| Election Name: | 1872 Boston mayoral election |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1871 Boston mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1871 |
| Election Date: | December 10, 1872 |
| Next Election: | 1873 Boston mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 1873 |
| Image1: | Henry L. Pierce - Brady-Handy (1).jpg |
| Candidate1: | Henry L. Pierce |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 8,877 |
| Percentage1: | 50.11% |
| Candidate2: | William Gaston |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 8,798 |
| Percentage2: | 49.66% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | William Gaston |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Henry L. Pierce |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The Boston mayoral election of 1872 saw the election of Republican nominee Henry L. Pierce, who narrowly unseated incumbent Democratic mayor William Gaston.
Incumbent Democratic mayor William Gaston was nominated on the ticket of the city's regular Democratic Party organization. The city's Liberal Republican ticket nominated Gaston as well.[1]
Republican former congressman Henry L. Pierce was nominated on the ticket of the city's regular Republican Party organization. He was additionally nominated on the tickets of the city's Citizens' Party (which ran as "The People's Ticket") and the Labor Reform ticket.[1]