1866 Boston mayoral election

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1866 Boston mayoral election
←  1865 December 10, 1866 [1] 1867  →
  Otis Norcross 5210004 015 018 (1).jpg Mayor NB Shurtleff (2).png
Candidate Otis Norcross Nathaniel B. Shurtleff
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote5,662%4,755
Percentage54.18%45.50%
Mayor before election

Frederic W. Lincoln Jr.
Republican

Elected mayor

Otis Norcross
Republican

The Boston mayoral election of 1866 saw the election of Republican Party nominee Otis Norcross.

Contents

The election saw a significant role played by the city's African American electorate, who formed an electoral partnership for the elections with the city's Democratic Party.

Role of African American voters

The election saw a significant role by African American voters, who largely supported the city's Democratic ticket. [2] In the November elections that preceded it, Massachusetts became first state in New England to elect African American state legislators, [3] including representing part of Boston. [2] Boston Democrats and Irish American voters formed a partnership with the city's African American electorate for the December municipal elections, with African American voters voting for Democrats, and Democrats and Irish American Voters backing the candidacy of an African American candidate for the Boston Common Council in the same area of Boston that had elected an African American state legislator the month prior. [2] This candidate came close to joining the Common Council, tying in the December 10 vote for the seat he was seeking. [4] A special election was held later that month to determine the holder of the seat, which he lost. [2]

Result

After what was described to be a quiet election, Republican nominee Otis Norcross won by a sizable margin. The Republican ticket was also successful in winning all seats in the coinciding election to the Boston Board of Aldermen. [4]

1866 Boston mayoral election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Otis Norcross 5,662 54.18
Democratic Nathaniel B. Shurtleff 4,75545.50
OthersScattering330.32
Total votes10,450 100

See also

References

  1. 1 2 A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown, 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822: Also of Various Other Town and Municipal Officers. City of Boston Printing Department. 1909. p. 53. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Another Arm-in-Arm Performance –the caucuasion and Negro Democracy Fraternize". Plymouth, Indiana: The Weekly Republican. December 27, 1866. Retrieved March 6, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "CIS: Miscellaneous Massachusetts Facts". sec.state.ma.us. Secretary of State of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on July 10, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Massachusetts Municipal Elections". New York Daily Herald. December 11, 1866. Retrieved March 6, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
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