The New York City mayoral election of 1949 took place on November 8, 1949, in New York City. The candidates were incumbent Mayor William O'Dwyer, a Democrat, and former City Council President and 1945 mayoral candidate Newbold Morris, a Republican, as well as other, third-party candidates. Morris was also the nominee of the Liberal Party, and additionally ran on the City Fusion ballot line.
O'Dwyer won the contest with 48.87% of the vote.
Republican primary Governor Thomas Dewey distrusted Newbold Morris, but the Republican Party nominated him. Morris supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1944 election and was a member of the Americans for Democratic Action. The Liberal Party of New York also nominated Morris. U.S. Representative Jacob Javits managed Morris' campaign.
General election Candidates Vito Marcantonio, U.S. Representative from East Harlem (American Labor) Newbold Morris, former President of the New York City Council (Republican and Liberal) William O'Dwyer, incumbent mayor since 1946 (Democratic) Endorsements
Results Morris received 200,000 fewer votes than John Foster Dulles, the Republican nominee in the concurrent senatorial election. It is believed that those voters supported O'Dwyer due to how liberal Morris was. This was the first time that the Liberals received more votes than the ALP in a city-wide election.
By Borough 1949PartyManhattanThe BronxBrooklynQueensRichmond Total%William O'DwyerDemocratic278,343254,014425,225270,06238,8681,266,51248.9%44.8%48.7%48.8%53.4%64.5%Newbold MorrisRepublican – Liberal – Fusion219,430185,248332,433200,55218,406956,06936.9%35.3%35.5%38.2%39.7%30.6%Vito MarcantonioAmerican Labor123,12882,386113,47834,6772,957356,62613.8%19.8%15.8%13.0%6.9%4.9%620,901521,648871,136505,29160,2312,579,20799.6% 12,4770.4% 2,591,684
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