Craig has served three terms as Mayor of Manchester
MANCHESTER, NH – Today, Mayor Joyce Craig announced she is not seeking re-election as Mayor of Manchester. Mayor Craig was elected in 2017 as the first woman mayor of Manchester and is currently serving her third term in office.
“As a fourth-generation resident, serving as the Mayor of Manchester has been one of the greatest honors of my life. After discussions with family and friends, I’ve decided not to seek re-election. I’m thankful for the trust residents placed in me, and I’ll always be a champion for Manchester. I believe now is the right time for new leadership to build off the progress we have made over the past six years and start the next chapter for Manchester. I am excited for the future of our city and will consider the best ways to remain involved with our community and in public service.
Manchester is undergoing historic growth and during my time as mayor the city has attracted hundreds of small businesses, thousands of high-paying jobs, and an innovative bio-fabrication industry. Today, Manchester has one of the hottest housing markets in the country with a vibrant downtown, beautiful parks and green spaces, and thousands of new housing units in development. Since taking office, we have focused on public safety, expanding our police force and decreasing violent crime by 38% and overall crime by 12%.
When I took office, the Manchester School District needed a clear set of priorities to improve student achievement. Over the past six years, we decreased class sizes, implemented new curriculum, increased student access to technology, and raised the starting pay to attract the best new teachers to our district. Generations of Queen City students will benefit from the progress we’ve made together. Manchester’s future is bright, and I’m honored to have played a part in getting our city back on track.
We’ve faced issues in our community head-on, demanded more accountability from the State and collaborated with residents, businesses, non-profits, and the faith-based community to implement evidence-based solutions to our challenges.
To the residents, city employees, and community partners of Manchester, thank you. I am incredibly grateful for everything you do to make our city a better place to live, and look forward to seeing how our community continues to build on all the progress we’ve made together.”