1933 Los Angeles mayoral election

1933 Los Angeles mayoral election

May 2, 1933 (1933-05-02) and June 6, 1933 (1933-06-06)

Candidate Frank L. Shaw John Clinton Porter First round 118,775 35.9% 111,540 33.7% Runoff 187,868 54.7% 155,784 45.3%   Candidate George E. Cryer Charles W. Dempster First round 36,193 10.9% 35,285 10.7% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated

Mayor before election John Clinton Porter Democratic Elected Mayor Frank L. Shaw Republican

The 1933 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on May 2, 1933, with a run-off election on June 6, 1933. Incumbent John Clinton Porter was defeated by Frank L. Shaw, a Los Angeles County Supervisor, in the runoff election.[1] During the election, Shaw's citizenship was questions as his birth records could not be located.[2]

Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.[3]

Election

Incumbent John Clinton Porter announced that he would be running for re-election.[4] He was challenged by Los Angeles County Supervisor Frank L. Shaw, former Mayor George E. Cryer, and State Assemblymember Charles W. Dempster. During the election, Shaw's citizenship came under question, as he had been born in Warwick, Ontario, Canada, and his birth records were not found.[5] Because of his birth records, a complaint was filed to try to prevent him from becoming mayor, asserting that he was still only a citizen of Canada and not a citizen of the United States.[6][7] In the runoff election, Shaw beat Porter by a comfortable margin.[1]

Results

Primary election

Los Angeles mayoral primary election, May 2, 1933[8]

Candidate		Votes	%
Frank L. Shaw		118,775	35.90
John Clinton Porter (incumbent)		111,540	33.71
George E. Cryer		36,193	10.94
Charles W. Dempster		35,285	10.67
Charles S. Hutson		10,639	3.22
Frank C. Shoemaker		5,539	1.67
Chaim Shapiro		4,702	1.42
Martin C. Neuner		3,511	1.06
George H. McLain		2,354	0.71
Lawrence Ross		2,311	0.70
Total votes		330,849	100.00

General election

Los Angeles mayoral general election, June 6, 1933[9]

Candidate		Votes	%
Frank L. Shaw		187,868	54.67
John Clinton Porter (incumbent)		155,784	45.33
Total votes		343,652	100.00

References and footnotes

1. "TODAY TO USHER IN NEW REGIME: Porter to Hand City Keys to Mayor-elect Shaw Both to Ride in Marshal's Car to Air Races Eight Councilmen-elect to Take Their Seats". Los Angeles Times. July 1, 1933. ProQuest 163195142.
2. "SHAW HOPE GROWS DIM: Apparently Is Not a Citizen Records Show Father's First Papers Taken Out in 1887 but No Completion Abandoned Application for Land Patent Requiring Naturalization". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1933. ProQuest 163078146.
3. "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT" (PDF). League of Women Voters.
4. "FOR MAYOR: JOHN C. PORTER". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1933. ProQuest 163152074.
5. "NATURALIZATION ELUDES MR. SHAW: Garden City, Kan., Fails to Show Him Citizen Records of Half a Century Searched in Vain Supervisor Still Thinks It Must Be Somewhere". Los Angeles Times. May 26, 1933. ProQuest 163175120.
6. "ACTION TO BLOCK SHAW FROM MAYORALTY FILED: Right to Hold Office Under Fire in Court After Dispute Over Citizenship". Los Angeles Times. July 1, 1933. ProQuest 163116546.
7. "SHAW SUIT MOVES AHEAD: Final Step Taken to Get Decision on Citizenship of Supervisor, Now Candidate for Mayor". Los Angeles Times. June 6, 1933. ProQuest 163068980.
8. "Los Angeles Mayor - Primary". Our Campaigns.
9. "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.

External links

• Office of the City Clerk, City of Los Angeles