1905 Boston mayoral election explained

Election Name:	1905 Boston mayoral election
Country:	Boston
Type:	Presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1903 Boston mayoral election
Previous Year:	1903
Election Date:	December 12, 1905
Next Election:	1907 Boston mayoral election
Next Year:	1907
Image1:	J.F. Fitzgerald LCCN2014714230 (3x4a).jpg
Candidate1:	John F. Fitzgerald
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	44,171
Percentage1:	47.5%
Mayor
Before Election:	Daniel A. Whelton
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	John F. Fitzgerald
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
Candidate2:	Louis A. Frothingham
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	36,028
Percentage2:	38.7%
Image3:	Henry Sweetser Dewey (1856–1932).png
Candidate3:	Henry S. Dewey
Party3:	People's Party (United States)
Popular Vote3:	11,608
Percentage3:	12.5%

The Boston mayoral election of 1905 took place on Tuesday, December 12, 1905.^[1] Democratic nominee John F. Fitzgerald defeated Republican nominee Louis A. Frothingham and four other contenders to win election to his first term as Mayor of Boston. Ahead of the general election, primary elections had been held on Thursday, November 16, 1905.

Daniel A. Whelton, who had become acting mayor upon the death of Mayor Patrick Collins in September 1905,^[2] did not run for the position.

Fitzgerald was inaugurated on Monday, January 1, 1906.^[3]

Results

Democratic primary

• Edward J. Donovan, Boston City Clerk^[4]
• John F. Fitzgerald, former member of the United States House of Representatives (1895–1901) and the Massachusetts Senate (1892–1894)

Candidates	Primary Election^[5]
Votes	%
John F. Fitzgerald	28,130
Edward J. Donovan	24,387
all others	5

Republican primary

• Louis A. Frothingham, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
• Henry S. Dewey, former Boston Municipal Court judge
• Edward B. Callender, member of the Massachusetts Senate

Withdrew

• Edward J. Bromberg, Boston Alderman

Sources:^{[6] [7]}

Candidates	Primary Election^[8]
Votes	%
Louis A. Frothingham	9,941
Henry S. Dewey	9,745
Edward B. Callender	1,653
all others	4

Other candidates

• Henry S. Dewey, who had narrowly lost the Republican primary election, ran as People's Party candidate
• Michael D. Fitzgerald, Socialist Labor candidate, was removed from the ballot in early December due to invalid signatures^[9]
• George G. Hall, was the Socialist candidate^[10]
• James A. Watson, was the Municipal Ownership League candidate^[11]

General election

Candidates^[12]	General Election^[13]
Votes	%
	D	John F. Fitzgerald	44,171
	R	Louis A. Frothingham	36,028
	P	Henry S. Dewey	11,608
	S	George G. Hall	712
	M	James A. Watson	457
Michael D. Fitzgerald		9
Scattering		14
Total Vote		92,999	100

See also

• List of mayors of Boston, Massachusetts

Further reading

• News: Fitzgerald Wins in Boston . . 1 . December 13, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.

Notes and References

1. Book: 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 . 1909 . City of Boston Printing Department . 56 . en.
2. Web site: PAST MAYORS OF BOSTON . boston.gov . 8 July 2016 . March 12, 2018.
3. News: Fitzgerald Boston's Mayor . . January 2, 1906 . 1 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
4. News: DONOVAN OR FITZGERALD? . . 1 . September 20, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com .
5. Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1905 . 107 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.
6. News: FROTHINGHAM HAS THREE OPPONENTS . . 1 . October 25, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
7. News: BROMBERG OUT . . 5 . October 27, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
8. Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1905 . 138 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.
9. News: WHOLE LIST OFF TICKET . . 10 . December 3, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
10. News: GEORGE G. HALL FOR MAYOR . . 5 . November 6, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
11. News: EACH THINKS HE WILL WIN . . 1 . December 10, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
12. News: PAPERS ALL FILED . . 1 . November 28, 1905 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
13. Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1905 . 171 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.