Chicago mayoral election, 1851

← 1850 1852 →

Candidate Walter S. Gurnee Eli B. Williams James Curtiss Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 3,032 1,092 1,001 Percentage 56.66% 20.41% 18.71%

Mayor before election James Curtiss Democratic Elected Mayor Walter S. Gurnee Democratic

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v t e

In the 1851 Chicago mayoral election, Walter S. Gurnee defeated incumbent mayor James Curtiss as well as Eli B. Williams and Edward K. Rogers by a landslide 36.25% margin.

The Whig Party decided against nominating a ticket in the 1851 Chicago municipal elections.^[1]

Gurnee defeated incumbent Democrat James Curtiss as well as Eli B. Williams and Edward K. Rogers.^[2]

Owing to a large number of the city's residents not being in compliance with new election laws, an unprecedented number of prospective voters were refused tickets.^[1]

Gurnee received a plurality of votes from all major political parties.^[1] It is believed that his vote total from Whigs was as great as his vote total from Democrats.^[1] Many political analysts treated the election (which unseated incumbent Democrat James Curtiss) as a "Whig Party victory".^[1]