# 1938 Los Angeles mayoral recall election

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vte :
The 1938 Los Angeles mayoral recall election took place on September 16, 1938, following the recall of incumbent Frank L. Shaw. Shaw was defeated by Fletcher Bowron in the election, making him the first recalled mayor in American history.
Municipal elections in California, including Mayor of Los Angeles, are officially nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.

## Election

Shaw had been accosted with corruption in City Hall which led to a recall movement against him and his close associates. Reformers who opposed Shaw and the Los Angeles Times both agreed that Shaw was "building the largest machine in the city's history," choosing Fletcher Bowron, a Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, to run against Shaw. The reformers campaigned for Shaw's recall saying that he did not do enough to stop crime and that he had supposedly committeed arious crimes during his tenure. The recall was approved by voters by a large margin, and Bowron defeated Shaw by a landslide.

## Results

Los Angeles mayoral recall election, September 16, 1938 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 235,395 | 64.65 |
| No | 128,727 | 35.35 |
| Total votes | 364,122 | 100.00 |
Los Angeles mayoral recall election, September 16, 1938 :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Fletcher Bowron | Fletcher Bowron | 233,427 | 64.33 |
| Frank L. Shaw (incumbent) | Frank L. Shaw (incumbent) | 122,692 | 33.81 |
| Alonzo J. Riggs | Alonzo J. Riggs | 4,050 | 1.12 |
| Albert F. Osterloh | Albert F. Osterloh | 2,706 | 0.75 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 362,875 | 100.00 |