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All 26 seats to theNew York City Council 14 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections were held on November 2, 1937, to fill theNew York City Council, which had just been formed to replace theNew York City Board of Aldermen. The new Council comprised 26 members elected viaproportional representation by borough, in contrast to the 65-member Board of Aldermen elected by district.[1] This was done in response to the large majorities the Democrats often received in the Board of Aldermen.[1] Each borough was entitled to one member of the council for each 75,000 votes cast, and an additional member for each remainder greater than 50,000.[2] Due to voter turnout,Brooklyn elected nine members of the council,Manhattan six,Queens andThe Bronx five each, andRichmond one.[1]
Owing to the novelty and complexity of proportional representation the results of the election were expected to be significantly slowed down,[2] and were not available until later in the month.[1]
Manhattan elected three Democrats, one Republican, one member of the City Fusion party, and one member of theAmerican Labor Party.[1]
Brooklyn elected nine councillors: five Democrats, two American Laborites, one City Fusionist and one Communist.[3]
Baruch Charney Vladeck of Manhattan, an American Laborite and former Alderman, was elected Majority Leader of an anti-Tammany coalition that included Laborites, Republicans, Fusionists and insurgent Democrats.[4]John Cashmore of Brooklyn, who had served seven terms in the Board of Aldermen, was elected the Vice Chairman[5] and consequently leader of the majority after the anti-Tammany coalition fell apart in September.[6] The Board of Aldermen held its last meeting on December 21,[7] and the new City Council met for the first time on January 3, 1938.[5] Proportional representation was abolished in 1947 as it allowed Communists to be elected to the council.[8]
The electoral reform nonprofit organizationFairVote says, of the New York council election results during that period: "The City’s first black candidates were elected (includingAdam Clayton Powell Jr.) [in 1945], seats were won in close proportion to votes, and far more small party candidates and independent Democrats were elected."[9]
| Party | Seats | % seats | % votes (last count) | % votes (1st preferences) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 13 | 50.0% | 47.0% | 31% | |
| Republican | 3 | 11.5% | 8.5% | 9% | |
| Insurgent Democrats[a] | 2 | 8.0% | 7.0% | 5% | |
| American Labor | 5 | 19.0% | 21.0% | 12% | |
| City Fusion | 3 | 11.5% | 10.5% | 11% | |
| Communist | – | – | – | 4% | |
| Others | 0 | – | – | 28% | |
| Total | 26 | 100.0% | 94.0% | 100.0% | |
