1951 Boston mayoral election
← 1949 November 6, 1951 1955 →
 
Candidate John B. Hynes James Michael Curley
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote 154,206 76,354
Percentage 66.88% 33.12%
Mayor before election

John B. Hynes

 Elected Mayor

John B. Hynes

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The Boston mayoral election of 1951 occurred on Tuesday, November 6, 1951, between Mayor of Boston John B. Hynes and former Mayor James Michael Curley. Hynes was elected to his second term.

This was the first Boston mayoral race with a preliminary election, which was held on Tuesday, September 25, 1951. In November 1949, voters had approved changing the structure of future mayoral contests to include a preliminary election, non-partisan in nature, to select two final candidates in advance of each general election, which would remain non-partisan.[1] It also shifted the years in which elections would be held. The first such election had been set for 1951,[1] meaning that Hynes' previous term was only two years in duration.

Inaugural exercises were held Monday, January 7, 1952.[2]

Candidates

Candidates eliminated in preliminary

Results

Candidates Preliminary Election[4] General Election[5]
Votes % Votes %
John B. Hynes (incumbent) 108,414 53.41 154,206 66.88
James Michael Curley 77,268 38.07 76,354 33.12
Joseph F. Timilty 15,890 7.83
Thomas J. O'Brien 1,406 0.69

General election results by ward

Ward[4] Hynes Curley
Votes % Votes %
1 6,436 56.19 5,017 43.81
2 3,251 49.30 3,343 50.70
3 6,228 60.59 4,051 39.41
4 6,147 73.41 2,226 26.59
5 8,366 80.66 2,006 19.34
6 4,882 51.27 4,641 48.73
7 6,634 57.18 4,967 42.82
8 3,319 45.36 3,999 54.64
9 4,133 54.81 3,408 45.19
10 4,970 51.67 4,649 48.33
11 4,766 54.89 3,917 45.11
12 7,061 73.58 2,536 26.42
13 5,511 61.27 3,483 38.73
14 10,983 80.57 2,648 19.43
15 5,411 62.26 3,280 37.74
16 8,821 72.55 3,338 27.45
17 8,824 75.41 2,878 24.59
18 11,060 72.95 4,101 27.05
19 7,428 68.08 3,483 31.92
20 12,528 80.54 3,027 19.46
21 9,797 80.84 2,322 19.16
22 7,650 71.60 3,034 28.40

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Plan A Wins; Boston to Get New Charter". The Boston Globe. November 9, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved March 2, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Hynes and Score of Other Mayors Take Oath Today". The Boston Globe. January 7, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  3. ^ Lewis, William (August 23, 1951). "Dark Horse May Enter Boston's Mayoralty Race". The Boston Globe. p. 1. Retrieved March 3, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  4. ^ a b Annual Report of the Election Department. Boston [Election Dept.] 1952. p. 44.
  5. ^ Annual Report of the Election Department. Boston [Election Dept.] 192. p. 136.


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