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The 1909 Pittsburgh mayoral election was held on Tuesday, February 16, 1909. Republican nominee William A. Magee was elected mayor of Pittsburgh over Civic Party and Prohibition candidate W.H. Stevenson and Democratic candidate George R. Herst.
Campaign
Former city councilman and state senator William A. Magee, an unsuccessful candidate in the 1906 Republican mayoral primary, decided to run again for mayor in 1909. His campaign emphasized potential civic improvement projects including the removal of a hill ("the hump") in the area around Grant Street, the widening of certain streets, and improvement of riverfronts. Although opposed by some of the Republican leadership, Magee won the Republican primary over city treasurer John F. Steel by a vote of 41,917 to 22,210.
The strongest opposition to the Republicans came from the Civic Party, an organization of anti-corruption reformers. Its nominee was city councilman William H. Stevenson, whose candidacy was also supported by the Prohibition Party.
Dr. George R. Herst won the Democratic primary with no close competitors.
General election results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William A. Magee | 48,065 | 69.6 | |
| Civic / Prohibition | William H. Stevenson | 17,008* | 24.6 | |
| Democratic | George R. Herst | 3,075 | 4.5 | |
| Socialist | J.W. Slayton | 792 | 1.1 | |
| Socialist Labor | Edward R. Markley | 155 | 0.2 | |
| — | other | 5 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 69,100 | 100.0 | ||
*Stevenson received 13,151 votes on the Civic Party ticket, 3,823 on the Prohibition ticket, and 34 other votes.
References
- Bauman, John F.; Muller, Edward K. (2006). Before Renaissance: Planning in Pittsburgh, 1889-1943. University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-8229-7305-8.
- Townley, John B. (June 23, 1934). "Pittsburgh Has Had Three Democratic Mayors in 50 Years". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 16.
- "A Snappy Campaign Is Planned". The Pittsburg Press. January 31, 1909. p. 2.
- "Magee's Vote Grows Bigger: Returning Board Gives Him 1,000 More than Unofficial Count". The Gazette Times. Pittsburgh. February 26, 1909. p. 12.
| Preceded by 1906 |
Pittsburgh mayoral election 1909 |
Succeeded by 1913 |
| City of Pittsburgh | |
|---|---|
| Government | |
| Economy | |
| Other topics | |