Is the current mayor actually the 111th or 112th leader?
In short: New York City's official mayoral count is currently caught in a historical glitch. Because of an overlooked non-consecutive term from the 1600s, the city has been misnumbering its leaders for nearly two centuries—a fact so obscure that even the current mayor had to joke about it during his inauguration.
The discrepancy stems from Matthias Nicoll, who served as mayor in 1672–73. After a Dutch reconquest, he was appointed to a second non-consecutive term in 1674 following the Treaty of Westminster. However, this second stint was omitted from official records as early as an 1841 manual. While researchers flagged the error by 1935, it persisted until recent investigations by local archives confirmed that Nicoll's second term was indeed valid.
This oversight creates a mathematical ripple effect for every subsequent officeholder. Because mayors are counted twice if they serve non-consecutive terms—similar to how U.S. Presidents are numbered—the omission of Nicoll's second term means the current count is technically off by one. When Zohran Mamdani took office on January 1, 2026, his official website listed him as the 112th mayor, a number he playfully acknowledged in his inaugural speech.
The evolution of the office itself reflects NYC's expansion and democratic shifts. The role was established in 1665 with appointed officials, moving to direct popular elections in 1834. Following the 1898 consolidation that created the modern five-borough city, the mayoralty became a position requiring support from all regions. Since 1993, voters have generally enforced a two-term limit, despite various attempts by the City Council and individual mayors to extend it to three terms.
The history of the office is also marked by unique anomalies. For instance, Mayor Strong served an extra year in 1894 because no election was held in 1896. Additionally, several 'acting' mayors served remarkably brief periods; William T. Collins held the title for just a single day in 1925, while Samuel B. H. Vance served for only one month in 1874.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: List of mayors of New York City
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