1828 Boston mayoral election

← 1827

Dec. 8, 1828 (1st vote)
Dec. 15, 1928 (2nd vote)
Dec. 22, 1928 (3rd vote)

1829 →

Mayor before election

Josiah Quincy III
Federalist

Elected mayor

Harrison Gray Otis
Federalist

Federal government

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Boston

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Springfield

The 1828 Boston mayoral election saw the election of Harrison Gray Otis. The election required three votes, because no candidate secured the required majority in the first two votes.^[1] After failing in the first two votes, incumbent mayor Josiah Quincy III declined to run in the third round.^[1]

First vote (December 8, 1828)

Boston mayoral election first vote (December 8, 1828)^[1]
Candidate	Votes	%
Josiah Quincy III (incumbent)	1,958	47.97
Thomas C. Amory	1,284	31.46
Scattering/other (including Otis and Dunlap)^[2]	840	20.58
Total votes	4,082	100

Second vote (December 15, 1828)

Running in the second round were Josiah Quincy III, Thomas C. Amory, Harrison Gray Otis, and Charles Wells.^[3]

Boston mayoral election second vote (December 15, 1828)^[1]^[4]
Candidate	Votes	%
Josiah Quincy III (incumbent)	2,561	48.75
Thomas C. Amory	1,400	26.65
Charles Wells	969	18.45
Harrison Gray Otis	209	3.98
Other	113	2.15
Total votes	5,253	100

Third vote (December 22, 1828)

Quincy and Amory declined to run again in the third vote.^[5]

Receiving a majority of the vote, Otis was elected mayor.^[6]

Boston mayoral election third vote (December 22, 1828)^[1]
Candidate	Votes	%
Harrison Gray Otis	2,978	65.51
Caleb Eddy	1,283	28.22
Other	285	6.27
Total votes	4,546	100

Summary table of all votes

1828 Boston mayoral election results (vote percent by round)
	Harrison Gray Otis	Josiah Quincy III (incumbent)	Thomas C. Armory	Caleb Eddy	Charles Wells	Scattering
1st vote	undisclosed share of write-in vote	47.97%	31.46%	—	—	20.58%
2nd vote	26.65%	48.75%	26.65%	—	18.45%	2.15%
3rd vote	65.51%	—	—	28.22%	—	6.27%

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown, 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822: Also of Various Other Town and Municipal Officers. City of Boston Printing Department. 1909. p. 49. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
^ "Election of Mayor for Boston". The Charleston Mercury. December 19, 1828. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Two attempts...". Brattleboro' Messenger. December 26, 1828. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Boston Mayor". Martinsburg Gazette. December 25, 1828. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "The National Gazette". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 20, 1928. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Mayor of Boston". Lancaster Intelligencer. December 30, 1828. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.