The 1837 Chicago mayoral election was held on May 2, 1837. It was the first Chicago mayoral election, taking place the same year as Chicago's incorporation as a city. Democratic candidate William B. Ogden defeated Whig incumbent Town President John H. Kinzie by a landslide 38.5 point margin.
Shortly after the election Ogden was sworn in as Chicago's first mayor. This set the precedent of scheduling Chicago's mayoral inauguration for the month of May, a practice which has continued for most of the city's history into the present.[1]
The election coincided with elections to the Common Council. In addition to winning the mayor's office, Democrats took all 10 seats of the Common Council.[2]
Campaign
Prominent Chicagoan W. B. Egan had been considered a potential candidate, however he refused to run.[3]
Chicago had quickly been becoming a stronghold for the Whig Party.[5] To overcome this trend, Democrats Francis Sherman, John Wentworth, and Peter Pruyne convinced William B. Ogden to run on their party's ticket.[5] Wentworth, being editor of the city's Chicago Democrat newspaper, used the paper to support Ogden's candidacy.[4]
Kinzie campaigned on a platform advocating the extension of Chicago's plank roads into the countryside.[5] Ogden ran a more railroad-centric candidacy, believing that the railroads were the lifeline for the city's future.[5]
Making use of his roots in the city, as the son of early settlers, Kinzie's supporters used the slogan "First born of Chicago" to promote him.[4][5] Kinzie had the backing of old settlers, such as Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard.[5] Detractors of Ogden accused him of being a "transient speculator" whose only aim was to make money off of Chicago before returning to New York.[4][6] However, this line of attack was rendered ineffective by the fact that, by this time, eastern newcomers made up a majority of the city's populace.[4]
Kinzie, being popular figure, initially seemed to have an advantage in the election.[5]
Voting procedure
Voting was done viva voce. Individuals would walk up to a table and orally announce their vote, for all to eavesdrop upon.[5] Each ward had a single polling place.[5]
^ abcdefghijHarpster, Jack (December 3, 2018). Railroad Tycoon Who Built Chicago.
^Pierce, Bessie Louise. A History of Chicago, Volume I: The Beginning of a City 1673-1848. p. 376.
^ abGoodspeed, Weston A. (Feb 6, 2017). History of Cook County, Illinois--, Being a General Survey of Cook County History, Including a Condensed History of Chicago and Special Account of Districts Outside the City Limits; from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time Volume I. Jazzybee Verlag. p. 132.
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