1879 Chicago mayoral election

1879 Chicago mayoral election

← 1877 April 1, 1879 1881 →

Nominee Carter Harrison Sr. Abner Wright Ernst Schmidt Party Democratic Republican Socialist Labor Popular vote 25,685 20,496 11,829 Percentage 44.28% 35.33% 20.39%

Mayor before election Monroe Heath Republican Elected Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. Democratic

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v t e

In the Chicago mayoral election of 1879, Democrat Carter Harrison Sr. defeated both Republican Abner Wright and socialist Ernst Schmidt in a three-way race. Harrison had a nearly nine point margin of victory.

Two-term incumbent Monroe Heath (who, at the time, was the longest-serving mayor in the city's history) did not run for reelection.

The election took place on April 1.^[1][2]

This was the first of six mayoral elections in which Harrison would ultimately compete, and the first of five of which he would win.