1974 Washington, D.C., mayoral election

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1974 Washington, D.C., mayoral election
Flag of Washington, D.C.svg
November 5, 1974 1978  
  Walterwashington (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Walter Washington Sam Harris
Party Democratic Independent
Popular vote84,6767,514
Percentage80.5%7.1%

DC 1974 Mayorial Election By Ward.svg
Results by ward
Washington
  70-80%
  80-90%

Washington, D.C., held its first direct election for its mayor on November 5, 1974. It followed the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act by the U.S. Congress in 1973. The election was won by Walter Washington, a Democrat.

As with every mayoral election that followed, the 1974 race was at its most intense in the Democratic Primary, with 90 percent of DC's voters registered as Democrats. [1] The primary contest was a seven-person race, but the highest profile candidates were Walter Washington, then incumbent as the presidentially appointed Mayor-Commissioner, and Clifford Alexander Jr., former chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Washington was by far the favorite at the start of the campaign in May 1974, but tightened as the September primary drew closer. Washington won the September 10 primary, 53%-47%. [2]

1974 Washington, D.C. mayoral election results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Walter Washington 84,676 80.50
Independent Sam Harris7,5147.14
Republican Jackson R. Champion3,7033.52
Independent Raymond V. Ellis2,9852.84
Write in 2,8432.70
Socialist Workers Nan Bailey2,1432.04
Independent Tommye Lynn Grant1,3191.25
Majority77,16273.36
Turnout 105,183

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References

  1. Harry S. Jaffe and Tom Sherwood. Dream City: Race, Power, and the Decline of Washington D.C. Simon & Schuster, 1994, p.62
  2. Matthews, Jay (October 11, 1999). "City's 1st Mayoral Race, as Innocent as Young Love". Washington Post. p. A1.
  3. https://archive.org/details/americavotes11elec/page/356 Page 359