1991 Indianapolis mayoral election

The Indianapolis mayoral election of 1991 took place on November 5, 1991 and saw the election of Republican Stephen Goldsmith.[2]

1991 Indianapolis mayoral election

← 1987 November 5, 1991 1995 →
Turnout34.1%[1]
 
Nominee Stephen Goldsmith Louis Mahern
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 124,100 109,761
Percentage 52.2% 46.1%

Mayor before election

William H. Hudnut III
Republican

Elected mayor

Stephen Goldsmith
Republican

Nominations

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Primaries were held in May.[2]

Democratic primary

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State senator Louis Mahern won the Democratic primary.[2]

Republican primary

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Following his failed 1990 run for Secretary of State, incumbent Republican mayor William Hudnut III announced in December 1990 that he would not seek reelection in the following year's election.[2]

Marion County prosecutor Stephen Goldsmith defeated state senator Virginia Blankenbaker for the Republican nomination.[2] Before the primary, Goldsmith had secured the endorsement of the county Republican caucus.[2] Blankenbaker unsuccessfully sought to win by attracting crossover votes by Democrats.[2]

General election

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On education, Goldsmith was a supporter of school choice, increased parental involvement in education, and an opponent of court ordered desegregation busing.[2] Mahern similarly supported school choice and argued for the need to reestablish neighborhood schools.[2]

Both candidates supported completing the construction of the Circle Centre mall.[2] Goldsmith, however, promised not to spend any more public funds on it.[2]

On crime, both candidates supported community policing.[2] Mahern supported implementing a waiting period for the purchase of guns.[2]

Both candidates argued that the city needed to undertake infrastructure improvements.[2] Both candidates opposed raising property taxes to fund such improvements.[2] Mahern was supportive of an increase in the city's sewer tax, and sought to create a commuter tax. [2] Goldsmith was open to increasing user fees to pay for infrastructure expenditures.[2] The two candidates disagreed on the expense of infrastructure demands. Mahern endorsed the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce's report on infrastructure, while Goldsmith contended that between $100 and 200 million could be cut from the report's $1.1 billion cost estimate.[2] Both candidates proposed selling municipal assets in order to raise funds.[2]

Less than half of the city's 417,000 eligible voters participated in the election.[2]

Mahern lost a significant share of the traditionally-Democratic Catholic vote, which some experts attributed to his stance on abortion.[2] Mahern received strong support from African American voters.[2] Goldsmith overwhelming won the city's outlying, primarily white, precincts.[2]

Indianapolis mayoral election, 1991[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephen Goldsmith 124,100 52.2
Democratic Louis Mahern 109,761 46.1
Turnout 233,861
Majority 14,339
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ a b Bodenhamer, David J. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indiana University Press. p. 1356 and 1357. ISBN 0-253-31222-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Bodenhamer, David J. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indiana University Press. pp. 538 and 539. ISBN 0-253-31222-1.
Preceded by
1987
Indianapolis mayoral election
1991
Succeeded by
1995