{{Short description|none}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox Political post |post = Mayor |body = The City of Ashland, Kentucky |insignia = |insigniasize = |insigniacaption = |image = |incumbent = Chuck D. Charles |incumbentsince = January 1, 2025 |style = |residence = |appointer = |termlength = 4 years |formation = 1876 |succession = |inaugural = |website = }} The mayor of Ashland is elected for a four-year term and is not term limited. The mayor presides over city commission meetings, is a voting member of the city commission and represents the city at major functions. The current mayor is Chuck D. Charles.

The city of Ashland operates under a city manager form of government. Under this form of government, the people of Ashland elect a mayor and four commissioners, who together make up the Board of Commissioners, which possesses the legislative and executive powers of the city. The mayor, as a member of the board, presides over all meetings, calls special meetings, and executes all bonds, notes, contracts, and written obligations authorized by the board.

The mayor and four commissioners are elected by the citizens to act as their representatives in all legislative matters. Their primary duties are to enact ordinances and make policies that are for the ultimate good of the community as a whole. The mayor is elected for a four-year term and the commissioners are elected for two-year terms. In home rule class cities with the city manager form of government non-partisan elections are mandatory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ashlandky.gov/|title=Welcome to Ashland, KY|website=www.ashlandky.gov|accessdate=December 4, 2020}}</ref>

==List of mayors== {{Incomplete list|date=June 2018}}{{Legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|Democratic (6)|border=1px solid #aaaaaa}} {{Legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|Republican (13)|border=1px solid #aaaaaa}} {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Order ! Image ! Mayor ! Term began ! Term ended ! Political party ! Birth and death ! Notes |- | 1 ||100px|| Henry Bishop Brodess || 1876 || 1881 ||Republican||(1830 – October 20, 1881) || Before being elected, he was a local judge, and published an outspoken anti-slavery newspaper called the ''American Union''. In 1860, Brodess was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. IN 1861, Brodess became a member of the Ashland Home Guard, an organization formed for "the defense and protection of our families and homes" from guerrilla raiders. Starting around November 15, 1862, Brodess served as a first lieutenant in Company A of the Fourteenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. He tendered his own resignation and was honorably discharged on November 17, 1862. During his third term, Brodess died in office and John Means was appointed to serve the remainder of his term.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 2 ||100px||John Means|| 1881 || 1882 ||Republican||(September 21, 1829 – February 14, 1910) || He organized the Cincinnati and Big Sandy Packet Company, and was vice-president of Ashland National Bank.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 3||100px||William Wirt Culbertson|| 1882 || 1883 ||Republican||(September 22, 1835 – October 31, 1911) || He also served as a U.S. representative from Kentucky.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 4|| ||William Henry Harrison Eba || 1883 || 1883 ||Republican||(November 5, 1831 – August 31, 1911) || During the Civil War, Eba enlisted in Company I, Fifth West Virginia Regiment, and was promoted to sergeant-major, March 1862; first lieutenant. He declined the post of adjutant after being acting adjutant two months. He was commissioned a month later by Governor Pierpont captain of Company F, same regiment. He was in various engagements, but none of the great battles of the war. Later, he became city truant officer.<ref>Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1953</ref><ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 5|| ||Thomas Russell || 1883 || 1886 || || || Before becoming mayor he was a street commissioner.<ref name="history">''A History of Ashland, Kentucky 1786 - 1954''</ref>{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 6|| 100px ||William Worth Patterson|| 1886 || 1889 ||Republican||(November 3, 1849 – March 28, 1921) || He was a Freemason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 7||100px||Patrick Moriarty Jr. || 1889 || 1889 || ||(January 7, 1851 – October 25, 1928) || Previously served on the City Council for a number of terms. Moriarty served as Park Commissionaire and was one of the charter members of the first Chamber of Commerce, then known as the Commercial Club of Ashland.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 8|| ||David A. Fisher || 1889 || 1892 || ||(August 14, 1840 – January 19, 1911)|| He served in the American Civil War for the Union as a private. During the War, Fisher was promoted to a full first sergeant.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 9|| ||J. C. Whitten || 1892 || 1894 || || |- | 10|| ||Thomas S. Newman || 1894 || 1897 || ||(October 10, 1851 – October 3, 1930)|| |- | 11|| ||William Arthur Ginn || 1897 || 1906 || || || |- | 12|| ||Joseph Oscar Mathewson || 1906 || 1910 || ||(February 4, 1871 - February 28, 1926) || |- | 13|| ||Dr. Albert Harrison Moore || 1910 || 1913 || ||(1871 - September 26, 1913) ||A graduate of Jefferson Medical College in 1896, he was a member of the American Medical Association and the Kentucky State and Boyd County Medical Societies. He is recorded to have "died suddenly at his home, on September 22 [1913], aged 42 years."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T0YcAQAAMAAJ|title=Medical Record|first1=George Frederick|last1=Shrady|first2=Thomas Lathrop|last2=Stedman|date=December 4, 1913|publisher=W. Wood.|accessdate=December 4, 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}}<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 14|| ||J. M. McCleary || 1913 || 1913 || || || |- | 15|| ||William Arthur Ginn || 1913 || 1914 || || || |- | 16|| 100px ||Dr. William Monroe Salisbury|| 1914 || 1917 || || || |- | 17|| ||Henderson Richardson Dysard || 1917 || 1921 ||Republican|| || |- | 18|| 100px ||Dr. William Monroe Salisbury|| 1921 || 1925 || || || |- | 19|| ||William M. Nicholson || 1925 || 1926 || || ||A plumber by trade, he later was appointed as plumbing inspector of Boyd County in 1930.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dSnOAAAAMAAJ&dq=w+m+nicholson+ashland+kentucky&pg=PP1026|title=Domestic Engineering and the Journal of Mechanical Contracting|date=December 4, 1909|accessdate=December 4, 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eIphAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2KgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2937,517090&dq=nicholson+and+mayor+and+ashland&hl=en|title=The Portsmouth Times - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|accessdate=December 4, 2020}}</ref> |- | 20|| ||William Boggs Whitt|| 1926 || 1926 ||Democratic||(September 17, 1867 - December 19, 1926)|| Whitt was previously a member of the Kentucky Senate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aksVAAAAYAAJ&dq=w+b+whitt+ashland+kentucky&pg=RA8-PA1322|title=A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians: The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities|first=E. Polk|last=Johnson|date=December 4, 1912|publisher=Lewis Publishing Company|accessdate=December 4, 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} He committed suicide on December 19, 1926, by shooting himself through the heart. He had been in ill health.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor Shoots Self |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20999363/william_b_whitt_18671926/ |newspaper=The Decatur Herald |date=December 20, 1926 |accessdate=June 16, 2018 }}</ref> |- | 21|| ||Ernest E. Ramey || 1926 || 1927 || || |- | 22|| ||Charles F. Weaver|| 1927 || 1928 ||Republican||(1858 - October 21, 1932) ||In 1904, Weaver was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Kentucky.<ref name="history" />{{full citation needed|date=June 2018}} |- | 23|| ||William C. Frailie || 1928 || 1932 ||Republican|| || |- | 24|| ||Edgar Browne Hager|| 1932 || 1935 ||Democratic|| || |- | 25|| ||William C. Simpson || 1936 || 1940 ||Republican|| || |- | 26|| ||Henry D. Shanklin || 1940 || 1943 ||Democratic|| || |- | 27|| ||Clyde R. Levi || 1944 || 1947 ||Republican|| || |- | 28|| ||William C. Simpson || 1948 || 1951 ||Republican|| || |- | 29|| 100px ||David Aronberg|| 1952 || 1955 ||Republican|| || |- | 30|| ||Wilburn Caskey || 1956 || 1959 ||Democratic|| || |- | 31|| 100px ||David Aronberg|| 1960 || 1964 ||Republican|| || |- | 32|| ||Wilburn Caskey || 1964 || 1968 ||Democratic|| || |- | 33|| ||Charles Henry Gartrell|| 1968 || 1972 ||Democratic|| || |- | 34|| || James J. Webb || 1972 || 1976 || || || |- | 35|| ||David O. Welch|| 1976 || 1980 ||Democratic|| ||<ref>{{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= Remembering David O. Welch |newspaper=The Daily Independent|date=November 2, 2016 |url= https://www.dailyindependent.com/opinion/remembering-david-o-welch/article_afc8aa3c-a036-11e6-a434-6f2f6fb46238.html |via=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Lindsey |last=Roe |authorlink= |title= DAVID WELCH, Running the Distance for Civil Rights |website=Berea College Magazine|date=2012 |url=http://magazine.berea.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/82.3-2012-Wint-Spr.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> |- | 36|| ||Jack T. Thompson|| 1979 || 1983 || Democratic || || <ref>{{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= Former mayor of Ashland dies |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=April 15, 1987 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader/125839136/ |via=NewspaperArchive|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> |- | || ||Dr. Arlie "Rudy" Dunnigan|| 1993 || 2001 || || (1941 - ) || |- | || ||Paul R. Reeves|| 2001 || 2002 || || (September 27, 1945 - September 16, 2021) ||Reeves resigned from office five months into his term after being charge for possession of child pornography.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Ashland Mayor Leaves Prison After 42-month Sentence |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/5254762/former-ashland-mayor-leaves-prison-after-42-month-sentence/ |access-date=13 October 2025 |publisher=WAVE3 |date=8 August 2006}}</ref> |- | || ||Stephen E. Gilmore|| 2002 || 2008 || || (April 8, 1943 - December 11, 2024) || Previously served for four terms as a city commissioner.<ref name="gilmore">{{cite news |last1=Hedrick |first1=Chad |title=Former Ashland Mayor Gilmore defeats incumbent Charles |url=https://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Ashland-mayoral-race-between-current-mayor-and-former-mayor-400430651.html |access-date=13 October 2025 |publisher=WSAZ |date=8 November 2016}}</ref> |- | || ||Thomas E. Kelley|| 2009 || 2012 || || (December 1, 1941 - August 31, 2021) || |- | || ||Chuck D. Charles|| 2013 || 2016 || || || |- | || ||Stephen E. Gilmore|| 2017 || 2021 || || (April 8, 1943 - December 11, 2024) || Gilmore defeated incumbent Chuck Charles to return to be reelected after serving as mayor from 2002 to 2008.<ref name="gilmore" /> |- | || ||Matthew B. Perkins|| 2021 || 2025 ||Democratic|| || |- | || ||Chuck D. Charles|| 2025 || ||Nonpartisan|| || |- |}

==Notes and references== {{Reflist}}

{{Ashland (Kentucky)}}

* Ashland