1865 Chicago mayoral election

In the Chicago mayoral election of 1865, Republican John Blake Rice defeated Democratic incumbent Francis Cornwall Sherman by a landslide 33% margin of victory.

1865 Chicago mayoral election

April 18, 1865

Nominee John Blake Rice Francis Cornwall Sherman Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 11,078 5,600 Percentage 66.42% 33.58%

Mayor before election Francis Cornwall Sherman Democratic Elected Mayor John Blake Rice Republican

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The election was held on April 18, only four days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.[1][2]

Originally, Democrat Leonard Rothgerber had been one of the candidates running.[2] However, in the aftermath of the assassination of the Republican president, the shaken public had come to coalesce in support of Republican mayoral candidate Rice.[2] Sensing this, Democratic candidate Leonard Rothgerber withdrew from the race and declared that there was a need for the nation to stand united.[2][3] As a gesture of gratitude, Rice reimbursed Rothgerber's campaign expenses.[2]

While he remained on the ballot, Sherman also all-but-withdrew from the race as well in the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination.[4]

Rice was a "Reform" Republican.[5]

This was the last of four mayoral elections which Chicago held during the course of the American Civil War.