List of mayors of Buffalo, New York explained

The following is a list of people who have served as mayors of the city of Buffalo in the U.S. state of New York.

Post:Mayor
Body:the City of Buffalo
Insignia:Seal of Buffalo, New York.svg
Insigniasize:115px
Insigniacaption:Seal of the City of Buffalo
Flag:Flag of Buffalo, New York.svg
Flagsize:135px
Flagcaption:Flag of the City of Buffalo
Incumbent:Sean Ryan
Incumbentsince:January 1, 2026
Department:Government of Buffalo
Style:The Honorable
(formal)
Mr. Mayor
(informal)
Seat:Buffalo City Hall
Constituting Instrument:Buffalo City Charter
Termlength:Four years; renewable
Succession:Deputy Mayor of Buffalo
Formation:1832
Deputy:Deputy Mayor of Buffalo
Salary:$178,519 (2024)
Inaugural:Ebenezer Johnson

List of mayors

See main article: Politics and government of Buffalo, New York.

Name Picture Party Term in office ElectionNotes
1Ebenezer JohnsonDemocratic-RepublicanMay 1832
–
March 1833		class=nowrap1832Doctor during the War of 1812[1]
2Major Andre AndrewsIndependentMarch 1833
–
1834		class=nowrap1833Founding member of the first Bank of Buffalo
3Ebenezer JohnsonDemocratic-Republican1834
–
1835		class=nowrap1834
4Hiram PrattWhig1835
–
1836		class=nowrap1835
5Samuel WilkesonIndependent1836
–
March 14, 1837		class=nowrap1836
6Josiah TrowbridgeWhigMarch 14, 1837
–
December 21, 1837		class=nowrap1837
7Pierre A. BarkerIndependentDecember 21, 1837
–
March 13, 1838		–
8Ebenezer WaldenWhigMarch 13, 1838
–
1839		class=nowrap1838
9Hiram PrattWhig1839
–
1840		class=nowrap1839
10Sheldon ThompsonWhig1840
–
March 2, 1841		class=nowrap1840
11Isaac R. HarringtonWhigMarch 2, 1841
–
March 8, 1842		class=nowrap1841
12George William ClintonIndependentMarch 8, 1842
–
1843		class=nowrap1842Served as the 7th United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York
13Joseph G. MastenDemocratic1843
–
1844		class=nowrap1843
14William KetchumWhig1844
–
1845		class=nowrap1844
15Joseph G. MastenDemocratic1845
–
1846		class=nowrap1845
16Solomon G. HavenWhig1846
–
1847		class=nowrap1846
17Elbridge G. SpauldingWhig1847
–
1848		class=nowrap1847Served as New York State Treasurer from 1854–1855 and was twice elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
18Orlando AllenWhig1848
–
1849		–----1848
19Hiram BartonWhig1849
–
1850		class=nowrap1849
20Henry K. SmithDemocratic1850
–
March 4, 1851		class=nowrap1850
21James WadsworthDemocraticMarch 4, 1851
–
March 9, 1852		class=nowrap1851
22Hiram BartonWhigMarch 9, 1852
–
1853		class=nowrap1852
23Eli CookDemocratic1853
–
1855		class=nowrapMarch 1853----November 1853
24Frederick P. StevensDemocratic1856
–
1857		class=nowrap1855
25Timothy T. LockwoodDemocratic1858
–
January 2, 1860		class=nowrap1857
26Franklin A. AlbergerRepublicanJanuary 2, 1860
–
January 6, 1862		class=nowrap1859
27William G. FargoDemocraticJanuary 6, 1862
–
1866		class=nowrap1861----1863Co-founded the modern day financial firms of American Express and Wells Fargo[2]
28Chandler J. WellsRepublican1866
–
1867		class=nowrap1865
29William F. RogersDemocratic1868
–
1869		class=nowrap1867
30Alexander BrushRepublican1870
–
1873		class=nowrap1869----1872 (special)
31Lewis P. DaytonDemocratic1874
–
1875		class=nowrap1873
32Philip BeckerRepublican1876
–
January 7, 1878		class=nowrap1875
33Solomon ScheuDemocratic January 7, 1878
–
January 1880		class=nowrap1877
34Alexander BrushRepublicanJanuary 1880
–
January 2, 1882 		class=nowrap1879
35Grover ClevelandDemocraticJanuary 2, 1882
–
November 20, 1882		class=nowrap1881Later, elected 22nd & 24th President of the United States. The only American President to be mayor of a major city.
36Marcus M. DrakeRepublicanNovember 20, 1882
–
December 29, 1882		–
37Harmon S. CuttingDemocraticDecember 29, 1882
–
January 16, 1883		–
38John B. ManningDemocraticJanuary 16, 1883
–
January 6, 1884		class=nowrap1883 (special)
39Jonathan ScovilleDemocraticJanuary 6, 1884
–
1885		class=nowrap1883
40Philip BeckerRepublican1886
–
1890		class=nowrap1885----1887
41Charles F. BishopDemocratic1890
–
1894		class=nowrap1889----1891
42Edgar B. JewettRepublican1895
–
1897		class=nowrap1894
43Conrad DiehlDemocratic1898
–
1901		class=nowrap1897
44Erastus C. KnightRepublican1902
–
1905		class=nowrap1900
45James N. AdamDemocratic1906
–
1909		class=nowrap1905
46Louis P. FuhrmannDemocratic1910
–
1917		class=nowrap1909----1913
47George S. BuckRepublican1918
–
1921		class=nowrap1917
48Frank X. SchwabRepublican1922
–
1929		class=nowrap1921----1925
49Charles E. RoeschRepublican1930
–
1933		class=nowrap1929
50George J. ZimmermannDemocratic1934
–
1937		class=nowrap1933
51Thomas L. HollingDemocratic1938
–
1941		class=nowrap1937
52Joseph J. KellyDemocratic1942
–
1945		class=nowrap1941
53Bernard J. DowdRepublican1946
–
1949		class=nowrap1945
54Joseph MrukRepublicanJanuary 1, 1950
–
December 31, 1953		class=nowrap1949
55Steven PankowDemocraticJanuary 1, 1954
–
December 31, 1957		class=nowrap1953
56Frank A. SeditaDemocraticJanuary 1, 1958
–
December 31, 1961		class=nowrap1957
57Chester A. KowalRepublicanJanuary 1, 1962
–
December 31, 1965		class=nowrap1961
58Frank A. SeditaDemocraticJanuary 1, 1966
–
March 5, 1973		class=nowrap1965----1969
59Stanley M. MakowskiDemocraticMarch 5, 1973
–
December 31, 1977		–----1973
60James D. GriffinDemocraticJanuary 1, 1978
–
December 31, 1993		class=nowrap1977----1981----1985----1989
61Anthony MasielloDemocraticJanuary 1, 1994
–
December 31, 2005		class=nowrap1993----1997----2001
62Byron BrownDemocratic January 1, 2006
–
October 15, 2024		class=nowrap2005----2009----2013----2017----2021
63Christopher ScanlonDemocratic October 15, 2024
–
December 31, 2025
64Sean RyanDemocratic January 1, 2026
–
class=nowrap2025

Number of mayors by party affiliation

PartyMayors
Democratic31
Democratic-Republican2
Republican15
Whig12
No Party4

History

In 1853, the charter of the city was amended to include the town of Black Rock and the city proper was divided into thirteen wards. In addition, the term of city offices, including mayor changed from a one-year term to a two-year term and was elected directly by the people.[3]

Mayoral elections

(winners are in bold)

Date Candidates  
Grover Cleveland
  15,120 11,528
January 9, 1883 John B. Manning Robert R. Hefford
  11,036 7,321
November 6, 1973 Stanley M. Makowski Stewart M. Levy John A. Westra Patrick W. Giagnacova Ira Liebowitz
  77,569 24,423 2,640 1,147 597
Anthony Masiello Richard A. Grimm
  36,092 9,277 7,566
Byron Brown Kevin Helfer Judith Einach Charles Flynn
  46,613 19,853 3,525 3,082
Byron Brown
  17,728 158
Byron Brown Sergio Rodriguez
  26,120 10,733
Byron Brown Anita Howard Terrence Robinson Taniqua Simmons
  29,688 11,446 1,357 1,276 102
November 2, 2021Byron BrownIndia WaltonBen CarlisleJaz MilesWilliam O'Dell
 38,33825,773219238

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dr. Ebenezer Johnson. 2009-05-27. Through The Mayor's Eyes, The Only Complete History of the Mayor's of Buffalo, New York, Compiled by Michael Rizzo. The Buffalonian is produced by The Peoples History Union. 2016-08-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20110926223001/http://www.buffalonian.com/history/industry/mayors/Johnson.htm. 2011-09-26. dead.
  2. Book: Grossman. Peter Z.. American Express: The Unofficial History of the People Who Built the Great Financial Empire. 1987. Crown Publishers. New York. 1-58798-283-8.
  3. Book: Fargo. Francis F.. Memorial of the City and County Hall Opening Ceremonies. 1876. Courier Company, printers. Buffalo, N.Y.. 142. Elbridge G. Spaulding mayor of buffalo term.. 16 August 2016. en.

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