1970 Newark mayoral election
The 1970 Newark mayoral election was held on June 16, 1970. Incumbent mayor Hugh Addonizio ran for a third term in office but was defeated by civil engineer Kenneth A. Gibson. Gibson became the first black man elected mayor of a major city in the Northeastern United States or Eastern Seaboard.[1][2]
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Gibson finished first in a primary election on May 12 but did not receive a majority of the vote. He defeated Addonizio in the run-off with 55.88% of the vote and record turnout.
Gibson would remain in office until 1986; he ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Governor of New Jersey in 1981 and 1985.
Background
Race
By 1970, Newark was one of the United States' first majority-black cities. However, city government, the police department, and political representation at the state and federal level were still overwhelmingly white, possibly due in part to the black population skewing below the voting age.[3]
1967 riots
In the summer of 1967, Newark was the site of race riots, one of 159 throughout the country that summer. Beginning with the arrest, beating, and jailing of a black taxicab driver by two white police officers,[4] the city descended into violent chaos for six days. From July 12 to 17, violence in the city left a total of 16 civilian bystanders, 8 criminal suspects, a police officer, and a firefighter dead; 353 civilians, 214 suspects, 67 police officers, 55 firefighters, and 38 military personnel injured; and 689 civilians and 811 suspects arrested. Property damage is estimated to have exceeded $10 million.[5]
Addonizio corruption investigation
In December 1969, stemming from federal investigations into the cause and handling of the riots, Mayor Addonizio and nine current or former municipal officials were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of extortion and tax evasion. Five other persons were also indicted, including reputed mafioso Anthony Boiardo.[6]
Primary election
Candidates
- Hugh Addonizio, incumbent Mayor since 1962
- John P. Caufield, former Newark Fire Director (1962–70)
- Kenneth A. Gibson, civil engineer and candidate for mayor in 1966
- Anthony Imperiale, City Councilman and vigilante leader during 1967 riots
- Alexander Matturri, State Senator
- George C. Richardson, former State Assemblyman
- Harry Wheeler
Endorsements
- Individuals
- Leo P. Carlin, former Mayor (1953–62) and candidate for Mayor in 1962 and 1966[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kenneth A. Gibson | 37,666 | 42.72% | |
| Nonpartisan | Hugh Addonizio (incumbent) | 17,925 | 20.33% | |
| Nonpartisan | Anthony Imperiale | 13,904 | 15.77% | |
| Nonpartisan | John P. Caufield | 11,752 | 13.33% | |
| Nonpartisan | Alexander Matturri | 4,752 | 5.39% | |
| Nonpartisan | George C. Richardson | 2,024 | 2.30% | |
| Nonpartisan | Harry Wheeler | 140 | 0.16% | |
| Total votes | 88,173 | 100.00% | ||
Runoff
Endorsements
- Individuals
- John P. Caufield, former Newark Fire Director and candidate in primary[8][9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kenneth A. Gibson | 54,892 | 55.88% | |
| Nonpartisan | Hugh Addonizio (incumbent) | 43,339 | 44.12% | |
| Total votes | 98,231 | 100.00% | ||
Aftermath
Addonizio
Addonizio was convicted of conspiracy and 63 counts of extortion in July and sentenced to ten years in federal prison in September.[10][11][12]
Caufield
John Caufield was elected to the New Jersey Senate as a Democrat in 1978 and served until his death in 1986.
Gibson
Gibson went on to serve four terms as mayor until he was defeated for re-election by Sharpe James in 1986. While mayor, he ran twice for Governor of New Jersey in 1981 and 1985, but failed to win the Democratic nomination. He returned to politics in 1998, when he narrowly lost a race for Essex County Executive to Republican James Treffinger. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
Imperiale
Imperiale represented the East Ward as an independent member of the state legislature from 1972 to 1978. He opposed Gibson in the 1974 mayoral election. He served one more term in the Assembly as a Republican from 1980 to 1982 but left office to run for governor in the 1981 election. He finished sixth in the Republican primary.
References
- "Newark Elects Kenneth Gibson, Negro, Mayor". St. Petersburg Times. June 17, 1970. Retrieved September 27, 2013 – via New York Times Wire Services.
- Sullivan, Ronald (June 17, 1970). "Gibson Defeats Addonizio in Newark Mayoral Race; Voter Turnout A Record". p. 1. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, Bantam Books, New York, 1968, pg. 57
- Racial Violence Erupts in Newark. New York Times. July 13, 1967. page 1
- "Rare Footage In The 1960s Shows New Jersey In A Completely Different Way". OnlyInYourState.
- Grutzner, Charles. "U.S. INDICTS MAYOR OF NEWARK, 9 PRESENT OR FORMER OFFICIALS ON $253,000 EXTORTION CHARGES; ADDONIZIO ON BAIL Evasion of Tax Also Charged -- Boiardo Among Accused Mayor Addonizio Is Indicted on Extortion Charge", The New York Times, December 18, 1969. Accessed November 13, 2016. "Mayor Hugh J. Addonizio and nine present or former officials of the municipal administration in Newark were indicted yesterday by a Federal grand jury with five other persons, among whom was Anthony (Tony Boy) Boiardo, a reputed member of the Mafia."
- Waggoner, Walter H. (March 15, 1970). "Blacks in Newark Seeking a Winner; Unity Behind a Vote-Getter Urged in Mayoral Race". New York Times.
- Baraka, Amiri (December 22, 2015). Black American Writers Volume 2. p. 133. ISBN 9781349814336. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- Van Gelder, Lawrence (June 18, 1970). "Key Figure in Newark". The New York Times. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- Brady, Thomas F. "Addonizio and 4 Convicted Of Extortion by U.S. Jury", The New York Times, July 23, 1970. Accessed November 13, 2016. "Hugh J. Addonizio, former Mayor of Newark, and four other defendants were found guilty by federal jury tonight on 64 counts each, one of conspiracy and 63 of extortion."
- Sullivan, Ronald. "Addonizio Given a 10-Year Term", The New York Times, September 23, 1970. Accessed November 13, 2016. "Former Mayor Hugh J. Addonizio of Newark was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $25,000 in Federal Court here today for conspiracy and extortion. Convicted of sharing in the proceeds of extorted kickbacks totaling $1.5 million from contractors on city water and sewer lines, Addonizio stood impassively with his head bowed as Judge George H. Barlow declared that his crimes were of 'monumental proportion' that 'tore at the very heart of our civilized society and our form of representative government.'"
- Barbanel, Josh. "HUGH J. ADDONIZIO, 67, EX-MAYOR OF NEWARK JAILED 5 YEARS, DEAD", The New York Times, February 2, 1981. Accessed April 7, 2015. "Hugh J. Addonizio, a former Congressman and two-term Mayor of Newark who was sentenced to 10 years in Federal prison and fined $25,000 for conspiracy and extortion died early this morning at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, N.J."