1917 San Diego mayoral election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1917 San Diego mayoral election

| country =

| flag_image = Flag of San Diego, California.svg

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1915 San Diego mayoral election

| previous_year = 1915

| next_election = 1919 San Diego mayoral election

| next_year = 1919

| election_date = {{Start date|1917|4|3}}

| image1 = x150px

| nominee1 = Louis J. Wilde

| party1 = Republican Party (US)

| popular_vote1 = 12,901

| percentage1 = 58.3%

| image2 = x150px

| nominee2 = George Marston

| party2 = Progressive Party (United States, 1912)

| popular_vote2 = 9,246

| percentage2 = 41.7%

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| title = Mayor

| before_election = Edwin M. Capps

| before_party = Democratic Party (US)

| after_election = Louis J. Wilde

| after_party = Republican Party (US)

}}

The 1917 San Diego mayoral election was held on April 3, 1917, to elect the mayor for San Diego. The election became known as the "Smokestacks vs. Geraniums" election because the dominant issue was whether the city's development should focus on planning and beautification or job creation and factories. In the primary election Louis J. Wilde, advocating for "smokestacks", and George Marston, derided as "Geranium George" by his opponents, received the most votes and advanced to the runoff. Wilde was then elected mayor with a majority of the votes.

Candidates

Louis J. Wilde, banker{{cite book|last1=Sies|first1=Mary Corbin|last2=Silver|first2=Christopher|title=Planning the Twentieth-century American City|year=1996|publisher=JHU Press|isbn=9780801851643|pages=171–173|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vTGq0NhtE38C&q=Marston&pg=PA172|language=en}}
George Marston, department store owner and mayoral candidate in 1913
Charles H. Bartholomew, retired postmaster{{cite news|title=New Postmaster Will Take Office Today|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-139B85C4BAD289D0@2421289-139A33F952BD9938@4-139BA4794E1725B0@?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=April 23, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=March 1, 2017}}

Campaign

Incumbent Mayor Edwin M. Capps declined to run for re-election, leaving an open seat.{{cite news|title=Mayor Extends Sympathy to Successor in Office|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-139B85CE7AEE7520@2421296-139A35B68DF16DA1@8-139BA5AF40ED0B98@?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=April 23, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=March 8, 1917}} The main challengers for the open seat were local department store owner and philanthropist George Marston, a Progressive, and banker Louis J. Wilde, a Republican. Also contesting the race was recently retired postmaster Charles Bartholomew.

Marston had previously run for mayor in 1913 advocating for planned expansion of the city and projects that would lead to a beautiful and prosperous city rather focusing on commerce and industry.{{cite journal|last1=Ports|first1=Uldis|editor1-last=Moss|editor1-first=James E.|title=Geraniums vs. Smokestacks San Diego's Mayoralty Campaign of 1917 - San Diego History Center {{!}} San Diego, CA {{!}} Our City, Our Story|journal=The Journal of San Diego History|date=Summer 1975|volume=21|issue=3|url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/1975/july/geraniums/|access-date=April 23, 2017}} In the intervening years, he had played a large role in shepherding through the Panama–California Exposition.{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Thomas|title=Elections San Diego Style|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2004/oct/28/elections-san-diego-style/?page=3&|access-date=April 23, 2017|work=San Diego Reader|date=October 28, 2004|language=en}} In the 1917 campaign, Marston once again emphasized planned growth. In his campaign, he advocated for city planning, energy conservation, and building and pollution controls on industrial development. He also supported the growth of the military industry, chiefly the navy and the Marine Corps, since he did not consider this to be industrial growth. Marston's campaign also had the backing of influential city leaders such as John D. Spreckels, E.W. Scripps, and Albert Spalding.

In contrast to Marston, Wilde campaigned on a promise of increased industry in San Diego. He campaigned strongly for the labor vote, arguing that increased industry would lead to good jobs and good wages. Wilde billed himself as the "Smokestack Candidate" and labeled his opponent "Geranium George", giving the election its nickname. Wilde campaigned more aggressively than Marston, for example threatening that if Marston won the Salt Lake Railroad would never arrive in San Diego. Marston often refused to respond to these accusations.

On March 20, 1917, Wilde received the highest number of votes in the primary election, followed by Marston. In the April 3, 1917 runoff between the top-two candidates, Wilde received a majority and was elected mayor.

Primary Election results

{{Election box begin no change

| title = San Diego mayoral primary election, 1917{{cite web|title=Election History - Mayor of San Diego|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/city-clerk/pdf/mayorresults.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=April 15, 2017}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Louis J. Wilde

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 8,728

| percentage = 47.1

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = George Marston

| party = Progressive Party (United States, 1912)

| votes = 7,502

| percentage = 40.5