Frank Hague.
32 John Vincent Kenny July 1, 1949 December 15, 1953 Democratic Resigned shortly after winning re-election, citing poor health.[20]
33 Bernard J. Berry December 15, 1953 June 30, 1957 Democratic
34 Charles S. Witkowski July 1, 1957 June 30, 1961 Democratic First elected as police commissioner in 1949 on the independent "Freedom Ticket" that elected John V. Kenny as mayor. Witkowski lost his first bid for mayor in 1953 before winning a single term in 1957.[21]
35 Thomas Gangemi July 1, 1961 September 26, 1963 Democratic Resigned from office when it was revealed that he was not a United States citizen and was ineligible to serve. Jersey City was without a mayor for 47 days while the city council failed to reach a consensus on a successor.[22][13]
36 Thomas J. Whelan November 13, 1963 July 6, 1971 Democratic Removed from office after being convicted of conspiracy and extortion.[23]
37 Charles Kiva Krieger August 5, 1971 November 8, 1971 Democratic Appointed interim mayor by the Municipal Council. Second Jewish Mayor of Jersey City.[15][24]
38 Paul T. Jordan November 9, 1971 June 30, 1977 Democratic At age 30, Jordan became the youngest mayor of Jersey City.[25][26]
39 Thomas F.X. Smith July 1, 1977 May 12, 1981 Democratic Resigned to run for governor, finishing sixth in the Democratic primary.[27]
40 Gerald McCann July 1, 1981 June 30, 1985 Democratic At age 31, McCann was the second-youngest mayor of Jersey City.[28]
41 Anthony R. Cucci July 1, 1985 June 30, 1989 Democratic Served on the Municipal Council from 1977 to 1981 and the Jersey City Board of Education from 2000 to 2009.[29][30]
42 Gerald McCann July 1, 1989 February 13, 1992 Democratic Removed from office during his second term after being convicted of bank fraud.[31][28]
43 Marilyn Roman February 14, 1992 June 30, 1992 Democratic First female mayor of Jersey City. As Council President, she became acting mayor following McCann's removal.[32]
44 Joseph Rakowski July 1, 1992 November 10, 1992 Democratic Acting mayor, serving as Council President at the time of a vacancy.
45 Bret Schundler November 11, 1992 June 30, 2001 Republican First Republican elected mayor since Mark Fagan in 1913.
46 Glenn Cunningham July 1, 2001 May 25, 2004 Democratic First African-American mayor of Jersey City. Died in office of a heart attack.[33]
47 L. Harvey Smith May 26, 2004 November 11, 2004 Democratic Acting mayor, serving as Council President at the time of a vacancy.
48 Jerramiah Healy November 12, 2004 June 30, 2013 Democratic Served as an assistant prosecutor for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and was appointed Chief Judge in the Jersey City Municipal Court in 1991.[34]
49 Steven Fulop July 1, 2013 Incumbent Democratic Third Jewish mayor of Jersey City.[15]

Higher offices held

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The following is a list of higher public offices held by mayors, before or after their mayoral terms.

Mayor Mayoral term(s) Other offices held References
Dudley S. Gregory 1838–1840, 1841–1842, 1858–1860 U.S. Representative (1847–1849) [35]
Samuel Wescott 1857–1858 New Jersey State Senator (1860–1862) [36]
Orestes Cleveland 1864–1867, 1886–1892 U.S. Representative (1869–1871) [37]
Peter Farmer Wanser 1892–1897 New Jersey General Assemblyman (1882–1883) [38]
Glenn Cunningham 2001–2004 New Jersey State Senator (2004) [39]
L. Harvey Smith 2004 New Jersey State Senator (2003–2004)
New Jersey General Assemblyman (2008–2010) 		[40]
[41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Faulkner Act (OMCL) Mayor–Council". Types And Forms Of New Jersey Municipal Government. New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "Optional Municipal Charter Law N.J.S.A. 40:69A-1 et seq" (PDF). State of New Jersey. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 21, 2025. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Winfield, Charles (1874). History of the County of Hudson, New Jersey: from its earliest settlement to the present time. New York, NY: Kennard & Hay Stationery M'fg and Print. Co. p. 289.
  4. ^ "Some Legislative Jobs; The New Jersey Legislature at Work on Several of Them" (PDF). The New York Times. March 2, 1892. p. 3. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  5. ^ "Commission Rule for Jersey City; Citizens Decide in Favor of New Government by Vote of 11,368 to 7,078" (PDF). The New York Times. April 16, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  6. ^ Butler, Vincent (May 8, 1961). "Voters to Fill New Offices in Jersey City". Chicago Tribune. p. B19.
  7. ^ "Frequently Asked Voter Questions". www.njelections.org. State of New Jersey Department of State. Archived from the original on October 23, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  8. ^ "New Jersey Statutes Annotated, 40:45-19". New Jersey State Legislature. Retrieved January 27, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "New Jersey Statutes Annotated, 40:45-17". New Jersey State Legislature. Retrieved January 27, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Rosario, Joshua; West, Teri (January 17, 2024). "Jersey City mayoral race 2025: So far it's a tale of two fund-raisers". NJ.com.
  11. ^ a b Sullivan, Joseph (March 9, 1992). "Clock Ticking on Search For Mayor in Jersey City". The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  12. ^ "New Jersey Statutes Annotated, 40A:9-131". New Jersey State Legislature. Retrieved January 27, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ a b Haff, Joseph (November 13, 1963). "Mayor is Named by Jersey City. Whelan Replaces Gangemi After 47-Day Delay". The New York Times. p. 1.
  14. ^ "The Jersey City Election". The New York Times. April 16, 1859. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  15. ^ a b c "Fulop isn't Jersey City's first Jewish mayor – there was the infamous rock candy maker, and another". Hudson Reporter. May 19, 2013. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  16. ^ "Mayor Taussig and his Partner Charged With Fraud". The New York Times. October 24, 1883.
  17. ^ "Ex-Mayor Taussig's Testimony". New York Times. December 13, 1884.
  18. ^ "When the Big Boy Goes..." Time. January 16, 1956. Archived from the original on December 14, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  19. ^ "Frank Hague Is Dead Here at 79. Long Boss of Jersey Democrats. Jersey City Mayor 32 Years Had National Influence". The New York Times. January 2, 1956. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  20. ^ "Kenny Keeps His Word, Resigns as Mayor; Hague Foe, in Ill Health for a Year, Held Office Since '49 – Succeeded by Berry". The New York Times. December 16, 1953. p. 38.
  21. ^ "C. S. Witkowski, 86, Jersey City Ex-Mayor", The New York Times, June 3, 1993.
  22. ^ "Mayor Gangemi Quits in Jersey. Resigns After U.S. Declares He is Not a Citizen". The New York Times. September 26, 1963. p. 1.
  23. ^ Strumm, Charles (December 19, 1991). "Another Milepost on the Long Trail of Corruption in Hudson County". The New York Times.
  24. ^ "Jersey City's Interim Mayor, Charles Kiva Krieger". The New York Times. August 6, 1971. p. 38.
  25. ^ "200 Faces for the Future". TIME. July 15, 1974. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008.
  26. ^ "Jersey City Race Is Won By Jordan". The New York Times. May 9, 1973. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  27. ^ Goodnough, Abby (June 5, 1996). "Thomas Smith, 68, Ex-Jersey City Mayor, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  28. ^ a b Evan Serpick (October 7, 2011). "That Felon Inspecting Trash? He Used to Be Mayor". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  29. ^ Kaulessar, Ricardo (March 28, 2009). "Getting on board – 12 contenders vie for three seats in April 21 school election". The Hudson Reporter. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  30. ^ Former Jersey Mayor Anthony Cucci dies at 92
  31. ^ Jonathan Miller (May 27, 2007). "You Throw Mud, He'll Throw a Mountain". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  32. ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. (March 13, 1992). "The Mayor of Jersey City Is 'Acting' No More". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  33. ^ Smothers, Ronald (June 2, 2004). "Before 5,000, Mayor of Jersey City Is Eulogized for a 'Life Well Lived'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  34. ^ "Jerramiah T. Healy biography". www.cityofjerseycity.com. City of Jersey City. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  35. ^ "Gregory, Dudley Sanford – Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  36. ^ Winfield 1874, p. 342
  37. ^ "Cleveland, Orestes – Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  38. ^ "Gen. Peter F. Wanser of Jersey City Dies. Former Mayor and Postmaster and Active in National Guard. Expires of Pneumonia at 68". New York Times. January 5, 1918.
  39. ^ Smothers, Ronald (June 10, 2004). "Bayonne Mayor Is Selected As an Interim State Senator". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
  40. ^ New Jersey Legislative Digest for November 24, 2003. Accessed April 13, 2008. "Senator Joseph Charles, Jr., of the 31st Legislative District, has resigned effective August 18, 2003. L. Harvey Smith was sworn in as a member of the Senate for the 31st Legislative District."
  41. ^ "31st Dist: Democrat victories for Cunningham, Smith, Chiappone", The Star-Ledger, November 6, 2007. Accessed December 27, 2007.
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