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Elections are currently held every four years to elect the mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Before 1961, mayoral elections were partisan. Starting in 1961, they have been nonpartisan. Terms had, originally, been for a length of a single year, but were later extended to two years. Starting with the 2011 mayoral election, terms were extended further to four years.


Elections prior to 1953


1953 mayoral election

The 1953 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1953. It saw incumbent mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
reelected to a fifth term. The primaries marked the first instance in which the city of Springfield used
voting machine A voting machine is a machine used to record votes in an election without paper. The first voting machines were mechanical but it is increasingly more common to use '' electronic voting machines''. Traditionally, a voting machine has been defi ...
s in all of its precincts. Turnout for the primaries was over 20%.


Democratic primary

Incumbent mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. More than 7,000 voters cast votes in the non-competitive Democratic primary.


Republican primary

In the Republican primary,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
Wendell P. Chamberlain Wendell may refer to: Places in the United States *Wendell, Idaho *Wendell, Massachusetts *Wendell, Minnesota *Wendell, North Carolina People *Wendell (name), a list of people with the name *Wendell (footballer, born 1947) (1947–2022), full nam ...
defeated four candidates for the nomination. His competitors were ward 1 alderman Normand J. Beaudry, assessor Vernon E. Bradley (who had previously been the Republican nominee for mayor in 1951), ward 4 alderman and Springfield Board of Alderman president Henry Clay, and former school board member Theodore Wiel.


General election


1955 mayoral election

The 1955 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 8, 1955. It saw incumbent mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
reelected to a sixth term.


Democratic primary

In the Democratic primary, incumbent
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
faced Hampden County registrar of deeds John P. Lynch and Springfield superintendent of streets James J. Sullivan.


Republican primary

In the Republican primary, businessman and Springfield Fire Commission member Leon H. Hutchins defeated Board of Assessors member William G. Macauley.


General election

Brunton defeated Hutchins.


1957 mayoral election

The 1957 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 5, 1957. It saw incumbent mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
unseated, losing renomination in the Democratic primary to
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
, who went on to win the general election. O'Connor became the youngest mayor in the city's history.


Democratic primary

Incumbent mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
lost renomination to
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
in a landslide, losing in all of the city's 68 voting precincts. When Brunton first announced his campaign against the longtime mayor, his odds of succeeding were seen as slim. Significant issues debated in the primary included the city's police commission, off-street parking, and businesses leaving the city's downtown.


Republican primary


General election


1959 mayoral election

The 1959 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1959. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
. This was Springfield's final partisan mayoral election, as voters also voted to approve a move to nonpartisan elections. The measure that did so also switched from a
weak mayor Weak may refer to: Songs * "Weak" (AJR song), 2016 * "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011 * "Weak" (SWV song), 1993 * "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995 * "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013'' Television episodes * "Weak" (''Fear t ...
form of government to a
strong mayor Strong may refer to: Education * The Strong, an educational institution in Rochester, New York, United States * Strong Hall (Lawrence, Kansas), an administrative hall of the University of Kansas * Strong School, New Haven, Connecticut, United S ...
form.


Democratic primary

In a rematch of the 1957 Democratic primary, incumbent mayor
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
was challenged by former mayor
Daniel B. Brunton Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
. O'Connor handily defeated O'Connor, leading him in all 66 of the city's 68 voting precincts. ;Results ;Results by ward


Republican primary

Paul E. Affleck, the city councilman from the city's 5th ward, won the Republican primary unopposed.


General election

Running as an
independent candidate An independent or non-partisan politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party or bureaucratic association. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent. Some politicians have political views th ...
was Daniel B. Brunton, who had failed to win the Democratic primary.


1961 mayoral election

The 1961 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1961, and was preceded by a primary on October 10. It saw Charles Ryan defeat incumbent mayor
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
. It was the city's first nonpartisan mayoral election


Candidates

*Norman E. Cowles *Arbold R. Craven *
Thomas J. O'Connor Thomas Joseph O'Connor Jr. (July 27, 1925 – September 11, 1996) was an American politician who served as mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. Early life O'Connor was born on July 27, 1925 in Springfield. He was one of seven children of milkman ...
, incumbent mayor since 1958 * Charles Ryan, lawyer *Bernard M. Lapointe *John P. Lynch, Hampden County registrar of deeds since 1952, and 1955 mayoral candidate *Arthur J. McKenna *
Armand N. Tancrati Armand refer to: People * Armand (name), list of people with this name * Armand (photographer) (1901–1963), Armenian photographer * Armand (singer) (1946–2015), Dutch protest singer * Sean Armand (born 1991), American basketball player * Arm ...
,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
*Raymond N. Tuller Jr.


Campaign

The 1960 reassessment of all of real estate in Springfield led to a furor when 1/3 of the Springfield's homeowners saw increases over their 1959 tax. On October 11, 1960, 4,500 residents attended a meeting at Springfield Auditorium where members of the Board of Assessors attempted to explain the tax increase. Each member was booed off the stage before they could speak and O'Connor, who had no role in the property reassessment, failed to quiet the crowd and police were called in. O'Connor planned to cut 578 jobs from the 1961 budget to reduce the city's taxes, however he reversed this decision due to a lack of public support. O'Connor's general election defeat was considered an upset. Two weeks after O'Connor's loss, the city's percentage assessment system, which had been a major issue during the campaign, was declared unconstitutional by the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the SJC claims the distinction of being the oldest continuously functi ...
.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1963 mayoral election

The 1963 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 1963, and was preceded by a primary on October 8. It saw incumbent mayor Charles Ryan reelected. This was the city's first nonpartisan mayoral election


Candidates

*Arthur R. Caney *John P. Lynch, Hampden County registrar of deeds since 1952; 1955 and 1961 mayoral candidate * Charles Ryan, incumbent mayor


Campaign

Incumbent mayor Charles Ryan and registrar of deeds John P. Lynch were considered the two major contenders. A third candidate in the primary, Arthur R. Caney, was regarded as a political unknown. As widely predicted, both Ryan and Lynch were the two who advanced to the general election. Both Lynch and Ryan identified as Democrats. Ryan's campaign was managed by his brother, Donald Ryan. The campaign turned tense when, eight days before the general election, Lynch accused Ryan of being an advocate of busing, bringing a racially-charged issue into the mix. The day before the election, in a television appearance, Ryan alleged that bussing had already started, and that Ryan had approved it. On the day of the election, the Springfield Union ran two full-paged advertisements which showed
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
children departing school buses at Memorial School in the fashionable, and largely
white White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
, East Forest Park neighborhood. The ads, again claimed that Ryan had begun busing in the city. Ryan responded by making a series of radio appearances on Election Day. In one he claimed that the photos actually were showing black children that had been transported to the school, not for the sake of
racial integration Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation). In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportun ...
, but due to overcrowding at schools in parts of the cities that were predominantly black. He also came out against using bussing to resolve de facto segregation.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1965 mayoral election

The 1965 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 2, 1965, and was preceded by a primary on October 4. It saw the reelection of Charles Ryan to a third term. The primary, held October 4, had been moved from its original date of October 5. Unusually, this made Election Day a Monday instead of a Tuesday. The change of date was made to avoid the election overlapping with the Jewish holiday of
Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day' ...
.


Candidates

*Charles E. Cobb,
reverend The Reverend is an honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. ''The Reverend'' is correctly ...
at St. John's Congressional Church * James Grimaldi,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
and Springfield city councilor *Rojer J. Lemelin, former Springfield assessor * Charles Ryan, incumbent mayor *Frances L. Shea, independent advertising agent


Campaign

In the general election Ryan faced state representative and Springfield city councilor James Grimaldi. He faced several additional candidates in the primary. In the primary, Charles E. Cobb was the first
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
candidate to run for mayor in the city's history. Frances L. Shea was among the earliest women to run for Springfield's mayoralty. A major issue in the campaign was how to resolve inequality in the quality of the schools buildings serving the city's largely non-
white White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
neighborhoods compared those serving its largely-white neighborhoods. Mayor Ryan proposed limited open enrollment, and hoped for the state to pay for the expense of busing. He felt that black groups had failed to assist in making open enrollment successful in the city. Grimaldi hoped to resolve these inequalities by replacing the city's older school buildings, many of which were located in largely black neighborhoods. Rojer J. Lemelin pledged to follow state's racial imbalance law. Charles E. Cobb argued that students at Buckingham Junior High School (a 63.2% non-white school) were 2.5 years behind students at
junior high schools A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
with predominantly white student bodies. He argued against open enrollment, saying that it asked, "the very people least able to pay" to personally finance their children's transportation. Frances L. Shea promised to follow the state's racial imbalance law, but argued that, "all laws are flexible and we should make them fit our situation". Other major issues included
taxes A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, o ...
, the proposed closure of the
Springfield Armory The Springfield Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until ...
, and allegations of
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
in the city.


1967 mayoral election

The 1967 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1967. It saw the election of
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
. Freedman, a Springfield city councilor and assistant attorney general for western Massachusetts (on leave from the latter role during his campaign), defeated state representative James Grimaldi. Incumbent mayor Charles Ryan did not seek reelection, instead opting to retire to accept a lecturing job at Springfield College. While the race was officially nonpartisan, Freeman was a Republican, while Grimaldi was a Democrat. Freedman became the city's first Jewish mayor. If elected, Grimaldi would have been its first Italian mayor.


1969 mayoral election

The 1969 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 1969, and was preceded by a primary held on October 7, 1969. It saw the reelection of
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
.


Candidates

* James Grimaldi,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
since 1965, former Springfield city councilor; 1965 and 1967 mayoral candidate *
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
, incumbent mayor since 1968 *Frederick Hurst *William J. Kingston, parks commissioner and former Minor League Baseball player


Campaign

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
state representative James Grimaldi was a late entrant into the race. Frederick Hurst's performance in the primary was regarded to have been surprisingly poor. He was one of the earliest black candidates to run for mayor of Springfield. Freedman's reelection in the general election was aided by popular approval of how he had recently handled a public transit strike and welfare-related protests.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1971 mayoral election

The 1971 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 2, 1971, and was preceded by a primary on October 5, 1971. It saw the reelection of
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
to a third term.


Candidates

*Douglas Ariel,
mail carrier A mail carrier, mailman, mailwoman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, or letter carrier (in American English), sometimes colloquially known as a postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom), is an employee of a post ...
*Socrates Babacas, business owner *
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
, incumbent mayor since 1968 *
James L. Grimaldi James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...
,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
since 1965, former Springfield city councilor; 1965, 1967 and 1969 mayoral candidate * Wallace Hindes


Results

;Primary ;General election


1973 mayoral special election

The 1973 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral
special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
was held on January 30, 1973, to fill the vacancy left after
Frank Harlan Freedman Frank Harlan Freedman (December 15, 1924 – August 21, 2003) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Education and career Born in Springfield, Massa ...
resigned as mayor in October 1972 to accept an appointment as a
U.S. district court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...
judge. The election saw the election of William C. Sullivan. Paul Mason was only the third
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
candidate to run for mayor in the city's history. He openly regarded his candidacy as more an effort to build up a following to help him run more successfully for the office two years later.


Candidates

*Paul Mason, Springfield city councilor * William C. Sullivan, Springfield city clerk


Results


1973 mayoral election

The 1973 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 1973. It saw the reelection of incumbent William C. Sullivan (first elected earlier that year in a special election) to his first full term. Because only two candidates ran, there was no need for a primary election.


Candidates

*Arnold B. Craven, 1961 mayoral candidate * William C. Sullivan, incumbent mayor


Results


1975 mayoral election

The 1975 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 1975, and was preceded by a primary on October 5, 1975. It saw the reelection of William C. Sullivan to a second full, and third overall, term.


Candidates

*Stephen Desmond *Wallace D. Hindes *Peter Charles LeLuce * William C. Sullivan, incumbent mayor


Campaign

Stephen Desmond was a first-time candidate for public office, and ran as a U.S. Labor Party-backed candidate.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1977 mayoral election

The 1977 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 8, 1977, and was preceded by a primary on October 11. It saw the election of
Theodore E. Dimauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatche ...
. Incumbent mayor William C. Sullivan did not seek reelection.


Candidates

*
Theodore E. Dimauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatche ...
, Springfield City Council president, Springfield city councilor since 1970, member of the
Massachusetts Governor's Council The Massachusetts Governor's Council (also known as the Executive Council) is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matterssuch as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutationsto the Governor of Massachusetts. Council ...
since 1975, former acting mayor (1972–1973), and former Springfield School Committee member *Winston Gaskins *
James L. Grimaldi James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...
,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
since 1965, former Springfield city councilor; 1965, 1967, 1969 and 1971 mayoral candidate *Wallace Hindes (write-in) *William Kelly *John P. Lynch, Hampden County registrar of deeds since 1952,
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
United States Senate candidate; 1955, 1961 and 1963 mayoral candidate *John D. McCarthy


Campaign

Theodore E. Dimauro campaigned on revitalizing the city's downtown, and talked about pursuing further public-private partnerships to accomplish this. James L. Grimaldi, an experienced elected official (with 12 years experience on the Springfield City Council and 13 years experience in the Massachusetts House of Representatives) had long aspired to be Springfield's mayor, having run four times previously. By 1977, Grimaldi was 66 years of age, and likely saw the election as his last chance to win the city's mayoralty. He campaigned hard against Dimauro, accusing him of being a puppet for big business, of valuing the city's downtown at the expense of the remainder of the city, and criticizing him for his vote as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council to confirm a
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
woman to be an associate justice of the
Boston Municipal Court The Boston Municipal Court (BMC), officially the Boston Municipal Court Department of the Trial Court, is a department of the Trial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The court hears criminal, civil, mental health, restr ...
. With both Dimauro and Grimaldi being Italian-Americans, the general election matchup guaranteed that the city would elect its first mayor of Italian descent.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1979 mayoral election

The 1979 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 1979, and was preceded by a primary on October 9, 1979. It saw the reelection of
Theodore Dimauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatch ...
to a second term.


Candidates

*
Theodore E. DiMauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatche ...
, incumbent mayor since 1978 *Winston Gaskins, 1979 mayoral candidate *Wallace D Hindes


Results

;Primary ;General election


1981 mayoral election

The 1981 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1981, and was preceded by a primary on October 6, 1981. It saw the reelection of
Theodore Dimauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatch ...
to a third term.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1983 mayoral election

The 1983 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1983, and was preceded by a primary on September 20, 1983. It saw the election of
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
. Facing a prospective challenge from city councilor Richard Neal, incumbent mayor
Theodore Dimauro Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatch ...
opted to instead retire.Duncan, Phil, et al. (December 31, 1988). "House freshmen: Massachusetts—2nd district." '' CQ Weekly'': p. 3610.
CQ Press CQ Press, a division of SAGE Publishing, publishes books, directories, periodicals, and electronic products on American government and politics, with an expanding list in international affairs and journalism and mass communication. History Nels ...
.


Candidates

*Joseph Harrington, 1981 mayoral candidate *William G. Montana *
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
, Springfield city councilor since 1979


Results

;Primary ;General election


1985 mayoral election

The 1985 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 5, 1985. It saw the reelection of
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
.


Candidates

*Joseph Harrington, 1981 and 1983 mayoral candidate *
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
, incumbent mayor since 1983


Results


1987 mayoral election

The 1987 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1987. It saw the reelection of incumbent
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
to a third term.


Candidates

*Joseph Harrington, 1981, 1983, and 1985 mayoral candidate *
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
, incumbent mayor since 1983


Results


1989 mayoral special election

The 1989 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral special election was held on April 25, 1989, and was preceded by a primary on March 21, 1989. It was held to fill the vacancy left after mayor
Richard Neal Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, ...
resigned to become a
U.S. congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
. The election saw the election of the city's first female mayor
Mary Hurley Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also cal ...
, who defeated acting mayor Vincent MiMonaco.


Candidates

*Vincent DiMonaco, acting mayor and Springfield city councilor since 1972 *Joseph Harrington, 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1987 mayoral candidate *Mary Hurley, Springfield city councilor since 1980


Campaign

In his brief period as acting mayor, DiMonaco had taken a tough stance on drugs, and expressed criticism of what he deemed to be "insufficient" financial support coming from the state and federal governments. He also, with 18 years experience on the City Council and prior experience on the Springfield School Committee, made an effort to portray himself as the more experienced candidate Hurley accused DiMonaco of "flip-flopping" on various issues, such as whether the
National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. N ...
should be used to fight against illegal drugs in the city, which he had previously advocated for, but since walked back his support for. DiMonaco accused Hurley of receiving the back of a Richard Neal-led
political machine In the politics of representative democracies, a political machine is a party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives (such as money or political jobs) and that is characterized by a high degree of leadership co ...
. Neal, however, remained publicly neutral in the election, and questioned DiMonaco's assertion that a political machine existed in the city. Hurley raised $240,000 for her campaign, almost five times as much as DiMonaco managed to raise for his. This fundraising advantage enabled her to run a last-minute battery of television advertisements.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1989 mayoral election

The 1989 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1989, and saw the reelection of incumbent mayor
Mary Hurley Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also cal ...
(first elected earlier that year in a special election) to her first full term.


1991 mayoral election

The 1991 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 5, 1991, and was preceded by a primary on September 24, 1991. It saw the election of Robert Markel. Incumbent mayor
Mary Hurley Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also cal ...
did not seek reelection, announcing in February that she would not be running, to focus her attention on the city's
budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environme ...
problems. Hurleys' mayoralty had been beset by problems by this time, including wrangling with unions in the prior year.


Candidates

*Leroy Crenshaw,
junior high school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
teacher *Ray DiPasquale, Springfield city councilor since 1991 and former Springfield School Council member *Paul Kalill, former Springfield city councilor (1974–1980) * Robert Markel, Springfield city councilor *William Montana,
draftsman A drafter (also draughtsman / draughtswoman in British and Commonwealth English, draftsman / draftswoman or drafting technician in American and Canadian English) is an engineering technician who makes detailed technical drawings or plans f ...
and 1983 mayoral candidate *
Benjamin Swan Benjamin Swan is a former American state legislator who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and represented the 11th Hampden District from 2009 to 2016. On February 6, 2014, Swan was one of five members of the legislative bo ...
,
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
community activist; management and education consultant


Campaign

A major issue of the campaign ahead of the primary election was the problem of "
white flight White flight or white exodus is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the United States. They refer ...
" to the city's suburbs. The
frontrunner FrontRunner is a commuter rail train operated by the Utah Transit Authority that operates along the Wasatch Front in north-central Utah with service from the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt ...
s ahead of the primary election were broadly considered to be Ray DiPasquale, Robert Markel, and Paul Kalill. As a candidate, Markel advocated for increasing the amount of fees for city services and increasing the enforcement of city codes. Kalill called for a "clean sweep" of politicians in city government. Benjamin Swan was a first-time candidate for elected office. William Montana advocated for a
curfew A curfew is a government order specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to ''not'' be in public places or on roads within a certain time frame, typically in the evening and ...
for minors, as well as a revival of
school prayer School prayer, in the context of religious liberty, is state-sanctioned or mandatory prayer by students in public schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, state-sponsored prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited. Countries ...
and corporal punishment.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1993 mayoral election

The 1993 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 2, 1993, and was preceded by a primary on September 21, 1993. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Robert Markel.


Candidates

* Robert Markel, incumbent mayor since 1992 *Kateri Walsh, Springfield city councilor *
Benjamin Swan Benjamin Swan is a former American state legislator who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and represented the 11th Hampden District from 2009 to 2016. On February 6, 2014, Swan was one of five members of the legislative bo ...
, president of the Springfield
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
and 1991 mayoral candidate


Campaign

Merkel took credit for restoring services previously cut in past budgets. Walsh argued that Markel had been neglecting towards public safety. Swan said that safety, education, and employment were the top issues in the city.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1995 mayoral election

The 1995 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1995, and was preceded by a primary on September 19, 1995. It saw the election of mayor Michael Albano, who unseated incumbent mayor Robert Markel. Markel placed third in the primary, thereby failing to make the general election.


Candidates

* Michael Albano, Springfield City Council president *Chelan "Jenkins" Brown *Frederick Hurst, 1969 mayoral candidate * Robert Markel, incumbent mayor since 1992 * Charles V. Ryan, former mayor (1962–1968)


Campaign

Expected to be a central issue to voters in the general election was whether Springfield would receive a
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...
or not. A year prior, voters had rejected a
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of ...
to allow casinos in the city. However, a new nonbonding
ballot initiative In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...
was up for a vote coinciding with the mayoral general election, which, if approved, would show citizen approval for building a casino in the city's downtown. Albano supported passing the initiative, while Ryan opposed it. The issue dominated the campaign. In the end, however, despite the voters voting against the ballot initiative, Albano (who had supported it) beat Ryan (who had opposed it). Ahead of the general election, Springfield Newspapers, the publisher of '' The Springfield Union News & Sunday Republican'', backed both the casino ballot initiative and Albano's candidacy.


Results

;Primary ;General election


1997 mayoral election

The 1997 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 1997. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Michael Albano, who was running uncontested.


Results


1999 mayoral election

The 1999 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 2, 1999. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Michael Albano, running uncontested, to a third term.


Results


2001 mayoral election

The 2001 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 2001, and was preceded by a primary on September 25, 2001. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Michael Albano to a fourth term.


Candidates

* Michael Albano, incumbent mayor since 1996 *
Paul Caron Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chr ...
,
Massachusetts state representative The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
since 1993 *Nicole Jones


Results

;Primary election ;General election


2003 mayoral election

The 2003 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 2003. It saw former three-term mayor Charles Ryan returned to office for a fourth non-consecutive term. Incumbent mayor Michael Albano did not seek reelection.


Candidates

*
Lynda J. Melconian Linda J. Melconian is a former United States of America, American state legislator who served as the first woman Majority Leader in the history of the Massachusetts Senate. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she ...
, former
majority leader In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.
of the
Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...
* Charles Ryan, former mayor (1962–1968)


Results


2005 mayoral election

The 2005 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 8, 2005, and saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Charles Ryan reelected to a second consecutive, and fifth overall, term as mayor.


Candidates

*Tom Ashe, member of the Springfield School Committee since 2000 and former member of the Springfield License Commission (1998–1999) * Charles Ryan, incumbent mayor


Results


2007 mayoral election

The 2007 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. It saw
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
unseat incumbent mayor Charles Ryan. When announcing his candidacy for reelection, Ryan had declared that he intended this to be his final campaign for mayor. At the age of 79, he was the oldest mayor in the state at the time he announced his reelection campaign in April. Since only two candidates ran, no primary was held.


Candidates

* Charles Ryan, incumbent mayor *
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
, at-large member of the Springfield City Council since 1999


Finances


Results


2009 mayoral election

The 2009 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 2009. It saw the reelection on
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
. Since only two candidates ran, no primary was held.


Candidates

*
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
, incumbent mayor since 2010 *
Bud Williams Bud Williams is a State Representative who represents the 11th Hampden District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He represents the city of Springfield. Williams serves as the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Redistricting, and o ...
, former Springfield city councilor (1993–2008)


Results


2011 mayoral election

The 2011 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 8, 2011, and was preceded by a primary on September 20, 2011. Incumbent mayor
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
won reelection to a second term. This was the first election to a four-year mayoral term, Springfield voters had, in 2009, approved a change to the city's charter which extended the mayor's term in office from two to four years. This was the first time since 2001 that more than two candidates ran, which triggered a primary election.


Candidates

*Antonette E. Pepe, Springfield School Committee member *
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
, incumbent mayor *
Jose F. Tosado Jose F. Tosado is an American politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from January 2015 to January 2021. Career A resident of Springfield, Massachusetts, he was elected as a Democrat to represent the 9th ...
, Springfield City Council president


Campaign

Both Tosado and Pepe were considered to be high-profile and politically experienced challengers to Sarno. Nevertheless, Sarno heavily led both in the primary, and handily defeated Tosado in the general election.


Results

;Primary Turnout in the primary, at 14.64%, was historically low. ;General election


2015 mayoral election

The 2015 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 2015, and was preceded by a primary on September 8, 2015. Incumbent mayor
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
won reelection to a third term.


Candidates

*Salvatore S. Circosta, member of Springfield Community Policing Board, business manager of a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
church, former business owner, former
seminarian A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
, former
military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term '' ...
, candidate for Springfield City Council in 2013 *Invelisse Gonzalez *Michael Jones *Johnnie Ray McKnight, former teacher *
Domenic J. Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 an ...
, incumbent mayor since 2008 *Beverly L. Savage, candidate for mayor of
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
in 1995


Campaign

Salvatore S. Circosta was politically conservative, closely tying his candidacy with his
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. Early into his candidacy, Circosta publicly disclosed that he was a gay man. Circosta described himself as conservative on issues such as abortion rights and financial matters, but " progressive" on some issues such as
gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , ...
.


Results

;Primary ;General election


2019 mayoral election

The 2019 Springfield, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 5, 2019, and was preceded by a primary on September 10, 2019. It was held in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Incumbent mayor
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
won reelection to a fourth term. By virtue of winning reelection to his fourth term, Sarno became poised to be the city's longest-serving mayor.


Candidates

*Yolanda Cancel,
community organizer Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other or share some common problem come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community bui ...
and candidate for Springfield City Council in 2007 *Jeffrey Donnelly,
perennial candidate A perennial candidate is a political candidate who frequently runs for elected office and rarely, if ever, wins. Perennial candidates' existence lies in the fact that in some countries, there are no laws that limit a number of times a person can ...
* Linda Matys O'Connell, activist, League of Women Voters official, former journalist *
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
, incumbent mayor since 2008


Results

;Primary ;General election


2023 mayoral election

The 2023 Springfield Massachusetts mayor election is an upcoming mayoral election in Springfield, Massachusetts. Incumbent
Domenic Sarno Domenic J. Sarno (born May 4, 1963) is the current mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. First elected in 2007, Sarno has won re-election five times since and is a member of the Democratic Party. Winning election to a fifth term overall in 2019 a ...
plans to seek reelection. He is being challenged by State Representative Orlando Ramos and City Councilors Justin Hurst and Jesse Lederman. Nik DeCosta-Klipa of
WBUR WBUR-FM (90.9 FM) is a public radio station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Boston University. It is the largest of three NPR member stations in Boston, along with WGBH and WUMB-FM and produces several nationally distributed prog ...
described Domenic Sarno as a relative "old-school, centrist Democrat" and his opponents as challenging him from the
political left Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
. He also described this as the largest field of prominent challengers that Sarno has faced for mayor.


References

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