The Mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

al election of 1973 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

was held on Tuesday

Election Day (United States)

Election Day in the United States is the day set by law for the general elections of public officials. It occurs on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The earliest possible date is November 2 and the latest possible date is November 8...

, November 6, 1973. The incumbent mayor, Pete Flaherty of the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 chose to run for his second full term.

Primary Election

City Councilman Richard Caliguiri

Richard Caliguiri

Richard S. Caliguiri was an American politician who served as the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1977 until his death in 1988....

, a rising star in city politics (and future mayor) filed to run against Flaherty in the primary. Because Flaherty had long antagonized the remnants of the city's archaic Democratic machine, the aging party bosses endorsed Caliguiri, even though both Democratic candidates had similar legacies as a reformer. However, the popular mayor earned a moderate victory despite tepid support from insiders.

General Election

No Republicans filed to run in the primary; however, Flaherty won, by write-in, the Republican primary. The popular mayor received nearly 80% of his vote total on the Democratic line, which is in line with party registration in the city. A total of 67,550 votes were cast.