The current Nashua mayor is Jim Donchess, a Democrat first elected to City Hall in 1983 and returned to office in 2015 after a 24-year break from politics. He was reelected in November 2023 to a four-year term that runs through January 2028, making him the longest-serving mayor in Nashua history when both stints are combined. This page profiles the current officeholder, explains how the mayor’s office works, and lists every mayor of Nashua since the city was incorporated in 1853.
Current Mayor of Nashua: Jim Donchess
Jim Donchess (born 1947) is serving his fifth term overall and his third consecutive term since returning to City Hall in January 2016. He defeated Hillsborough County Commissioner Michael Soucy 8,097 to 7,446 in the November 7, 2023 general election — Nashua’s first genuinely competitive mayoral race in eight years — and was sworn in for his current four-year term on January 2, 2024.
Background
Donchess holds a B.A. in art history from Yale University, where he played varsity football, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he graduated with top academic honors. Before entering politics he practiced employment-discrimination and civil-rights law in New Hampshire. He lives on Rockland Street with his wife, Vicki; their daughter and two grandsons live in Oakland, California.
First time in office (1984–1992)
Donchess was first elected mayor at age 36, making him one of the youngest people ever to hold the seat. He served four consecutive two-year terms in the 1980s and early 1990s — a period during which Nashua’s population was growing rapidly and the city was twice named “Best Place to Live in America” by Money magazine (1987 and 1997).
Return to City Hall (2016–present)
After 24 years in private practice, Donchess defeated Chris Williams in the 2015 election and was sworn in on January 11, 2016. He has been reelected in every contest since. Notable initiatives during his current run include:
- More than 500 new housing units built in downtown Nashua
- The Nashua Riverfront revitalization, including pedestrian-bridge planning along the Nashua River
- A multi-year street paving program that has repaved more than 60 miles of city roads
- Establishment of the Arlington Street Community Center
- Implementation of full-day public kindergarten in the Nashua School District
- Ongoing construction of a new downtown Performing Arts Center
The Office of the Nashua Mayor
Nashua operates under a strong-mayor form of government. The mayor is the city’s chief executive officer, prepares the annual budget, appoints department heads and most members of city boards, and shares legislative authority with the 15-member Board of Aldermen. The office has been filled by direct popular election since the city was incorporated on June 28, 1853.
| Office | Mayor of the City of Nashua, New Hampshire |
| Current mayor | Jim Donchess (Democrat) |
| In office since | January 11, 2016 |
| Form of government | Mayor–Board of Aldermen (strong mayor) |
| Term length | Four years |
| Most recent election | November 7, 2023 |
| Next election | November 2027 |
| City Hall | 229 Main Street, Nashua, NH 03060 |
| City incorporated | June 28, 1853 |
Nashua mayoral elections are nonpartisan on the ballot, though candidates are typically identified with the state Democratic or Republican parties. The election follows a two-stage process: a September preliminary that narrows the field to the top two candidates, followed by a November general election. Four-year terms replaced the older two-year cycle after a 2009 city-charter amendment took effect.
Complete List of Nashua Mayors (1853–2026)
Below is a chronological list of every individual to serve as Nashua mayor since the city was chartered in 1853. A handful of mayors served non-consecutive terms; they appear in the table each time they held the office.
| # | Mayor | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josephus Baldwin | 1853–1854 |
| 2 | Freeman S. Rogers | 1855–1856 |
| 3 | Thomas W. Gillis | 1857 |
| 4 | Albin Beard | 1858–1859 |
| 5 | Aaron W. Sawyer | 1860 |
| 6 | George Bowers | 1861 |
| 7 | Hiram T. Morrill | 1862–1863 |
| 8 | Edward Spalding | 1864 |
| 9 | Virgil C. Gilman | 1865 |
| 10 | Gilman Scripture | 1866–1867 |
| 11 | George Bowers (2nd time) | 1868 |
| 12 | Jotham D. Otterson | 1869–1870 |
| 13 | Dana Sargent | 1871 |
| 14 | Seth D. Chandler | 1872 |
| 15 | Frank A. McKean | 1873–1874 |
| 16 | George H. Whitney | 1875 |
| 17 | Charles Williams | 1876–1877 |
| 18 | William H. Cook | 1878 |
| 19 | Charles Holman | 1879–1880 |
| 20 | Benjamin Fletcher, Jr. | 1881–1882 |
| 21 | Alfred M. Norton | 1883–1884 |
| 22 | John A. Spalding | 1885 |
| 23 | James H. Tolles | 1886–1888 |
| 24 | Charles H. Burke | 1889–1890 |
| 25 | William H. Beasom | 1891–1892 |
| 26 | Williams Hall | 1893 |
| 27 | Thomas Sands | 1894 |
| 28 | Joseph W. Howard | 1895–1896 |
| 29 | Jason E. Tolles | 1897–1900 |
| 30 | Milton A. Taylor | 1901–1902 |
| 31 | Jeremiah J. Doyle | 1903–1904 |
| 32 | Andros B. Jones | 1905–1906 |
| 33 | Albert Shedd | 1907–1910 |
| 34 | William H. Barry | 1911–1914 |
| 35 | James B. Crowley | 1915–1919 |
| 36 | Henri A. Burque | 1920–1923 |
| 37 | Eaton D. Sargent | 1924–1927 |
| 38 | William F. Sullivan | 1928–1933 |
| 39 | Alvin A. Lucier | 1934–1937 |
| 40 | Frank A. McMaster | 1938–1939 |
| 41 | Eugene A. Lemay | 1939–1945 |
| 42 | Oswald S. Maynard | 1946–1949 |
| 43 | Hugh Gregg | 1950 |
| 44 | Claude E. Nichols | 1951 |
| 45 | Lester H. Burnham | 1952–1957 |
| 46 | Mario J. Vagge | 1958–1965 |
| 47 | Dennis J. Sullivan | 1966–1977 |
| 48 | Maurice L. Arel | 1977–1984 |
| 49 | Jim Donchess (1st run) | 1984–1992 |
| 50 | Rob Wagner | 1992–1995 |
| 51 | Donald C. Davidson | 1996–1999 |
| 52 | Bernard A. Streeter | 2000–2008 |
| 53 | Donnalee Lozeau | 2008–2016 |
| 54 | Jim Donchess (2nd run) | 2016–present |
Notable Nashua Mayors
Josephus Baldwin — Nashua’s First Mayor (1853–1854)
Baldwin was elected on October 8, 1853, after Nashua’s city charter took effect earlier that summer. He was a leading figure in Nashua’s business, civic, and political life and oversaw the consolidation of the former towns of Nashua and Nashville — a short-lived breakaway township on the north side of the Nashua River — into a single city. For more on how the city got its name, see our piece on the Nashua name origin.
Hugh Gregg — Mayor 1950, Later Governor of New Hampshire
Gregg, a Republican, served one term as Nashua mayor before being elected the 71st Governor of New Hampshire in 1952, taking office at age 35 — the youngest governor in state history at the time. His son, Judd Gregg, later served as Governor of New Hampshire and as a U.S. Senator. Hugh Gregg remains the only person to serve as both mayor of Nashua and Governor of New Hampshire.
Maurice L. Arel and the Modern Era (1977–1984)
Arel, a Democrat, presided over Nashua during a period of rapid suburban growth as Route 3 and the Everett Turnpike pulled Greater Boston commuters north into Hillsborough County. His four-term tenure set the template for the longer mayoral runs that have followed since.
Donnalee Lozeau — First Female Mayor of Nashua (2008–2016)
Lozeau, a Republican and third-generation Nashua native, became the first woman ever elected mayor of Nashua when she defeated incumbent Bernard Streeter in 2007 and was sworn in in January 2008. Before becoming mayor she served 16 years in the New Hampshire House of Representatives (1984–2000), including a term as Deputy Speaker. She declined to seek a fifth term and left office in January 2016.
Bernard A. Streeter (2000–2008)
A Republican and former state senator, Streeter served four consecutive two-year terms and is associated with the city’s long-running effort to acquire the privately held Pennichuck Water Works, which Nashua ultimately purchased in 2012.
Jim Donchess — Longest-Serving Mayor in Nashua History
With more than 14 years in the corner office across two stints separated by 24 years — and a current term running through January 2028 — Donchess is on track to finish as the longest-serving mayor in the city’s 170-plus year history.
How the Mayor Works with the Board of Aldermen
Nashua’s legislative body is the 15-member Board of Aldermen — nine ward aldermen and six aldermen-at-large — who serve two-year terms. The mayor presides at board meetings (though without a vote, except to break a tie on certain matters), submits the annual operating and capital budgets for board approval, and can veto board ordinances subject to a two-thirds override. The board confirms most major mayoral appointments, including the Police Commission, Fire Commission, and Board of Public Works.
Day-to-day city operations are handled by department heads who report to the mayor — police, fire, public works, community development, financial services, the school superintendent (through the elected Board of Education), and the city assessor among them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current mayor of Nashua, NH?
Jim Donchess, a Democrat, is the current mayor of Nashua. He was sworn in for his fifth term overall on January 2, 2024, after winning the November 2023 election. His current term runs through January 2028.
How long is a Nashua mayoral term?
The mayor of Nashua serves a four-year term. Two-year terms were used historically; the four-year term took effect after a city-charter amendment passed in the late 2000s.
When is the next Nashua mayoral election?
The next Nashua mayoral election is scheduled for November 2027, with the winner taking office in January 2028.
Who was the first mayor of Nashua?
Josephus Baldwin, elected on October 8, 1853, was the first mayor of Nashua. He took office shortly after the city’s incorporation that summer.
Who was the first female mayor of Nashua?
Donnalee Lozeau, a Republican, served from 2008 to 2016 as the first woman ever elected mayor of Nashua.
How many mayors has Nashua had?
Counting non-consecutive terms separately, Nashua has had 54 mayoral administrations since 1853. The number of distinct individuals to hold the seat is slightly lower, because a few — including George Bowers, Donald C. Davidson, and Jim Donchess — returned for non-consecutive terms.
Where is the Nashua mayor’s office located?
The mayor’s office is on the second floor of Nashua City Hall, 229 Main Street, Nashua, NH 03060.