1960 Philadelphia City Council special election

none September 2023 thumb|The 4th and 6th councilmanic districts in 1960 The 1960 Philadelphia City Council special election was held to fill two vacant city council seats. The first was in the 4th district, when Democrat Samuel Rose died in January 1960. A second vacancy that same year occurred in the 6th district when Democrat Michael J. Towey died suddenly in September 29. Special elections were scheduled for November 8, 1960, to be held at the same time as the national election that year. Both seats were easily held by the Democratic Party. Background Samuel Rose had represented West Philadelphia's 4th district since its creation under the new City Charter of 1951. After suffering a heart attack in 1959, his health declined and he died on January 31, 1960, at the age of 48.Inquirer 1960a The district was viewed as a solid seat for the Democrats; Rose had won re-election in 1959 with 73% of the vote.Inquirer 1959 Michael J. Towey died on September 29, 1960, also of a heart attack.Inquirer 1960d Towey had represented the 6th district, which covered Kensington, Port Richmond, and Frankford, also since 1951. He had won convincingly in his most recent election, carrying 60% of the vote over his Republican opponent.Inquirer 1959 Candidate selection Instead of a primary, the nominees were selected by the ward leaders of the wards that made up the councilmanic districts. In the 4th, Democratic ward leaders selected George X. Schwartz, an attorney who had represented part of the district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for three terms.Inquirer 1960b Republicans nominated Leonard G. Carr, the pastor of Vine Memorial Baptist Church and a civil rights advocate.Inquirer 1960c After Towey's death, Council President James Tate ordered a special election to be held the same day, just over a month later.Inquirer 1960e As in the 4th, candidates were chosen by the ward leaders.Inquirer 1960e Democrats selected William A. Dwyer Jr., a lawyer and the leader of the 23rd Ward, over several challengers.Inquirer 1960f Republicans selected Joseph T. Murphy, also an attorney.Inquirer 1960f Result Schwartz and Dwyer easily won their elections, "swamping" their Republican opponents, according to a story the next day in The Philadelphia Inquirer.Inquirer 1960g Democrats carried every ward in the two districts amid a citywide victory for the party in the presidential race.Inquirer 1960g Schwartz took 75% of the vote, bettering Rose's totals from 1959.Inquirer 1960g Dwyer likewise improved on Towey's 1959 margin in the district.Inquirer 1960g 1960 Philadelphia city council special election, district 4Bulletin Almanac 1961 Democratic Party (United States) George X. Schwartz 60,285 75.44 +1.85 Republican Party (United States) Leonard G. Carr 19,625 24.56 -1.85 1960 Philadelphia city council special election, district 6Bulletin Almanac 1961 Democratic Party (United States) William A. Dwyer Jr. 57,891 65.68 +5.36 Republican Party (United States) Joseph T. Murphy 30,244 34.32 -5.36 Aftermath Schwartz remained on city council for twenty years, rising to become the council president. He remained a force on the Council until he was forced to resign after being implicated in the Abscam investigation.Anastasia 2010 He served a year in prison and died at the age of 95 in 2010.Anastasia 2010 His opponent, Carr, did not run for office again but remained the pastor of his church until his death in 1976.Inquirer 1976 Dwyer served out the remainder of the term to which he had been elected, but lost a re-election bid to Republican Edward F. McNulty in 1963.Inquirer 1982 He was elected to a judgeship on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in 1967 and served there until his death in 1982.Inquirer 1982 Murphy joined him on the bench, being appointed to the Philadelphia Municipal Court in 1968 and the Common Pleas Court in 1972.Inquirer 1992 He took senior status on the court in 1980 and heard cases until 1991; he died the following year.Inquirer 1992 See also List of members of Philadelphia City Council since 1952 References 20em Sources City Vote Cast For Candidates The Philadelphia Inquirer November 5, 1959 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178143962/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1959 Samuel Rose Dies; Councilman Was 48 The Philadelphia Inquirer February 1, 1960 7 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178158077/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960a George X. Schwartz Will Run For Council The Philadelphia Inquirer September 2, 1960 15 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178289279/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960b Pastor To Run For City Council The Philadelphia Inquirer September 9, 1960 11 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178297517/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960c Michael Towey Dies; City Councilman, 58 The Philadelphia Inquirer September 30, 1960 12 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178319783/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960d Nov. 8 Election Is Set For City Council Seat The Philadelphia Inquirer October 7, 1960 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178299206/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960e Dwyer Nominee In Council Race The Philadelphia Inquirer October 12, 1960 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178314026/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960f Democrats Retain 2 Seats in Council The Philadelphia Inquirer November 9, 1960 7 https://www.newspapers.com/image/178301639/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1960g Bulletin Almanac 1961 1961 The Philadelphia Bulletin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 8641470 Bulletin Almanac 1961 Rev. Leonard Carr, of W. Phila. The Philadelphia Inquirer June 22, 1976 5-D https://www.newspapers.com/image/173042646/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1976 W. Dwyer, 68, Judge in Phila. The Philadelphia Inquirer December 14, 1982 25-A https://www.newspapers.com/image/172348869/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1982 Phila. Judge Joseph T. Murphy, 'hard-working, well-respected' The Philadelphia Inquirer October 16, 1992 B19 https://www.newspapers.com/image/177655471/ Newspapers.com Inquirer 1992 Anastasia George George Schwartz, Abscam Figure, Is Dead at 95 The Philadelphia Inquirer March 27, 2010 A1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/210126909/ Newspapers.com Philadelphia City Council Category:Philadelphia City Council elections Category:1960 Pennsylvania elections