1963 San Diego mayoral election explained

Election Name:San Diego mayoral election, 1963
Flag Image:Flag of San Diego, California.svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:San Diego mayoral election, 1959
Previous Year:1959
Next Election:San Diego mayoral election, 1967
Next Year:1967
Nominee1:Frank Curran
Party1:Democratic Party (US)
Popular Vote1:96,898
Percentage1:63.6%
Nominee2:Murray D. Goodrich
Party2:Democratic Party (US)
Popular Vote2:55,520
Percentage2:36.4%
Mayor
Before Election:Charles Dail
Before Party:Democratic Party (US)
After Election:Frank Curran
After Party:Democratic Party (US)

The 1963 San Diego mayoral election was held on November 5, 1963 to elect the mayor for San Diego. Incumbent mayor Charles Dail did not stand for reelection. In the primary election, Frank Curran and Murray Goodrich received the most votes and advanced to the runoff. Curran was then elected mayor with a majority of the votes.

Candidates

Campaign

Incumbent Mayor Charles Dail did not stand for reelection due to failing health and declining power related to a recall attempt. The election drew a crowded field, including three members of the San Diego City Council: Frank Curran, Helen Cobb, and Alan Hitch. Other major contenders included David Casey, an attorney, and Murray Goodrich, a surplus aircraft parts dealer and aluminum smelter.[3]

On September 17, 1963, Frank Curran came in first in the primary election with 22.4 percent of the vote, followed by Murray D. Goodrich in second with 21.0 percent, David S. Casey in third with 20.4 percent and Allen Hitch in fourth with 17.7 percent. None of the other remaining eight candidates received more than 10 percent of the vote. Because no candidate received a majority of the vote, a runoff election was held between the top two finishers, Curran and Goodrich. On November 5, 1963 Curran received a majority of 63.6 percent of the vote in the runoff and was elected to the office of the mayor.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Political Speakers at USD. Digital USD. University of San Diego. September 10, 2017.
  2. State-by-State Review of 1967 Elections.. CQ Almanac 1967. September 10, 2017. Washington, DC.
  3. Book: Pourade. Richard. The History of San Diego Volume VII: City of the Dream, 1940-1970. 1977. Copley Press. San Diego. September 10, 2017.