| # | Borough President | Party | Dates in Office | Notes |
| 1 | Augustus W. Peters
| Democratic | January 1, 1898–
December 29, 1898 |
|
| vacant | | December 29, 1898
– January 5, 1899 | |
| 2 | James J. Coogan
| Democratic | January 5, 1899–
December 31, 1901 | elected unanimously on January 5, 1899 by the Manhattan councilmen and aldermen after Peters' death did not run for re-election |
| 3 | Jacob A. Cantor
| Fusion | January 1, 1902–
December 31, 1903 | elected by popular vote to a two-year term did not run for re-election |
| 4 | John F. Ahearn
| Democratic | January 1, 1904–
December 29, 1909 | elected by popular vote to two two-year terms removed by Governor Charles Evans Hughes for failure to perform his duties, but was re-elected as his own replacement by a 24-12 vote of the Manhattan aldermen and managed to stay in office by legal challenges until the Court of Appeals ruled against him near the end of his term |
| 5 | John Cloughen
| Democratic | December 30, 1909–
December 31, 1909 | acted in place of Ahearn for much of December elected unanimously as a replacement on the eighth ballot by the aldermen from Manhattan |
| 6 | George McAneny
| Fusion/Democratic | January 1, 1910–
December 31, 1913 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 7 | Marcus M. Marks
| Republican | January 1, 1914–
December 31, 1917 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 8 | Frank L. Dowling
| Democratic | January 1, 1918–
September 27, 1919 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term died in office |
| — | Michael F. Loughman
| Democratic | September 27, 1919–
October 16, 1919 |
- became acting borough president upon Dowling's death
|
| 9 | Edward F. Boyle
| Democratic | October 16, 1919–
November 17, 1919 | elected interim borough president by the alderman of Manhattan to serve the remainder of the year resigned to become chairman of the New York State Industrial Commission |
| — | Michael F. Loughman
| Democratic | November 17, 1919–
December 31, 1919 | became acting borough president again upon Boyle's resignation |
| 10 | Henry H. Curran
| Republican | January 1, 1920–
December 31, 1921 | elected by popular vote for the remainder of Dowling's term |
| 11 | Julius Miller
| Democratic | January 1, 1922–
December 31, 1930 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms resigned after winning election as a justice of New York Supreme Court |
| vacant | | January 1, 1931–
January 16, 1931 | |
| 12 | Samuel Levy
| Democratic | January 16, 1931–
December 31, 1937 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of the year by a 20-3 vote of the aldermen of Manhattan elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election in 1937 |
| 13 | Stanley M. Isaacs
| Republican | January 1, 1938–
December 31, 1941 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term denied renomination on the Republican ticket in 1942 by the party committee |
| 14 | Edgar J. Nathan
| Republican | January 1, 1942–
December 31, 1945 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term lost popular vote for re-election in 1945 |
| 15 | Hugo E. Rogers
| Democratic | January 1, 1946–
December 31, 1949 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not seek renomination in 1949 |
| 16 | Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
| Democratic | January 1, 1950–
December 31, 1953 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election in 1953 |
| 17 | Hulan E. Jack
| Democratic | January 1, 1954–
January 16, 1961 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms automatically removed when sentenced for criminal convictions for conspiracy and conflict of interest |
| — | Louis A. Cioffi
| Democratic | January 16, 1961–
January 31, 1961 | became acting borough president upon Jack's sentencing |
| 18 | Edward R. Dudley
| Democratic | January 31, 1961–
January 4, 1965 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of Jack's term by a 4-2 vote of the six members of the City Council from Manhattan elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned to take the seat as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court that he had won in the November 1964 election |
| — | Earl Louis Brown
| Democratic | January 4, 1965–
February 24, 1965 | became acting borough president upon Dudley's resignation |
| 19 | Constance Baker Motley
| Democratic | February 24, 1965–
September 8, 1966 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of Dudley's term by a 5-3 vote of the members of the City Council from Manhattan elected by popular vote to a four-year term appointed as a federal judge |
| — | Leonard N. Cohen
| Democratic | September 8, 1966–
September 13, 1966 | became acting borough president upon Motley's resignation |
| 20 | Percy E. Sutton
| Democratic | September 13, 1966–
December 31, 1977 | elected by the City Council members of Manhattan to replace Motley for the remainder of the year elected by popular vote to the remainder of Motley's term elected by popular vote to two four-year terms did not run for re-election |
| 21 | Andrew Stein
| Democratic | January 1, 1978–
December 31, 1985 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms did not run for re-election |
| 22 | David Dinkins
| Democratic | January 1, 1986–
December 31, 1989 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 23 | Ruth Messinger
| Democratic | January 1, 1990–
December 31, 1997 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms did not run for re-election |
| 24 | C. Virginia Fields
| Democratic | January 1, 1998–December 31, 2005 |
- elected by popular vote two four-year terms
- did not run for re-election
|
| 25 | Scott Stringer
| Democratic | January 1, 2006–
December 31, 2013 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms did not run for re-election |
| 26 | Gale Brewer
| Democratic | January 1, 2014
–current | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms |
| # | Borough President | Party | Dates in Office | Notes |
| 1 | Louis F. Haffen
| Democratic | January 1, 1898–
August 29, 1909 |
- elected by popular votes to a four-year term, two two-year terms, and a four-year term
- removed by Governor Charles Evans Hughes for misconduct in office and neglect of duty
|
| 2 | John F. Murray
| Democratic | August 29, 1909–
December 31, 1909 | became acting borough president upon Haffen's removal, then was elected interim borough president for the remainder of Haffen's term by a unanimous vote of the eight aldermen of the Bronx did not run for re-election |
| 3 | Cyrus C. Miller
| Democratic | January 1, 1910–
December 31, 1913 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term retired and did not run for re-election in 1913 |
| 4 | Douglas Mathewson
| Republican/Fusion | January 1, 1914–
December 31, 1917 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election in 1917 |
| 5 | Henry Bruckner
| Democratic | January 1, 1918–
December 31, 1933 | elected by popular vote to four four-year terms retired did not seek re-election in 1933 |
| 6 | James J. Lyons
| Democratic | January 1, 1934–
January 2, 1962 | elected by popular vote to seven four-year terms retired and did not seek re-election in 1961 |
| 7 | Joseph F. Periconi
| Republican/Liberal/
Brotherhood | January 2, 1962–
December 28, 1965 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term lost re-election by popular vote to Badillo in 1966 |
| 8 | Herman Badillo
| Democratic | December 28, 1965–
December 31, 1969 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election in 1969 | Democratic | January 1, 1970–
December 31, 1978 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms resigned to accept the post of New York Attorney General that he had won in the November 1979 election |
| vacant | | January 1, 1979–
January 5, 1979 | |
| 10 | Stanley Simon | Democratic | January 5, 1979–
March 11, 1987 | elected by a 5-1-1 vote of the members of the City Council from the Bronx elected by popular vote to two four-year terms resigned prior to being indicted in the Wedtech scandal |
| — | Cecil P. Joseph
| Democratic | March 11, 1987–
April 15, 1987 | became acting borough president upon Simon's resignation |
| 11 | Fernando Ferrer
| Democratic | April 15, 1987–
December 31, 2001 | elected by a 5-to-1 vote of the City Council members from the Bronx to replace Simon elected by popular vote to four four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2001 because of term limits |
| 12 | Adolfo Carrión, Jr.
| Democratic | January 1, 2002–
February 19, 2009 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms resigned to become director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs |
| — | Earl D. Brown
| Democratic | February 19, 2009–
May 21, 2009 | became acting borough president upon Carrión's resignation |
| 13 | Ruben Diaz, Jr.
| Democratic | May 21, 2009–
current | elected by popular vote in a special election to replace Carrion re-elected by popular vote to three four-year terms |
| # | Borough President | Party | Dates in Office | Notes |
| 1 | Edward M. Grout
| Democratic | January 1, 1898–
December 31, 1901 |
- elected by popular vote to a four-year term
- did not run for re-election
|
| 2 | J. Edward Swanstrom
| Fusion | January 1, 1902–
December 31, 1903 | elected by popular vote to a two-year term lost election to Littleton |
| 3 | Martin W. Littleton
| Democratic-Independent | January 1, 1904–
December 31, 1905 | elected by popular vote to a two-year term did not run for re-election |
| 4 | Bird S. Coler
| Municipal Ownership League | January 1, 1906–
December 31, 1909 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 5 | Alfred E. Steers
| Democratic-Independent | January 1, 1910–
December 31, 1913 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 6 | Lewis H. Pounds
| Republican/Fusion | January 1, 1914–
December 31, 1917 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term lost popular vote for re-election to Riegelmann |
| 7 | Edward J. Riegelmann
| Democratic | January 1, 1918–
December 31, 1924 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice |
| 8 | Joseph A. Guider
| Democratic | January 1, 1925–
September 22, 1926 | elected interim borough president on December 31, 1924 for the remainder of Riegelmann's term by a 21-3 vote of the Brooklyn aldermen elected by popular vote to a four-year term November 3, 1925 died September 22, 1926 |
| 9 | James J. Byrne
| Democratic | September 22, 1926–
March 14, 1930 | became acting borough president upon Guider's death elected interim borough president September 30, 1926 by a unanimous vote of the Brooklyn aldermen nominated by the Kings County Democratic Coummittee to replace Guider on the general election ballot and elected by popular vote to serve the remainder of Guider's term re-elected by popular vote to a four-year term died March 14, 1930 |
| 10 | Henry Hesterberg
| Democratic | March 14, 1930–
December 11, 1933 | became acting borough president during Byrne's final illness and then elected interim borough president April 2, 1930 by a unanimous 23-0 vote of the Brooklyn aldermen elected by popular vote November 4, 1930 to the remainder of Byrne's term lost re-election popular vote to Ingersoll resigned about two weeks before the end of his term to accept a position on the city Water Board |
| 11 | Peter A. Carey
| Democratic | December 13, 1933–
December 31, 1933 | elected interim borough president by the Brooklyn aldermen December 13, 1933 after Hesterberg's resignation |
| 12 | Raymond V. Ingersoll
| Democratic/Fusion | January 1, 1934–
February 24, 1940 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms died in office during second term |
| — | Arthur R. Ebel
| Democratic | February 24, 1940–
March 4, 1940 | served as acting borough president during Ingersoll's final illness and after his death until Cashmore was elected |
| 13 | John Cashmore
| Democratic | March 4, 1940–
May 7, 1961 | elected interim borough president by a 4-2 vote of the City Council members from Brooklyn, with one abstention that was his own vote elected by popular vote November 5, 1940 to the remainder of Ingersolln's term, then re-elected by popular vote to five four-year terms died May 7, 1961 |
| 14 | John F. Hayes
| Democratic | May 7, 1961–
July 6, 1961
July 6, 1961–
December 31, 1961
| became acting borough president upon Cashmore's death, elected interim borough president by the members of the City Council from Brooklyn did not run for election |
| 15 | Abe Stark
| Democratic | January 1, 1962–
September 8, 1970 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms resigned due to poor health |
| 16 | Sebastian Leone
| Democratic | September 9, 1970–
December 31, 1976 | elected interim borough president by the eleven Brooklyn councilmen re-elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice |
| 17 | Howard Golden
| Democratic | January 3, 1977–
December 31, 2001 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of Leone's term by an 11-0 vote of the thirteen City Council members from Brooklyn re-elected by popular vote to six four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2001 because of term limits |
| 18 | Marty Markowitz
| Democratic | January 1, 2002–
December 31, 2013 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2013 because of term limits |
| 19 | Eric Adams
| Democratic | January 1, 2014
–current | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms |
| # | Borough President | Party | Dates in Office | Notes |
| 1 | Frederick Bowley
| Democratic | January 1, 1898–
December 31, 1901 |
- elected by popular vote to a four-year term
- did not run for re-election
|
| 2 | Joseph Cassidy
| Democratic | January 1, 1902–
December 31, 1905 | elected by popular vote to two two-year terms lost popular vote in 1905 |
| 3 | Joseph Bermel
| Democratic | January 1, 1906–
April 29, 1908 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned while under investigation for corruption |
| 4 | Lawrence Gresser
| Democratic | April 30, 1908–
September 27, 1911 | elected for the remainder of Bermel's term by a 3-2 vote of the five aldermen from Queens elected by popular vote to a four-year term removed by Governor John A. Dix for "inefficiency, incompetency, and neglect of duty" |
| vacant | | September 27, 1911–
October 4, 1911 | |
| 5 | Maurice E. Connolly
| Democratic | October 4, 1911–
April 2, 1928 | elected for the remainder of Gressel's term by a 3-2 vote of the five aldermen from Queens re-elected by popular vote to four four-year terms resigned while under investigation for official conspiracy |
| — | Michael J. Shugrue
| Democratic | April 2, 1928–
April 18, 1928 | became acting borough president upon Connolly's resignation |
| 6 | Bernard M. Patten
| Democratic | April 18, 1928–
December 31, 1928 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of the year by a 4-1 vote of the six aldermen from Queens lost popular vote to serve the remainder of Connolly's term |
| 7 | George U. Harvey
| Republican | January 1, 1929–
December 31, 1941
| elected by popular vote to serve the remainder of Connolly's term re-elected by popular vote to three four-year terms lost by popular vote in the 1941 election |
| 8 | James A. Burke
| Democratic | January 1, 1942–
December 31, 1949 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms did not seek renomination in 1949 |
| 9 | Maurice A. FitzGerald
| Democratic | January 1, 1950–
August 25, 1951 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term died in office |
| 10 | Joseph F. Mafera
| Democratic | August 25, 1951–
September 5, 1951
September 5, 1951–
December 31, 1951
| became acting borough president upon Fitzgerald's death elected interim borough president by a unanimous vote of the four members of the City Council from Queens did not run for re-election and was named to the City Tax Commission by the Mayor |
| 11 | James A. Lundy
| Republican | January 1, 1952–
December 31, 1957 | elected by popular vote to the remainder of FitzGerald's term re-elected by popular vote to a four-year term lost re-election to Crisona in 1957 |
| 12 | James J. Crisona
| Democratic | January 1, 1958–
January 1, 1959 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned to accept the seat as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court that he had won in the November 1958 election |
| vacant | | January 1, 1959–
January 5, 1959 | |
| 13 | John T. Clancy
| Democratic | January 5, 1959–
January 1, 1963 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of the year by a 4-0 vote of the seven City Council members from Queens, with one abstention elected by popular vote to serve the remainder of Crisona's term resigned to accept the position as Surrogate Court Judge that he had won in the November 1962 election |
| 14 | Mario J. Cariello
| Democratic | January 2, 1963–
January 1, 1969 | elected interim borough president by a unanimous vote of the five members of the City Council from Queens elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned to accept the position as a justice of the New York Supreme Court that he had won in the November 1968 election |
| 15 | Sidney Leviss
| Democratic | January 2, 1969
January 3, 1969–
December 31, 1969
January 1, 1970–
September 18, 1971 | became acting borough president upon Cariello's resignation, then was elected interim borough president for the remainder of the year by a 5-0 vote of the seven City Council from Queens, with two abstentions elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned to run for a seat on the New York State Supreme Court, and won |
| 16 | Donald R. Manes
| Democratic | September 22, 1971–
February 11, 1986 | elected by the seven members of the City Council from Queens to replace Leviss until the end of the year re-elected by popular vote to the remainder of Leviss' term re-elected by popular vote to four four-year terms resigned during a corruption investigation in advance of his indictment, committed suicide a month later |
| 17 | Claire Shulman
| Democratic | February 11, 1986–
March 12, 1986
March 12, 1986–
January 5, 1987
January 5, 1987–
December 31, 2001 | became acting borough president upon Manes' resignation elected unanimously by the nine City Council representatives from Queens to replace Manes until the end of the year elected by popular vote to fill the remainder of Manes' term elected by popular vote to three four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2001 because of term limits |
| 18 | Helen M. Marshall
| Democratic | January 1, 2002–
December 31, 2013 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2013 because of term limits |
| 19 | Melinda Katz
| Democratic | January 1, 2014–
January 6, 2020 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms resigned to be sworn in as Queens County District Attorney, the office to which she was elected the previous November |
| — | Sharon Lee | Democratic | January 6, 2020–current |
- became acting borough president when Katz was sworn into the Queens District Attorney's office to which she was elected the previous November
- did not run for election
|
| # | Borough President | Party | Dates in Office | Notes |
| 1 | George Cromwell
| Republican | May 24, 1898–
December 31, 1913 |
- elected by popular vote to a four-year term but not sworn into office until May because the election results were disputed and appealed
- re-elected two two-year terms and two four-year terms
|
| 2 | Charles J. McCormack
| Democratic | January 1, 1914–
July 11, 1915 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term died in office |
| — | Spire Pitou, Jr.
| Democratic | July 11, 1915–
July 29, 1915 | became acting borough president upon McCormack's death |
| 3 | Calvin D. Van Name
| Democratic | July 29, 1915–
December 31, 1921 | elected by the three aldermen from Staten Island to serve the remainder of McCormack's term re-elected by popular vote to a four-year term did not run for re-election |
| 4 | Matthew J. Cahill
| Democratic | January 1, 1922–
July 14, 1922 | elected by popular vote to a four-year term died in office |
| 5 | John A. Lynch
| Democratic | July 18, 1922–
December 31, 1933 | elected interim borough president for the remainder of the year by a unanimous vote of the three aldermen of Staten Island elected by popular vote to serve the remainder of Cahill's term elected by popular vote to two four-year terms denied a slot on the Democratic ballot by Tammany Hall, ran as an independent, but came in second place |
| 6 | Joseph A. Palma
| Republican | January 1, 1934–
December 31, 1945 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms declined to run for re-election in 1945 |
| 7 | Cornelius A. Hall
| Democratic | January 1, 1946–
February 12, 1953 | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms retired due to illness, died less than a month later |
| — | Thomas F. Reilly
| Democratic | February 12, 1953–
February 20, 1953 | became acting borough president upon Hall's resignation |
| 8 | Edward G. Baker
| Democratic | February 20, 1953–
December 31, 1954 | elected by a 2-1 vote, with Mayor Vincent Impellitteri breaking the tie vote between the two City Council members from Staten Island re-elected by popular vote to a four-year term resigned after winning a seat as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court |
| 9 | Albert V. Maniscalco
| Democratic | December 31, 1954–
December 31, 1965 | elected interim borough president to replace Baker for one year, until December 31, 1955, by a 2-0 vote of the City Council members from Staten Island elected by popular vote for the remainder of Baker's term elected by popular vote to two four-year terms lost re-election by popular vote to Connor in 1965 |
| 10 | Robert T. Connor
| Republican | January 1, 1966–
June 10, 1977 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms resigned to become a deputy assistant to the Secretary of the Navy |
| 11 | Anthony R. Gaeta
| Democratic | June 10, 1977–
November 10, 1984 | elected by a 2-2 vote of the four members of the City Council from Staten Island, with Mayor Abraham Beame needed to break the tie elected by popular vote to two four-year terms retired during his second term |
| 12 | Ralph J. Lamberti
| Democratic | November 10, 1984–
December 31, 1989 | elected by the two members of the City Council from Staten Island to replace Gaeta, who retired elected by popular vote to a four-year term ran for re-election but lost to Guy Molinari |
| 13 | Guy V. Molinari
| Republican | January 1, 1990–
December 31, 2001 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2001 because of term limits |
| 14 | James Molinaro
| Conservative | January 1, 2002–
December 31, 2013 | elected by popular vote to three four-year terms ineligible to run for re-election in 2013 because of term limits |
| 15 | James Oddo
| Republican | January 1, 2014–
current | elected by popular vote to two four-year terms |
