List of first women mayors

According to Anne Hidalgo, Mónica Fein, Célestine Ketcha Courtès and Ada Colau of The World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in 2017, in an article titled "Women mayors are ready to stand up and be counted," "Knowledge is power. We can only achieve equality if we know where we are now and can measure our progress. Global indicators of women’s representation in local government will allow good practices to be identified and shared, and support to be targeted in places that are lagging behind."

18th and 19th centuries
The first woman to serve as mayor in the United States is believed to be Susanna M. Salter, who served as mayor of Argonia, Kansas, in 1887. However, the first woman recorded winning a mayoral election was Nancy Smith in 1862, who declined to be sworn in as mayor of Oskaloosa, Iowa.