1943 Chicago mayoral election

← 1939 April 6, 1943 1947 →

Nominee Edward J. Kelly George McKibbin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 685,567 571,547 Percentage 54.54% 45.47%

Mayor before election Edward J. Kelly Democratic Elected Mayor Edward J. Kelly Democratic

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v t e

The Chicago mayoral election of 1943 was held on April 6, 1943. The election saw incumbent Edward J. Kelly being reelected to a third term, defeating Republican nominee George McKibbin with a 9% margin of victory. Both nominees had received landslide victories in their party's primary elections.

The election was preceded by primary elections held on February 22, 1943 to determine the nominees of both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Nominations

Democratic primary

Reform-oriented Democrats supported a challenge by alderman John S. Boyle to incumbent mayor Edward J. Kelly.^[1] This challenge failed to amount to much, with Kelly easily defeating Boyle.

Republican primary

George McKibbin won the Republican nomination by a landslide margin.

General election

Like other Republicans that had run against Kelly, McKibbin framed his campaign as a crusade against machine politics.^[1] McKibbin declared "Pendergast is out in K.C., Hague in Jersey, and Tammany in New York have been cleaned out. Now it is time to clean out the Kelly-Nash machine."^[1] McKibbin also attacked links between the political machine and criminal activity.^[1] Kelly did not campaign. Confident in his chances of victory, Kelly flaunted heavy gravitas and balked at the thought of campaigning.^[1]

Results

Voter turnout was considered to be very light.^[1] Kelly won what was considered to be a very solid victory.^[1]