1903 Boston mayoral election explained

Election Name:	1903 Boston mayoral election
Country:	Boston
Type:	Presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1901 Boston mayoral election
Previous Year:	1901
Election Date:	December 15, 1903
Next Election:	1905 Boston mayoral election
Next Year:	1905
Image1:	Patrick Andrew Collins (1) (3x4).jpg
Candidate1:	Patrick Collins
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	48,745
Percentage1:	63.0%
Mayor
Before Election:	Patrick Collins
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Patrick Collins
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
Candidate2:	George N. Swallow
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	22,369
Percentage2:	28.9%
Image3:	George William Galvin (1854–1928).png
Candidate3:	George W. Galvin
Party3:	Socialist Party of America
Popular Vote3:	5,205
Percentage3:	6.7%

The Boston mayoral election of 1903 occurred on Tuesday, December 15, 1903. Democratic incumbent Patrick Collins defeated Republican nomknee George N. Swallow and two other contenders to win a second term.

Under legislation adopted in June 1903,^[1] this was the first Boston municipal election with "caucuses, henceforth to be called primaries",^[2] which were held on Thursday, November 19, 1903.

Inaugural exercises were held on Monday, January 4, 1904.^[3]

Results

Democratic primary

Patrick Collins, Mayor of Boston since 1902, former member of the United States House of Representatives (1883–1889), Massachusetts Senate (1870–1871), and Massachusetts House of Representatives (1868–1869)
Frederick S. Gore, member of the Massachusetts Senate^[4]

Candidates	Primary Election^[5]
Votes	%
Patrick Collins (incumbent)	30,729
Frederick S. Gore	11,129
all others	5

Republican primary

E. Peabody Gerry, physician, age 56, former Boston Alderman (1900)
Michael J. Murray, lawyer, age 36
George N. Swallow, grocer, age 49, former chairman of the Boston Republican Committee (1899), Governor's councilor (1888–1889), state senator (1894), and state representative (1889–1891)

Source:^[6]

Candidates	Primary Election^[7]
Votes	%
George N. Swallow	6,383
Michael J. Murray	3,294
E. Peabody Gerry	2,530

Other candidates

William H. Carroll, Socialist Labor^[8]
George W. Galvin, physician and head of the Wage Earners Emergency and General Hospital, Socialist^[9]

Galvin received all 423 votes cast in his party's primary election for mayor.^[10]

General election

Candidates^[11]	General Election^[12]
Votes	%
	D	Patrick Collins (incumbent)	48,745
	R	George N. Swallow	22,369
	S	George W. Galvin	5,205
	SLP	William H. Carroll	1,018
all others		14

Notes and References

News: Governor Signs the Luce Primary Election Law . . 6 . June 24, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
News: CAUCUS LAW . . 12 . July 30, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com .
News: MAYOR COLLINS' INAUGURAL . . 10 . January 5, 1904 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com.
News: FRED GORE FOR MAYOR . . 1 . October 20, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . limited . pqarchiver.com .
Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1903 . 119 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.
News: The Five Mayoralty Candidates by Comparison . . 29 . November 15, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1903 . 148 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.
News: Socialist Labor Party Denounces the Socialists . . 8 . November 30, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
News: Socialist City Campaign to Open Tomorrow . . 8 . November 12, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1903 . 168 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.
News: The Ticket for Today's Election . . 9 . December 15, 1903 . March 18, 2018 . newspapers.com.
Web site: Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners . 1903 . 192 . City of Boston . March 18, 2018 . archive.org.