Background In 1837, following the absorption of Trenton Township, the population of Trenton was too large for government by city council. A new mayoral government was adopted, with by-laws that remain in operation to this day.Richman, Steven M. Reconsidering Trenton: The Small City in the Post-Industrial Age , p. 49. McFarland & Company, 2010. . Accessed November 15, 2015.
Today, Trenton is governed under the Faulkner Act of 1950 within the mayor-council system of municipal government.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a seven-member city council. Three city council members are elected at-large, and four come from each of four wards. The mayor and the at-large council members are elected concurrently on a non-partisan basis to four-year terms of office as part of the November general election.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 73."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.City Council Overview , Trenton, New Jersey. Accessed December 1, 2019. "The City of Trenton is governed within the Faulkner Act, formerly known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law. Under this act, the Mayor-Council system was developed in 1792."
List of mayors # Image Mayor Term in office Length of service Party affiliation Previous office1Moore Furman(1728–1808)1792–17942 years Deputy Quartermaster-General and Forage Master of New Jersey2Aaron Woodruff(1762–1817; aged 54)1794–17973 years FederalistMember of the General Assembly3James Ewing(1744–1823)1797–18036 yearsNew Jersey Assemblyman4Joshua Wright1803–18063 years5Stacy Potts1806–18148 years6Robert McNealy1814–183218 years7Charles Burroughs1832–184715 years8Samuel R. Hamilton1847–18492 years9William C. Howell1849–18501 year10William Napton1850–18522 yearsNew Jersey Assemblyman11John R. Tucker1852–18542 years(10)William Napton1854–18551 yearFormer Mayor of Trenton12William P. Sherman1855–1855under 1 year(11)John R. Tucker1855–18561 yearFormer Mayor of Trenton13Joseph Wood1856–18593 years Democratic14Franklin S. Mills1859–18612 yearsNew Jersey Assemblyman15William R. McKean1861–18632 years(14)Franklin S. Mills1863–18674 yearsFormer Mayor of Trenton16Alfred Reed(1839–1918)1867–18681 yearPresident of the City Council(10)William Napton1868–18713 yearsRepublicanFormer Mayor of Trenton17John Briest (1836–1915)1871–18754 yearsDemocraticPublisher of The Emporium18Wesley Creveling (1841–1920)1875–18772 yearsDemocratic19Daniel R. Bodine1877–18792 years20William Rice1879–18812 years21Garrett D. W. Vroom(b. 1843)1881–18843 years Democratic22Richard Grant Augustus Donnelly(1841–1905; aged 63)1884–18862 years DemocraticNew Jersey Assemblyman23John Woolverton1886–18871 year DemocraticFormer New Jersey Senator24Frank A. MagowanApril 17, 1887–18892 years RepublicanRubber manufacturer25Anthony A. Skirm1889–18912 years 26Daniel J. Bechtel1891–18932 years Democratic27Joseph B. Shaw (1857/58–1936; aged 61)1893–18952 years 28Emory Neal Yard1895–18972 years 29Welling G. Sickel(1858–1911; aged 52)1897–18992 years RepublicanVice President ofUnited Globe Rubber Co.30Frank O. Briggs(1851–1913; aged 61)1899–1902(lost re-election)3 years RepublicanMember of theTrenton School Board31Frank S. Katzenbach(1868–1929; aged 60)1902–19064 years DemocraticAlderman At-large32Frederick W. Gnichtel(b. 1860)1906–19082 years RepublicanCity Councilman33Walter Madden(b. 1873)1908–19113 years DemocraticIn 1911, Trenton adopted the commission form of government. The mayor was elected by the commissioners and typically the most popular member at the previous election.34Frederick W. Donnelly(1866–1935; aged 68)1911–November 1, 1932(resigned)21 years DemocraticBusinessman, president of the Trenton Harbor Board, and son of former mayor R.G.A. Donnelly35Edward W. Lee (1876/77–1942; aged 65)November 1, 1932–November 18, 193218 days Member of the Trenton City Commission36George B. LaBarreNovember 18, 1932–19342 years Member of the Trenton City CommissionIn 1935, Trenton adopted the council-manager form of government.37William J. ConnorMay 14, 1935–19394 years In 1939, Trenton reverted to the commission form of government.38Leo Rogers (1896/97–1941; aged 44)May 23, 1939–March 7, 1941(died in office)2 years DemocraticAssistant Mercer County Prosecutor and candidate for New Jersey Senate (1937)39Ward Lee1941–1941under 1 year 40John Anthony Hartmann I1941–19432 years Member of the Trenton City Commission41Andrew DuchMay 1943–May 19, 19474 years Mercer County Prosecutor, Director of Public Safety 42Donal J. Connolly(1909–1995; aged 86)May 20, 1947–1959 12 years Democratic State Assemblyman 43Arthur J. Holland(1918–1989; aged 71)1959–1966 6 years Democratic City Councilman 44Carmen J. Armenti(1929–2001; aged 72)1966–1970 4 years Democratic City Councilman, North Ward (43)Arthur J. Holland(1918–1989; aged 71)1970–November 9, 1989(died in office) 19 years Democratic Former Mayor of Trenton(44)Carmen J. Armenti(1929–2001; aged 72)November 9, 1989–July 1, 1990234 days Republican City Council President 45Douglas Palmer(born in 1951; aged ) July 1, 1990–July 1, 2010 20 years Democratic Mercer County Freeholder 46Tony F. Mack(born in 1966; aged ) July 1, 2010–February 26, 2014(removed from office) 3 years, 67 days Democratic Mercer County Freeholder47George MuschalFebruary 26, 2014–July 1, 2014 125 days Unaffiliated City Councilman, South Ward 48Eric Jackson(born in 1959; aged )July 1, 2014–July 1, 2018 4 years Democratic Trenton Director of Public Works 49W. Reed Gusciora(born in 1960; aged )July 1, 2018(incumbent) years Democratic New Jersey Assemblyman
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