1959 Pittsburgh mayoral special election

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1959 Pittsburgh mayoral special election
Flag of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.svg
  1957 November 3, 1959 1961  
  Joseph M. Barr of Pittsburgh greet Mayo at the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Congressional Reception January 21 in the Mayflower Hotel, Washington (12775125494) (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Joseph M. Barr Paul Reinhold
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote124,50171,202
Percentage63.6%36.4%

Mayor before election

Thomas Gallagher
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Joseph M. Barr
Democratic

The 1959 Pittsburgh Special mayoral election was held on Tuesday November 3, 1959. The winner of the 1957 election, Democrat David Lawrence, had resigned from his position in January 1959 because he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania. City Council President Tom Gallagher moved up to the position of mayor per the city charter. At 75 years old, he chose not to seek reelection. Joe Barr, also a Democrat, won the special election and the remainder of Lawrence's term. Barr, a powerful State Senator and a longtime Lawrence associate, defeated Republican Paul Reinhold, the president of a company that distributed road repair equipment.

Results

Pittsburgh special mayoral election, 1959
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Joe Barr 124,501 63.6
Republican Paul Reinhold71,20236.4
Turnout 195,703
Democratic hold Swing

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References

    Preceded by
    1957
    Pittsburgh special mayoral election
    1959
    Succeeded by
    1961