Mayor of Dallas

Political office in Dallas, Texas, USA

Mayor of Dallas

Seal of the City of Dallas

Incumbent
Eric Johnson

since 2019

Style| The Honorable
Residence| Dallas, Texas
Term length| Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder| Dr. Samuel B. Pryor
1856
Formation| Dallas City Charter
Salary| $80,000
Website| City of Dallas - Mayor Eric Johnson
Elections in Texas

General elections

* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Federal government

|  Presidential elections

* 1848
* 1852
* 1856
* 1860
* 1872
* 1876
* 1880
* 1884
* 1888
* 1892
* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Presidential primaries

Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024

Republican
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate

* 1846
* 1847
* 1851
* 1853
* 1857
* 1859
* 1859 sp
* 1870
* 1871
* 1875
* 1876
* 1881
* 1882
* 1887
* 1888
* 1892 sp
* 1893
* 1894
* 1899
* 1901
* 1905
* 1907
* 1911
* 1913
* 1913 sp
* 1916
* 1918
* 1922
* 1924
* 1928
* 1930
* 1934
* 1936
* 1940
* 1941 sp
* 1942
* 1946
* 1948
* 1952
* 1954
* 1957 sp
* 1958
* 1960
* 1961 sp
* 1964
* 1966
* 1970
* 1972
* 1976
* 1978
* 1982
* 1984
* 1988
* 1990
* 1993 sp
* 1994
* 1996
* 2000
* 2002
* 2006
* 2008
* 2012
* 2014
* 2018
* 2020
* 2024
* 2026

U.S. House of Representatives

* 1846
* 1849
* 1851
* 1853
* 1855
* 1857
* 1859
* 1866
* 1869
* 1870
* 1871
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1878
* 1879
* 6th sp
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1887
* 2nd sp
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 9th sp
* 1894
* 1896
* 11th sp
* 1898
* 1900
* 1901
* 6th sp
* 1902
* 4th sp
* 1903
* 8th sp
* 1904
* 1905
* 8th sp
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1913
* 10th sp
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1919
* 12th sp
* 1920
* 1922
* 13th sp
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 17th sp
* 1931
* 14th sp
* 1932
* 1933
* 7th sp
* 8th sp
* 15th sp
* 1934
* 1936
* 1937
* 10th sp
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 6th sp
* 1947
* 9th sp
* 16th sp
* 1948
* 15th sp
* 1950
* 18th sp
* 1951
* 13th sp
* 1952
* 7th sp
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1961
* 20th sp
* 1962
* 4th sp
* 13th sp
* 1963
* 10th sp
* 1964
* 1966
* 8th sp
* 1968
* 3rd sp
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1st sp
* 22nd sp
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 6th sp
* 1984
* 1985
* 1st sp
* 1986
* 1988
* 1989
* 12th sp
* 18th sp
* 1990
* 1991
* 3rd sp
* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1997
* 28th sp
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2003
* 19th sp
* 2004
* 2006
* 22nd
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 27th sp
* 2020
* 2021
* 6th sp
* 2022
* 34th sp
* 2024
* 18th sp
* 2025
* 18th sp

State government

|  Gubernatorial elections

* 1845
* 1847
* 1849
* 1851
* 1853
* 1855
* 1857
* 1859
* 1861
* 1863
* 1866
* 1866
* 1869
* 1873
* 1876
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

Lieutenant gubernatorial elections

* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Attorney General elections

* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Comptroller elections

* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Senate elections

* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

House of Representatives elections

* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Constitutional amendments

* 1972
* 2005
* 2007
* 2021
* 2023

Austin

|  Mayoral elections

* 2003
* 2006
* 2009
* 2012
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2024

Austin municipal elections

* 2022
* 2024

Corpus Christi

|  Mayoral elections

* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2017 sp
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Dallas–Fort Worth

|  Arlington mayoral elections

* 2001
* 2003
* 2005
* 2007
* 2009
* 2011
* 2013
* 2015
* 2017
* 2019
* 2021
* 2023

Dallas mayoral elections

* 1856
* 1857
* 1875
* 1904
* 1925
* 1961
* 1963
* 1965
* 1995
* 1999
* 2002 sp
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Dallas municipal elections

* 2015
* 2019
* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

Fort Worth mayoral elections

* 2003
* 2007
* 2009
* 2011
* 2015
* 2017
* 2019
* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

Denton mayoral elections

* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Garland mayoral elections

* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

Plano municipal elections

* 2017
* 2019
* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

El Paso

|  Mayoral elections

* 2001
* 2003
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2020
* 2024

Municipal elections

* 2017
* 2020
* 2024

Houston

|  Mayoral elections

* 1987
* 1989
* 1991
* 1993
* 1995
* 1997
* 1999
* 2001
* 2003
* 2005
* 2007
* 2009
* 2011
* 2013
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Municipal elections

* 2005
* 2007
* 2009

Laredo

|  Mayoral elections

* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

Lubbock

|  Mayoral elections

* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

San Antonio

|  Mayoral elections

* 2005
* 2007
* 2009
* 2011
* 2013
* 2015
* 2017
* 2019
* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

Government

* v
* t
* e

The Mayor of the City of Dallas is a member of the Dallas City Council and its presiding officer. The current mayor is Eric Johnson, who has served one term since 2019 and is the 60th mayor to serve in the position. Dallas operates under a city charter that designates the mayor as the official head of city government and a council-manager system where a city council-appointed city manager serves as the chief operating officer of the city.

## Duties and powers

[edit]

The city of Dallas operates under a council-manager government type, putting the city of Dallas in a unique position as being one of the largest cities in the United States to utilize this municipal government structure. Unlike the more common form of government used by large cities known as the mayor-council government \- where the mayor serves the chief-executive position of the city - the council-manager government of the city of Dallas gives the operational responsibility to the appointed City Manager. The mayor presides over city council meetings and official ceremonies and serves as a representative of the City of Dallas at the local, state, national, and international level. Likewise, it is not uncommon for mayors of the city of Dallas to simultaneously serve as members or heads of other committees while in office, further representing the interests of the people and city of Dallas in organizations and committees.

## History

[edit]

The Office of Mayor was created with the formation of the Dallas City Charter in 1856, also providing for the mayor six aldermen, a treasurer, recorder and a constable. In the charter, it was stated that each office would be elected for a term of one year.[1] In the reorganization of 1876, the mayor was elected to the office for a term of two years.[2] The office was first filled in the election of 1856, in which Dr. Samuel B. Pryor defeated A. D. Rice for the position.[3] A. D. Rice would run for office again and go on to serve as the 4th mayor of the city.

For much of the 19th century, mayors of the city of Dallas served for only one term. This precedence was broken at the end of Winship C. Connor's term, who – after serving three consecutive terms from 1887 to 1894 – would go on to be the city's longest consecutively serving mayor in the 19th century. His success was accredited to the development of the city's first water, power, and streetcar systems.

The municipal government of Dallas underwent two significant structural changes during its history. The first change was made in 1907 where the city voted to change from an alderman system to a commission form of government. Stephen J. Hay was the first mayor elected in this new form of government, demonstrating the success of the highly debated commission form of government and contributing to the development of White Rock Lake in response to a water shortage in 1910. The second major government change was made in 1930, altering the commission form of government to specifically be a council-manager form. The first mayor to serve following this change was Tom Bradford, a successful grocer who was a significant financial contributor to the Bradford Memorial Hospital for Babies, the preliminary institution to the Children's Medical Center Dallas. He died after suffering a major heart attack in 1932 and was the first mayor of Dallas to die in office.

Woodall Rodgers, serving two 4 year terms from 1939 to 1947, was mayor during World War II and served during the rampant manufacturing of aircraft and weapon goods in a rapidly industrializing Dallas. Rodgers oversaw the initial transformation of Dallas Love Field from a USAAF training ground to a commercial airport. He was also mayor when the Mercantile National Bank Building was constructed, which was the only skyscraper built in the United States during World War II and was the tallest building in the city of Dallas until the completion of Republic Center Tower I in 1954. The economic success brought by his contributions in office are commemorated by several namesakes throughout the city, most notably the Woodall Rodgers Freeway that passes underneath Klyde Warren Park and over the Trinity River along the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

Earle Cabell served as 48th mayor from 1961 to 1964 and was mayor during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in the city. In the wake of the assassination, Cabell was the target of multiple death threats and accusations of his involvement in the act.

The image of the city of Dallas was immensely tarnished by the assassination of the President, earning the moniker "City of Hate". Following Earle Cabell was Mayor J. Erik Jonsson who funded and supported the then proposed Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. As mayor, he went on to support public works projects such as developing the new Dallas City Hall, the Dallas Convention Center, and the Dallas Central Library \- the last of which is now named in his honor. He was followed by Wes Wise who went on to further improve the city's image during his three terms as mayor from 1971 to 1976. However, he stepped down to pursue a political career in United States Congress before the end of his third term. His pro-term mayoral successor, Adlene Harrison, stepped in and became acting mayor for the remainder of his term. She was the city's first female mayor, and the first female Jewish mayor in the United States. Although Dianne Feinstein is officially recognized as the first female Jewish mayor in the United States, Adlene Harrison's position as acting mayor predates Feinstein's start in office by almost two years; Adlene began serving as acting mayor on February 11, 1976, while Feinstein took office on December 4, 1978. Adlene would go on to serve as a member of several environmental committees and organizations after her short tenure, including the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ron Kirk was the first African-American mayor of the City of Dallas and served two terms from 1995 to 2002. As mayor, he led several efforts advocating for race equality and social welfare, mitigated tension between City Council and the Dallas School Board, advocated for economic development, and oversaw the construction of the American Airlines Center. He would later step down to pursue a seat in the US Senate, where he lost in the 2002 election to John Cornyn. After his defeat, he went on to become a lobbyist before being nominated and appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as United States Trade Representative from 2009 to 2013.

Laura Miller \- the city's third female mayor, following Adlene Harrison and Annette Strauss \- was instrumental in renegotiating the Wright Amendment to revise flight restrictions at Love Field Airport, as well as implementing a citywide smoking ban and an ordinance prohibiting sex-based discrimination. The following mayor Tom Leppert would impose a staunch crime-fighting policy, promote the economic development of a modern inland port, and was a vocal supporter of a controversial convention center hotel project during the Great Recession. He later vacated the office to pursue a US Senate campaign in 2012, of which he would place third in the runoff. Following the four-month incumbency of acting mayor Dwaine Caraway, mayor Mike Rawlings would be known for his vocal leadership during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers, and the removal of confederate monuments following the Charlottesville riots.

## List

[edit]

Samuel B. Pryor, the first mayor of Dallas. Stephen J. Hay, the first mayor elected under commission government and advocate for the White Rock Lake project. Earle Cabell, son and grandson of former mayors Ben E. Cabell and William Lewis Cabell respectively, was mayor of Dallas at the time of President Kennedy's assassination. Incumbent mayor Eric Johnson.

This is the list of people who have held the office of Mayor. Note: municipal elections in Texas are non-partisan. The party affiliation of the Mayor is listed here for informational purposes only.[a]

#  | Mayor  | Term start  | Term end  | Terms  |  | Party

|
|
|
|
|
|

1 | Samuel B. Pryor | 1856  | 1857  | 1  |  | None
2 | John McClannahan Crockett | 1857  | 1858  | 1  |  | Democratic
3 | Isaac Naylor | 1858  | 1858  | 1  |  | None
4 | A. D. Rice | 1858  | 1859  | 1  |  | None
5 | John M. Crockett (Second term) | 1859  | 1861  | 1  |  | Democratic
6 | Joshua Lafayette Smith | 1861  | 1861  | 1  |  | None
7 | Thos. E. Sherwood | 1861  | 1862  | 1  |  | None
- | Military governor (American Civil War).  | 1862  | 1865  | None |  | None
8 | John M. Crockett (Third term) | 1865  | 1866  | 1  |  | Democratic
9 | John W. Lane | 1866  | 1866  | 1  |  | Democratic
10 | George W. Guess | 1866  | 1868  | 1  |  | None
11 | Benjamin Long | 1868  | 1870  | 1  |  | None
12 | Henry Ervay | 1870  | 1872  | 1  |  | None
13 | Benjamin Long (Second term) | 1872  | 1874  | 1  |  | None
14 | William Lewis Cabell | 1874  | 1876  | 1  |  | None
15 | John D. Kerfoot | 1876  | 1877  | ½  |  | None
16 | William Lewis Cabell (Second term) | 1877  | 1879  | 1  |  | None
17 | J. M. Thurmond | 1879  | 1880  | 1  |  | None
18 | J. J. Good | 1880  | 1881  | ½  |  | Democratic
19 | J. W. Crowdus | 1881  | 1883  | 1  |  | None
20 | William Lewis Cabell (Third term) | 1883  | 1885  | 1  |  | None
21 | John Henry Brown | 1885  | 1887  | 1  |  | None
22 | Winship C. Connor | 1887  | 1894  | 3  |  | None
23 | Bryan T. Barry | 1894  | 1895  | ½  |  | None
24 | F. P. Holland | 1895  | 1897  | 1  |  | None
25 | Bryan T. Barry (Second term) | 1897  | 1898  | 1  |  | None
26 | John H. Traylor | 1898  | 1900  | 2  |  | None
27 | Ben E. Cabell | 1900  | 1904  | 4  |  | None
28 | Bryan T. Barry (Third term) | 1904  | 1906  | 2  |  | None
29 | Curtis P. Smith | 1906  | 1907  | 1  |  | Democratic
30 | Stephen J. Hay | 1907  | 1911  | 2  |  | Democratic
31 | W. M. Holland | 1911  | 1915  | 2  |  | None
32 | Henry D. Lindsley | 1915  | 1917  | 1  |  | Democratic
33 | Joe E. Lawther | 1917  | 1919  | 1  |  | Democratic
34 | Frank W. Wozencraft | 1919  | 1921  | 1  |  | Democratic
35 | Sawnie R. Aldredge | 1921  | 1923  | 1  |  | Democratic
36 | Louis Blaylock | 1923  | 1927  | 2  |  | None
37 | R. E. Burt | 1927  | 1929  | 1  |  | None
38 | J. Waddy Tate | 1929  | 1931  | 1  |  | None
39 | Tom Bradford | 1931  | 1932  | ½  |  | None
40 | Charles E. Turner | 1932  | 1935  | 1½  |  | Democratic
41 | George Sergeant | 1935  | 1937  | 1  |  | Democratic
42 | George Sprague | 1937  | 1939  | 1  |  | Democratic
43 | Woodall Rodgers | 1939  | 1947  | 4  |  | None
44 | J. R. Temple | 1947  | 1949  | 1  |  | Democratic
45 | Wallace H. Savage | 1949  | 1951  | 1  |  | Democratic
46 | Jean Baptiste Adoue | 1951  | 1953  | 1  |  | None
47 | Robert L. Thornton | 1953  | 1961  | 4  |  | Democratic
48 | Earle Cabell | 1961  | 1964  | 1½  |  | Democratic
49 | J. Erik Jonsson | 1964  | 1971  | 3½  |  | None
50 | Wes Wise | 1971  | 1976  | 2½  |  | None
Acting (51) | Adlene Harrison | 1976  | 1976  | less than 1  |  | Democratic
51 (52) | Robert Folsom | 1976  | 1981  | 2½  |  | None
52 (53) | Jack Wilson Evans | 1981  | 1983  | 1  |  | Republican
53 (54) | Starke Taylor | 1983  | 1987  | 2  |  | Republican
54 (55) | Annette Strauss | 1987  | 1991  | 2  |  | None
55 (56) | Steve Bartlett | 1991  | 1995  | 2  |  | Republican
56 (57) | Ron Kirk | 1995  | 2001  | 3½  |  | Democratic
Acting (58) | Mary Poss | 2001  | 2002  | less than 1  |  | None
57 (59) | Laura Miller | 2002  | 2007  | 2½  |  | Democratic
58 (60) | Tom Leppert | 2007  | 2011  | 2  |  | Republican
Acting (61) | Dwaine Caraway | 2011  | 2011  | less than 1  |  | Democratic
59 (62) | Mike Rawlings | 2011  | 2019  | 2  |  | Democratic
60 (63)  | Eric Johnson | 2019  | 2023  | less than 2  |  | Democratic
2023  | incumbent  |  |  | Republican

## See also

[edit]

* History of Dallas
* List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Term lengths changed many times during the multiple reorganizations of the Dallas City Charter.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "01Chartr (1).pdf" (PDF). City of Dallas. p. 5.
2. ^ "01Chartr (1).pdf" (PDF). City of Dallas. p. 6.
3. ^ "ElectMasterList.pdf" (PDF). City of Dallas. p. 5.
4. ^ "01Chartr (1).pdf" (PDF). City of Dallas. p. 6.

## External links

[edit]

* Official page

* v
* t
* e

City of Dallas (Metroplex)

* People
* Culture
* Climate
* Education
* Landmarks

Neighborhoods|

* Asian Trade District
* Bishop Arts District
* Casa Linda
* Cedars
* Deep Ellum
* Design District
* Downtown
* Exposition Park
* Fair Park
* Kessler Park
* Knox-Henderson
* Lake Highlands
* Lakewood
* Lower Greenville
* "M" Streets
* Oak Cliff
* Oak Lawn
* Park Cities
* Preston Hollow
* Southwestern Medical District
* Trinity Groves
* Turtle Creek
* Uptown
* Victory Park
* West End

Government|

* Mayor (List)
* City Council
* Police
* Fire-Rescue
* Dallas Parks and Recreation Department

History|

* Pre-1838
* 1839–1855
* 1856–1873
* 1874–1929
* 1930–1945
* 1946–1974
* 1975–1985
* 1986–1995
* 1996–present

Transportation|

* DFW Airport (main hub of American)
* Love Field (main hub of Southwest)
* Freeways
* DART (rapid transit)
* DART light rail
* Streetcar
* M-Line Trolley
* North Texas Tollway Authority
* Trinity Railway Express

Sports|

* Atlético Dallas
* Dallas Cowboys
* Dallas Mavericks
* Dallas Stars
* Dallas Trinity FC
* FC Dallas
* Arlington Renegades
* Texas Rangers
* Dallas Wings
* Dallas Jackals

* All Dallas articles
* Texas Portal
* State of Texas
* North Texas

* v
* t
* e

Elections in Dallas

Mayoral|

* 1856
* 1857–1858
* 1875
* 1904
* 1925
* 1961
* 1963
* 1965
* 1995
* 1999
* 2002 (sp)
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Municipal|

* 2015
* 2019
* 2021

* v
* t
* e

Mayors of Dallas

* Pryor
* Crockett
* Naylor
* Rice
* Crockett
* J. L. Smith
* Sherwood
* Crockett
* Lane
* Guess
* Long
* Ervay
* Long
* W. Cabell
* Kerfoot
* W. Cabell
* Thurmund
* Good
* Crowdus
* W. Cabell
* Brown
* Connor
* Barry
* F. P. Holland
* Barry
* Traylor
* B. Cabell
* Barry
* C. P. Smith
* Hay
* W. M. Holland
* Lindsley
* Lawther
* Wozencraft
* Aldredge
* Blaylock
* Burt
* Tate
* Bradford
* Turner
* Sergeant
* Sprague
* Rodgers
* Temple
* Savage
* Adoue
* Thornton
* E. Cabell
* Jonsson
* Wise
* Harrison
* Folsom
* Evans
* Taylor
* Strauss
* Bartlett
* Kirk
* Miller
* Leppert
* Caraway
* Rawlings
* Johnson

Italics indicate an acting mayor
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template