The Mayor is the highest elected official in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

. Since the city's incorporation in 1783, Charleston's chief executive officer has been elected directly by qualified voters, except for the years 1867-1868, when mayors were appointed by Federal officials. The position was known as intendant until 1836, and has been known as "mayor" since that time.

Intendants and Mayors of Charleston, South Carolina

#	Mayor	Party	Sworn In	Left Office	Comments
1	Richard Hutson Richard Hutson ' was an American lawyer, judge, and politician from Charleston, South Carolina. He represented South Carolina as a delegate to the Continental Congress, where he signed the Articles of Confederation. After the British captured Charleston in 1780, he was held as a prisoner at St. Augustine,...		1783	1784
1	Richard Hutson Richard Hutson ' was an American lawyer, judge, and politician from Charleston, South Carolina. He represented South Carolina as a delegate to the Continental Congress, where he signed the Articles of Confederation. After the British captured Charleston in 1780, he was held as a prisoner at St. Augustine,...		1784	1785
2	Arnoldus Vander Horst		1785	1786
3	John Faucheraud Grimké John Faucheraud Grimké was an American jurist who served as Associate justice and Senior Associate Justice of South Carolina's Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions from 1783 until his death. He also served in the South Carolina state legislature from 1782 until 1790...		1786	1787	Descendent of French French people The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...  Huguenot Huguenot The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the... s
3	John Faucheraud Grimké John Faucheraud Grimké was an American jurist who served as Associate justice and Senior Associate Justice of South Carolina's Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions from 1783 until his death. He also served in the South Carolina state legislature from 1782 until 1790...		1787	1788
3	John Faucheraud Grimké John Faucheraud Grimké was an American jurist who served as Associate justice and Senior Associate Justice of South Carolina's Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions from 1783 until his death. He also served in the South Carolina state legislature from 1782 until 1790...		1788	1788
4	Rawlins Lowndes Rawlins Lowndes Rawlins Lowndes was an American lawyer and politician from South Carolina. His sons, Thomas and William Lowndes, both served in the U.S. Congress....		1788	1789
5	Thomas Jones		1789	1790
2	Arnoldus Vander Horst		1790	1791
2	Arnoldus Vander Horst		1791	1792
6	John Huger		1792	1793
6	John Huger		1793	1794
7	John Bee Holmes		1794	1795
8	John Edwards		1795	1796
8	John Edwards		1796	1797
9	Henry William De Saussure Henry William de Saussure Henry William de Saussure was an American lawyer, state legislator and jurist from South Carolina who became a political leader as a member of the Federalist Party following the Revolutionary War...	Federalist	1797	1798	Descendent of French French people The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...  Huguenot Huguenot The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the... s from Lorraine Lorraine (région) Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated... Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...  in 1791 Attorney, indigo planter and slave owner
9	Henry William De Saussure Henry William de Saussure Henry William de Saussure was an American lawyer, state legislator and jurist from South Carolina who became a political leader as a member of the Federalist Party following the Revolutionary War...	Federalist	1798	1799
10	Thomas Roper		1799	1800
10	Thomas Roper		1800	1801
11	John Ward		1801	1802
12	David Deas		1802	1803
13	John Drayton John Drayton John Drayton was the 40th Governor of South Carolina on two non-consecutive occasions from 1800 to 1802 and 1808 to 1810, and was later a United States federal judge.-Early life and career:...		1803	1804
14	Thomas Winstanley		1804	1805
15	Charles Cochran		1805	1806
16	John Dawson, Jr.		1806	1807
16	John Dawson, Jr.		1807	1808
17	Benjamin Boyd		1808	1808
18	William Rouse		1808	1809
18	William Rouse		1809	1810
19	Thomas H. McCalla		1810	1811
19	Thomas H. McCalla		1811	1812
20	Thomas Bennett, Jr. Thomas Bennett, Jr. Thomas Bennett, Jr. was the 48th Governor of South Carolina from 1820 to 1822.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Bennett was educated at the College of Charleston. In a partnership with his father, Bennett ran a lumber and rice milling operation...		1812	1813
21	Thomas Rhett Smith		1813	1814
21	Thomas Rhett Smith		1814	1815
22	Elias Horry		1815	1816
22	Elias Horry		1816	1817
23	John Geddes John Geddes John Geddes was the 47th Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Geddes was the son of a merchant and received his education at the College of Charleston. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1797...	Democratic-Republican	1817	1818	Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820
23	John Geddes John Geddes John Geddes was the 47th Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Geddes was the son of a merchant and received his education at the College of Charleston. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1797...	Democratic-Republican	1818	1818
24	Daniel Stevens		1819	1819
24	Daniel Stevens		1819	1820
22	Elias Horry		1820	1821
25	James Hamilton, Jr.	Democratic-Republican	1821	1822	U.S. Representative United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...  from 1822 to 1829 Governor of South Carolina from 1830 to 1832
25	James Hamilton, Jr.	Democratic-Republican	1822	1822
23	John Geddes John Geddes John Geddes was the 47th Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Geddes was the son of a merchant and received his education at the College of Charleston. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1797...	Democratic-Republican	1823	1823
23	John Geddes John Geddes John Geddes was the 47th Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Geddes was the son of a merchant and received his education at the College of Charleston. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1797...	Democratic-Republican	1823	1824
26	Samuel Prioleau		1824	1825	Huguenot Huguenot The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
27	Joseph Johnson		1825	1826
27	Joseph Johnson		1826	1827
28	John Gadsden		1827	1828	Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature
28	John Gadsden		1828	1829
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat	1829	1830
30	James R. Pringle		1830	1831
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat	1831	1832
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat	1832	1833
31	Edward W. North		1833	1834
31	Edward W. North		1834	1835
31	Edward W. North		1835	1836
32	Robert Young Hayne	Democrat (Nullifier Nullifier Party The Nullifier Party was a short-lived political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Started by John C. Calhoun, it was a states' rights party that supported the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, holding that States could nullify federal laws within their borders... )	1836	1837	U.S. Senator United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...  from 1823 to 1832 Governor of South Carolina from 1832 to 1834 First Charleston's chief executive officer known as Mayor of Charleston
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat (Nullifier Nullifier Party The Nullifier Party was a short-lived political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Started by John C. Calhoun, it was a states' rights party that supported the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, holding that States could nullify federal laws within their borders... )	1837	1838
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat (Nullifier Nullifier Party The Nullifier Party was a short-lived political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Started by John C. Calhoun, it was a states' rights party that supported the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, holding that States could nullify federal laws within their borders... )	1838	1839
29	Henry Laurens Pinckney	Democrat (Nullifier Nullifier Party The Nullifier Party was a short-lived political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Started by John C. Calhoun, it was a states' rights party that supported the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, holding that States could nullify federal laws within their borders... )	1839	1840
33	Jacob F. Mintzing	Unionist Democrat	1840	1841	Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature
33	Jacob F. Mintzing	Unionist Democrat	1841	1842
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1842	1842	2nd German-American mayor Attorney Major General Major General Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...  with the 16th Regiment of South Carolina Militia
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1842	1843
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1843	1844
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1844	1845
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1845	1846
35 Thomas Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1846	1847
35	T. Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1847	1848
35	T. Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1848	1849
35	T. Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1849	1850
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1850	1851
34	John Schnierle	Democrat	1851	1852
35	T. Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1852	1853
35	T. Leger Hutchinson	Democrat	1853	1855
36	William Porcher Miles William Porcher Miles William Porcher Miles was among the ardent States' Rights advocates, supporters of slavery, and Southern secessionists who came to be known as the "Fire-Eaters." Born in South Carolina, he showed little early interest in politics and his early career included the study of law and a tenure as a...	Democrat	1855	1857
37	Charles Macbeth	Democrat	1857	1859
37	Charles Macbeth	Democrat	1859	1861
37	Charles Macbeth	Democrat	1861	1863
37	Charles Macbeth	Democrat	1863	1865
38	Peter Charles Gaillard	Democrat	1865	1868	Huguenot Huguenot The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the... Gaillard was a Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...  in the Confederate Army. He was removed from office by Federal authorities.
39	Gen. W.W. Burns	Military Appointment	1868	1868
40	Col. Milton Cogswell	Military Appointment	1868	1868
41	G.W. Clark	Military Appointment	1868	1868
42	Gilbert Pillsbury	Republican	1868	1871	Pillsbury was Charleston's Reconstruction mayor. He made career with the Freedmen’s Bureau.
43	Johann Andreas Wagener	Democrat	1871	1873	German-American and Lutheran mayor Wagener had been a Confederate General. He founded St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Charleston, South Carolina was incorporated on December 3, 1840. Through usage and custom the Church is now known as St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church or St...  in 1840 and is buried in its Bethany Cemetery.
44	G.I. Cunningham	Republican	1873	1875
44	G.I. Cunningham	Republican	1875	1877
45	William W. Sale	Democrat	1877	1879
46	William Ashmead Courtenay	Democrat	1879	1883
46	William Ashmead Courtenay	Democrat	1883	1887
47	George D. Bryan	Democrat	1887	1891
48	John F. Ficken	Democrat	1891	1895
49	J. Adger Smyth	Democrat	1895	1899
49	J. Adger Smyth	Democrat	1899	1903
50	R, Goodwyn Rhett	Democrat	1903	1907
50	R, Goodwyn Rhett	Democrat	1907	1911
51	John P. Grace	Democrat	1911	1915	1st Irish-American and Catholic Catholic The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...  mayor The John P. Grace Memorial Bridge John P. Grace Memorial Bridge The John P. Grace Memorial Bridge, or the Cooper River Bridge as it was familiarly known, was a cantilever bridge that crossed the Cooper River in Charleston, South Carolina. It opened on August 8, 1929 and was built by the Cooper River Bridge Company. Shortridge Hardesty of Waddell & Hardesty,...  was named to honor him.
52	Tristram T. Hyde	Democrat	1915	1919
51	John P. Grace	Democrat	1919	1923
53	Thomas Porcher Stoney	Democrat	1923	1927
53	Thomas Porcher Stoney	Democrat	1927	1931
54	Burnett Rhett Maybank	Democrat	1931	1935
54	Burnett Rhett Maybank	Democrat	1935	1938	Governor of South Carolina from 1939 to 1941 U.S. Senator United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...  from 1941 to 1954
55	Henry Whilden Lockwood	Democrat	1938	1939
55	Henry Whilden Lockwood	Democrat	1939	1943
55	Henry Whilden Lockwood	Democrat	1943	1944
56	E. Edward Wehman, Jr.	Democrat	1944	1947
57	William McGillivray Morrison	Democrat	1947	1951
57	William McGillivray Morrison	Democrat	1951	1955
57	William McGillivray Morrison	Democrat	1955	1959
58	J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr.	Democrat	1959	1963	Huguenot Huguenot The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
58	J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr.	Democrat	1963	1967
58	J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr.	Democrat	1967	1971
58	J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr.	Democrat	1971	1975
59	Arthur B. Schirmer, Jr.	Democrat	1975	1975
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1975	1979	2nd Irish-American mayor
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1979	1983
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1983	1987
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1987	1991
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1991	1995
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1995	1999
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	1999	2003
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	2003	2007
60	Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...	Democrat	2007	2011