Mayor of San Francisco

Mayor of San Francisco. The mayor is the chief executive of the City and County of San Francisco, a consolidated city-county government established by state charter. The officeholder oversees a vast municipal apparatus, sets the city's policy agenda, and manages an annual budget exceeding $14 billion. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and works alongside the Board of Supervisors and other elected officials like the District Attorney and Sheriff.

History

The office was created upon the California Gold Rush-era incorporation of San Francisco in 1850, with John W. Geary, a former Civil War general and Governor, serving as the first mayor. The city's governance was fundamentally reshaped by the 1906 earthquake and fire, which prompted massive reconstruction efforts under Mayor Eugene Schmitz and political boss Abe Ruef. The 1915 city charter established the current strong-mayor system. Twentieth-century mayors like James Rolph, who later became Governor of California, and Joseph Alioto, who navigated the tumultuous 1960s, left significant marks. The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw transformative figures including Dianne Feinstein, who assumed office after the assassinations of George Moscone and Harvey Milk, and Willie Brown, known for major development projects. More recent mayors have grappled with issues like the dot-com bubble, homelessness, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duties and powers

The mayor possesses broad executive authority, including preparing and administering the city's budget, which funds departments like the Police Department, Fire Department, and Municipal Transportation Agency. The mayor appoints the heads of all city departments, commissioners to bodies like the Public Utilities Commission and Port Commission, and members of numerous boards. Other key powers include vetoing ordinances passed by the Board of Supervisors, declaring local emergencies, and representing the city in dealings with state, federal, and international entities. The mayor also serves on regional bodies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Air Quality Management District.

Election and succession

Elections for the office are held every four years, coinciding with gubernatorial elections, and are nonpartisan under state law. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters. Term limits restrict mayors to two consecutive four-year terms, though they can run again after a break in service. The charter specifies a line of succession: if the office is vacated, the president of the Board of Supervisors becomes acting mayor, followed by the City Attorney and then the Controller. This succession process was invoked following the deaths of George Moscone in 1978 and Ed Lee in 2017.

List of mayors

Since 1850, San Francisco has had over 40 individuals serve as mayor. Notable 19th-century mayors include James D. Phelan, who later became a U.S. Senator. In the 20th century, Angelo Rossi presided during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, while George Christopher was a prominent Republican figure. Dianne Feinstein's lengthy tenure from 1978 to 1988 was followed by Art Agnos and Frank Jordan. Willie Brown's two terms from 1996 to 2004 emphasized major urban development. Gavin Newsom, later Lieutenant Governor of California and Governor of California, served from 2004 to 2011, succeeded by Ed Lee, the city's first Asian American mayor. The current mayor, London Breed, assumed office in 2018 and was elected to a full term that year.

See also

* Government of San Francisco * San Francisco Board of Supervisors * Politics of the San Francisco Bay Area * List of mayors of San Francisco

Category:Mayors of San Francisco Category:San Francisco government