1911_Philadelphia_mayoral_election
1911 Philadelphia mayoral election
Philadelphia mayoral election
The 1911 Philadelphia mayoral election saw the election of Rudolph Blankenburg.
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This was the first time since 1881 that a Republican did not win the election, and the last time until 1951, with every other election between those years seeing a Republican nominee win.[1]
In the Republican primary election held on 30 September 1911, Earle defeated William S. Vare by 23,000 votes and Samuel Broadbent by 26,000 votes.[2]
Major Republican Candidates:
George Howard Earle (1856-1928) - Earle was born on July 6, 1856, in Philadelphia, the son of lawyer George H. Earle. A graduate of Harvard University, the younger Earle himself became a prominent lawyer. Earle was very politically ambitious, and ran for many positions, though he never won elected office. He died on February 19, 1928, in Philadelphia. His son was Pennsylvania Governor George Howard Earle III.
William Scott Vare (1867-1934) - Vare was born on December 24, 1867, in Philadelphia. A career politician, Vare served as a US Senator from Pennsylvania from 1927 to 1929. He died of a stroke on August 7, 1934, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Samuel Martin Broadbent (1845-1923) - Broadbent, the son of prominent war hero and lawyer Daniel Broadbent, was born on July 6, 1845, in Philadelphia. He was a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania. He was a wealthy businessman, industrialist, and investor who was Vice President of Bethlehem Steel from 1897 to 1912. He later served in the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 4th District from 1917 to 1921, and was a Republican National Committeeman. He died on February 4, 1923, in Quebec City, Canada.
The election was held on November 7, 1911.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keystone Democrat | Rudolph Blankenburg | 134,680 | 50.85% | |
| Republican | George Howard Earle Jr. | 130,185 | 49.15% | |
| Turnout | 264,865 | |||
- "Mayors of the City of Philadelphia 1691-2000". City of Philadelphia. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
- A "fusion between the Democratic party and the Keystone party, which had been organized [in 1909] to combat alleged political corruption in State and city..." [The Story of Philadelphia. Joyce, J. St. George, ed. Harry B. Joseph:1919; p. 300.
- "BLANKENBURG IN WINNING FIGHT FOR MAYORALTY / Fusionist Had a Small Lead Over Republican Candidate / RYAN MAY BE CITY SOLICITOR". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 9, 1911. p. 1.