2009 Harrisburg mayoral election
November 3, 2009 (2009-11-03)
 
Candidate Linda D. Thompson Nevin J. Mindlin
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 4,883 4,032
Percentage 53.87% 44.48%
Mayor before election

Stephen R. Reed
Democratic

 Mayor

Linda D. Thompson
Democratic

The 2009 mayoral election in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was held on November 3, 2009, and resulted in incumbent Democratic mayor Stephen R. Reed, who had been mayor since 1982, losing in the primary to Linda D. Thompson who went on to defeat Republican Nevin J. Mindlin to become the city's first female and first black mayor.[1][2]

Background

Reed, dubbed "Mayor-for-Life," served seven terms as mayor of Harrisburg and was considered "Pennsylvania's most popular and successful mayor";[3][4] however, he faced mounting corruption and fraud accusations near the end of his term.[4]

Campaign

The combination of growing discontent and mounting legal issues related to Reed's performance, an overall nationwide growth in Black voters, and Harrisburg's significant disparity between Republican and Democratic voters, enabled city councilor Linda Thompson to upset Reed during the primary.[4][2]

Although many local pundits believed that the Republicans had no chance to win this election, the race tightened as Thompson increased her campaign attacks on Reed and blamed her fellow Democrats for the city's financial difficulties.[5] Thompson's popularity gradually declined, leading to a lackluster election with only a 24.7% voter turnout in which a significant number of Democrats voted for her Republican challenger. In the end, Thompson won by just 842 votes.[6]

Results

Mayor of Harrisburg, Democratic primary, 2009[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Linda D. Thompson 3,560 54.81%
Democratic Stephen R. Reed (incumbent) 2,514 38.71%
Democratic Les Ford 405 6.24%
Democratic Write-ins 16 0.25%
Total votes 6,495 100.00%
Mayor of Harrisburg, Republican primary, 2009[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nevin J. Mindlin 423 49.30%
Republican Write-ins 435 50.70%
Total votes 858 100.00%
Mayor of Harrisburg, 2009 general election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Linda D. Thompson 4,883 53.87%
Republican Nevin J. Mindlin 4,032 44.48%
N/A Write-ins 150 1.65%
Total votes 9,065 100.00%
Democratic hold

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Elections". www.dauphinc.org. Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Elections". www.dauphinc.org. Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  3. ↑ "The PA Report "Power 75" List" (PDF). Pennsylvania Report. Capital Growth, Inc. January 31, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2006.
  4. 1 2 3 Charles Thompson (July 14, 2015). "Former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed charged with bribery, theft and dozens more criminal charges". Pennlive.com. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ Vecsey, Laura. "Sizing up the odds in the Harrisburg mayoral race for Mindlin, Thompson". www.pennlive.com. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  6. ↑ SMITH, SHARON. "Data show voters were cool to hot Harrisburg mayoral race". www.pennlive.com. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
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