The Mayor of Philadelphia is the executive head of the Philadelphia Government in Pennsylvania. The Charter of the City of Philadelphia specified the post of the Mayor. The first mayor of Philadelphia was Humphrey Morrey, who was appointed by William Penn - the founder of Philadelphia. He started his term in 1961. In 1701, Edward Shippen was appointed as a Mayor by Penn again under the charter of 1701, he was re elected to a second term by the City Council. Eventually the mayors, who held the office for only one year, were elected by the city council through voting.
Michael Nutter has been elected as the Mayor of Philadelphia in 2007 and on January 7, 2008, he officially assumed the office of Mayor of Philadelphia. Michael A. Nutter has a bright career of public service, financial administration and business. Michael served as a City Councilman for almost 15 years representing Fourth District-one of Philadelphia. He represented the communities such as Wynnefield, Roxborough, Manayunk, Overbrook, Mt. Airy, East Falls and other parts of North and West Philadelphia. Since 1990, he also served as Democratic Ward Leader of the 52nd Ward in the city.
History of Mayors in Philadelphia
More than 150 Mayors have served Philadelphia, ever since 1961. However in 1776, the city government was demolished and the provincial assembly of Pennsylvania supervised
the city functions. The state government governed the city until a new charter was introduced on 11 March 1789, under the Act of Assembly. In 1826, the Council declared the right to elect any citizen of Philadelphia as the Mayor. It was not mandatory for the person to be a member of the city
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council. In 1839, the general public was first allowed to choose their Mayor through voting. If the voting polls did not decide the candidate, only then the joint Councils of Philadelphia would make a unanimous decision between the two leading candidates. John Swift was the first Mayor elected in this process in the 1840 election. There have been many changes in the procedure of Mayor election in Philadelphia. The main feature that has always been kept in mind is the candidate's popularity and his genuine urge for helping the mankind and social causes. The skills of the Philadelphia Mayors are well understood by the continuous development of the city.
The names and terms of the first ten Mayors of Philadelphia are as follows:
- Humphrey Morrey - 1691
- Edward Shippen - 1701
- Edward Shippen - 1702
- Anthony Morris - 1703
- Griffith Jones - 1704
- Joseph Willcox - 1705
- Nathan Stanbury - 1706
- Thomas Masters - 1707
- Thomas Masters - 1708
- Richard Hill - 1709
John F. Street was the former Mayor of Philadelphia, just before Nutter. He stressed on special social issues to combat crime, drug and illiteracy. The functions of the Mayor is closely related to the functions of City Council, which are associated with public affairs in Philadelphia and they directly show the impact on the quality of life of its citizens. Mayor of Philadelphia is one of the most respectable posts in the government of Philadelphia.
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