1943 Chicago mayoral election

none January 2025 September 2023 1943 Chicago mayoral election Chicago presidential no 1939 Chicago mayoral election 1939 1947 Chicago mayoral election 1947 April 6, 1943 Chicago Mayor Edward Joseph Kelly seated in audience 135843916 001 006 035a (3x4 a).jpg Edward J. Kelly Democratic Party (United States) 685,567 54.54% George B. McKibbin (6709 3x4).jpg George B. McKibbin Republican Party (United States) 571,547 45.47% Mayor Edward J. Kelly Democratic Party (United States) Edward J. Kelly Democratic Party (United States) The Chicago mayoral election of 1943 was held on April 6, 1943. The election saw incumbent Edward J. Kelly being reelected to a third term, defeating Republican nominee George B. McKibbin with a 9% margin of victory. Both nominees had received landslide victories in their party's primary elections. The election was preceded by primary elections held on February 23, 1943, to determine the nominees of both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Democratic primary On January 13, incumbent mayor Edward J. Kelly officially confirmed that he would seek re-election. Kelly had served as mayor since 1933. Alongside Patrick Nash, Kelly headed the Kelly–Nash Machine, a political machine which The Associated Press contemporarily described as "one of the most efficient political organizations in the country." Reform-oriented Democrats supported Kelly's challenger, John S. BoyleThe Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, fourth edition by Paul M. Green, Melvin G. Holli SIU Press, Jan 10, 2013 (a Democratic member of the Chicago City Council, regarded to be independent from Kelly's political machine). Kelly was additionally challenged by Billy Patts, a political noephyte.Chicago Voting in Primary for Mayor is Light https://www.newspapers.com/image/547920006 Newspapers.com The Associated Press subscription Rock Island Argus 5 March 2025 en February 23, 1943 Having strong organized support behind his candidacy (by virtue of his political machine), Kelly was widely anticipated win renomination over his two opponents. Overall turnout in the Democratic and Republican primaries (both held on February 23) was regarded to be light (for the era). The city had 1,784,324 registered voters at the time of the primaries, with the 972,274 combined votes cast for mayor in the two primaries amounting to participation from 54.49% of the city registered electorate. For comparison, in the preceding (1939) election 962,139 voters had participated in the Democratic mayoral primary alone (with the 274,317 Republican primary votes in bringing cumulative mayoral primary votes to 1,236,456 that year).RaceID=283329 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=283329 Our Campaigns December 4, 2018RaceID=283330 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=283330 Our Campaigns December 4, 2018 After his victory in the primary, Kelly delivered remarks which emphasized the "leading role" he argued Chicago was playing in the United States' efforts in World War II. He touted wartime economic growth in the city, including job growth and the opening of new factories.M'Kibbin Vows Fight To Finish; Sees Triumph; Kelly Terms Own Vote 'Gratifying.' Chicago Tribune 1 and 2 en February 24, 1943 M'Kibbin Vows Fight To Finish; Sees Triumph; Kelly Ferms Own Vote 'Gratifying.' https://www.newspapers.com/image/371386328 Newspapers.com subscription Chicago Tribune 12 June 2025 1 en February 24, 1943 M'Kibbin Pledges Finish Fight and Sees a Triumph; Kelly Calls Democratic Turnout 'Gratifying' https://www.newspapers.com/image/371386459 Newspapers.com subscription Chicago Tribune 12 June 2025 3 en February 24, 1943 Chicago Democratic mayoral primaryRaceID=609082 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=609082 Our Campaigns December 4, 2018 Democratic Party (United States) Edward J. Kelly (incumbent) 438,546 79.00 Democratic Party (United States) John S. Boyle 82,836 14.92 Democratic Party (United States) Billy Patts 33,722 6.08 555,104 Republican primary Candidates Ran George B. McKibbin, former Illinois director of finance Arthur F. Albert, former alderman on the Chicago City CouncilKelly Nominated for Another Term https://www.newspapers.com/image/604638482 Newspapers.com subscription Chattanooga Daily Times The Associated Press 21 December 2024 en February 24, 1923 John Homer Lyle, former judge on the Municipal Court of Chicago Withdrew Roger Faherty Campaigning Originally, Roger Faherty (a conservative Republican) was seeking the nomination.Roger Faherty Papers, 1940-1965 https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-mss00045;focusrgn=bioghist;cc=wiarchives;byte=413879960 digicoll.library.wisc.edu Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids: Biography/History 21 December 2024Leaves State Job https://www.newspapers.com/image/548049907 Newspapers.com subscription The Rock Island Argus The Associated Press 21 December 2024 en January 13, 1943 The Cook County Republican Party had initially endorsed Faherty for the nomination. However, Faherty lost their confidence by demonstrating himself to be a poor campaigner.U.S. At War: Gone Again Faherty https://time.com/archive/6787720/u-s-at-war-gone-again-faherty Time 21 December 2024 en 25 January 1943 In January, leaders of the Illinois Republican Party and Cook County Republican Party persuaded McKibbin to run and Faherty to drop out of the race and support McKibbin. McKibbin's entry into the race and Faherty's intent to withdraw in support of McKibbin was announced on January 12. McKibbin was a political ally of Governor Dwight H. Green, who played an active role in McKibbin's campaign.Kelly Is Winner In Chicago Vote https://www.newspapers.com/image/251978789 Newspapers.com The Star Press subscription The Associated Press 1 January 2025 en April 7, 1943 While he had the backing of the "regular organization" of the county party, McKibbin still faced two opponents in the primary election. In the last days before the primary, fellow candidate Arthur F. Albert and McKibbin's campaign exchanged heated criticisms. Albert regularly attacked McKibbin in radio attack advertisements which castigated McKibbin and Governor Green as being "bipartisan" (the term being used as a negative). The advertisements also made negative implications about McKibbin's position on the traction issue. The barrage of attack ads from Albert led Samuel L. Workman (acting state director of finance and a supporter of McKibbin) to criticize Albert and question who was providing the funds for Albert's radio airtime. Workman implied that Albert was perhaps "the one who is really playing the bipartisan game" and was campaigning at the behest of Mayor Kelly. Workman suggested that since Albert's x ray company did business with the Democratic-led county government, it was conceivable that he would be political bedfellows with Kelly as well and that the money for Albert's radio advertisements had come from Kelly. Workman also alleged that Evans Arthur Mayoral Drives of G.O.P. Set Off Feiry Exchanges https://www.newspapers.com/image/371372943 Newspapers.com Chicago Tribune 5 March 2025 en February 19, 1943 McKibbin won the Republican nomination by a landslide margin. Results Chicago Republican mayoral primary (February 23, 1943)RaceID=609083 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=609083 Our Campaigns December 4, 2018 Republican Party (United States) George B. McKibbin 318,166 76.27 Republican Party (United States) Arthur F. Albert 80,868 19.39 Republican Party (United States) John Homer Lyle 18,136 4.35 417,170 General election Campaigning thumb|Newspaper advertisement for McKibbin's mayoral campaign Kelly did not actively campaign. Confident in his chances of victory, Kelly flaunted heavy gravitas and balked at the thought of campaigning. McKibbin and his campaign accused the Kelly–Nash Machine of having links with criminal activity. Like other Republicans that had run against Kelly, McKibbin framed his campaign as a crusade against machine politics. declaring, Pendergast is out in K.C., Hague in Jersey, and Tammany in New York have been cleaned out. Now it is time to clean out the Kelly–Nash Machine. McKibbin and Governor Green (while campaigning for McKibbin) accused Kelly's mayoral administration of having ties to criminal gangs and of providing gangs protection from prosecution.Cut Gang Ties, Asks Aspirant; Mayor Cites Record. https://www.newspapers.com/image/372042191 Newspapers.com subscription Chicago Tribune 1 January 2025 en April 6, 1943 After Republican city treasurer nominee Morgan L. Fitch was escorted into a police station by several Black men ("kidnapped" –as he put it– by men who he alleged might be city police officers), city Republicans including McKibbin accused Kelly and Democrats of electoral violence. Officials from the police station he was brought to recounted that several citizens had escorted Fitch and others into the office under citizen's arrest out of concern that they were distributing literature that could incite a race riot.Republicans Accuse Rivals of New Violence. https://www.newspapers.com/image/372042191 Newspapers.com subscription Chicago Tribune 1 January 2025 en April 6, 1943 Democratic Party detractors alleged that McKibbin had signed his name to a covenant prohibiting Black tenants from occupying housing.Restrictive Covenants http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1067.html www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago (Chicago Historical Society) December 25, 2024 Results Voter turnout was considered to be very light. Kelly won what was considered to be a very solid victory. However, despite Kelly winning by a sizable margin, the mayoral election coinciding aldermanic elections were regarded by Chicago Tribune reporters as demonstrating an increase in Republican support and a significant loss of strength for the Kelly–Nash Machine. Kelly performed strongly on much of the city's West Side and in other areas where the Cook County Democratic Party organization was best-organized. However, while he led McKibbin on much of the West side, McKibbin did manage to outperform him in a few West Side wards. This included five wards which Governor Green had similarly outperformed Kelly in four years earlier: the 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th, and 41st wards. The 37th ward included the Austin neighborhood. Additionally, McKibbin outperformed Kelly in the 47th ward, where he received his highest vote total. Furthermore, while Kelly carried the West Side's 33rd ward (home ward of Clayton F. Smith, the County Board president), it was by a very narrow margin with the two candidates nearly tying in their vote totals there. McKibbin outperformed Kelly in nineteen of the city's fifty wards.Colby Peter W. Green Paul Michael The Consolidation of Clout Illinois Issues February 1979 V 2 https://www.lib.niu.edu/1979/ii790211.html 5 March 2025 He performed strongly in former Republican strongholds on the city's South and North sides. In 1979, an academic journal article by Peter Colby and Paul Michael Green retrospectively observed, "The 1943 Kelly-George B. McKibbin race was a close contest...remaining Republican strength was still holding on the perimeter of Chicago." McKibbin outperformed Kelly in six of the city's north side wards. McKibbin saw particularly strong results in most of the lakefront-bordering wards (stretching from Lincoln Park up to the city's northern border with Evanston), winning most and narrowly trailing Kelly in the Uptown-area's 43rd and 48th wards. He also performed strongly against Kelly in the South Side's Hyde Park, Englewood, and Beverly Hills neighborhoods. Among the South Side wards where McKibbin outperformed Kelly was the 4th ward, in which McKibbin resided. McKibbin also narrowly outperformed Kelly in the 18th ward, notably the home ward of Thomas J. Courtney (the Cook County state's attorney). Still, however, Kelly outperformed McKibbin in eleven of the nineteen wards on the city's south side, with Kelly performing strongly elsewhere on that side of the city. On the South Side, Kelly outperformed McKibbin in the 1st ward (at the time considered the "richest ward in the world"), as well as the African-American heavy 2nd and 3rd ward wards. Kelly also outperformed McKibbin in the Lake Calumet-area industrial region.Evans Ryan Kelly Wins, But G.O.P. Gains; Return Mayor to Office By 116,159 Margin; Machine Strength Slips Sharply Chicago Tribune en April 7, 1943 Evans Ryan Kelly Wins, But G.O.P. Gains; Return Mayor to Office By 116,159 Margin; Machine Strength Slips Sharply https://www.newspapers.com/image/372045260 Newspapers.com subscription 1 Chicago Tribune 13 January 2025 en April 7, 1943 Evans Ryan Kelly Wins, But G.O.P. Gains; Return Mayor to Office By 116,159 Margin; Machine Strength Slips Sharply https://www.newspapers.com/image/372045300 Newspapers.com subscription 2 Chicago Tribune 13 January 2025 en April 7, 1943 In the coinciding runoff elections for Chicago City Council, the Republican Party saw gains. While the runoffs were officially non-partisan races. However, each of the nine runoffs had a Democratic-endorsed candidate and a Republican–endorsed candidate. Seven of the nine runoff candidates endorsed by the Republican Party were elected, with the Republican-backed candidates in the remaining two runoffs narrowly trailing their Democratic-backed opponents. Victorious Republican backed aldermanic candidates included three Republican challengers who unseated incumbent Democratic aldermen (including Oscar De Priest, who unseated Benjamin A. Grant in the 3rd ward; James B. Waller who unseated Paddy Bauler in the 43rd ward; and Theron W. Merryman, who unseated Edwin F. Meyer in the 45th ward). This result increased the number of Republican-affiliated aldermen on the City Council from five to nine. Two of the Republican-backed victors were former Democrats who had lost the support of the Kelly–Nash Machine.Smith Harold Kelly–Nash Get Big Beating In Alderman Vote. G.O.P Backs 7 Winners in 9 Runoffs https://www.newspapers.com/image/372045260 Newspapers.com subscription Chicago Tribune 13 January 2025 en April 7, 1943 Mayor of Chicago 1943 electionBoard of Election Commissioners For the City of Chicago Mayoral Election Results Since 1900 General Elections Only http://66.107.4.19/ Chicago Board of Election Commissioners 26 March 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20040718031857/http://66.107.4.19/ July 18, 2004 18 July 2004 dead (General Election) Democratic Party (United States) Edward J. Kelly (incumbent) 685,567 54.54 Republican Party (United States) George B. McKibbin 571,547 45.47 1,257,114 References 2collapsed collapsed Category:Mayoral elections in Chicago Chicago Chicago Category:20th century in Chicago Category:1940s in Chicago