1959 Pittsburgh mayoral special election

Summary

The 1959 Pittsburgh Special mayoral election was held on Tuesday November 3, 1959. The winner of the 1957 election, Democrat David Lawrence, had resigned from his position in January 1959 because he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania. City Council President Tom Gallagher moved up to the position of mayor per the city charter. At 75 years old, he chose not to seek reelection. Joe Barr, also a Democrat, won the special election and the remainder of Lawrence's term. Barr, a powerful State Senator and a longtime Lawrence associate, defeated Republican Paul Reinhold, the president of a company that distributed road repair equipment.

1959 Pittsburgh mayoral special election

← 1957 November 3, 1959 1961 →
 
Nominee Joseph M. Barr Paul Reinhold
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 124,501 71,202
Percentage 63.6% 36.4%

Mayor before election

Thomas Gallagher
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Joseph M. Barr
Democratic

Results edit

Pittsburgh special mayoral election, 1959
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Joe Barr 124,501 63.6
Republican Paul Reinhold 71,202 36.4
Turnout 195,703
Democratic hold Swing

References edit

  • "Republican mayoral candidates through the years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 7, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
Preceded by
1957
Pittsburgh special mayoral election
1959
Succeeded by
1961