1911 Chicago mayoral election

1911 Chicago mayoral election

← 1907 April 4, 1911 1915 →
Turnout	87% 1 pp[1]
Nominee Carter Harrison IV Charles E. Merriam William E. Rodriguez Party Democratic Republican Socialist Popular vote 177,997 160,672 24,825 Percentage 48.53% 43.81% 6.77%
Mayor before election Fred A. Busse Republican Elected mayor Carter Harrison IV Democratic

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v t e

In the 1911 Chicago mayoral election, Democrat Carter Harrison IV was elected to his fifth non-consecutive term as mayor, tying the then-record set by his father Carter Harrison Sr. for the most Chicago mayoral election victories. Harrison defeated Republican nominee Charles E. Merriam and Socialist nominee William E. Rodriguez.

The election was held on April 4.^[2]

On February 28, 1911, for the first time, direct primary elections were held. Both major parties held primaries to determine their nominees, and both the Democratic and Republican primaries saw heated races. In the Democratic primary, former mayor Harrison won a very narrow 0.97% margin of victory over former mayor Edward F. Dunne, also beating a competitive candidacy by banker Andrew J. Graham. With incumbent Republican mayor Fred A. Busse declining to seek a second term, the Republican Party also had an open race for its nomination. Charles E. Merriam won a strong victory over restaurateur John R. Thompson and former Illinois treasurer John F. Smulski, as well as two minor candidates.