1943 Chicago mayoral election


In the Chicago mayoral election of 1943, incumbent Edward J. Kelly was reelected with a 9% margin of victory.

Nominations

Democratic primary

Reform-oriented Democrats supported a challenge by alderman John S. Boyle to incumbent mayor Edward J. Kelly. This challenge failed to amount to much, with Kelly easily defeating Boyle.

Republican primary

George McKibbin won the Republican nomination by a landslide margin.

General election

Like other Republicans that had run against Kelly, McKibbin framed his campaign as a crusade against machine politics.
McKibbin declared "Pendergast is out in K.C., Hague in Jersey, and Tammany in New York have been cleaned out. Now it is time to clean out the Kelly-Nash machine."
McKibbin also attacked links between the political machine and criminal activity.
Kelly did not campaign. Confident in his chances of victory, Kelly flaunted heavy gravitas and balked at the thought of campaigning.

Results

Voter turnout was considered to be very light. Kelly won what was considered to be a very solid victory.