Joyce Craig


Joyce Craig is an American politician serving as the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. She is the first female mayor of the city, having been elected in 2017.

Elected office

Early elected career

Craig's first political campaign came in 2007, when she was elected to the Manchester School Board. In 2009, she was elected to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, where she represented Ward 1 until her first campaign of Mayor in 2015. Craig finished second in the nonpartisan blanket primary, thus advancing to face incumbent Mayor Ted Gatsas in the general election, where she lost in a recount by 64 votes.
In 2017, Craig again challenged Gatsas, this time finishing first in the nonpartisan blanket primary and defeating Gatsas in the general election 53% to 46%. In doing so, Craig became the first woman ever elected as Mayor of Manchester.

Mayoralty

Craig was sworn in as the 56th Mayor of Manchester on January 5, 2018, promising in her inauguration to focus on improving school quality, combating the opioid epidemic, and promoting the creation of high-tech jobs in the city.

Family

Joyce and her husband, Attorney Michael Craig, have three children, William, Sarah and Kathryn.