List of mayors of Manchester, New Hampshire


This is a list of Mayors of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Political party designations are shown for some mayors, where known. However, municipal elections are officially non-partisan.
Throughout most of the previous century, elections have been held in odd-numbered years. Mayors are elected for a two-year term of office. The first city election in Manchester, New Hampshire occurred on August 19, 1846.
The administrative and executive powers of the city are vested in the mayor. The mayor must be a resident of the city for at least a year prior to filing for the office of mayor. The mayor has the power to supervise the administrative affairs of the city and presides over meetings of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The mayor is the de facto head of the Board of School Committee, which oversees the city’s schools.
From 1846 to 1857, mayors served for a one-year term, expiring on the third Tuesday in March. From 1857 to 1872, the mayor's term expired on the last day of December. In 1873, the term ended annually on the Third Tuesday in March, up until 1880, when it became a two-year term.

Trivia about Manchester's mayors

MayorTermPartyBirth/DeathNotes
Hiram Brown1846–1847WhigJanuary 23, 1801 – September 7, 1890Elected the city's first mayor, August 19, 1846.
Jacob F. James1847–1849Whigd, April 15, 1892Elected May 22, 1847, after two previous elections had been invalidated, since no candidate had won the required number of votes. He was re-elected April 26, 1848, after two elections had failed to yield the need number of votes to declare a winner.
Warren L. Lane1849–1850Democratd. March 4, 1861Elected in Oct. 1849 special election after elections in both April and May 1849 election yielded no clear winner.
Moses Fellows1851–1852
Frederick Smyth1852–1855March 9, 1819 – April 22, 1899
Theodore T. Abbott1855–1857AmericanMarch 22, 1799 – 1886Elected March 1855, re-elected March 1856.
Jacob F. James1857Elected Nov. 1856.
Alonzo Smith1858May 21, 1808 – April 17, 1865
Edward W. Harrington1859–1860
David A. Bunton1861–1862RepublicanOctober 18, 1805 – July 10, 1890
Theodore T. Abbott1863AmericanMarch 22, 1799 – 1886
Frederick Smyth1864RepublicanMarch 9, 1819 – April 22, 1899)Smyth won election almost unanimously with numerous candidates receiving 5 votes or less. Elected governor of New Hampshire in 1865.
Darwin J. Daniels1865 – August 15, 1865d. August 15, 1865Died in office, aged 50.
John HosleyAugust 1865 – 1866Elected to fill vacancy.
Joseph B. Clark1867
James A. Weston1868DemocratGovernor of New Hampshire, 1871–1872
Isaac W. Smith1869RepublicanMay 18, 1825 – 1898
James A. Weston1870–1871Democrat
Person C. Cheney1872RepublicanGovernor of New Hampshire 1875–77. Appointed U.S. Senator 1886–1887 to fill vacancy.
Charles H. Bartlett1873October 15, 1833–January 25, 1900Elected December 12, 1872, resigned February 18, 1873 because he was Clerk of the U.S. District Court, and could not hold a state or municipal elected office.
John P. Newell1873Chosen mayor by Aldermen and the Common Council to fill vacancy.
James A. Weston1874–1875Democrat
Alpheus Gay1875–1876
Ira Cross1876–1877RepublicanJuly 23, 1833 – February 11, 1914Resigned.
John L. Kelly1877–1880
Horace B. Putnam1881–1884November 5, 1825 – April 20, 1888
George H. Stearns1885–1886April 22, 1838 – August 21, 1929Died at the age of 91.
John Hosley1887–1888
David B. Varney1889–1890
Edgar J. Knowlton1891 – May 10, 1894Resigned May 10, 1894. David B. Varney de facto mayor, July 1894 – June 1895.
William C. Clarke1895–1902
Eugene E. Reed1903–1910DemocratApril 23, 1866 – December 15, 1940U.S. Congress, 1913 – 1915, defeated 1914. Candidate for U.S. Senate, 1918.
Edward C. Smith1911–1912RepublicanOctober 24, 1864 – August 25, 1926
Charles C. Hayes1913–1914Republican
Harry W. Spaulding1915–1917Republican
Moise Verrette1918–1921DemocratExecutive Councillor 1916–1918
George E. Trudel1922–1925
Arthur E. Moreau1926–1931Republican
Dr. Damase Caron1932–1941Democrat
Wilfred A. Laflamme1942–1943Republican
Josephat T. Benoit1944–1961DemocratMarch 3, 1900 – May 14, 1976Served a record nine consecutive terms. Born a Canadian citizen and moved to the United States at the age of seven. Held two doctorates.
John C. Mongan1962–1963Republicanb. April 17, 1925Inaugurated at Memorial High School, first mayor since 1946 inaugurated outside of City Hall.
Roland S. Vallee1964–1967DemocratNovember 13, 1929 – October 27, 1997Known as the "singing mayor."
John C. Mongan1968–1969Republicanb. April 17, 1925
Henry J. Pariseau1970RepublicanApril 1, 1918 – May 30, 1970Died in office
Charles R. "Dick" Stanton1970–1971DemocratApril 10, 1929 – May 10, 1985City Clerk Stanton was chosen by Board of Mayor and Aldermen to fill remainder of Pariseau's two-year term.
Sylvio L. Dupuis1972–1975Democratb. 1934Resigned, May 1975, to be one of the founders of Catholic Medical Center.
Charles R. "Dick" Stanton1975–1981DemocratApril 10, 1929 – May 1985
Emile Beaulieu1982–1983Democratb. April 2, 1931Lost reelection to Robert F. Shaw, 1983.
Robert F. Shaw1984–1987RepublicanMay 29, 1934 – August 17, 2004Switched to Democratic Party in 1995. Killed in auto accident on Route 93 in Manchester.
Emile Beaulieu1988–1989Democratb. April 2, 1931Lost reelection to Raymond J. Wieczorek, 1989. Switched to Republican Party in 1995.
Raymond Wieczorek1989–2000Republicanb. December 9, 1928Lost reelection to Robert A. Baines, 1999. Later served as an Executive Councillor 2002–2012.
Robert A. Baines2000–2006Democratb. 1946Lost reelection to Frank Guinta, 2005.
Frank Guinta2006–2010Republicanb. September 26, 1970Inaugurated January 3, 2006. Youngest Manchester mayor in over 150 years. Later served as U.S. Representative 2011–2013; 2015–2017.
Theodore "Ted" Gatsas2010–2018Republicanb. May 22, 1950Inaugurated January 5, 2010. Lost reelection to Joyce Craig, 2017. Now serving as an Executive Councillor 2019–
Joyce Craig2018-presentDemocraticInaugurated January 2, 2018. First female elected mayor of Manchester.