1929 Chicago aldermanic election

The 1929 Chicago aldermanic election was held on February 26, 1929, with a runoff on April 2, to elect the 50 members of the Chicago City Council.[1] The elections were non-partisan.[1] Held in the middle of mayor William Hale Thompson's term, it would be the penultimate midterm election; four-year terms for aldermen were adopted in 1935, coinciding with the mayoral election that year.[2]

1929 Chicago aldermanic election

← 1927 February 26 and April 2, 1929 1931 →

All 50 seats in the Chicago City Council
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Seats before 20 30
Seats won 27 23
Seat change Increase7 Decrease7

Results by ward. The map shows the winning candidate's party affiliations even though aldermen ran as nonpartisans. A white asterisk (*) means the results for that ward were decided in a runoff vote.

All told, despite the non-partisan nature of the elections, candidates affiliated with the Republican Party won 27 seats and those affiliated with the Democratic Party won 23.[3] 11 seats were decided by means of a runoff election,[1] and a Republican candidate won all but one of those elections.[3] Six incumbent aldermen were defeated in the first round, and an additional four fell in the runoffs, all by Republican candidates.[1][2][3] Four aldermen, all Democratic, were returned without opposition.[1][3]

Issues and endorsements

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The main issue of the elections was the influence of Mayor Thompson over the City Government and individual aldermen. Senior US Senator and former Governor Charles Deneen fronted the main slate of anti-Thompson candidates. Many reformers had hoped[4] and even proclaimed that the election would "wipe...Thompson off the political map."[5] The reform-minded Chicago Tribune and Municipal Voter's League endorsed candidates based on their perceived independence from Thompson.[6]

The elections were held on a backdrop of violence throughout the city. In particular the race for the so-called "Bloody Twentieth" ward had been marked by the murder in April 1928 of African-American reform candidate for committeeman Octavius Granady during the Pineapple Primary.[7] The Daily Chronicle in DeKalb reported that "Another surprise of the election - for the police at least - was that no one was murdered, kidnapped, or slugged," although it attributed such lack of violence to the heavy patrol of polling places by police officers that compelled Police Commissioner William Russell to set aside his investigation of the recent Saint Valentine's Day Massacre.[5] It was also subject to some disputes in electoral law, with such sitting aldermen as Sheldon Govier of the 9th ward and Joseph McDonough of the 13th raising accusations of fraudulent petitions against many of their opponents given the 40% increase in the number of candidates from the 1927 elections and some aldermen disputing a filing deadline that sitting aldermen Coyle, Haffa, and Hoellen had missed.[4]

The Daily Chronicle asserted that four of the six aldermen defeated in the first round had been Thompson supporters.[5] Nevertheless, the election was generally considered a failure for the reformers.[5] Many of Thompson's closest allies, including his former African-American floor leader Louis B. Anderson of the 2nd Ward, retained their seats.[8] Particularly devastating was the loss of 20th ward incumbent A.J. Prignano, whom the Municipal Voter's League had extolled as "the best alderman [the] ward has had in many years," to William V. Pacelli, a candidate fronted by the Ellers, who were implicated in Granady's murder.[7] Furthermore, of the nine candidates endorsed by the Tribune and Municipal Voter's League leading up to the runoff elections (not including contests where neither or both candidates were endorsed),[9] only Frank Konkowski of the 31st Ward won his contest. Ultimately, Thompson's rule over the City would continue unabated until the 1931 elections.

Results

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First Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticJohn J. Coughlin, incumbent[2]4,510100.00
Majority4,510100.00
 Democratic hold
Second Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanLouis B. Anderson, incumbent[2]7,22655.85
 RepublicanEarl B. Dickerson[8]4,12831.90
 DemocraticAugustus L. Williams[10]9227.13
 RepublicanJames G. Cotter[11]6635.12
Majority3,09823.94
 Republican hold
Third Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanRobert R. Jackson, incumbent[2]8,10458.94
 RepublicanNathan S. Taylor[12]5,04836.71
 RepublicanJulius J. Link[13]5984.35
Majority3,05622.23
 Republican hold
Fourth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanBerthold A. Cronson, incumbent[2]7,61850.97
 RepublicanAlex Kieferstein[7]4,75431.81
 RepublicanGeorge W. Prince[12]2,39216.00
 UnknownFrank A. Marshall930.62
 RepublicanReuben R. Helfer[14]900.60
Majority2,86419.16
 Republican hold
Fifth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanCharles S. Eaton10,48358.95
 DemocraticLeonard J. Grossman, incumbent[2][15]6,10634.33
 RepublicanCharles U. Turpin[16]7834.40
 UnknownRobert Mendelson1801.01
 UnknownLeo J. Canary830.47
 UnknownHerman Forel810.46
 UnknownHarold J. Fishbein680.38
Majority4,37724.61
 Republican gain from Democratic
Eighth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticWilliam D. Meyering, incumbent[2]12,76352.49
 UnknownEdmund A. Miller11,03745.39
 UnknownHarry L. Lathe5142.11
Majority1,7267.10
 Democratic hold
Tenth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticWilliam A. Rowan, incumbent[2]6,68372.59
 UnknownCharles J. Johnson2,52427.41
Majority4,15945.17
 Democratic hold
Twelfth Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticBryan Hartnett, incumbent[17][2]7,64245.24
 RepublicanBenjamin J. Zintak7,31043.27
 UnknownFred B. Heiser1,82010.77
 UnknownAlexander Bukowski1210.72
Majority3321.97
Twelfth Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanBenjamin J. Zintak9,93750.84
 DemocraticBryan Hartnett, incumbent[17][2]9,60949.16
Majority3281.68
 Republican gain from Democratic
Fourteenth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticWilliam R. O'Toole, incumbent[2]7,46762.77
 UnknownJoseph M. Fitzgerald4,09534.42
 UnknownJohn Plaehn3342.81
Majority3,37228.35
 Democratic hold
Eighteenth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanWalter W. Morris10,02052.21
 DemocraticPatrick F. Ryan, incumbent[2][18]8,02741.83
 UnknownJames J. Murphy7493.90
 UnknownJames Gentlemen3932.05
Majority1,99310.39
 Republican gain from Democratic
Twentieth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanWilliam V. Pacelli4,87957.94
 DemocraticA. J. Prignano, incumbent[2][7]3,16637.60
 UnknownMartin Klass3764.47
Majority1,71320.34
 Republican gain from Democratic
Twenty-first Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticDennis A. Horan, incumbent[2]8,26272.16
 UnknownJohn A. Stanek2,80124.46
 UnknownJohn Stoker2071.81
 UnknownJulius Markowski1801.57
Majority5,46147.69
 Democratic hold
Twenty-second Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticJoseph Cepak, incumbent[2]3,917100.00
Majority3,917100.00
 Democratic hold
Twenty-seventh Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticHarry C. Van Norman, incumbent[2]5,69555.28
 RepublicanJames Adduci[19]3,94138.25
 UnknownElmer L. Francis5225.07
 UnknownFrank A. Lyon1441.40
Majority1,75417.03
 Democratic hold
Thirtieth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticJohn S. Clark Jr., incumbent[2]4,713100.00
Majority4,713100.00
 Democratic hold
Thirty-first Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanFrank E. Konkowski3,75746.65
 DemocraticJoseph Przybylo[20]2,58132.05
 DemocraticStanley Adamkiewicz, incumbent[2][21]1,53619.07
 UnknownGeorge A. Gillmeister1802.23
Majority1,17614.60
Thirty-first Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanFrank E. Konkowski5,35559.27
 DemocraticJoseph Przybylo[20]3,68040.73
Majority1,67518.54
 Republican gain from Democratic
Thirty-third Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanGeorge M. Rozczynialski5,19154.73
 DemocraticJoseph C. Petlak, incumbent[2][22]3,86340.73
 UnknownPeter W. Sikora Jr.1902.00
 UnknownJoseph Malenkz750.79
 UnknownAnthony Patewski640.67
 UnknownRoman Kulla540.57
 UnknownPaul L. Labucki310.33
 UnknownLeo Luka160.17
Majority1,32814.00
 Republican gain from Democratic
Thirty-seventh Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticWiley W. Mills, incumbent[2][23]9,07841.07
 RepublicanJames H. Taylor4,55520.61
 UnknownBert Fairchild2,99713.56
 UnknownIrwin R. Hazen Jr.2,84912.89
 UnknownL.A. Warner1,6987.68
 UnknownEdward J. Finan5482.48
 UnknownOmmund B. Hanson2221.00
 UnknownBenjamin Davis1560.71
Majority4,52320.46
Thirty-seventh Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanJames H. Taylor12,24154.15
 DemocraticWiley W. Mills, incumbent[2][23]10,36545.85
Majority1,8768.30
 Republican gain from Democratic
Thirty-eighth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticMax Adamowski, incumbent[2]3,206100.00
Majority3,206100.00
 Democratic hold
Thirty-ninth Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanFrank R. Ringa, incumbent[2]8,80531.32
 RepublicanFrank J. Reilly[24]8,48330.17
 DemocraticLeo J. Winiecki[25]7,46826.56
 UnknownSteve Adamowski1,2424.42
 UnknownFrank J. Schmidtke8412.99
 UnknownGustave H. Hines7992.84
 UnknownCharles J. Busch2760.98
 UnknownWilliam E. Koreywo1040.37
 UnknownJohn Kowalski960.34
Majority3221.15
Thirty-ninth Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanFrank R. Ringa, incumbent[2]16,11852.89
 RepublicanFrank J. Reilly[24]14,35847.11
Majority1,7605.78
 Republican hold
Fortieth Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanJohn William Chapman, incumbent[2]8,64039.36
 RepublicanJoseph C. Ross5,91626.95
 DemocraticJay A. Schiller[26]4,92122.42
 UnknownWilliam D. McNally1,1105.06
 UnknownCharles H. Lenske6743.07
 UnknownL.B. Baum2571.17
 UnknownChester A. Fredrickson2261.03
 UnknownCarl C. Rosenbaum1100.50
 UnknownI.J. Brown990.45
Majority2,72412.41
Fortieth Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanJoseph C. Ross13,87959.01
 RepublicanJohn William Chapman, incumbent[2]9,64040.99
Majority4,23918.02
 Republican gain from Republican
Forty-first Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticThomas J. Bowler, incumbent[2]15,37462.66
 UnknownJames A. Davis8,36234.08
 UnknownPetra M. Dahl8003.26
Majority7,01228.58
 Democratic hold
Forty-second Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanRichard Prendergast[27]3,39936.29
 DemocraticDorsey R. Crowe, incumbent[2]3,25534.76
 UnknownC.R. Palmer2,71128.95
Majority1441.54
Forty-second Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 DemocraticDorsey R. Crowe, incumbent[2]6,06357.72
 RepublicanRichard Prendergast[27]4,44142.28
Majority1,62215.44
 Democratic hold
Forty-third Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanArthur F. Albert7,33662.06
 RepublicanCharles G. Burmeister[28]2,48521.02
 RepublicanTitus A. Haffa, incumbent[2][29]1,92816.31
 UnknownEdward Hirschler720.61
Majority4,85141.04
 Republican gain from Republican
Forty-fourth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanAlbert E. Loescher, incumbent[2]6,50563.32
 UnknownJoseph J. Miller3,30032.12
 UnknownGeorge Hoppe4364.24
 UnknownMarcus Kasan320.31
Majority3,20531.20
 Republican hold
Forty-fifth Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanWilliam H. Feigenbutz, incumbent[2]6,77147.06
 UnknownGeorge W. Schmidt4,59831.95
 UnknownPaul Slivinski3,02020.99
Majority2,17315.00
Forty-fifth Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanWilliam H. Feigenbutz, incumbent[2]9,28357.69
 UnknownGeorge W. Schmidt6,80742.31
Majority2,47615.39
 Republican hold
Forty-sixth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanOscar F. Nelson, incumbent[2]7,85853.23
 RepublicanAugust F. W. Siebel[30]6,26742.46
 RepublicanEdward P. Saltiel[31]4212.85
 UnknownArthur J. Damm1481.00
 UnknownCarl E. Liedberg670.45
Majority1,59110.78
 Republican hold
Forty-seventh Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanJohn J. Hoellen, incumbent[2]10,01961.60
 DemocraticM.J. Schmidt[32]6,01937.01
 UnknownEric A. Sodersten2271.40
Majority4,00024.59
 Republican hold
Forty-eighth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanJohn A. Massen, incumbent[2]8,17884.91
 UnknownRobert W. Hommes6636.88
 UnknownHarry A. Hooker3924.07
 UnknownDanny Goodman2392.48
 UnknownSamuel Sommers850.88
 UnknownAgis T. Nicholson740.77
Majority7,51578.03
 Republican hold
Forty-ninth Ward[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanE.I. Frankhauser, incumbent[2]10,20363.03
 UnknownJ. Perry Quinlan5,42033.48
 UnknownArthur L. Israel3242.00
 UnknownChester S. Shaffer2401.48
Majority4,78329.55
 Republican hold
Fiftieth Ward, First Round[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanAron K. Mose, incumbent[2][33]5,57425.35
 RepublicanCurtis F. Mellin5,52925.14
 UnknownWiley K. Galloway4,92022.37
 UnknownArthur W. Arneman4,37719.90
 DemocraticCarl H. Lundquist[34]1,4986.81
 UnknownHarry A. Martin930.43
Majority450.20
Fiftieth Ward, Runoff[1][3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
 RepublicanCurtis F. Mellin13,34757.32
 RepublicanAron K. Mose, incumbent[2][33]9,93842.68
Majority3,40914.64
 Republican gain from Republican

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar Non-Partisan Aldermanic and Special Proposition Elections. Board of Election Commissioners of the Cities of Chicago, Chicago Heights and Berwyn and the Villages of Summit and Evergreen Park.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an "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". Chicago Historical Society. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq "Chicago's New City Council". Chicago Tribune. 3 April 1929. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b Evans, Arthur (2 February 1929). "Fraud charged in aldermanic race petitions". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d "Big Bill is in control". The Daily Chronicle. 27 February 1929. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  6. ^ Evans, Arthur (19 February 1929). "M.V.L. reviews candidates in last 31 wards". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d Evans, Arthur (7 February 1929). "Rivals abandon fight against Ald. John Clark". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Seek to Unite Opposition to Ald. Anderson". Chicago Tribune. 20 January 1929. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Thompsonism is Issue today in 11 ward contests". Chicago Tribune. 2 April 1929. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  10. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Williams, A to B". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  11. ^ Evans, Arthur (20 February 1929). "City Hall wages war of reprisal, Aldermen say". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Ward Committee Candidates". Chicago Tribune. 9 March 1930. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  13. ^ Evans, Arthur (28 February 1932). "Liberals lead Congress race in Hyde Park". Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  14. ^ "Aldermen turn on M.V.L. with counter attack". Chicago Tribune. 17 April 1928. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  15. ^ Kenney, William Howland (April 2005). Jazz on the River. ISBN 9780226437330. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  16. ^ a b Evans, Arthur (31 March 1929). "Deneen Ward scene of hot runoff fight". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Racing for 18th and 19th Ward Council Seats". Newspapers.com. Suburbanite Economist. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  18. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Adams-medina to Aeschliman". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  19. ^ a b Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Pryse to Pufogle". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  20. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Acampora to Adamowski". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  21. ^ "Blue Book of the State of Illinois". 1919. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Chances favor Dever aldermen on West Side". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  23. ^ a b Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "Index to Politicians: Reilly". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  24. ^ "Poles of Chicago, 1837-1937;a history of one century of Polish contribution to the city of Chicago, Illinois". archive.org. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  25. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "Index to Politicians: Schendel to Schkloven". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  26. ^ a b Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Pratte to Preschlack". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  27. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Burke-fonte to Burnet". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  28. ^ "Bertha Baur talks he-talk to Fred Britten". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  29. ^ "The Chicago Daily News Almanac and Year Book for 1919, Volume 35". Google Books. The Chicago Daily News. 1918. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  30. ^ "Saltiel, Edward P. - Interview and Memoir". The Oral History Collection of the University of Illinois at Springfield. University of Illinois at Springfield. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  31. ^ Evans, Arthur (3 February 1929). "Erase 60,000 names in Poll Book revision". Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  32. ^ a b "Albert defeats Haffa in bitter Council battle". Chicago Tribune. 6 April 1927. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  33. ^ "Carl Hjalmar Lundquist Papers, 1899-1966: North Park University". Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.