Wikipedia

1853–54 Boston mayoral election

The Boston mayoral election of 1853–1854 saw the election of Citizens Union Party nominee Jerome V. C. Smith. The election took three votes, as no candidate secured the needed majority in the first two attempts. Incumbent Whig mayor Benjamin Seaver had run for reelection as his party's nominee in the first vote, but opted not to compete in the second or third votes.

1853–1854 Boston mayoral election
← 1852 Dec. 12, 1853 (1st vote)
Dec. 27, 1853 (2nd vote)
Jan. 9, 1854 (3rd vote)		 December 1854 →
 
Candidate Jerome V. C. Smith Benjamin Seaver John P. Bigelow
Party Citizens Union Party Whig Whig
First vote 4,690
35.97% 		5,651
43.34% 		Did not contest
Second vote 6,077
49.94% 		Did not contest 4,489
36.89%
Third vote 6,840
56.59% 		Did not contest Did not contest
 
Candidate John H. Wilkins Jacob Sleeper James Whiting
Party Whig Young Men's League Bay State Club and Liquor Union
First vote Did not contest 2,097
16.08% 		Did not contest
Second vote Did not contest 775
6.37% 		Did not contest
Third vote 3,171
26.23% 		Did not contest 1,730
14.31%
 
Candidate Aaron Hobart
Party Democratic
First vote Did not contest
Second vote 748
6.15%
Third vote 282
2.33%
Mayor before election

Benjamin Seaver
Whig

Elected mayor

Jerome V. C. Smith

It was the sixth and final Boston mayoral election to require multiple general election attempts before a winner could be determined. The previous elections where this had occurred were the 1822, 1828, 1831, 1844–45, and 1851 mayoral elections.

First vote (December 12, 1853)

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Candidates

Result

Boston mayoral election first vote (December 12, 1853)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Benjamin Seaver (incumbent) 5,651 43.34%
Jerome V. C. Smith 4,690 35.97%
Young Men's League Jacob Sleeper 2,097 16.08%
Frederick H. Allen 596 4.57%
Scattering Other 5 0.03%
Total votes 13,039 100

Second vote (December 27, 1853)

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After he failed to win a majority in the first vote, Mayor Seaver refused to again run in the second vote. After this, the city's Whig Party committee nominated former mayor Josiah Quincy III, who declined. They then nominated Thomas Coffin Amory, who also declined. They then nominated former mayor John P. Bigelow. The Democratic Party nominated Aaron Hobart.[3] As with the first vote, no winner was elected as no candidate won a majority share of the vote. Jerome V. C. Smith fell short of a majority by a mere nine votes.[4]

Candidates

Result

Boston mayoral election second vote (December 27, 1854)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Jerome V. C. Smith 6,077 49.94%
Whig John P. Bigelow 4,489 36.89%
Jacob Sleeper 775 6.37%
Democratic Aaron Hobart 748 6.15%
Scattering Other 79 6.49%
Total votes 12,168 100

Third vote (January 9, 1854)

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Citizens Union Party nominee Jerome V. C. Smith was elected after winning a majority in the third vote.

In the third vote, John H. Wilkins replaced Bigelow as there Whig Party's nominee.

Candidates

Result

Boston mayoral election third vote (January 9, 1854)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Citizens Union Party Jerome V. C. Smith 6,840 56.59%
Whig John H. Wilkins 3,171 26.23%
Bay State Club and Liquor Union James Whiting 1,730 14.31%
Democratic Aaron Hobart 282 2.33%
Scattering Other 65 0.54%
Total votes 12,088 100

Summary table of all votes

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1853–1854 Boston mayoral election results
Vote round Whig Party Democratic Party Citizens Union Party Young Men's League Bay State Club and Liquor Union Scattering
Nominee % Nominee % Nominee % Nominee % Nominee % %
1st Benjamin Seaver (incumbent) 43.34 — Jerome V. C. Smith 35.97 Jacob Sleeper 16.08 — 0.03
2nd John P. Bigelow 36.89 Aaron Hobart 6.15 49.94 6.37 6.49
3rd John H. Wilkins 26.23 2.33 56.59 — James Whiting 14.31 0.54

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Nominations for Mayor". New England Farmer. December 3, 1853. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown, 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822: Also of Various Other Town and Municipal Officers. City of Boston Printing Department. 1909. p. 52. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "The City Election". Newspapers.com. New England Farmer. December 24, 1853. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  4. ^ "Municipal Affairs". The Liberator. December 30, 1853. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d "Election of a Mayor". New England Farmer. January 14, 1854. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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