1925 Los Angeles mayoral election explained

Election Name:1925 Los Angeles mayoral election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1923 Los Angeles mayoral election
Previous Year:1923
Next Election:1929 Los Angeles mayoral election
Next Year:1929
Image1:George Cryer, Mayor of Los Angeles, 1920s.jpg
Color1:c0c0c0
Candidate1:George E. Cryer
Popular Vote1:82,186
Percentage1:51.2%
Color2:c0c0c0
Candidate2:Benjamin F. Bledsoe
Popular Vote2:67,722
Percentage2:42.2%
Image3:Miles S. Gregory, 1925.jpg
Color3:c0c0c0
Candidate3:Miles S. Gregory
Popular Vote3:9,540
Percentage3:6.0%
Mayor
Before Election:George E. Cryer
After Election:George E. Cryer

The 1925 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on May 5, 1925. Incumbent George E. Cryer was re-elected, defeating five challengers including judge Benjamin Franklin Bledsoe and Councilmember Miles S. Gregory and winning outright without the need of a general election.[1]

Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.[2]

Election

Incumbent George E. Cryer had been elected in 1921 and was now seeking re-election for a third term.[3] The election came after the passage of the 1925 charter, which amended the dates of elections and term years; the election was now on odd-numbered years and the term was extended to four years instead of two.

Cryer was challenged by Benjamin Franklin Bledsoe, a district judge from the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Bledsoe, a Democrat, was supported by many women in Los Angeles and prominent attorney W. H. Anderson.[4] [5] He had been urged to run in the election by many leaders, and had stayed quiet about his plans until his announcement to run.[6]

In February 1925, Sylvester Weaver, president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and Assemblymember Thomas L. Dodge withdrew from the race, leaving the main competition between Cryer and Bledsoe; Weaver endorsed Bledsoe for the race.[7]

Although Bledsoe was predicted to have an advantage due to a heavy vote, Cryer defeated all his opponents and was re-elected.[1] [8] The election was challenged by Edna Allen, who was an elector in the primary, who said that judges in all the districts counted ballots for Cryer that weren't meant for him.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TUESDAY'S PRIMARY. Los Angeles Times. May 7, 1925. .
  2. Web site: LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT. League of Women Voters.
  3. Web site: THIRD TERM IS ASKED BY CRYER: Candidacy is Announced for Re-election as Mayor nicipal Ownership Chief Plank in Platform Boulder Darn Project A1lso Declared Issue. February 22, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .
  4. Web site: Women Urge Women to Support Judge Bledsoe: To the Womanhood of Los Angeles. May 1, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .
  5. Web site: ATTORNEY SAYS ELECT BLEDSOE: W. H. Anderson Lauds Former Federal Jurist Weak Attitude Shown by Incumbent Mayor Asserts Candidate Will be Virile in Office. May 4, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .
  6. Web site: LEADERS URGE BLEDSOE TO ENTER MAYORALTY RACE: Petition Bearing Names of Many Prominent Citizens Seeks Jurist as Candidate. February 18, 1925. .
  7. Web site: WEAVER, DODGE DROP OUT; PRIMARY VOTE DECISIVE: Field Now Clear for Bledsoe-Cryer Contest Save for Gregory; Federal Jurist Lauded. February 20, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .
  8. Web site: MAYORALTY CONTEST IS MAIN ELECTION ISSUE: Anticipated Heavy Vote to be to Advantage of Judge Bledsoe; His Record, Platform. May 3, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .
  9. Web site: CRYER ELECTION IS CHALLENGED: Charge of Vote Juggling is Filed With Court Woman Asserts Ballots of Others Given Mayor Connection With Party or Group Disclaimed. June 12, 1925. Los Angeles Times. .