New Orleans mayoral election, 1990
Encyclopedia
The New Orleans mayoral election of 1990 resulted in the reelection of Sidney Barthelemy
to a second term as mayor of New Orleans.
—with the exception of U.S. Presidential and Congressional elections—follow a variation of the open primary system. Candidates of any and all parties are listed on one ballot; voters need not limit themselves to the candidates of one party. Unless one candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party. In this election, Barthelemy won 55% of the vote in the first round of voting held on February 3, 1990, so no runoff round was needed.
, began stressing his record of achievements for the black community in order to compensate for the number of white supporters he expected to lose to Mintz. His campaign featured slogans like "I'm not ready to lose the gains we've made."
The election results showed votes were largely cast along racial lines. Barthelemy's victory was assured by a combination of his overwhelming 86% support of black voters (who formed 54% of the electorate) and a significant number (23%) of white voters who supported him over Mintz. Mintz was able to garner strong support among white voters who had helped elect Barthelemy in 1986, but was not able to convince enough black voters to reject Barthelemy and elect a white candidate instead. He received only 14% support among black voters; not enough to unseat the incumbent.
Sidney Barthelemy
Sidney John Barthelemy is a former American political figure. He served as Democratic mayor of New Orleans from 1986 to 1994...
to a second term as mayor of New Orleans.
Background
Elections in LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
—with the exception of U.S. Presidential and Congressional elections—follow a variation of the open primary system. Candidates of any and all parties are listed on one ballot; voters need not limit themselves to the candidates of one party. Unless one candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party. In this election, Barthelemy won 55% of the vote in the first round of voting held on February 3, 1990, so no runoff round was needed.
Candidates
- incumbent mayor Sidney BarthelemySidney BarthelemySidney John Barthelemy is a former American political figure. He served as Democratic mayor of New Orleans from 1986 to 1994...
- Donald Mintz, a lawyer and member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New OrleansPort of New OrleansThe Port of New Orleans is a port located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the 1st in the United States based on volume of cargo handled, second-largest in the state after the Port of South Louisiana, and 13th largest in the U.S. based on value of cargo...
. - Herman Bustamante, the owner of a ship supply company
- Rudy Mills Sr.
Campaign
Sidney Barthelemy began the campaign under a cloud of declining popularity and questions surrounding his leadership. He campaigned on his record, citing his role in spurring the beginnings of an economic recovery for New Orleans. Mintz felt that Barthelemy was vulnerable enough on the issue of leadership in a city burdened by high unemployment and crime that black voters would be willing to choose a white challenger over a black incumbent. His campaign portrayed Barthelemy as an inattentive mayor better at distributing patronage than generating income. A close friend of former mayor Dutch Morial, Mintz expected to receive Morial's endorsement against Barthelemy, the former mayor's long-time political opponent. Morial's endorsement would likely have helped Mintz's support among black voters, but Morial died unexpectedly during the campaign before endorsing either candidate. Barthelemy, who received most of his support from white voters in the 1986 electionNew Orleans mayoral election, 1986
The New Orleans mayoral election of 1986 resulted in the election of the black Democrat Sidney Barthelemy as mayor.- Background :Elections in Louisiana—with the exception of U.S. Presidential and Congressional elections—follow a variation of the open primary system...
, began stressing his record of achievements for the black community in order to compensate for the number of white supporters he expected to lose to Mintz. His campaign featured slogans like "I'm not ready to lose the gains we've made."
The election results showed votes were largely cast along racial lines. Barthelemy's victory was assured by a combination of his overwhelming 86% support of black voters (who formed 54% of the electorate) and a significant number (23%) of white voters who supported him over Mintz. Mintz was able to garner strong support among white voters who had helped elect Barthelemy in 1986, but was not able to convince enough black voters to reject Barthelemy and elect a white candidate instead. He received only 14% support among black voters; not enough to unseat the incumbent.
Results
| Candidate | Votes received | Percentage of votes cast |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney Barthelemy Sidney Barthelemy Sidney John Barthelemy is a former American political figure. He served as Democratic mayor of New Orleans from 1986 to 1994... |
79,995 | 55% |
| Donald Mintz | 65,047 | 44% |
| Herman Bustamante | 803 | 0.5% |
| Rudy Mills Sr. | 734 | 0.5% |
Sources
- The New Orleans Times-Picayune "Barthelemy wins re-election: Mayor beats Mintz with 55% of the vote." February 4, 1990.
- The New Orleans Times-Picayune "Challenger couldn't shake mayor's black support." February 4, 1990.
- The New Orleans Times-Picayune Timing turns bad for Mintz at race's end." February 5, 1990.