1977 Chicago mayoral special election
![]() | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 40%[1] ![]() | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||
|
Elections in Illinois |
---|
![]() |
In the Chicago mayoral election of 1977, interim mayor Michael A. Bilandic was elected to complete the remainder of an unexpired mayoral term, defeating Republican by a landslide 56% margin.[2][3]
Background[]
After to the death in office of Richard J. Daley on December 20, 1976, Bilandic had been selected by the Chicago City Council to serve as acting mayor for six months until an election would be held.
On December 24, Bilandic told alderman and other city hall leaders that he would not be competing in the upcoming special election for the remainder of Daley's term.[4] However, the following week, Bilandic reneged on this pledge, and announced that he would be open to a draft.[4]
By 1977, Chicago had not elected a Republican mayor, and had only elected Democratic mayors, for a half-century, with the last Republican elected having been William Hale Thompson in 1927.
Dating back to Edward J. Kelly, who took office in 1933, all Chicago mayors up to this point (Kelly, Martin H. Kennelly, Richard J. Daley, and now Bilandic) had hailed in some sense from Bilandic's 11th Ward.[5]
Primaries and nominations[]
Democratic primary[]
Bilandic won the Democratic Party's primary.
Bilandic had a well-staged "draft" effort.[4] He won the Cook County Democratic Party central committee's endorsement.[4]
Roman Pucinski had entered the race at the point when Bilandic had yet to reverse course on his pledge to not seek election.[4] The party organization had pressured him to drop out of the race for Bilandic's benefit, which he refused to do.[4] Pucinski sought to receive strong support from the city's sizable Polish-American electorage.[4] He also sought to challenge Bilandic to a series of debates, which Bilandic declined.[4] Pucinski was considered Bilandic's foremost opponent in the primary.[5]
Puncinski argued that a Bilandic administration would present more, "politics-as-usual".[5] Pucinski focused much of his campaign on addressing the issue of unemployment.[5] He alleged that Bilandic had been using unfair campaign tactics, alleging that Puncinski campaign workers and supporters had received threats from landlords and city inspectors.[5]
Harold Washington's campaign was underfunded and lacked strong organization.[4] He also suffered due to the impact of personal legal issues.[4] He focused his campaign on the black wards of the city's South Side.[4] Washington was an African American, and was counting on receiving strong African American support.[5]
Also running was disgraced former Cook County State's Attorney Edward Hanrahan.[4]
Minor candidates in the primary were lawyers Anthony R. Martin-Trigona and Ellis E. Reid, the latter of whom was African American.[5]
Wanting to be seen by voters as a competent administrator and chief executive, Bilandic refused to be drawn into controversy and largely ignored his opponents.[4] He sought to also present himself as a friend to business and a successful labor mediator.[5] During the campaign, he made appearances at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, charity dinners, and other events.[5]
The Washington Post noted that, largely absent from the discourse of the primary, had been the issues of industries leaving the city, public transport, the quality of schools, and racial integration.[5]
Results[]
Bilandic won a plurality of the vote in 38 of the city's 50 wards.[4][6] Pucinski won a plurality of the vote in 7 wards (all on the North and Northwest Sides).[4][6] Washington won a plurality of the vote in 5 wards.[6]
Bilandic had won Southwest Side Polish wards that Pucinski had been counting on winning.[5]
After the election results came in, Harold Washington alleged that there had been, "massive vote fraud".[5]
Chicago Democratic Party Mayoral Primary, 1977[2][6] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | % | ||
Michael A. Bilandic (incumbent) | 368,400 | 51.1% | ||
Roman Pucinski | 235,790 | 32.7% | ||
Harold Washington | 77,322 | 10.7% | ||
Edward Hanrahan | 28,643 | 4.0% | ||
Anthony Robert Martin-Trigona | 6,674 | 0.9% | ||
Ellis Reid | 4,022 | 0.6% | ||
Total | 720,851 | 100% |
Results by ward[6] | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ward | Michael Bilandic | Roman Pucinski | Harold Washington | Edward Hanrahan | Anthony Robert Martin-trigona |
Ellis Reid | Total | |||||||
Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | ||
1 | 7,899 | 70.1% | 1,833 | 16.3% | 1,043 | 9.3% | 374 | 3.3% | 72 | 0.6% | 44 | 0.4% | 11,265 | |
2 | 5,246 | 51.3% | 1,612 | 15.8% | 2,931 | 28.6% | 173 | 1.7% | 109 | 1.1% | 160 | 1.6% | 10,231 | |
3 | 4,578 | 56.8% | 1,088 | 13.5% | 2,121 | 26.3% | 116 | 1.4% | 72 | 0.9% | 85 | 1.1% | 8,060 | |
4 | 4,973 | 48.2% | 1,845 | 17.9% | 3,101 | 30.1% | 186 | 1.8% | 86 | 0.8% | 123 | 1.2% | 10,314 | |
5 | 3,118 | 29.6% | 2,799 | 26.6% | 3,995 | 38.0% | 250 | 2.4% | 156 | 1.5% | 204 | 1.9% | 10,522 | |
6 | 4,446 | 41.4% | 1,244 | 11.6% | 4,557 | 42.4% | 135 | 1.3% | 85 | 0.8% | 280 | 2.6% | 10,747 | |
7 | 3,565 | 36.1% | 2,973 | 30.1% | 2,854 | 28.9% | 257 | 2.6% | 108 | 1.1% | 112 | 1.1% | 9,869 | |
8 | 5,436 | 38.4% | 1,622 | 11.5% | 6,514 | 46.1% | 161 | 1.1% | 141 | 1.0% | 268 | 1.9% | 14,142 | |
9 | 3,419 | 40.3% | 1,241 | 14.6% | 3,462 | 40.8% | 157 | 1.9% | 90 | 1.1% | 108 | 1.3% | 8,477 | |
10 | 11,452 | 61.4% | 4,332 | 23.2% | 1,938 | 10.4% | 690 | 3.7% | 163 | 0.9% | 85 | 0.5% | 18,660 | |
11 | 22,644 | 86.8% | 2,532 | 9.7% | 369 | 1.4% | 435 | 1.7% | 67 | 0.3% | 45 | 0.2% | 26,092 | |
12 | 10,480 | 53.0% | 7,884 | 39.9% | 328 | 1.7% | 915 | 4.6% | 144 | 0.7% | 22 | 0.1% | 19,773 | |
13 | 16,552 | 62.7% | 8,029 | 30.4% | 99 | 0.4% | 1,484 | 5.6% | 209 | 0.8% | 20 | 0.1% | 26,393 | |
14 | 10,103 | 60.3% | 5,053 | 30.1% | 809 | 4.8% | 649 | 3.9% | 119 | 0.7% | 31 | 0.2% | 16,764 | |
15 | 7,899 | 57.6% | 2,785 | 20.3% | 2,265 | 16.5% | 587 | 4.3% | 114 | 0.8% | 70 | 0.5% | 13,720 | |
16 | 5,335 | 56.4% | 1,074 | 11.3% | 2,770 | 29.3% | 125 | 1.3% | 62 | 0.7% | 100 | 1.1% | 9,466 | |
17 | 3,517 | 43.1% | 1,015 | 12.4% | 3,395 | 41.6% | 93 | 1.1% | 64 | 0.8% | 76 | 0.9% | 8,160 | |
18 | 11,242 | 54.9% | 4,832 | 23.6% | 2,852 | 13.9% | 1,264 | 6.2% | 178 | 0.9% | 93 | 0.5% | 20,461 | |
19 | 12,891 | 63.6% | 4,860 | 24.0% | 682 | 3.4% | 1,625 | 8.0% | 173 | 0.9% | 41 | 0.2% | 20,272 | |
20 | 4,622 | 50.9% | 1,219 | 13.4% | 2,909 | 32.1% | 147 | 1.6% | 79 | 0.9% | 100 | 1.1% | 9,076 | |
21 | 5,157 | 39.3% | 1,400 | 10.7% | 5,960 | 45.4% | 163 | 1.2% | 143 | 1.1% | 293 | 2.2% | 13,116 | |
22 | 6,278 | 55.5% | 3,556 | 31.4% | 884 | 7.8% | 470 | 4.2% | 91 | 0.8% | 39 | 0.3% | 11,318 | |
23 | 12,466 | 54.9% | 8,722 | 38.4% | 82 | 0.4% | 1,194 | 5.3% | 189 | 0.8% | 44 | 0.2% | 22,697 | |
24 | 4,651 | 55.0% | 1,166 | 13.8% | 2,414 | 28.5% | 107 | 1.3% | 61 | 0.7% | 63 | 0.7% | 8,462 | |
25 | 7,954 | 70.6% | 2,448 | 21.7% | 513 | 4.6% | 260 | 2.3% | 60 | 0.5% | 28 | 0.2% | 11,263 | |
26 | 8,149 | 58.3% | 5,013 | 35.9% | 310 | 2.2% | 401 | 2.9% | 65 | 0.5% | 30 | 0.2% | 13,968 | |
27 | 7,122 | 70.0% | 1,224 | 12.0% | 1,538 | 15.1% | 163 | 1.6% | 70 | 0.7% | 51 | 0.5% | 10,168 | |
28 | 3,990 | 54.3% | 1,094 | 14.9% | 2,001 | 27.2% | 125 | 1.7% | 67 | 0.9% | 71 | 1.0% | 7,348 | |
29 | 3,505 | 49.5% | 1,096 | 15.5% | 2,200 | 31.1% | 129 | 1.8% | 91 | 1.3% | 57 | 0.8% | 7,078 | |
30 | 6,622 | 44.8% | 7,042 | 47.7% | 164 | 1.1% | 781 | 5.3% | 134 | 0.9% | 32 | 0.2% | 14,775 | |
31 | 10,886 | 70.7% | 3,611 | 23.5% | 391 | 2.5% | 381 | 2.5% | 90 | 0.6% | 30 | 0.2% | 15,389 | |
32 | 6,518 | 50.7% | 5,592 | 43.5% | 201 | 1.6% | 416 | 3.2% | 96 | 0.7% | 32 | 0.2% | 12,855 | |
33 | 6,171 | 50.4% | 5,186 | 42.4% | 156 | 1.3% | 576 | 4.7% | 120 | 1.0% | 32 | 0.3% | 12,241 | |
34 | 5,430 | 47.9% | 1,183 | 10.4% | 4,342 | 38.3% | 134 | 1.2% | 122 | 1.1% | 128 | 1.1% | 11,339 | |
35 | 4,886 | 29.6% | 10,558 | 63.9% | 81 | 0.5% | 808 | 4.9% | 152 | 0.9% | 44 | 0.3% | 16,529 | |
36 | 11,011 | 46.0% | 10,993 | 46.0% | 126 | 0.5% | 1,501 | 6.3% | 234 | 1.0% | 54 | 0.2% | 23,919 | |
37 | 5,700 | 50.6% | 2,961 | 26.3% | 1,769 | 15.7% | 636 | 5.6% | 147 | 1.3% | 62 | 0.5% | 11,275 | |
38 | 7,393 | 34.5% | 12,506 | 58.4% | 87 | 0.4% | 1,140 | 5.3% | 239 | 1.1% | 54 | 0.3% | 21,419 | |
39 | 8,000 | 46.9% | 7,824 | 45.8% | 189 | 1.1% | 824 | 4.8% | 193 | 1.1% | 44 | 0.3% | 17,074 | |
40 | 6,247 | 44.2% | 6,667 | 47.1% | 148 | 1.0% | 784 | 5.5% | 234 | 1.7% | 64 | 0.5% | 14,144 | |
41 | 6,343 | 23.1% | 19,724 | 71.8% | 97 | 0.4% | 1,114 | 4.1% | 161 | 0.6% | 39 | 0.1% | 27,478 | |
42 | 7,861 | 57.3% | 4,021 | 29.3% | 1,006 | 7.3% | 569 | 4.1% | 141 | 1.0% | 113 | 0.8% | 13,711 | |
43 | 6,129 | 44.9% | 5,822 | 42.6% | 725 | 5.3% | 677 | 5.0% | 212 | 1.6% | 100 | 0.7% | 13,665 | |
44 | 6,018 | 49.7% | 4,795 | 39.6% | 475 | 3.9% | 564 | 4.7% | 192 | 1.6% | 67 | 0.6% | 12,111 | |
45 | 7,922 | 34.7% | 13,562 | 59.4% | 86 | 0.4% | 1,038 | 4.5% | 196 | 0.9% | 29 | 0.1% | 22,833 | |
46 | 5,317 | 50.1% | 3,931 | 37.1% | 638 | 6.0% | 539 | 5.1% | 122 | 1.2% | 57 | 0.5% | 10,604 | |
47 | 9,960 | 61.0% | 5,005 | 30.6% | 208 | 1.3% | 931 | 5.7% | 163 | 1.0% | 63 | 0.4% | 16,330 | |
48 | 5,327 | 47.7% | 4,355 | 39.0% | 627 | 5.6% | 657 | 5.9% | 138 | 1.2% | 61 | 0.5% | 11,165 | |
49 | 7,007 | 48.5% | 5,658 | 39.1% | 639 | 4.4% | 815 | 5.6% | 226 | 1.6% | 109 | 0.8% | 14,454 | |
50 | 8,967 | 45.6% | 9,208 | 46.8% | 271 | 1.4% | 923 | 4.7% | 234 | 1.2% | 65 | 0.3% | 19,668 | |
Total | 368,404 | 51.1% | 235,795 | 32.7% | 77,322 | 10.7% | 28,643 | 4.0% | 6,674 | 0.9% | 4,022 | 0.6% | 720,860 |
Republican primary[]
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by . (February 2019) |
The Republican nomination was captured by 47th Ward alderman .[7] He handily won the Republican primary.[5]
Block, at the time, was the city's sole Republican alderman.[4] He had been elected an alderman two years prior.[8]
Block was the first mayoral candidate since Martin H. Kennelly to be a resident of Edgewater.[7] Thus, he was the first candidate from Edgewater since 1955 and the first general election nominee since 1951 to hail from Edgewater. He was the fourth overall mayoral candidate from the neighborhood, and would have been the third mayor from the neighborhood if elected.[7]
Socialist Workers nomination[]
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by . (January 2019) |
Independent candidates[]
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by . (January 2019) |
General election[]
The general election generated little interest.[4]
Result[]
At 40%, turnout was considered low.[1][4]
Bilandic won a majority of the vote in each of the city's 50 wards.[9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Michael A. Bilandic (incumbent) | 490,688 | 77.4 | |
Republican | 135,281 | 21.3 | ||
Socialist Workers | Dennis Brasky | 5,547 | 0.9 | |
Independent | Gerald Rose | 2,498 | 0.4 | |
Turnout | 634,014 |
Results by ward[9] | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ward | Michael A. Bilandic (Democratic Party) |
Dennis H. Block (Republican Party) |
Dennis Brasky (Socialist Workers Party) |
Gerald Rose (U.S. Labor) |
Total | ||||
Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | |
1 | 9,157 | 87.4% | 1,207 | 11.5% | 78 | 0.7% | 36 | 0.3% | 10,478 |
2 | 7,022 | 81.7% | 1,375 | 16.0% | 11 | 1.3% | 87 | 1.0% | 8,594 |
3 | 6,373 | 89.3% | 634 | 8.9% | 65 | 0.9% | 67 | 0.9% | 7,139 |
4 | 6,688 | 79.6% | 1,491 | 17.7% | 135 | 1.6% | 91 | 1.1% | 8,405 |
5 | 4,235 | 58.7% | 2,716 | 37.6% | 213 | 3.0% | 56 | 0.8% | 7,22 |
6 | 6,397 | 79.9% | 1,432 | 17.9% | 106 | 1.3% | 69 | 0.9% | 8,004 |
7 | 5,234 | 75.4% | 1,575 | 22.7% | 79 | 1.1% | 5 | 0.7% | 6,938 |
8 | 7,122 | 79.2% | 1,679 | 18.7% | 98 | 1.1% | 9 | 1.0% | 8,989 |
9 | 5,085 | 81.6% | 1,055 | 16.9% | 49 | 0.8% | 45 | 0.7% | 6,234 |
10 | 13,55 | 84.2% | 2,406 | 14.9% | 97 | 0.6% | 48 | 0.3% | 16,101 |
11 | 23,834 | 94.4% | 1,278 | 5.1% | 86 | 0.3% | 42 | 0.2% | 25,24 |
12 | 14,794 | 81.9% | 3,15 | 17.4% | 91 | 0.5% | 32 | 0.2% | 18,067 |
13 | 20,654 | 82.6% | 4,234 | 16.9% | 101 | 0.4% | 26 | 0.1% | 25,015 |
14 | 13,448 | 86.6% | 1,959 | 12.6% | 89 | 0.6% | 37 | 0.2% | 15,533 |
15 | 10,067 | 84.2% | 1,765 | 14.8% | 8 | 0.7% | 46 | 0.4% | 11,958 |
16 | 6,991 | 87.6% | 844 | 10.6% | 93 | 1.2% | 54 | 0.7% | 7,982 |
17 | 5,24 | 82.9% | 932 | 14.8% | 8 | 1.3% | 66 | 1.0% | 6,318 |
18 | 13,787 | 81.2% | 3,003 | 17.7% | 129 | 0.8% | 53 | 0.3% | 16,972 |
19 | 15,146 | 78.8% | 3,927 | 20.4% | 96 | 0.5% | 43 | 0.2% | 19,212 |
20 | 6,343 | 84.5% | 996 | 13.3% | 96 | 1.3% | 7 | 0.9% | 7,505 |
21 | 7,855 | 79.9% | 1,763 | 17.9% | 11 | 1.1% | 106 | 1.1% | 9,834 |
22 | 8,688 | 85.3% | 1,392 | 13.7% | 64 | 0.6% | 37 | 0.4% | 10,181 |
23 | 17,575 | 79.9% | 4,268 | 19.4% | 123 | 0.6% | 32 | 0.1% | 21,998 |
24 | 5,645 | 89.2% | 559 | 8.8% | 66 | 1.0% | 55 | 0.9% | 6,325 |
25 | 9,841 | 90.0% | 1,007 | 9.2% | 59 | 0.5% | 29 | 0.3% | 10,936 |
26 | 11,057 | 86.2% | 1,644 | 12.8% | 84 | 0.7% | 42 | 0.3% | 12,827 |
27 | 10,14 | 93.3% | 614 | 5.7% | 67 | 0.6% | 44 | 0.4% | 10,865 |
28 | 5,197 | 88.7% | 541 | 9.2% | 55 | 0.9% | 63 | 1.1% | 5,856 |
29 | 4,395 | 86.7% | 592 | 11.7% | 57 | 1.1% | 26 | 0.5% | 5,07 |
30 | 9,07 | 71.1% | 3,518 | 27.6% | 141 | 1.1% | 36 | 0.3% | 12,765 |
31 | 13,086 | 89.4% | 1,442 | 9.8% | 8 | 0.5% | 33 | 0.2% | 14,641 |
32 | 9,754 | 81.7% | 2,042 | 17.1% | 108 | 0.9% | 39 | 0.3% | 11,943 |
33 | 9,45 | 76.5% | 2,722 | 22.0% | 132 | 1.1% | 46 | 0.4% | 12,35 |
34 | 6,64 | 83.0% | 1,198 | 15.0% | 92 | 1.1% | 74 | 0.9% | 8,004 |
35 | 8,754 | 64.9% | 4,563 | 33.8% | 138 | 1.0% | 39 | 0.3% | 13,494 |
36 | 16,806 | 75.9% | 5,132 | 23.2% | 147 | 0.7% | 44 | 0.2% | 22,129 |
37 | 7,975 | 82.8% | 1,529 | 15.9% | 76 | 0.8% | 5 | 0.5% | 9,63 |
38 | 12,505 | 69.3% | 5,353 | 29.7% | 134 | 0.7% | 49 | 0.3% | 18,041 |
39 | 11,065 | 72.1% | 4,11 | 26.8% | 137 | 0.9% | 42 | 0.3% | 15,354 |
40 | 8,542 | 64.3% | 4,561 | 34.3% | 147 | 1.1% | 37 | 0.3% | 13,287 |
41 | 12,696 | 64.5% | 6,783 | 34.5% | 148 | 0.8% | 44 | 0.2% | 19,671 |
42 | 9,321 | 68.9% | 4,019 | 29.7% | 13 | 1.0% | 67 | 0.5% | 13,537 |
43 | 6,827 | 56.8% | 4,908 | 40.9% | 228 | 1.9% | 47 | 0.4% | 12,01 |
44 | 6,94 | 63.7% | 3,762 | 34.5% | 146 | 1.3% | 45 | 0.4% | 10,893 |
45 | 12,832 | 67.9% | 5,885 | 31.2% | 136 | 0.7% | 34 | 0.2% | 18,887 |
46 | 6,608 | 66.2% | 3,203 | 32.1% | 115 | 1.2% | 58 | 0.6% | 9,984 |
47 | 13,002 | 76.8% | 3,80 | 22.4% | 102 | 0.6% | 28 | 0.2% | 16,932 |
48 | 6,71 | 54.1% | 5,488 | 44.2% | 162 | 1.3% | 45 | 0.4% | 12,405 |
49 | 8,404 | 64.3% | 4,411 | 33.7% | 21 | 1.6% | 48 | 0.4% | 13,073 |
50 | 12,141 | 63.3% | 6,814 | 35.5% | 182 | 0.9% | 51 | 0.3% | 19,188 |
Totals | 490,688 | 77.4% | 135,281 | 21.3% | 5,547 | 0.9% | 2,498 | 0.4% | 634,014 |
References[]
- ^ a b Denvir, Daniel (May 22, 2015). "Voter Turnout in U.S. Mayoral Elections Is Pathetic, But It Wasn't Always This Way". City Lab (The Atlantic). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Our Campaigns - Chicago Mayor Race - Jun 07, 1977".
- ^ "Bilandic winner with 77% of vote (June 8, 1977)".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Green, Paul M.; Holli, Melvin G. (10 January 2013). The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, fourth edition. SIU Press. pp. 162–164. ISBN 9780809331994. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Chicago's Acting Mayor Bilandic, A Daley Protege, Wins in Primary". Washington Post. 20 April 1977. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d e http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_primary%2Ccrdd_1977_primary_election%2Cil_chi_mayor
- ^ a b c "Edgewater Teasers Vol. XVI No. 3 - FALL 2005". Edgewater History. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ "Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office". Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Election Results for 1977 General Election, Mayor, Chicago, IL".
- Mayoral elections in Chicago
- 1977 United States mayoral elections
- 1977 Illinois elections
- 1970s in Chicago
- 1977 in Illinois
- United States mayoral special elections
- Illinois special elections
- Illinois election stubs