1974 Washington, D.C., mayoral election

Washington, D.C., held its first direct election for its mayor on November 5, 1974. It followed the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act by the U.S. Congress in 1973. The election was won by Walter Washington, a Democrat.

1974 Washington, D.C., mayoral election

November 5, 1974

Nominee Walter Washington Sam Harris Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 84,676 7,514 Percentage 80.5% 7.1%

Results by ward Washington   70-80%   80-90%

Mayor before election Walter Washington (as Mayor-Commissioner) Democratic Elected mayor Walter Washington Democratic

As with every mayoral election that followed, the 1974 race was at its most intense in the Democratic Primary, with 90 percent of DC's voters registered as Democrats. The primary contest was a seven-person race, but the highest profile candidates were Walter Washington, then incumbent as the presidentially appointed Mayor-Commissioner, and Clifford Alexander Jr., former chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Washington was by far the favorite at the start of the campaign in May 1974, but tightened as the September primary drew closer. Washington won the September 10 primary, 53%-47%.

1974 Washington, D.C. mayoral election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Walter Washington	84,676	80.50
	Independent	Sam Harris	7,514	7.14
	Republican	Jackson R. Champion	3,703	3.52
	Independent	Raymond V. Ellis	2,985	2.84
	Write in		2,843	2.70
	Socialist Workers	Nan Bailey	2,143	2.04
	Independent	Tommye Lynn Grant	1,319	1.25
Majority			77,162	73.36
Turnout			105,183