| Election Name: | Chicago mayoral election, 1837 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Next Year: | 1838 |
| Election Date: | May 2, 1837 |
| Image1: | File:WBogden (a).jpg |
| Candidate1: | William B. Ogden |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 470 |
| Percentage1: | 66.86% |
| Candidate2: | John H. Kinzie |
| Party2: | Whig Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 233 |
| Percentage2: | 33.14% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | John H. Kinzie (as Town President) |
| Before Party: | Whig Party (United States) |
| After Election: | William B. Ogden |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1837 Chicago mayoral election was held on May 2, 1837. It was the first Chicago mayoral election, taking place the same year as Chicago's incorporation as a city. Democratic candidate William B. Ogden defeated Whig incumbent Town President John H. Kinzie by a landslide 38.5 point margin.
Shortly after the election Ogden was sworn in as Chicago's first mayor. This set the precedent of scheduling Chicago's mayoral inauguration for the month of May, a practice which has continued for most of the city's history into the present.[1]
The election coincided with elections to the Common Council. In addition to winning the mayor's office, Democrats took all 10 seats of the Common Council.[2]
Prominent Chicagoan W. B. Egan had been considered a potential candidate, however he refused to run.[3]
Kinzie was backed by individuals such as Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard.
Chicago had quickly been becoming a stronghold for the Whig Party. To overcome this trend, Democrats Francis Sherman, John Wentworth, and Peter Pruyne convinced William B. Ogden to run on their party's ticket.[4] Wentworth, being editor of the city's Chicago Democrat newspaper, used the paper to support Ogden's candidacy.
Kinzie campaigned on a platform advocating the extension of Chicago's plank roads into the countryside.[4] Ogden ran a more railroad-centric candidacy, believing that the railroads were the lifeline for the city's future.[4]
Making use of his roots in the city, as the son of early settlers, Kinzie's supporters used the slogan "First born of Chicago" to promote him.[5] [4] Kinzie had the backing of old settlers, such as Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard.[4] Detractors of Ogden accused him of being a "transient speculator" whose only aim was to make money off of Chicago before returning to New York.[5] [6] However, this line of attack was rendered ineffective by the fact that, by this time, eastern newcomers made up a majority of the city's populace.[5]
Kinzie, being popular figure, initially seemed to have an advantage in the election.[4]
Voting was done viva voce. Individuals would walk up to a table and orally announce their vote, for all to eavesdrop upon.[4] Each ward had a single polling place.[4]
The polling places for each ward were:
Ogden won in every ward, even defeating Kinzie in his own ward by a single vote.[4] [7]
| Ward | Ogden | Kinzie | Total Votes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| 1st | 102 | 61.1% | 65 | 38.9% | 167 | ||
| 2nd | 182 | 74.9% | 61 | 25.1% | 243 | ||
| 3rd | 21 | 60.0% | 14 | 40.0% | 35 | ||
| 4th | 34 | 64.2% | 19 | 35.9% | 53 | ||
| 5th | 58 | 96.7% | 2 | 3.3% | 60 | ||
| 6th | 73 | 50.4% | 72 | 49.7% | 145 | ||