Beginning shortly after the city's incorporation as a city in 1846, elections have been held in the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. The following article provides information on the elections for mayor in the city during the 19th century.
Election laws and history
The rules of the original 1846 city charter, in effect for the city's earliest elections, required that, to be elected, a candidate needed to receive a majority of the vote in a mayoral election. If no candidate received a majority, or if the winning candidate refused to take office, further election(s) would be held until an election produced a candidate with a majority of the vote.[1]
From 1846 to 1857, mayors served for a one-year term, expiring on the third Tuesday in March. From 1857 to 1872, the mayor's term expired on the last day of December. In 1873, the term ended annually on the third Tuesday in March, up until 1880, when it became a two-year term.[citation needed]
1846
1846 Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral elections
August 19, 1846 (first election) September 1, 1846 (second election)
The 1846 Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral elections were held to elect the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. The first election was part of the first municipal election held after Manchester formally became a city (having previously been a town), which was held on August 19, 1846. The August municipal election's mayoral election, however, failed to produce a winner, as first-place finisher Hiram Brown fell 17 votes shy of the majority threshold needed to win the election. A second election was held on September 1, which saw Brown win a majority.[3][4]
The candidates in the August election were Hiram Brown, Thomas Brown, William C. Clarke, James McQueston, William Stephens, James Wilkins.[5] Hiram Brown was affiliated with the Whig Party, Thomas Brown was affiliated with the Abolition Party, and Clarke was affiliated with the Democratic Party.[4] Candidates in the September 1 election were Hiram Brown, Thomas Brown, Issac C. Flanders, Jacob F. James, William Stephens, and J. Sullivan Wiggin.[6] Flanders was affiliated with the Democratic Party.[4]
August 19, 1846, Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral election (no winner)
Candidate
Votes
%
September 1, 1846, Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral election[7]
The 1847 Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral elections were held on March 10, March 31, April 30, and May 22, 1847,[5] to elect the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. The conclusive fourth election saw the election of Jacob F. James.
In the first three elections, no candidate had managed to reach the required majority threshold to win election. In the fourth election, Jacob F. James won election by receiving a majority of the vote.[5]
March 10, 1847, Manchester, New Hampshire, mayoral election[5] (no winner)
