The following is a list of the mayors of Des Moines, Iowa.
| Image | Mayor | Term start and end[1] | Political party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 – 1852 | ||||
| October 1853 – 1854 | ||||
| 1854–1855 | ||||
| November 1855 – 1856 | ||||
| November 1856 – 1857 | ||||
| 1857 – May 1, 1857 | ||||
| May 1, 1857 – 1858 | ||||
| 1858–1859 | ||||
| 1859–1860 | ||||
| 1860–1861 | ||||
| 1861 | Republican | Resigned from office | ||
| 1861–1862 | Republican | |||
| 1862–1863 | Democratic | |||
| 1863–1865 | Republican | |||
| 1865–1868 | Republican | |||
| 1868–1869 | ||||
| 1869–1871 | Republican | |||
| 1871–1872 | ||||
| 1872–1873 | Republican | |||
| 1873 – March 16, 1874 | Republican | |||
| March 16, 1874 – 1876[2] | Republican | |||
| Giles H. Turner | March 1876 – 1877 | Republican | Resigned from office | |
| 1877–1880 | ||||
| 1880–1882 | ||||
| 1882 – March 15, 1886 | Republican | |||
| March 15, 1886 – 1888[3] | ||||
| William Lytle Carpenter[4] | 1888 – March 17, 1890 | Democratic | ||
| March 17, 1890 – April 18, 1892[5] | Republican | |||
| April 18, 1892 – April 16, 1894[6] | Republican | |||
| April 16, 1894 – 1896[7] | Republican | |||
| 1896 – April 2, 1900 | ||||
| April 2, 1900 – 1902[8] | ||||
| 1902–1904 | ||||
| 1904 – April 6, 1908 | ||||
| April 6, 1908 – April 4, 1910[9] | ||||
| April 4, 1910 – April 3, 1916[10] | ||||
| John MacVicar | April 3, 1916 – 1918[11] | |||
| 1918–1920 | ||||
| 1920–1922 | ||||
| 1922 – April 5, 1926 | ||||
| April 5, 1926 – April 2, 1928[12] | ||||
| John MacVicar† | April 2, 1928 – November 15, 1928[13] [14] | Died in office | ||
| November 24, 1928 – 1930[15] | ||||
| 1930–1932 | ||||
| 1932–1936 | ||||
| Joseph Holmes Allen[16] | 1936–1938 | |||
| Dwight N. Lewis† | 1938 – May 1, 1938[17] | Died in office | ||
| 1938–1942 | ||||
| 1942–1948 | ||||
| 1948–1950 | ||||
| 1950–1952 | ||||
| 1952–1954 | ||||
| 1954–1956 | ||||
| 1956–1958 | ||||
| 1958–1960 | ||||
| 1960–1962 | ||||
| Charles F. Iles | 1962–1966 | |||
| 1966–1968 | ||||
| 1968–1972[18] | ||||
| 1972–1980 | ||||
| Pete Crivaro† | 1980 – December 24, 1986[19] | Died in office | ||
| George Nahas | January 7, 1987 – April 15, 1987 | Long term former councilmember appointed by the city council on January 7, 1987, to serve as mayor until the November election[20] but citizens secured sufficient votes to force a special election. Nahas served four months as mayor.[21] First Lebanese mayor. | ||
| John "Pat" Dorrian | April 15, 1987 – 1995 | Won a special election on April 14, 1987, and sworn on April 15, 1987. Reelected in the November 1987 general election. | ||
| Arthur Davis† | 1995–1997 | Died in office | ||
| 1997 | Former governor Ray served as interim mayor after the death of Davis | |||
| 1997–2004 | Democratic | First African American mayor | ||
| 2004–2024 | ||||
| January 2, 2024 – Present | ||||