The mayor is the highest elected official in Savannah, Georgia . Since its incorporation in 1789, the city has had 67 mayors.[ 2] [ 3] On May 27, 1958, the term for mayor was extended from two years to four years by popular vote and with approval of the state government.[ 4] Election for mayor is held every four years, and is held as a non-partisan election.
Mayor Edward Clifford Anderson (1865–1869, 1873–1877) was the first mayor after the Civil War .
Mayor Julius Curtis Lewis Jr. (1966–1970) was the first Republican mayor and the first non-Democratic mayor since the Civil War.
Mayor Floyd Adams Jr. (1996–2003) was the first African-American mayor of Savannah.
#
Portrait
Mayor
Term start
Term end
Terms
Party
Notes
1
John Houstoun
1790
1791
1
None
2
Thomas Gibbons
1791
1792
1
None
3
Joseph Habersham
1792
1793
1
None
4
William Stephens
1793
1794
1
None
(2)
Thomas Gibbons
1794
1795
1
None
(4)
William Stephens
1795
1796
1
None
5
John Noel
1796
1797
1
None
6
John Glen
1797
1798
1
None
7
Matthew McAllister
1798
1799
1
Democratic-Republican
(2)
Thomas Gibbons
1799
1801
2
Democratic-Republican
8
David B. Mitchell
1801
1802
1
Democratic-Republican
9
Charles Harris
1802
1804
2
Democratic-Republican
(5)
John Noel
1804
1807
3
Democratic-Republican
10
William Davies
1807
1807
1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
(9)
Charles Harris
1807
1808
1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
11
John Williamson
1808
1809
1
Democratic-Republican
12
William Bulloch
1809
1811
2
Democratic-Republican
13
Thomas Mendenhall Jr.
1811
1811
1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
(12)
William Bulloch
1811
1812
1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
14
George Jones
1812
1814
2
Democratic-Republican
(7)
Matthew McAllister
1814
1815
Partial
Democratic-Republican
15
Thomas Charlton
1815
1817
2 1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
16
James Wayne
1817
1819
2
Democratic-Republican
(15)
Thomas Charlton
1819
1821
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
17
James Morrison
1821
1824
3 1 ⁄2
Democratic-Republican
18
William Daniell
1824
1826
2
Jacksonian
19
Joseph W. Jackson
1826
1828
2
Jacksonian
20
William T. Williams
1828
1830
2
Democratic
21
William Waring
1830
1832
2
Democratic
22
George W. Owens
1832
1833
Partial
Democratic
(20)
William T. Williams
1833
1834
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
23
William Gordon
1834
1836
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
24
William Cuyler
1836
1836
1 ⁄2
Democratic
25
John Nicoll
1836
1837
1
Democratic
26
Matthew H. McAllister
1837
1839
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
27
Robert M. Charlton
1839
1841
2 1 ⁄2
Democratic
(20)
William T. Williams
1841
1842
1
Democratic
28
Richard Arnold
1842
1843
1
Whig
(20)
William T. Williams
1843
1844
1
Democratic
29
Richard Wayne
1844
1845
1
Democratic
30
Henry Burroughs
1845
1848
3
Whig
(29)
Richard Wayne
1848
1851
3
Democratic
(28)
Richard Arnold
1851
1852
1
Whig
(29)
Richard Wayne
1852
1853
1
Democratic
31
John Elliott Ward
1853
1854
1
Democratic
32
Edward C. Anderson
1854
1856
2
American
33
James Screven
1856
1857
1
Democratic
(29)
Richard Wayne †
1857
1858
Partial
Democratic
34
Thomas Turner
1858
1859
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
(28)
Richard Arnold
1859
1860
1
American
35
Charles Jones
1860
1861
1
Democratic (Southern)
36
Thomas Purse
1861
1862
1
Democratic (Southern)
37
Thomas Holcombe
1862
1863
1
Democratic (Southern)
(28)
Richard Arnold
1863
1865
1
Democratic (Southern)
(32)
Edward C. Anderson
1865
1869
4
Democratic
38
John Screven
1869
1873
4
Democratic
(32)
Edward C. Anderson
1873
1877
2
Democratic
39
John Wheaton
1877
1883
3
Democratic
40
Rufus E. Lester
1883
1889
3
Democratic
41
John Schwarz
1889
1891
1
Democratic
42
John McDonough
1891
1895
2
Democratic
43
Herman Myers
1895
1897
1
Democratic
44
Peter Meldrim
1897
1899
1
Democratic
(43)
Herman Myers
1899
1907
4
Democratic
45
George Tiedeman
1907
1913
3
Democratic
46
Richard Davant †
1913
1915
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
47
Wallace Pierpont
1915
1919
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
48
Murray Stewart
1919
1923
2
Democratic
49
Paul Seabrook
1923
1925
1
Democratic
50
Robert Hull †
1925
1927
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
51
Thomas Hoynes
1927
1929
1 ⁄2
Democratic
52
Gordon Saussy
1929
1931
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
(51)
Thomas Hoynes
1931
1933
1 ⁄2
Democratic
53
Thomas Gamble
1933
1937
2
Democratic
54
Robert M. Hitch
1937
1939
1
Democratic
(53)
Thomas Gamble †
1939
1945
3 1 ⁄2
Democratic
55
Peter Roe Nugent
1945
1947
1 1 ⁄2
Democratic
56
John G. Kennedy
1947
1949
1
Democratic
57
Olin Fulmer
1949
1955
3
Democratic
58
Lee Mingledorff, Jr.
1955
1960
3
Democratic
First elected to a two-year term where he served from January 24, 1955 until January 21, 1957. Relected to a second two-year term beginning January 21, 1957. In 1958, the city shifted to a four-year mayoral term and a special election was held. Mingledorff won re-election to a 4-year term running from October 6, 1958 to October 1, 1962. He resigned prematurely on August 1, 1960 with the remainder of his term completed by vice-mayor Maclean.
59
Malcolm R. Maclean
1960
1966
2
Democratic
60
J.C. Lewis, Jr.
1966
1970
1
Republican
61
John Rousakis
1970
1992
5
Democratic
First Greek-American mayor
62
Susan Weiner
1992
1996
1
Republican
First female mayor
63
Floyd Adams, Jr.
1996
2004
2
Democratic
First African-American mayor
64
Otis Johnson
2004
2012
2
Democratic
65
Edna Jackson
2012
2016
1
Democratic
First African-American female mayor
66
Eddie DeLoach
2016
2020
1
Republican
67
Van R. Johnson
2020
Incumbent
1
Democratic
Notes
† Deceased/murdered in office.
"The Hostess City of the South "