| Name of Mayor | Date Term began | Term Number | Other Information |
| Humphrey Morrey | 5/20/1691 | 1 | |
| Edward Shippen | 10/25/1701 | 2 | |
| Edward Shippen | 10/24/1702 | 3 | |
| Anthony Morris | 10/5/1703 | 4 | |
| Griffith Jones | 10/3/1704 | 5 | |
| Joseph Willcox | 10/2/1705 | 6 | |
| Nathan Stanbury | 10/1/1706 | 7 | Thomas Story refused election |
| Thomas Masters | 10/7/1707 | 8 | |
| Thomas Masters | 10/5/1708 | 9 | Elected by 14 votes |
| Richard Hill | 10/4/1709 | 10 | |
| William Carter | 10/3/1710 | 11 | |
| Samuel Preston | 10/2/1711 | 12 | |
| Jonathan Dickinson | 10/7/1712 | 13 | |
| George Roch | 10/6/1713 | 14 | |
| Richard Hill | 10/5/1714 | 15 | |
| Richard Hill | 10/4/1715 | 16 | |
| Richard Hill | 10/2/1716 | 17 | |
| Jonathan Dickinson | 10/1/1717 | 18 | Richard Hill refused election |
| Jonathan Dickinson | 10/7/1718 | 19 | |
| William Fishbourn | 10/6/1719 | 20 | |
| William Fishbourn | 10/4/1720 | 21 | |
| William Fishbourn | 10/3/1721 | 22 | |
| James Logan | 10/2/1722 | 23 | Isaac Norris refused election |
| Clement Plumsted | 10/1/1723 | 24 | |
| Isaac Norris | 10/6/1724 | 25 | |
| William Hudson | 10/5/1725 | 26 | |
| Charles Read | 10/4/1726 | 27 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/3/1727 | 28 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/2/1728 | 29 | |
| Thomas Griffitts | 10/7/1729 | 30 | |
| Thomas Griffitts | 10/6/1730 | 31 | |
| Samuel Hasell | 10/6/1731 | 32 | |
| Samuel Hasell | 10/3/1732 | 33 | |
| Thomas Griffitts | 10/2/1733 | 34 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/1/1734 | 35 | |
| William Allen | 10/7/1735 | 36 | |
| Clement Plumsted | 10/5/1736 | 37 | |
| Thomas Griffitts | 10/4/1737 | 38 | |
| Anthony Morris | 10/3/1738 | 39 | |
| Edward Roberts | 10/2/1739 | 40 | |
| Samuel Hasell | 10/7/1740 | 41 | |
| Clement Plumsted | 10/6/1741 | 42 | |
| William Till | 10/5/1742 | 43 | |
| Benjamin Shoemaker | 10/4/1743 | 44 | |
| Edward Shippen | 10/2/1744 | 45 | |
| James Hamilton | 10/1/1745 | 46 | Alexander Taylor and Joseph Turner, refused election to the office of mayor |
| William Attwood | 10/7/1746 | 47 | |
| William Attwood | 10/9/1747 | 48 | Anthony Morris elected 10-6-1747, disappeared as to not accept or refuse office. |
| Charles Willing | 10/4/1748 | 49 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/3/1749 | 50 | |
| William Plumsted | 10/2/1750 | 51 | |
| Robert Strettell | 10/1/1751 | 52 | |
| Benjamin Shoemaker | 10/3/1752 | 53 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/2/1753 | 54 | |
| Charles Willing | 4/25/1754 | 55 | Replaced Thomas Lawrence, deceased |
| Charles Willing | 10/1/1754 | 56 | |
| William Plumsted | 12/4/1754 | 57 | Replaced Charles Willing, deceased |
| William Plumsted | 10/7/1755 | 58 | |
| Attwood Shute | 10/5/1756 | 59 | |
| Attwood Shute | 10/4/1757 | 60 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/15/1758 | 61 | John Mifflin refused election10/3/1758; Alexander Stedman refused 10/4/1758; William Coxe pleaded illness 10/15/1758 |
| John Stamper | 10/2/1759 | 62 | |
| Benjamin Shoemaker | 10/7/1760 | 63 | |
| Jacob Duche | 10/6/1761 | 64 | Samuel Mifflin refused election |
| Henry Harrison | 10/5/1762 | 65 | William Coxe & Daniel Benezet, refused election |
| Thomas Willing | 10/4/1763 | 66 | |
| Thomas Lawrence | 10/2/1764 | 67 | |
| John Lawrence | 10/1/1765 | 68 | |
| John Lawrence | 10/7/1766 | 69 | |
| Isaac Jones | 10/6/1767 | 70 | |
| Isaac Jones | 10/4/1768 | 71 | |
| Samuel Shoemaker | 10/3/1769 | 72 | |
| Samuel Shoemaker | 10/2/1770 | 73 | |
| John Gibson | 10/1/1771 | 74 | |
| John Gibson | 10/6/1772 | 75 | |
| William Fisher | 10/5/1773 | 76 | |
| Samuel Rhoads | 10/4/1774 | 77 | |
| Samuel Powel | 10/5/1775 | 78 | |
In 1776, the city government was abolished and the city functions were operated by the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania. The state government continued to run the city until a new charter for the city was granted on 11 March 1789 under an Act of Assembly approved on that date. No change in the election of the Mayor occurred from Colonial practices.
However, beginning in 1826, the Council had the right to elect any citizen of Philadelphia as Mayor, not just a member of Council. In 1839, the general electorate was first permitted to vote directly for Mayor. If no candidate won a majority of the popular vote, then the joint Councils of Philadelphia (Select and Common) would decide among the two leading candidates. John Swift became the first Mayor elected directly by the people in Philadelphia in the 1840 election.
| Name of Mayor | Date Term began | Term Number | Election Results | Other Information | |
| Samuel Powel | 4/11/1789 | 79 | |||
| Samuel Miles | 4/12/1790 | 80 | |||
| John Barclay | 4/13/1791 | 81 | |||
| Matthew Clarkson | 4/13/1792 | 82 | John Barclay & George Roberts, refusing | ||
| Matthew Clarkson | 4/3/1793 | 83 | |||
| Matthew Clarkson | 4/15/1794 | 84 | |||
| Matthew Clarkson | 4/6/1795 | 85 | |||
| Matthew Clarkson | 5/5/1796 | 86 | |||
| Hilary Baker | 10/18/1796 | 87 | |||
| Hilary Baker | 10/17/1797 | 88 | |||
| Robert Wharton | 10/16/1798 | 89 | |||
| Robert Wharton | 10/11/1799 | 90 | Won by vote of 21-0 | ||
| John Inskeep | 10/21/1800 | 91 | Won by vote of 26-0 | Elected after Robert Wharton declined nomination. | |
| Matthew Lawler | 10/16/1801 | 92 | Matthew Lawler 23, John Clement Stocker 8 | ||
| Matthew Lawler | 10/19/1802 | 93 | Matthew Lawler 25, Robert Wharton 3 | ||
| Matthew Lawler | 10/18/1803 | 94 | |||
| Matthew Lawler | 10/16/1804 | 95 | Won by vote of 24-0 | ||
| John Inskeep | 10/15/1805 | 96 | John Inskeep 23, Matthew Lawler 2 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/21/1806 | 97 | |||
| Robert Wharton | 10/20/1807 | 98 | |||
| John Barker | 10/18/1807 | 99 | |||
| John Barker | 10/17/1809 | 100 | |||
| Robert Wharton | 10/16/1810 | 101 | |||
| Michael Keppele | 10/15/1811 | 102 | Robert Wharton declined | ||
| John Barker | 10/20/1812 | 103 | John Barker 21; Robert Wharton 8; John Geyer 2 | ||
| John Geyer | 10/19/1813 | 104 | John Geyer 21; Robert Wharton 4; John Barker 4 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/18/1814 | 105 | Robert Wharton 23; John Geyer 5 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/17/1815 | 106 | |||
| Robert Wharton | 10/15/1816 | 107 | Elected unanimously | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/21/1817 | 108 | Elected unanimously | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/20/1818 | 109 | Elected unanimously | ||
| James Nelson Barker | 10/19/1819 | 110 | J.N. Barker 17, M. Lawler 11, R. Wharton 1 | Elected on 5th Ballot | |
| Robert Wharton | 10/17/1820 | 111 | R. Wharton 24, J. N. Barker 2, J. Geyer 1 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/16/1821 | 112 | Won by vote of 26-0 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/15/1822 | 113 | Won by vote of 29-0 | ||
| Robert Wharton | 10/21/1823 | 114 | Won by vote of 27-0 | ||
| Joseph Watson | 10/19/1824 | 115 | Won by vote of 25-0 | ||
| Joseph Watson | 10/18/1825 | 116 | J. Watson 26; James N. Barker 1; Samuel Badger 1 | ||
| Joseph Watson | 10/18/1826 | 117 | Won by vote of 25-0 | ||
| Joseph Watson | 10/16/1827 | 118 | Won by vote of 25-0 | ||
| George Mifflin Dallas | 10/21/1828 | 119 | G. M. Dallas 24; Joseph Watson 6 | ||
| Benjamin Wood Richards | 4/15/1829 | 120 | Replaced George M. Dallas, who resigned. | ||
| William Milnor | 10/20/1829 | 121 | W. Milnor 17; B. W. Richards 14; John Swift 1 | ||
| Benjamin Wood Richards | 10/19/1830 | 122 | Won by vote of 32-0 | ||
| Benjamin Wood Richards | 10/18/1831 | 123 | Won by vote of 31-0 | ||
| John Swift | 10/16/1832 | 124 | J. Swift 19; Samuel Rush 10 | Elected on 2nd ballot | |
| John Swift | 10/15/1833 | 125 | Won by vote of 29-0 | ||
| John Swift | 10/21/1834 | 126 | Elected unanimously | ||
| John Swift | 10/20/1835 | 127 | J. Swift 19; Joseph Watson 11 | ||
| John Swift | 10/18/1836 | 128 | Won by vote of 28-0 | ||
| John Swift | 10/17/1837 | 129 | Won by vote of 30-0 | ||
| Isaac Roach | 10/16/1838 | 130 | I. Roach 18; J. Swift 14; John C. Montgomery 1 | ||
| John Swift | 10/15/1839 | 131 | Swift: 3,343; John K. Kane: 3,294; John C. Montgomery: 2,670 | Swift won Council vote 26-0. First election by popular vote. As no candidate received majority, Council voted among the two top candidates | |
| John Swift | 10/20/1840 | 132 | Swift: 6,355; Henry Horn: 4,820 | First Mayor to be elected solely by popular vote. | |
| John Morin Scott | 10/19/1841 | 133 | Scott: 5,658; Samuel Badger: 4,693 | ||
| John Morin Scott | 10/18/1842 | 134 | Scott: 6,145; Richard Vaux 5,065; Others: 3 | ||
| John Morin Scott | 10/10/1843 | 135 | Scott: 6,585; Samuel H. Perkins: 3,976; Others: 3 | ||
| Peter McCall | 10/15/1844 | 136 | McCall (W): 5,506; Elhanan W. Keyser (Native Am.): 5,065; Samuel Badger (D): 4,032; Others: 7 | Councils selected Peter McCall by vote of 30-0. | |
| John Swift | 10/21/1845 | 137 | Swift: 4,979; Elhanan W. Keyser: 4,538; James Page: 3,946; John Bouvier: 78 | Councils selected John Swift by a vote of 31-0. | |
| John Swift | 10/20/1846 | 138 | Swift: 5,562; Richard Vaux: 3,402; Peter A. Brown: 3,244; Thomas Hansell: 31; Others: 11 | Councils selected John Swift by a vote of 30-0. | |
| John Swift | 10/19/1847 | 139 | Swift: 6.046; J. Altamont Phillips: 3,550; Peter Fritz: 2,530; James Hansell: 10; John M. Scott: 2; Others: 8 | Councils selected John Swift by a vote of 29-0. | |
| John Swift | 10/17/1848 | 140 | Swift: 8,440; Samuel Badger: 5,079; Thomas Wattson: 75 | ||
| Joel Jones | 10/16/1849 | 141 | Jones (Ind.): 6,429; Charles Gilpin (Whig): 6,364; Other: 16 | ||
| Charles Gilpin | 10/15/1850 | 142 | Gilpin (W): 7,363; Joel Jones: 5,081; W. J. A. Birkey: 46; Others: 16 | ||
| Charles Gilpin | 10/21/1851 | 143 | Gilpin (W): 9,275; John Swift (D): 3,934 | ||
| Charles Gilpin | 10/19/1852 | 144 | Gilpin (W): 8,792; William Badger: 4,328; John S. Warner: 408 | ||
| Charles Gilpin | 10/18/1853 | 145 | Gilpin (W): 8,002; John Thompson: 4,392 | ||
On 2 February 1854, the Act of Assembly passed by the Pennsylvania Assembly which called for the Consolidation of the city and county of Philadelphia into one political and geographical unit was approved by the governor of Pennsylvania, William Bigler. This Act extended the term of the mayor from one to two years. Under provisions of the Act of 12 April 1861, the election was changed to the second Tuesday in October, and the term of Mayor extended to three years. The term started on the first Monday in January.
By the State Constitution of 1873, which went in to operation in January 1874, all elections for city and ward officers were changed to the third Tuesday in February.
By the Act of 10 March 1875, the term of Mayor was extended from January to April. The inaugeration of Mayor would be held on the first Monday of April.
Under the provisions of the Act of 1 June1885 (known as the Bullitt Bill), which reorganized city government beginning on 1 January 1887, the term reached its current length of four years.
A schedule of amendements to the State Constitution approved on 2 November 1909 extended the term of Mayor from the first Monday in April to the first Monday in December. An Act of 2 March 1911 provided that the term of Mayor shall hereafter begin on the first Monday in January following their election.
The City Charters of 1919 and 1951 did not disturb the length of the term served by the Mayor. The Act of1885 prohibited any mayor from succeeding himself. This prohibition was not lifted until the 1940s. Currently, under the terms of the Charter of 1951 (Philadelphia Home Rule Charter), a mayor may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
| Name of Mayor | Date Term began | Term Number | Election Results | Other Information |
| Robert Thomas Conrad | 6/13/1854 | 146 | Conrad (Whig): 29,507; Richard Vaux (Dem.) 21,011 | First Mayor of Consolidated City of Philadelphia. Two-year term established under the Act of Consolidation |
| Richard Vaux | 5/13/1856 | 147 | Vaux (D): 29,534; Henry D. Moore (Am. Republican): 25,445; William B. Thomas: 275 | |
| Alexander Henry | 5/11/1858 | 148 | Henry (People's): 33,868; Richard Vaux (D): 28,934; C. Neal: 1; F. Pierson: 1 | |
| Alexander Henry | 5/8/1860 | 149 | Henry (R): 36,658; John Robbins (D): 35,776 | |
| Alexander Henry | 1/1/1863 | 150 | Henry (R): 34,613; Daniel Fox (D) 30,049 | Three-year term established. |
| Morton McMichael | 1/1/1866 | 151 | McMichael (R): 44,617; Daniel Fox (D): 39,511 | |
| Daniel Fox | 1/1/1869 | 152 | Fox (D): 61,517; Hector Tynsdale (R): 59,679 | |
| William Strumberg Stokley | 1/1/1872 | 153 | Stokley (R): 58,508; James S. Biddle (D.-Reform): 50,307 | |
| William Strumberg Stokley | 1/1/1875 | 154 | Stokley (R): 60,128; Alexander K. McClure (Ind. & D.): 49,133 | |
| William Strumberg Stokley | 1/1/1878 | 155 | Stokley (R): 64,779; Joseph L. Caven (D. & Ind.): 61,913 | |
| Samuel George King | 4/4/1881 | 156 | King (D. & Citizens' Comm.): 78,215; William S. Stokley (R): 72,428; A.C. Baird (Greenback): 151 | |
| William Burns Smith | 4/7/1884 | 157 | W. B. Smith (R): 79,552; Samuel G. King (D): 70,440 | |
| Edwin Henry Fitler | 4/4/1887 | 158 | Fitler (R): 90,211; George deBenneville Keim (D): 62,263 | 4-year term established. |
| Edwin Sydney Stuart | 4/6/1891 | 159 | Stuart (R): 108,978; Albert H. Lardner (D): 69,913 | |
| Charles Franklin Warwick | 4/1/1895 | 160 | Warwick (R): 137,863; Robert E. Pattison (D): 79,879 | |
| Samuel Howell Ashbridge | 4/3/1899 | 161 | Ashbridge (R-Ind.): 145,778; Hoskins (D): 23,557; Bryan (Peo): 1,701; Eavenson (Pro.): 1,233; Hetzel (S.T.): 671 | |
| John Weaver | 4/6/1903 | 162 | Weaver (R): 168,781; Francis Fisher Kane (D): 32,769; Howard H. Caldwell: (Soc.): 1,500; Alfred D. Calvert: (Pro.) 1,015 | |
| John Edger Reyburn | 4/1/1907 | 163 | Reyburn: (R-Jeffersonian) 130,585; William Potter: (City-Dem.) 97,582; Charles Sehl: (Soc.) 1,649; L.L. Eavenson (Pro.): 405 | |
| Rudolph Blankenburg | 12/4/1911 | 164 | Blankenburg (Keystone-Democrat): 134,680; George H. Earle, Jr. (R): 130,185 | |
| Thomas B. Smith | 1/3/1916 | 165 | T. B. Smith (R): 166,643; George D. Porter (Franklin): 88,135; D. Gordon Bromley (D): 4,741 | |
| Joseph Hampton Moore | 1/5/1920 | 166 | Moore (R): 227,739; Harry Wescott (D): 30,408; Joseph S. McLaughlin (Charterite): 17,900; Charles Bauer (Socialist): 6,320 | |
| W. Freeland Kendrick | 1/7/1924 | 167 | Kendrick (R): 286,398; A. Raymond Raff (D): 37,239 | |
| Harry Arista Mackey | 1/2/1928 | 168 | Mackey (R): 296,959; J. Hampton Moore (Citizens'): 128,611; Thomas A. Logue (D): 9.902; J.S. McLaughlin (Charterite): 3,605 | |
| Joseph Hampton Moore | 1/4/1932 | 169 | Moore (R): 362,329; Michael Donahue (D): 31,330 | |
| Samuel Davis Wilson | 1/6/1936 | 170 | Wilson (R): 379,222; John B. Kelly (D): 333,825 | |
| George Connell | 8/19/1939 | 171 | Acting Mayor upon death of S. Davis Wilson. | |
| Robert Eneas Lamberton | 1/1/1940 | 172 | Lamberton (R): 398,384; Robert C. White (D): 361,143 | |
| Bernard Samuel | 8/22/1941 | 173 | Acting Mayor upon death of Robert Lamberton | |
| Bernard Samuel | 1/3/1944 | 174 | Samuel (R): 346,297; William C. Bullitt (D): 282,832 | |
| Bernard Samuel | 1/5/1948 | 175 | Samuel (R): 413,091; Richardson Dilworth (D): 321,469 | |
| Joseph Sill Clark Jr. | 1/7/1952 | 176 | Clark (D): 448,983; Daniel A. Poling (R): 324,283 | |
| Richardson Dilworth | 1/2/1956 | 177 | Dilworth (D): 423,035; W. Thatcher Longstreth (R): 293,329 | |
| Richardson Dilworth | 1/4/1960 | 178 | Dilworth (D): 438,278; Harold Stassen (R): 229,818 | |
| James Hugh Joseph Tate | 2/13/1962 | 179 | Assumed Mayoralty upon resignation of R. Dilworth on 2/12/1962. | |
| James Hugh Joseph Tate | 1/6/1964 | 180 | Tate (D): 401,714; James T. McDermott (R): 333,446 | |
| James Hugh Joseph Tate | 1/1/1968 | 181 | Tate (D): 353,326; Arlen Specter (R): 342,398; Joseph J. Frieri (Constitutional) 9,931; Cecil B. Moore (Political Freedom Rights): 9,031;Leonard L. Smalls (Cons.) 6,675 | |
| Frank Lazarro Rizzo | 1/3/1972 | 182 | Rizzo (D): 394,067; W. Thatcher Longstreth (R): 345,912; Joseph J. Frieri (Constitutional) 2,456; Clarissa Cain (Cons.) 1,054; George S. Taylor (Soc. Labor): 948; Jean Savage (Soc. Workers), 919 | |
| Frank Lazarro Rizzo | 1/5/1976 | 183 | Rizzo (D): 311,879; Charles W. Bowser (I): 134,334; Thomas Foglietta (R): 101,001 | |
| William Joseph Green III | 1/7/1980 | 184 | Green (D): 313,345; David W. Marston (R): 174,083; Lucien Blackwell (Consumer): 108,447 | |
| Willie Wilson Goode | 1/2/1984 | 185 | Goode (D): 396,266; John Egan (R): 263,742; Thomas Leonard (Ind): 57,146 | |
| Willie Wilson Goode | 1/4/1988 | 186 | Goode (D): 333,254; F.L. Rizzo (R): 319,053 | |
| Edward Gene Rendell | 1/6/1992 | 187 | Rendell (D): 281,751; Joseph M. Egan, Jr. (R): 130,478 | |
| Edward Gene Rendell | 1/1/1996 | 188 | Rendell (D): 232,798; M. Joseph Rocks (R): 63,131; Lance Haver (Consumer): 6.872; Deborah O. Liatos (Socialist): 1,365 | |
| John F. Street | 1/3/2000 | 189 | Street (D): 211,136; Sam Katz (R): 203,908 | |
| John F. Street | 1/5/2004 | 190 | Street (D): 267,230; Sam Katz (R): 189,357; John Staggs (Socialist Workers): 1,291 | |
| Michael Nutter | 1/7/2008 | 191 | Street (D): 222,583; Al Taubenberger (R): 46,209; John Staggs (Socialist Workers): 1,001 |
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Last updated on 13 January 1998.