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The1921 San Diego mayoral election was held on April 5, 1921, to elect themayor forSan Diego. In the primary election, former mayorJames E. Wadham and former City CouncilmemberJohn L. Bacon received the most votes and advanced to the runoff. Bacon was then elected mayor with a majority of the votes.
Incumbent MayorLouis J. Wilde declined to stand for reelection, calling the position of mayor a thankless job.[1] The main three candidates to succeed Wilde were former mayorJames E. Wadham, former City CouncilmemberJohn L. Bacon, and attorney Frank H. Heskett.[1]
On March 22, 1921, Wadham received the highest number of votes in the primary election, followed by Bacon, allowing both men to advance to the runoff. Heskett, who came in third and was therefore eliminated, actively supported Wadham for the runoff. On April 5, 1921, Bacon narrowly defeated Wadham by 82 votes out of 16,522. Wadham appealed to the superior court for a recount, but this did not change the outcome. Bacon therefore assumed the office of the mayor.[1]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James E. Wadham | 5,040 | 36.9 | |
| Republican | John L. Bacon | 4,744 | 34.8 | |
| Nonpartisan | Frank H. Heskett | 2,214 | 16.2 | |
| Nonpartisan | Lewis R. Kirby | 896 | 6.6 | |
| Nonpartisan | Charles A. Allen | 351 | 2.6 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ludwig S. Gerlough | 310 | 2.3 | |
| Nonpartisan | William I. Kinsley | 55 | 0.5 | |
| Nonpartisan | Alfred L. Lee | 34 | 0.3 | |
| Total votes | 13,644 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John L. Bacon | 8,302 | 50.2 | |
| Democratic | James E. Wadham | 8,220 | 49.8 | |
| Total votes | 16,522 | 100 | ||
John L. Bacon Birthplace of California.
