Atlanta mayoral election, 1973

The 1973 Atlanta mayoral election was held on November 6, 1973 in Atlanta, Georgia. Vice Mayor Maynard Jackson was elected as the city's first African-American mayor, defeating incumbent Mayor Sam Massell.

In the primary election that preceded the general election, Jackson finished first with 46.4 percent of the vote. Massell finished second with 19.9 percent, followed closely by former United States Representative Charles Weltner with 19.1 percent. Former State of Georgia Department of Industry and Trade Deputy Commissioner Harold A. Dye finished with 8.4 percent and State Senator Leroy Johnson finished with 3.9 percent. Other candidates were former Atlanta Police Officer John Chambers, Socialist Workers Party activist Debby Bustin, Hare Krishna community leader William Ogle, attorney John Genins, Betty Morrison, Ernest Moschella and write-in candidate Howard Tucker. Jackson then defeated incumbent Mayor Sam Massell in a runoff election.

In the same election, Atlanta voters elected Alderman Wyche Fowler as President of the Atlanta City Council. Fowler defeated Reverend Hosea Williams in a runoff election. In the primary election, Fowler and Williams finished first and second, respectively, followed by former Alderman Wade Mitchell and Rector Robert B. Hunter.

The 1973 election saw a rise in the influence of African-American politicians in Atlanta. Five new black City Council members were added to create a 9-9 split, while two black women were elected to the Atlanta Board of Education for a 5-4 black majority.[1]

Mayoral runoff election

The mayoral runoff election was held between incumbent Mayor Sam Massell and vice Mayor Maynard Jackson.

Atlanta Mayoral runoff election, 1973[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Maynard Jackson 73,603 59.8
Nonpartisan Sam Massell (inc.) 49,300 40.1
Total votes 122,903 100

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=J94DAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false (page 32)
  2. ↑ http://fultoncountyga.gov/elections-documents/documents/registration-elections/year1973/

External links

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