# 1953 New York City mayoral election

Elections in New York State :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
GOP
2012
2016
Dem
GOP
2020
Dem
2024
Dem
GOP
U.S. Senate
1789
1791
1795
1796 sp
1797
Jan 1798 sp
Aug 1798 sp
Apr 1800 sp
Nov 1800 sp
1801
1802 sp
1803
Feb 1804 sp
Nov 1804 sp
1807
1809
1813
1815
1819–20
1821
1825–26
1827
1829 sp
1831
1833
1833 sp
1837
1839–40
1843
1845 sp
1849
1851
1855
1857
1861
1863
1867
1869
1873
1875
1879
1881
1881 sp
1885
1887
1891
1893
1897
1899
1903
1905
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1932
1934
1938
1938 sp
1940
1944
1946
1949 sp
1950
1952
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2010 sp
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
U.S. House
1789
1790
1791
1st sp
1793
1794
1796
1798
1799
1st sp
1800
1801
5th sp
1801
6th sp
1802
1803
6th sp
1803
7th sp
1804
1st sp
2nd and 3rd sp
1805
2nd and 3rd sp
1806
1808
12th sp
1810
2nd sp
1812
6th sp
1813
15th sp
1813
2nd sp
1814
1815
6th sp
1815
12th sp
1816
20th sp
21st sp
1817
4th sp
1818
1821
6th sp
1821
9th sp
1822
1823
28th sp
1824
1826
1827
29th sp
1828
5th sp
1830
6th sp
20th sp
1832
1834
1836
17th sp
30th sp
1838
1840
1841
26th May sp
26th Nov sp
1842
1844
1846
12th sp
1848
1850
1852
1854
12th sp
1856
1858
1859
4th sp
1860
31st sp
1862
1863
14th sp
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1879
12th sp
1880
32nd sp
1881
9th sp
11th sp
22nd sp
1881
27th sp
1882
1884
1885
8th sp
1886
15th sp
1888
1889
6th sp
9th sp
27th sp
1890
1891
2nd sp
10th sp
1891
12th sp
22nd sp
1892
1894
14th sp
15th sp
1895
10th sp
1896
1897
3rd sp
1898
1899
34th sp
1900
1902
26th sp
1904
12th sp
1906
8th sp
1908
3rd sp
1910
1912
26th sp
1913
13th sp
20th sp
1914
1915
31st sp
1916
1917
15th sp
1918
7th sp
8th sp
21st sp
22nd sp
1920
14th sp
26th sp
1922
1923
11th sp
16th sp
19th sp
24th sp
32nd sp
1924
1926
1927
35th sp
1928
32nd sp
1929
21st sp
1930
18th sp
1931
7th sp
9th sp
1932
1933
34th sp
1934
1935
2nd sp
22nd sp
1936
1937
27th sp
17th sp
25th sp
1938
1939
34th sp
1940
14th sp
22nd sp
31st sp
1941
14th sp
17th sp
1942
1944
4th sp
11th sp
21st sp
1946
19th sp
1947
14th sp
1948
24th sp
1949
7th sp
10th sp
20th sp
1950
1952
5th sp
32nd sp
1954
1956
22nd sp
1958
1959
43rd sp
1960
23rd sp
1962
6th sp
1964
1966
17th sp
1968
13th sp
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
18th sp
21st sp
1980
1982
1983
7th sp
1984
1986
6th sp
1988
1990
14th sp
18th sp
1992
17th sp
1994
1996
1997
13th sp
1998
6th sp
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2009
20th sp
23rd sp
2010
29th sp
2011
9th sp
26th sp
2012
2014
2015
11th sp
2016
2018
14th
25th sp
2020
22nd
27th sp
2022
19th sp
23rd sp
2024
3rd sp
26th sp
2025
21st sp :
State government
New York gubernatorial elections
1777
1780
1783
1786
1789
1792
1795
1798
1801
1804
1807
1810
1813
1816
1817
1820
1822
1824
1826
1828
1830
1832
1834
1836
1838
1840
1842
1844
1846
1848
1850
1852
1854
1856
1858
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1879
1882
1885
1888
1891
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
State Comptroller elections
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
State Senate elections
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
State Assembly elections
99th district, 2006
2008
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
State elections by year
1811-LtGSE
1844
1846
1847-JSE
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1870–JSE
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1900
1902
1903
1904
1906
1907
1908
1910
1912
1913
1914
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1926
1927
1928
1930
1932
1933
1934
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1942
1943
1944
1946
1949
1950
1952
1953
1954
1956
1958
1959
1960
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1972
1973
1974
2002
2006
2008
2009
2010
2012
2016
2018
2020
2021
2022
2024 :
New York City
Mayoral elections
Pre-consolidation:
1850
1854
1856
1857
1859
1861
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
Post-consolidation:
1897
1901
1903
1905
1909
1913
1917
1921
1925
1929
1932
1933
1937
1941
1945
1950
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
City Council elections
Pre-consolidation:
1808
Post-consolidation:
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1927
1929
1931
1933
1935
1937
1939
1941
1943
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2023
2025
Public Advocate elections
1897
1901
1905
1909
1913
1917
1921
1925
1929
1933
1937
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2019 (special)
2019
2021
2025
Comptroller elections
1897
1901
1905
1909
1913
1917
1921
1925
1929
1933
1937
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
Borough president elections
1897
1901
1905
1909
1913
1917
1921
1925
1929
1933
1937
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
The Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island :
Albany
Mayoral elections
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021 :
Buffalo
Mayoral elections
1881
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
Rochester
Mayoral elections
1997
2001
2005
2009
2011 sp
2013
2017
2021 :
Syracuse
Mayoral elections
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
vte :
The New York City mayoral election of 1953 occurred on Tuesday, November 3, 1953. Incumbent mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri ran for re-election to a second term in office but lost the Democratic nomination to Robert F. Wagner Jr. Wagner went on to win the general election with a decisive plurality in a three-way race against Republican Harold Riegelman and Liberal Rudolph Halley.
Wagner enjoyed the support of the powerful Tammany Hall political machine, easily securing him a victory.
Wagner received 46.33% of the vote to Riegelman's 29.97%, a Democratic victory margin of 16.36%. Halley finished in third with 21.16%.

## Democratic nomination
### Candidates

* Robert F. Wagner Jr., Manhattan Borough President
* Vincent R. Impellitteri, incumbent mayor since 1950

### Campaign

Wagner was supported by Tammany Hall and Edward J. Flynn's political machine.

### Results

Robert F. Wagner Jr. defeated incumbent Mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri for the Democratic nomination.

## Liberal nomination
### Background

Rudolph Halley's election as president of the New York City Council as the Liberal candidate in 1951, led to Adolf A. Berle stating that the party could "take over the administration of the City of New York".

### Candidates

The Liberals wanted to form a coalition with the Republicans rather than the Democrats and David Dubinsky met with Young Republicans to discuss a possible coalition. Ralph Bunche, Jacob Javits, Newbold Morris, and Nelson Rockefeller were considered as possible candidates.

### Campaign

Javits was the favorite candidate of the party leadership and Berle told him that he could get the New York Herald Tribune and New York Post to endorse him. Javits wanted to run, but did not want to break from Governor Thomas E. Dewey. Dewey gave Javits permission to run. Maurice Calman, a former Socialist alderman, and Charles Rubinstein, an American Labor Party city council candidate, opposed nominating Javits and believed that Halley could win as an independent candidate. Berle attempted to read the names of five possible mayoral candidates at the party's annual dinner, but could not get past the first name, Halley's, due to "prolonged applause and cheers".
Liberal leadership soured on Javits and Berle stated that Javits was "trying to be both" a Republican and independent. Berle also wrote in his diary that "the Republicans are not popular on the street". The Liberals attempted to negotiate with the Republicans, but they rejected endorsing Halley and were unsure if they would nominate Javits. Halley was given the Liberal nomination on July 13, 1953.

## General election
### Candidates

* Rudolph Halley, President of the New York City Council (Liberal and Independent Citizens)
* Nathan Karp (Industrial Government)
* Clifford T. McAvoy, former representative of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (American Labor)
* Harold Riegelman, attorney and Postmaster of New York City (Republican)
* Robert F. Wagner Jr., Manhattan Borough President (Democratic)
* David Loeb Weiss, electrical worker and filmmaker (Socialist Workers)

### Campaign

Halley's campaign was weakened by facing Wagner, rather than Impellitteri. Ben Davidson stated that "Halley against Impellitteri was one thing. Halley against Wanger was another thing". One Liberal club in Brooklyn endorsed Wagner.

### Results

Halley had the best performance for a Liberal in New York City's mayoral election at that point.
1953 New York City mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert F. Wagner Jr. | 1,022,626 | 46.32% |
| | Republican | Harold Riegelman | 661,591 | 29.97% |
| | Liberal | Rudolph Halley | 428,690 | 19.42% |
| | Independent | Rudolph Halley | 38,416 | 1.74% |
| | Total | Rudolph Halley | 467,106 | 21.16% |
| | American Labor | Clifford T. McAvoy | 53,045 | 2.40% |
| | Socialist Workers | David Loeb Weiss | 2,054 | 0.09% |
| | Industrial Government | Nathan Karp | 916 | 0.04% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 180 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,207,518 | 100.00% |

#### By borough

| 1953 | party | Manhattan | The Bronx | Brooklyn | Queens | Richmond [Staten Is.] | Total | % |
| Robert F. Wagner, Jr. | Democratic | 236,960 | 206,771 | 339,970 | 207,918 | 31,007 | 1,022,626 | 46.3% |
| Robert F. Wagner, Jr. | Democratic | 47.9% | 46.2% | 46.6% | 40.6% | 51.8% | 1,022,626 | 46.3% |
| Harold Riegelman | Republican | 147,876 | 97,224 | 183,968 | 208,829 | 23,694 | 661,591 | 30.0% |
| Harold Riegelman | Republican | 29.9% | 21.7% | 25.2% | 40.8% | 39.6% | 661,591 | 30.0% |
| Rudolph Halley | Liberal | 76,884 | 112,825 | 162,275 | 73,192 | 3,514 | 428,690 | 19.4% |
| Rudolph Halley | Independent | 7,648 | 9,853 | 13,264 | 7,356 | 295 | 38,416 | 1.7% |
| Rudolph Halley | Total | 84,532 | 122,678 | 175,539 | 80,548 | 3,809 | 467,106 | 21.1% |
| Rudolph Halley | Total | 17.1% | 27.4% | 24.1% | 15.7% | 6.4% | 467,106 | 21.1% |
| Clifford T. McAvoy | American Labor Party | 14,904 | 13,290 | 17,337 | 7,182 | 332 | 53,045 | 2.4% |

### Aftermath

The Liberal Party of New York won over five times as many votes as the American Labor Party in Manhattan, and eight-to-ten times as many in the other boroughs.
Vito Marcantonio later claimed that the poor performance of the American Labor Party in the mayoral election resulted in them failing to receive over 50,000 votes, enough to maintain ballot access, in the 1954 gubernatorial election. He claimed that communists sabotaged the McAvoy campaign by implying that they approved voting for Halley. The ALP voted to dissolve itself in 1956.