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Olympia was named the capital city of Washington Territory on November 28, 1853. Incorporation as a Town occurred on January 28, 1859.
The governing body elected in 1859 was a five-member Board of Trustees, and the Office of Mayor was not created until November 11, 1873. At that time, the mayor and a six Council members (from three wards) were elected for one-year terms.
On November 16, 1925 the City government was changed to a three-member elected commission composed of the Mayor, Commissioner of Finance, and Commissioner of Public Works. The Commission began with three 3-year terms that were increased to four year terms in 1950.
On May 18, 1982, the voters of Olympia approved the Council-Manager form of government. A new 7-member City Council was elected on November 2, 1982 and assumed office on November 18, 1982. The first meeting of the newly elected City Council was November 23, 1982. The Mayor was selected by the Councilmembers for a two-year term in January of each even numbered year.
In 1991 the voters approved the selection of the Mayor through election by the citizens, rather than through appointment by the Council. The Mayor is elected to serve a 4-year term.
Public Officials: Mayors
1873-1924
|
Year |
Name |
Position |
| 1873 |
William Winlock Miller |
Mayor |
| 1874 |
Ike C. Ellis |
Mayor |
| 1875 |
Thornton F. McElroy |
Mayor |
| 1876 |
J. C. Horr |
Mayor |
| 1877 |
J. P. Judson |
Mayor |
| 1878-79 |
E. N. Quinette |
Mayor |
| 1880 |
George A. Barnes |
Mayor |
| 1881 |
E. T. Young |
Mayor |
| 1882-83 |
Dr. Nathaniel Ostrander |
Mayor |
| 1884 |
J. S. Dobbins |
Mayor |
| 1885 |
A. A. Phillips |
Mayor |
| 1886-88 |
A. H. Chambers |
Mayor |
| 1889-90 |
J. F. Gowey |
Mayor |
| 1891 |
J. C. Horr |
Mayor |
| 1892 |
Gen. R. G. O'Brien |
Mayor |
| 1893 |
J. W. Robinson |
Mayor |
| 1894-95 |
C. B. Mann |
Mayor |
| 1896 |
Chas. H. Ayer |
Mayor |
| 1897 |
John Byrne |
Mayor |
| 1898 |
Geo. B. Lane |
Mayor |
| 1899-1901 |
C. S. Reinhart |
Mayor |
| 1902-03 |
Clarence J. Lord |
Mayor |
| 1904 |
H. G. Richardson |
Mayor |
| 1905-06 |
Dr. P. H. Carlyon |
Mayor |
| 1907 |
Thos. McLarty |
Mayor |
| 1908 |
W. A. Hagemeyer |
Mayor |
| 1909-11 |
Mitchell Harris |
Mayor |
| 1912 |
Dr. Wayne L. Bridgford |
Mayor |
| 1913-16 |
George A. Mottman |
Mayor |
| 1917-20 |
Jesse T. Mills |
Mayor |
| 1921-22 |
C. H. Bowen |
Mayor |
| 1923-24 |
Geo. W. Draham |
Mayor |
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Public Officials: Commissioners
1925-1982
|
Year |
Name |
Position |
| 1925-28 |
James C. Johnson
E. N. Steele
Frank H. Phillips |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1929-31 |
George N. Mills
E. N. Steele
C. L. Dufault |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1932-34 |
E. N. Steele
Wm. W. Manier
*Chas. L. Dufault
Edw. C. Dohm |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1934-37 |
Dr. F. B. Longaker
David Gammell
Edw. C. Dohm |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1938-40 |
*Dr. F. B. Longaker
David Gammell
M.Y. Haskett
Edw. C. Dohm |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance, Mayor
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1941-43 |
J. T. Trullinger
M. Y. Haskett
Otis Gray Murray |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1944-46 |
J. T. Trullinger
M. Y. Haskett
Otis Gray Murray |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1947-49 |
Ernest Mallory
Dan L. McCaughan
W. A. Kellogg |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1950-53 |
Ralph A. Swanson
Dan L. McCaughan
*J. Ross Roberson
R. W. Hamilton |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1953-56 |
Amanda B. Smith
Claude Yount
*R. W. Hamilton
Thomas Allen |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works (10/26/54) |
| 1956-60 |
Amanda B. Smith
*Frank McClanna
Dr. Matthew Kast
*Peter F. Skoog
*Herbert Legg
Clarence Shain |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1960-64 |
Neil R. McKay
Thomas Allen
Ed. Krenik |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1964-69 |
Neil R. McKay
Thomas Allen
Gil Olson |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1969-73 |
Thomas P. Allen
George Earsley
*Gil Olson
Keith Kisor |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works
Comm. of Public Works (12/15/73) |
| 1974-77 |
Thomas P. Allen
George Earsley
Keith Kisor |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1978-81 |
Lyle Watson
Ron Rants
Wm. Jacobs |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
| 1982 |
Lyle Watson
David Skramstad
Wm. Daley |
Mayor, Public Safety
Comm. of Finance
Comm. of Public Works |
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Public Officials: Council/Manager
1982-present
|
Year |
Name |
Position |
|
11/9/82-12/85 |
David Skramstad
Pete Knittle
Mary Lux
Gilbert Carbone
William Daley
Holly Gadbaw
Joan Kelly |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/9/86-12/87 |
William Daley
Gilbert Carbone
Pete Knittle
Mary Lux
Holly Gadbaw
Joan Kelly
Rex Derr |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/1/88-12/89 |
Holly Gadbaw
Rex Derr
Gilbert Carbone
Pete Knitle
Mary Lux
William Daley
Cora Pinson |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/1/90-12/91 |
Rex Derr
Mary Lux
Gilbert Carbone
Holly Gadbaw
Sandra Romero
Nina Carter
Cora Pinson |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
In 1991 the voters approved the selection of the Mayor through election by the citizens, rather than through appointment by the Council, to serve a 4-year term. |
|
1/1/92-12/92 |
David A. Skramstad
Mary Lux
Rex Derr
Holly Gadbaw
Sandra Romero
Nina Carter
Mark Foutch |
Mayor (First Publicly Elected Mayor)
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/1/93-3/93 |
David A. Skramstad
Mary Lux
Rex Derr
Holly Gadbaw
Nina Carter
Mark Foutch
*Sandra Romero
Bob Jacobs |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
Resigned 1/5/93
(Appointed by Council-Sworn in 1/12/93) |
|
3/93-12/93 |
David A. Skramstad
Bob Jacobs
Mary Lux
Rex Derr
Holly Gadbaw
Nina Carter
Mark Foutch
Margaret McPhee |
Mayor-Resigned 3/2/93
Mayor-Selected by Council 3/2/93
Mayor Pro Tem
(Appointed by Council to fill vacancy by resignation of David A. Skramstad) |
|
1/3/94-12/95 |
Bob Jacobs
Mark Foutch
Pat Cole
Mary Lux
Holly Gadbaw
Margaret McPhee
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/2/96-12/97 |
Bob Jacobs
Mark Foutch
Pat Cole
Laura Ware
Holly Gadbaw
Margaret McPhee
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/98-12/99 |
Bob Jacobs
Mark Foutch
Stan Biles
Laura Ware
Holly Gadbaw
Margaret McPhee
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/00-12/01 |
Stan Biles
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Curt Pavola
Holly Gadbaw
Margaret McPhee
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
(Appointed to fulfill unexpired term of Biles) |
|
8/00-12/01 |
Stan Biles
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Curt Pavola
Holly Gadbaw
TJ Johnson
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
(Appointed 8/15/00 to fulfill unexpired term of M. McPhee) |
|
11/21/00-12/01 |
Stan Biles
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Curt Pavola
Holly Gadbaw
Doug Mah
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
(Elected-took seat on 11/21/01) |
|
1/02-12/03 |
Stan Biles
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Curt Pavola
Matthew Green
Doug Mah
Jeanette Hawkins |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem |
|
1/04-12/05 |
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Matthew Green
Jeanette Hawkins
Joe Hyer
TJ Johnson
Doug Mah
Curt Pavola |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
(resigned 07/04)
(appointed 08/04) |
| 1/06 - 12/07 |
Mark Foutch
Laura Ware
Joe Hyer
TJ Johnson
Jeff Kingsbury
Doug Mah
Karen Messmer |
Mayor
Mayor Pro Tem
|
|
1/08 - 12/09 |
Doug Mah
Joe Hyer
Jeff Kingsbury
Joan Machlis
Karen Messmer
Craig Ottavelli
Rhenda Strub |
Mayor
(appointed 01/07/2008) |
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