1861 New York City mayoral election
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An election for Mayor of New York City was held on December 3, 1861.
Incumbent mayor Fernando Wood ran for re-election to a second consecutive term in office. In a close three-way race, Wood finished third behind Republican George Opdyke and Democratic nominee C. Godfrey Gunther. Opdyke was the first Republican elected mayor of New York City.
Background
Following his defeat in the 1857 election by an alliance of Republicans, Know-Nothings, and former Tammany Hall supporters, Fernando Wood was declared politically dead.[1] However, he purchased the New York Daily News,[2][3] and, after an unsuccessful attempt to gain control of Tammany Hall, founded his own political society, known as Mozart Hall.[2] In 1859, he defeated William Frederick Havemeyer and Republican nominee George Opdyke to return to office for a third non-consecutive term.[4]
General election
Candidates
- C. Godfrey Gunther, fur merchant (Tammany Hall)
- George Opdyke, banker, former Assemblyman, and candidate for mayor in 1859 (Republican)
- Fernando Wood, incumbent mayor since 1860 (Mozart Hall)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Opdyke | 25,380 | 34.15% |  6.79
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| Democratic | C. Godfrey Gunther | 24,767 | 33.33% |  1.06
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| Independent Democratic | Fernando Wood (incumbent) | 24,167 | 32.52% | 5.73
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| Total votes | 74,314 | 100.00% | |||
References
- ^ Mushkat 1990, p. 81.
- ^ a b Mushkat 1990, p. 84–88.
- ^ Mushkat 1990, p. 93.
- ^ Mushkat 1990, pp. 95–96.
Bibliography
- Allen, Oliver E. (1993). The Tiger: The Rise and Fall of Tammany Hall. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. p. 52-53,63,67-76. ISBN 0-201-62463-X.
- Burrows, Edwin G.; Wallace, Mike (1999). Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-195-11634-8.
- Mushkat, Jerome (1990). Fernando Wood: A Political Biography. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press. ISBN 087338413X.
