An election was held on November 6, 1973 to elect the President of theNew York City Council. Democratic incumbentSanford Garelik initially did not run for re-election, choosing instead to run for mayor in the Democratic Party primary. After dropping out of the mayoral primary and running for re-election, Garelik was defeated in the Democratic primary byPaul O'Dwyer.
In the general election, O'Dwyer defeated Thomas F. Galvin andSimeon Golar by a wide margin.[1]
Garelik dropped out of the mayoral race at the filing deadline on April 12, filing instead for re-election as Council President.[3]
Because O'Dwyer received more than forty percent of the vote, a runoff was not necessary. Nevertheless, Garelik asserted that "irregularities", including the misplacement of voter identification cards, had marred the election and called for a recount. In light of these claims, Garelik said, “it was almost a miracle I did as well as I did.”[2] He pledged to contest the general election as an independent in the event that the recount did not succeed in forcing a runoff.[2]
O'Dwyer, who had lost races for city and statewide offices in 1965, 1968 and 1970, suggested Garelik was not "accustomed" to losing.[2]
Thomas F. Galvin, architect, real estate developer, and former chair of the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals[4] (Republican and Conservative)
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