1932 New York City special mayoral election explained

Election Name:1932 New York City mayoral election
Country:New York City
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1929 New York City mayoral election
Previous Year:1929
Next Election:1933 New York City mayoral election
Next Year:1933
Election Date:November 8, 1932
Image1:File:John P. O'Brien 1920.png
Nominee1:John P. O'Brien
Party1:Democratic Party (US)
Popular Vote1:1,056,115
Percentage1:52.3%
Nominee2:Lewis H. Pounds
Party2:Republican Party (US)
Popular Vote2:443,901
Percentage2:22.0%
Image4:File:Hillquit-Morris-240725.jpg
Nominee4:Morris Hillquit
Party4:Socialist Party of America
Popular Vote4:249,887
Percentage4:12.4%
Image5:File:Mayor Joseph V McKee (cropped).png
Nominee5:Joseph V. McKee
Party5:Independent (politician)
Popular Vote5:234,372
Percentage5:11.6%
Mayor
Before Election:Joseph V. McKee
Before Party:Democratic Party (US)
After Election:John P. O'Brien
After Party:Democratic Party (US)

The 1932 New York City special mayoral election was held on November 8. It was triggered by the resignation of incumbent Democratic Mayor Jimmy Walker on September 1, after his administration had become embroiled in scandal. Democratic nominee John P. O'Brien easily defeated Republican Lewis H. Pounds and Socialist Morris Hillquit. Acting Mayor Joseph V. McKee also featured as a write-in candidate. Minor candidates included Communist William L. Patterson and Socialist Labor candidate Olive Johnson.

Election

Mayor Jimmy Walker, who was supported by Tammany Hall, resigned on September 1, 1932, following investigations into corruption by the Hofstadter Committee under the leadership of Samuel Seabury. John P. O'Brien, another candidate backed by Tammany Hall, won in the special election. O'Brien won with a majority of the vote, but underperformed Franklin D. Roosevelt's result in the presidential election by 399,061 votes and Herbert H. Lehman's results in the gubernatorial election by 475,050 votes. O'Brien also received a smaller percentage of the vote than Walker had in the 1929 election while Morris Hillquit had received a record high result for the Socialist Party of America in New York City's mayoral elections.[1]

Joseph V. McKee, who had previously served as acting mayor, received 249,372 write-in votes despite not seeking the office due to a movement by Roy W. Howard and the New York World-Telegram.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mann, Arthur . 1965 . La Guardia Comes To Power 1933 . J. B. Lippincott & Co..