This is a list of mayors of Tukwila, Washington. In 1908, Tukwila was incorporated as a city. Joel Shomaker, the first mayor, was integral in the movement towards incorporation.[1] Jim Haggerton was elected mayor in 2007 and assumed office on 1 January 2008. Reelected to a second term in 2011, he has announced that he will not run for a third.[2][3][4]
| Mayor of Tukwila | |
|---|---|
Incumbent since 1 January 2024Thomas McLeod | |
| Term length | 4 years |
| Inaugural holder | Joel Shomaker |
| Formation | 23 June 1908 |
| Website | http://www.tukwilawa.gov/mayor/ |
History
editTukwila was incorporated on 23 June 1908 with Joel Shomaker as mayor. Shomaker, farm editor for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, had pushed for the city to be incorporated and planned the newspaper contest that decided the city's name.[5] Many mayors have had a lasting legacy in Tukwila, where Strander, Minkler, and Baker Boulevards are named after mayors who served in the middle of the twentieth century.[6]
Duties
editAs an optional municipal code city, Tukwila is governed by Title 35A of the Revised Code of Washington. As a mayor-council government, the mayor provides over all city council meetings, breaks tied votes, reports as to the city's finances, and prepares the budget. The mayor has the right to veto ordinances, but that veto can be overridden by a 50%-plus-two majority of the city council.[7]
List of mayors
edit| # | Name | Term began | Term ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Shomaker | 23 June 1908 | 31 December 1909 |
| 2 | Ernest Engel | 1 January 1910 | 31 December 1911 |
| 3 | Jacob Guntert | 1 January 1912 | 14 January 1913 |
| 4 | John Hall | 14 January 1913 | 31 December 1914 |
| 5 | Sylvanus Harlow Stevens | 1 January 1915 | 31 December 1918 |
| 6 | Edward F. Greene | 1 January 1919 | 31 December 1924 |
| 7 | George C. Bergquist | 1 January 1925 | 31 December 1927 |
| 8 | John R. Walkup | 1 January 1928 | 5 June 1933 |
| 9 | John P. Walkup | 5 June 1933 | 2 June 1947 |
| 10 | Charles Baker | 2 June 1947 | 2 April 1962 |
| 11 | John Strander (1924–1998) |
2 April 1962 | 31 December 1967 |
| 12 | Stanley Minkler | 1 January 1968 | 31 December 1971 |
| 13 | Frank Todd (1923–2004) |
1 January 1972 | 31 December 1975 |
| 14 | Edgar Bauch (1924–2004) |
1 January 1976 | 31 December 1979 |
| 15 | Frank Todd (1923–2004) |
1 December 1980 | 15 July 1982 |
| 16 | Gary VanDusen (1941–) |
15 July 1982 | 31 December 1991 |
| 17 | John W. Rants | 1 January 1992 | 31 December 1999 |
| 18 | Steve Mullett (1943–2017) |
1 January 2000 | 31 December 2007 |
| 19 | Jim Haggerton | 1 January 2008 | 31 December 2015[8] |
| 20 | Allan Ekberg (1959–) |
1 January 2016 | 31 December 2023 |
| 21 | Thomas McLeod | 1 January 2024 | Present |
References
edit- ^ Jones-Brown, Louise (17 August 2012). "Joel Shomaker Gave Tukwila a Start in 1908". Tukwila Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ Radford, Dean (18 December 2014). "Tukwila Mayor's Legacy: Make the City Financially Secure". Tukwila Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ "Mayor Haggerton's Bio". City of Tukwila, Washington. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ Radford, Dean (16 October 2014). "Public Can Weigh in on $300 Million Tukwila Budget Proposal on Nov. 10". Tukwila Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ Jones-Brown, Louise (16 August 2012). "Joel Shomaker gave Tukwila start in 1908". Tukwila Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ Jones-Brown, Louise. "Three mayors made Southcenter happen: Tukwila's story". Tukwila Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ "Duties and authority of the mayor — Veto — Tie-breaking vote". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ "Tukwila Past Mayors". City of Tukwila, Washington. Retrieved 5 February 2015.