1871 Chicago mayoral election
In the Chicago mayoral election of 1871, Joseph Medill defeated Charles C. P. Holden by a landslide 46-point margin.
Holden was president of the Common Council, and constructed the Landmark Holden Block in 1872.
The election took place on November 7, a month after Chicago suffered the calamity of the Great Chicago Fire.
The administration of the election was challenging because the majority of Chicago's voting records had been incinerated by the Great Chicago Fire, meaning that there were few resources to prevent individuals from voting more than once.
Nominations
The election was greatly shaped by the Great Chicago Fire.Incumbent mayor Roswell B. Mason did not run for reelection.
Both nominees were formed by different portions of the local Republican Party and Democratic Party still convened the party's nominating conventions out of which they together jointly selected nominees for the so-called "People's Ticket" that was fielded to run in opposition to the Union–Fireproof ticket in city and county elections. Holden had been supported for the ticket's nomination by the local Democratic Party, which at the time was very weakly organized. The party's main base of support came from the city's immigrant community. Holden was the alderman from the city's Tenth Ward and had served as president of the City Council during Mason's mayoralty.
Campaigning
The campaigning period lasted only roughly two weeks.In his campaign, Medill promised to enact strengthened building regulations and fire codes. Medill also promised to rebuild the city, implement blue laws, and address the city's crime problems.
Results
Medill won a landslide victory. The "Union-Fireprooof" ticket also saw its nominees for City Treasurer and City Collector elected as well. However, seven aldermen were elected from the Democratic ticket, providing the Democrats with one-third of the city council.Medill was the city's first foreign-born mayor. Only one subsequent mayor has been foreign born, Anton Cermak.