New Orleans City Council, 1954-present
In 1954, with the passage of the Home Rule Charter, New Orleans adopted the current Mayor-Council form of government, consisting of the Mayor and seven Council members. Two Council members are elected from the city at large and five are elected from Council districts.
Council members serve four year terms, beginning on the first Monday in May following their election. If a member leaves office less than a year before completing his or her term, the remaining members of the City Council select a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. If the unexpired term is for one year or more, the vacancy is filled by special election. Council members may not serve the same district for more than two consecutive terms; Council members-at-large may not serve more than two consecutive at-large terms. These term limitations went into effect in 1991.
Below is a list of the individuals who have served as members of the New Orleans City Council since the passage of the Home Rule Charter. Councilmembers are listed chronologically by district. Click on the councilmember’s name to access the inventory of their records.
Learn about the history of the New Orleans City Council.
City Council Ordinances
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of municipal government. They enact laws through the adoption of ordinances, outlined in the Official Proceedings of the City Council. Beginning in 1994, City Council official proceedings are available through Municode.
More about City OrdinancesMunicodeCouncilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
Glenn P. Clasen | 1954-1958 | Appointed CAO, January 1961 |
1958-1961 | ||
James A. Comiskey | 1961-1962 | Elected to fill Clasen’s unexpired term |
James E. Fitzmorris | 1962-1966 | |
John J. Petre | 1966-1970 | |
Joseph V. DiRosa | 1970-1974 | |
1974-1978 | ||
Sidney J. Barthelemy | 1978-1982 | Elected Mayor, 1986 |
1982-1986 | ||
Dorothy Mae Taylor | 1986-1990 | |
1990-1994 | ||
Peggy Wilson | 1994-1998 | |
Eddie L. Sapir | 1998-2002 | |
2002-2006 | ||
Arnie Fielkow | 2006-2010 | Resigned to head National Basketball Retired Players Association |
2010-2011 | ||
Eric Granderson | 2011-2012 | Appointed to fill Fielkow’s unexpired term |
Stacey Head | 2012-2014 | Elected to fill Fielkow’s unexpired term |
2014-2018 | ||
Helena Moreno | 2018-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
Victor H. Schiro | 1954-1958 | Appointed to fill Mayor Morrison’s unexpired term, 1961 |
1958-1961 | ||
Theodore Hickey | 1961-1962 | Appointed to fill Schiro’s unexpired term |
Joseph V. DiRosa | 1962-1966 | |
Moon Landrieu | 1966-1970 | Elected Mayor, 1970 |
James A. Moreau | 1970-1976 | |
Joseph I. Giarrusso | 1976-1978 | |
1978-1982 | ||
1982-1986 | ||
1986-1990 | ||
1990-1994 | ||
James (Jim) Singleton | 1994-1998 | |
1998-2002 | ||
Oliver Thomas | 2002-2006 | Resigned August 13, 2007 |
2006-2007 | ||
Michael Darnell | 2007 | Appointed to fill Thomas’ unexpired term |
Jacquelyn B. Clarkson | 2007-2010 | Elected to fill Thomas’ unexpired term |
2010-2014 | ||
Jason Williams | 2014-2018 | Resigned in 2021 to become District Attorney |
2018-2021 | ||
Donna Glapion | 2021-2022 | Appointed to fill Williams’ unexpired term |
John Paul (JP) Morrell | 2022-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
A. Brown Moore | 1954-1958 | |
Henry B. Curtis | 1958-1962 | |
1962-1966 | ||
1966-1970 | ||
Peter H. Beer | 1970-1974 | Elected to La. Court of Appeals, 1974 |
Frank Friedler | 1974-1978 | Elected to fill Beer’s unexpired term |
1978-1980 | Retired, 1980 | |
Joel Loeffleholz | 1980-1981 | Appointed to fill Friedler’s unexpired term |
Bryan Wagner | 1981-1982 | Elected to fill Friedler’s unexpired term |
1982-1986 | ||
Peggy Wilson | 1986-1990 | |
1990-1994 | ||
Suzanne Haik Terrell | 1994-1998 | Resigned when elected La. Elections Commissioner |
1998-1999 | ||
Howell Crosby | 2000 | Appointed to fill Terrell’s unexpired term |
Scott Shea | 2000-2002 | Elected to fill Terrell’s unexpired term |
John A. Batt, Jr. | 2002-2006 | |
Shelley Midura | 2006-2010 | |
Susan Guidry | 2010-2014 | |
2014-2018 | ||
Joseph I. Giarruso, III | 2018-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
Paul V. Burke | 1954-1958 | |
1958-1962 | ||
Walter F. Marcus | 1962-1966 | Elected judge, Civil District Court, 1966 |
Eddie L. Sapir | 1967-1970 | Elected to fill Marcus’ unexpired term |
1970-1975 | Elected judge of Municipal Court, 1975 | |
Abraham Lincoln (AL) Davis | 1975-1976 | Appointed to fill Sapir’s unexpired term |
1976-1978 | Elected in his own right, 1976 | |
James (Jim) Singleton | 1978-1982 | |
1982-1986 | ||
1986-1990 | ||
1990-1994 | ||
Oliver Thomas | 1994-1998 | |
1998-2002 | ||
Renee Gill Prat | 2002-2006 | |
Stacey Head | 2006-2010 | |
2010-2012 | Resigned (2012) when elected to fill Fielkow’s unexpired At-Large position | |
Diana Bajoie | 2012 | Appointed to fill Head’s unexpired term |
LaToya Cantrell | 2012-2014 | Elected to fill Head’s unexpired term |
2014-2018 | Elected Mayor, 2018 | |
Jay H. Banks | 2018-2022 | |
Lesli Harris | 2022-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
James E. Fitzmorris | 1954-1958 | |
1958-1962 | ||
Clarence O. Dupuy, Jr. | 1962-1966 | |
1966-1970 | ||
1970-1976 | ||
Mike Early | 1976-1982 | |
1982-1986 | ||
1986-1990 | ||
Jacquelyn B. Clarkson | 1990-1994 | |
Troy Carter | 1994-1998 | |
1998-2002 | ||
Jacquelyn B. Clarkson | 2002-2006 | |
James Carter | 2006-2010 | |
Kristen Gisleson Palmer | 2010-2014 | |
Nadine Ramsey | 2014-2018 | |
Kristen Gisleson Palmer | 2018-2022 | |
Freddie King, III | 2022-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
Fred J. Cassibry | 1954-1958 | Elected judge, Civil District Court, July 1960 |
John J. Petre | 1961-1962 | Elected to fill Cassibry’s unexpired term |
1962-1966 | ||
James A. Moreau | 1966-1970 | |
John D. Lambert | 1970-1976 | After the regular 1970 elections, a redistricting dispute delayed the next regular Council elections until 1976. The next regular election for Council was held in 1978. |
Brod Bagert | 1976-1978 | Elected to La. Public Service Commission, 1980 |
1978-1980 | ||
Niles Hellmers | 1980-1981 | Elected to fill Bagert’s unexpired term, 1980; elected City Court judge, 1981 |
Lambert Boissiere | 1981-1982 | Elected to fill Hellmers’ unexpired term |
1982-1986 | ||
1986-1990 | ||
1990-1994 | ||
Roy Glapion | 1994-1999 | Died in office |
H. Kenneth Johnston | 2000 | Appointed to fill Glapion’s unexpired term |
Marlin Gusman | 2000-2002 | Elected to fill Glapion’s unexpired term |
2002-2004 | Resigned when elected Criminal Sheriff, 2004 | |
David Payton | 2004-2005 | Appointed to fill Gusman’s unexpired term |
Cynthia Hedge-Morell | 2005-2006 | Elected to fill Gusman’s unexpired term |
2006-2010 | ||
2010-2014 | ||
Jared C. Brossett | 2014-2018 | |
2018-2022 | ||
Eugene J. Green | 2022-present |
Councilmember | Term(s) | Term Note |
Walter M. Duffourc | 1954-1958 | |
Theodore Hickey | 1958-1961 | Appointed to fill Schiro’s unexpired At-Large term, 1961 |
Walter M. Duffourc | 1961-1962 | Appointed to fill Hickey’s unexpired term, 1961 |
Daniel Kelly | 1962-1966 | |
Philip Ciaccio | 1966-1970 | |
1970-1976 | ||
1976-1978 | ||
1978-1982 | Appointed judge, La. 4th Cirtcuit Court of Appeals, January 1982 | |
Howard Beck | 1982 | Appointed to fill Ciaccio’s unexpired term |
Wayne Babovich | 1982-1985 | Resigned, 1985 |
Ulysses Williams | 1985-1986 | Appointed to fill Babovich’s unexpired term |
Johnny Jackson, Jr. | 1986-1990 | |
1990-1994 | ||
Ellen Hazeur-Distance | 1994-2000 | Resigned when elected Clerk of First City Court |
Lula Harris Breaux | 2000 | Appointed to fill Hazeur-Distance’s unexpired term |
Cynthia Willard-Lewis | 2000-2002 | Elected to fill Hazeur-Distance’s unexpired term |
2002-2006 | ||
2006-2010 | ||
Jon Johnson | 2010-2012 | Resigned, 2012 |
Ernest Charbonnet | 2012 | Appointed to fill Johnson’s unexpired term |
James Austin Gray II | 2012-2014 | Elected to fill Johnson’s unexpired term |
2014-2018 | ||
Cyndi Nguyen | 2018-2022 | |
Oliver Thomas | 2022-present |