List of mayors of Taunton, Massachusetts


This is a list of mayors of Taunton, Massachusetts. Taunton was led by a Board of Selectmen from 1639 until its re-incorporation as a city in 1864. The first city government was inaugurated on January 2, 1865.
#MayorPictureTerm BeganTerm EndedNotes
1stEdmund H. BennettJanuary 2, 1865June 19, 1867First mayor of Taunton; resigned June 19, 1867.
2ndStephen H. RhodesJune 19, 18671870
3rdDaniel L. Mitchell18701873
4thWilliam H. Fox18731874
5thGeorge H. Babbitt18741876
6thOnias S. Paige18771879
7thCharles F. Johnson18801882
8thHoratio Cushman1883
9thCharles Hanson18841885
10thRichard Henry Hall18861886
11thEverett D. Godfrey1887
12thRichard Henry Hall18881889
13thArthur Alger1890
14thFrancis Babbitt18911892
15thWillis Hodgman1894
16thCharles A. Reed1895
17thBenjamin Morris1896
18thNathaniel J.W. Fish18971899
19thArthur Alger1900
20thJohn O'Hearn1901
21stRichard Everett Warner19021905
22ndJohn H. Eldredge19051906
23rdJohn B. Tracey19061907
24thEdgar Crossman19081909
25thWilliam S. Woods19101912
26thNathaniel Jarvis Wyeth Fish19121916
27thWilliam Flood19161919His son, Joseph E. Flood, Sr., was Mayor in 1970–1972
28thLeo Coughlin19191925
29thAndrew McGraw19261929
30thWllis K. Hodgman, Jr.19301932
31stAndrew McGraw19321935
32ndArthur Poole19361939
33rdJohn Fitzgerald1940February 20, 1941Died in Office
ActingHarold B. JohnstonFebruary 20, 1941April 30, 1941
34thMerrill AldrichApril 30, 1941November 25, 1946Won special election to succeed Fitzgerald.
Resigned to serve prison sentence for Cohabitation.
ActingFrederick H. SmithNovember 25, 1946February 7, 1947
35thJohn F. Parker19471953Won special election to succeed Aldrich.
36thJoseph C. Chamberlain19531960
37thBernard F. Cleary19601963Died in office shortly before completing his final term.
38thBenjamin A. Friedman19631970
39thJoseph E. Flood19701972
40thRudolph H. De Silva19721974
41stTheodore J. Aleixo, Jr.19741976
42ndBenjamin A. Friedman19761978
43rdJoseph L. Amaral19781982
44thRichard Johnson19821992
45thRobert G. Nunes19921999
46thThaddeus M. Strojny20002003
47thRobert G. Nunes2004March 12, 2007Resigned to serve as Director of Municipal Affairs for Gov. Deval Patrick. First mayor of Taunton to leave the office voluntarily before his term ended.
48thCharles E. CrowleyMarch 12, 2007January 2, 2012
49thThomas Hoye, Jr.January 2, 2012November 13, 2019Resigned to become interim Register of Probate for Bristol County, appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker.
ActingJeffrey PostellNovember 13, 2019November 23, 2019Taunton city council president; became acting mayor until the council voted to select one of its members as acting mayor.
50thDonald ClearyNovember 23, 2019January 6, 2020City councilor, elected by a 5-4 vote of the council to serve the balance of Mayor Hoye's term.
Pursuant to the City Charter, if the office of mayor becomes vacant, the city council will select one of its members by a majority vote to serve as mayor for the remainder of that term.
51stShaunna L. O'ConnellJanuary 6, 2020IncumbentFirst elected female mayor of Taunton. Former State Representative for the 3rd Bristol district, which includes most of Taunton and precinct 6 of Easton.