The
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
al election of 1933 in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
was held on
Tuesday
Tuesday is the day of the week between Monday and Wednesday. According to international standard ISO 8601, Monday is the first day of the week; thus, Tuesday is the second day of the week. According to some commonly used calendars, however ...
, November 6, 1933. In a
realigning election
A political realignment, often called a critical election, critical realignment, or realigning election, in the academic fields of political science and political history, is a set of sharp changes in party ideology, issues, party leaders, regional ...
,
Democrats regained control of the mayor's office for the first time in twenty-eight years; they have not relinquished this position since.
Background
The incumbent mayor,
John Herron of the
Republican Party chose to run for his first full term. Herron had been elevated to the executive office from his position as city council president after
Charles H. Kline
Charles Howard Kline (December 25, 1870 – July 22, 1933) served as the 47th Mayor of Pittsburgh from 1926 to 1933.
Early life
Charles H. Kline was born in 1870 in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Pennsylvania a ...
resigned due to a fiscal scandal. Herron inherited a party whose once efficient machinery was in crisis.
Democrats, led by new powerful grassroots organizer
David Lawrence (a future mayor), selected
William McNair, an idealistic and outspoken attorney as their candidate. As the
New Deal began, Pittsburgh's strong labor community moved rapidly toward the Democrats, creating a huge shift in voting patterns and allowing McNair to win.
Primary elections
Incumbent mayor
John Herron won a divided Republican Primary against Councilman
Peter J. McArdle and Register of Wills Joseph Mackrell.
won the Democratic Primary.
General election
A total of 179,425 votes were cast.
Herron received 75,405 votes on the Republican ticket, 258 on the Citizens' Party ticket, and 11 on non-partisan ballots.
†Mackrell received 154 votes on Liberal Party and 101 on Square Deal Party ballots.
External links
Newspaper description of electionThe Washington Reporter - Google News Archive Search
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pittsburgh Mayoral Election, 1933
1933 Pennsylvania elections
1933
1933 United States mayoral elections
1930s in Pittsburgh
November 1933 events in the United States