1969 Los Angeles mayoral election

Election

Yorty had been criticized by newspapers, mainly with the Los Angeles Times which had published a newspaper on the city's harbor commission and his refusal to endorse Democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey. He was mainly challenged in the race by councilman Tom Bradley, television news anchor Baxter Ward, U.S. Representative Alphonzo E. Bell Jr., and councilman Robert M. Wilkinson. In the primary election, Bradley held a substantial lead over Yorty but did not win the race outright.

In the campaign for the runoff, Yorty questioned Bradley's credibility in fighting crime and said that he would supposedly open up the city to Black Nationalists, as well as saying that he accepted money from developer Bryan Gibson. To the surprise of many pollsters, Yorty won a majority of the vote and was re-elected as Mayor. The election had a record breaking turnout of more than 75% with more than 860,000 votes; the vote count would not be broken until the 2022 election. Bradley and Yorty spent a combinded total of $2 million in their election campaigns, with Yorty spending $817,450 and Bradley spending $1.4 million.

Results

Primary election

General election

References and footnotes

References

1. (May 18, 1969). "Bradley hits introduction of race issue".
2. Sonenshein, Raphael J.. (1993). "Politics in Black and White". [[Princeton University Press]].
3. "LOS ANGELES: STRUCTURE OF A CITY GOVERNMENT".
4. [https://www.proquest.com/docview/156195335 "Wilkinson Urges Clean Slate for City," ''Los Angeles Times,'' March 8, 1969, page 16]
5. (April 3, 1969). "Yorty in big blast at Bradley".
6. (May 29, 1969). "Yorty upsets pollsters, elected for 3rd term Edges Bradley by 55,000 vote margin".
7. Yu, Elly. (November 21, 2022). "LA's Contentious 2022 Election Now Has Highest Number Of Votes Ever Cast For Mayor".
8. (July 17, 1969). "Yorty, Bradley spent $2 million in campaign".
9. "Los Angeles Mayor - Primary". Our Campaigns.
10. "Los Angeles Mayor". Our Campaigns.