1937 Boston mayoral election

← 1933 November 2, 1937 1941 →

Candidate Maurice J. Tobin James Michael Curley Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 105,212 80,376 Percentage 38.56% 29.46%   Candidate Malcolm Nichols William J. Foley Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 55,247 28,184 Percentage 20.25% 10.33%

Mayor before election Frederick Mansfield Elected Mayor Maurice J. Tobin

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v t e

The Boston mayoral election of 1937 occurred on Tuesday, November 2, 1937. Boston School Committee member Maurice J. Tobin defeated five other candidates, including former mayors James Michael Curley and Malcolm Nichols.

In 1918, the Massachusetts state legislature had passed legislation making the Mayor of Boston ineligible to serve consecutive terms.^[1] Thus, incumbent Frederick Mansfield was unable to run for re-election. The law would be changed in 1939, making this the last election where the incumbent mayor could not run for re-election.^[2]

Tobin was inaugurated on Monday, January 3, 1938.^[3]

Candidates

• Carleton L. Brett, former Boston police officer
• James Michael Curley, governor of Massachusetts from 1935 to 1937, Mayor of Boston from 1914 to 1918, 1922 to 1926, 1930 to 1934, and member of the United States House of Representatives from 1913 to 1914
• William J. Foley, district attorney of Suffolk County since 1927
• Malcolm Nichols, mayor of Boston from 1926 to 1930
• Alfred Santosuosso, lawyer
• Maurice J. Tobin, member of the Boston School Committee since 1931

Results