1933 Los Angeles mayoral election

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]

1933 Los Angeles mayoral election

← 1929 May 2, 1933 (1933-05-02) and June 6, 1933 (1933-06-06) 1937 →
 
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

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

Election

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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

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Primary election

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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

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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

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  1. ^ a b "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.
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