2015 Philadelphia mayoral election

The 2015 Philadelphia mayoral election was held on November 3, 2015, to elect the Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, concurrently with various other state and local elections. Heavily favored Democratic party candidate Jim Kenney won.

Incumbent Democratic party Mayor Michael Nutter could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term due to term limits in the city's home rule charter. Registered Democrats hold a formidable 7-to-1 ratio over registered Republicans in Philadelphia, giving Democratic candidates a distinct advantage in citywide elections.

The mayoral primary elections were held on May 19, 2015. 27% of the city's registered voters voted in the primaries. Democrats nominated Jim Kenney, a member of the Philadelphia City Council, as their party's nominee. Kenney won the primary in a landslide with 55.83% of the vote, defeating a crowded field of five other Democratic candidates, including Anthony H. Williams and former District Attorney Lynn Abraham. Republican Melissa Murray Bailey, a business executive, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Had she been elected, Bailey would have become Philadelphia's first female mayor, as well as the city's first Republican mayor in more than 60 years.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Lynne Abraham, former District Attorney of Philadelphia Nelson Diaz, former City Solicitor and former Common Pleas judge"Clout: Putting a Latin spin on '15 mayoral race", Philly.com. Retrieved March 8, 2014. James F. Kenney, former Philadelphia City Councilman Doug Oliver, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Philadelphia Gas Works and former press secretary for Mayor Nutter Milton Street, former State Senator and candidate for Mayor in 2011 Anthony H. Williams, Minority Whip of the Pennsylvania State Senate and candidate for governor in 2010"Does Bill Green Want to Skip the Mayor’s Race and Run for Congress?", Phillymag.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013."Anthony Williams Potentially Gearing up for Philly Mayoral Run", PoliticsPA. Retrieved June 3, 2014.

Withdrew Jon Bell Terry Gillen, former Philadelphia Director of Federal Affairs and former executive director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority"Terry Gillen leaving administration", Philly.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014."Terry Gillen announcing run for mayor of Philadelphia", Philly.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014. Keith Goodman, pastor and candidate for Chester City Council in 2005 Ken Trujillo, former City Solicitor"Former City Solicitor eyes 2015 bid for mayor", Philly.com. Retrieved August 9, 2013."Another candidate jumping into the mayor's race", Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 16, 2014.

Declined Alan Butkovitz, Philadelphia City Controller Darrell L. Clarke, Philadelphia City Council President Dwight E. Evans, State Representative, candidate for lieutenant governor in 1986, candidate for Governor in 1994 and candidate for Mayor in 1999 and 2007 Bill Green, former Philadelphia City Councilman and chair of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission"Green shelves mayoral ambitions for SRC job", Philly.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014. Renée Cardwell Hughes, chief executive officer of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Red Cross and former Common Pleas judge"From disasters to City Hall?", Philly.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013. Kevin R. Johnson, Philadelphia clergyman and pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church"Pastor Kevin Johnson Decides Not to Run for Mayor", Phillymag.com. Retrieved April 16, 2014. Sam Katz, businessman, public finance executive and Republican nominee for Mayor in 1999 and 2003 Tom Knox, businessman, candidate for Mayor in 2007 and candidate for Governor in 2010"Tom Knox ends campaign for mayor before it starts", Philly.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014. Alba Martinez, former city Human Services Commissioner and former CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania Richard Negrin, Philadelphia Managing Director"Is the city's managing director looking at the top job?", Philly.com. Retrieved May 17, 2013. Frank L. Rizzo, Jr., former Republican Philadelphia City Councilman (running for the City Council) Jonathan Saidel, former Philadelphia City Controller R. Seth Williams, District Attorney of Philadelphia

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror AlanButkovitz DarrellClarke JamesKenney FrankRizzo MiltonStreet KenTrujillo AnthonyWilliams Refused 916 ± 3.2% 12% 14% 7% 10% 4% 1% 2% 41% 22% — — — — — 11% 67% * Internal poll for the Alan Butkovitz campaign

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JamesKenney AnthonyWilliams Lynne Abraham Undecided Other 587 ± 4.1% 26% 25% 22% 18% 9% * AFSCME poll for the James Kenney campaign.

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JamesKenney AnthonyWilliams Lynne Abraham Milton Street Nelson Diaz Doug Oliver Undecided Other 644 ± 3.7% 26% 25% 20% 4% 3% 3% 19% * Public Policy Polling poll for the James Kenney campaign.

Results

Results by ward WardKenneyWilliamsAbrahamOliverDiazStreetWrite-inTotal votes#%#%#%#%#%#%#%12,86583.09%1815.25%2376.87%712.06%772.23%170.49%00.00%3,44823,57672.55%50310.20%52010.55%1513.06%1402.84%360.73%30.06%4,92931,27430.97%2,44859.50%1343.26%1473.57%461.12%651.58%00.00%4,11441,36934.84%2,07752.86%1584.02%1764.48%651.65%842.14%00.00%3,92953,75068.07%4788.68%83115.08%2143.88%2063.74%270.49%30.05%5,50961,02042.62%1,02242.71%1255.22%1014.22%572.38%682.84%00.00%2,393740428.73%23816.93%886.26%271.92%60142.75%483.41%00.00%1,40683,77263.42%61910.41%1,11718.78%2313.88%1873.14%210.35%10.02%5,94892,95969.99%42810.12%43610.31%1954.61%1954.61%140.33%10.02%4,228103,58358.72%1,69227.73%2474.05%3655.98%1031.69%1121.84%00.00%6,102111,07344.50%98640.90%913.77%1275.27%401.66%943.90%00.00%2,411121,99048.27%1,34832.69%2295.55%3297.98%1062.57%1212.93%00.00%4,123131,82348.13%1,31734.77%2015.31%2376.26%862.27%1243.27%00.00%3,7881455139.27%59842.62%805.70%856.06%463.28%433.06%00.00%1,403152,38564.93%39310.70%53414.54%1624.41%1614.38%381.03%00.00%3,6731669536.01%91247.25%995.13%954.92%281.45%1015.23%00.00%1,930172,18244.71%1,98740.72%1853.79%3176.50%982.01%1102.25%10.02%4,880181,42564.25%1717.71%1978.88%783.52%32314.56%241.08%00.00%2,2181969142.06%26916.37%824.99%191.16%54833.35%342.07%00.00%1,6432046039.42%47240.45%544.63%615.23%776.60%433.68%00.00%1,167214,65470.56%5578.44%92313.99%2583.91%1592.41%450.68%00.00%6,596224,04360.33%1,47021.93%3455.15%5207.76%2253.36%981.46%10.01%6,702231,42155.68%60723.79%2148.39%1164.55%1525.96%411.61%10.04%2,5522475941.07%80843.72%945.09%924.98%412.22%542.92%00.00%1,8482592764.29%19613.59%17612.21%241.66%1006.93%191.32%00.00%1,442263,06886.23%1123.15%2958.29%431.21%310.87%90.25%00.00%3,5582789856.34%46829.36%855.33%523.26%674.20%241.51%00.00%1,5942889943.60%85841.61%1045.04%1045.04%271.31%703.39%00.00%2,0622992748.01%70736.61%854.40%1196.16%281.45%653.37%00.00%1,931302,45665.81%65017.42%3278.76%1584.23%902.41%511.37%00.00%3,732311,42276.21%1095.84%1739.27%623.32%834.45%170.91%00.00%1,866321,34444.27%1,25141.21%1264.15%1535.04%491.61%1133.72%00.00%3,0363365240.62%32720.37%1599.91%422.62%38023.68%452.80%00.00%1,605343,32642.01%3,44843.55%4545.73%4005.05%1541.95%1351.71%00.00%7,917351,75552.14%83424.78%34410.22%1705.05%1995.91%641.90%00.00%3,366362,51142.31%2,68345.21%2714.57%2283.84%861.45%1542.59%20.03%5,9353754127.87%85243.89%1165.98%713.66%27914.37%824.22%00.00%1,941381,56147.23%1,13434.31%2858.62%1985.99%561.69%712.15%00.00%3,305396,87487.15%3153.99%4665.91%1211.53%831.05%270.34%20.03%7,888403,09942.98%3,25245.10%3254.51%2333.23%921.28%2092.90%00.00%7,210411,38465.44%23911.30%35516.78%442.08%612.88%321.51%00.00%2,115421,34645.81%73525.02%1625.51%1354.59%49516.85%642.18%10.03%2,9384388837.28%73730.94%1044.37%1225.12%45218.98%793.32%00.00%2,3824483332.53%1,38454.04%1023.98%1224.76%411.60%773.01%20.08%2,561451,27865.74%1698.69%34217.59%351.80%1005.14%201.03%00.00%1,944462,42354.73%1,44532.64%2044.61%1613.64%1343.03%601.36%00.00%4,4274747348.22%33233.84%464.69%727.34%202.04%383.87%00.00%981481,33645.85%1,20041.18%1705.83%862.95%521.78%702.40%00.00%2,914491,72540.36%1,78341.72%2205.15%2916.81%1623.79%932.18%00.00%4,274504,44758.44%2,12427.91%2853.75%5056.64%1451.91%1021.34%20.03%7,610511,28831.61%2,38558.53%1283.14%1142.80%701.72%902.21%00.00%4,075522,66645.52%2,23238.11%3676.27%3445.87%1382.36%1101.88%00.00%5,857531,36359.21%39116.99%32314.03%924.00%1094.74%241.04%00.00%2,3025485855.11%28017.98%25616.44%623.98%795.07%221.41%00.00%1,557551,99972.27%2207.95%41114.86%491.77%662.39%200.72%10.04%2,766562,58260.90%3628.54%1,04224.58%801.89%1473.47%270.64%00.00%4,240572,57475.71%2407.06%48814.35%461.35%431.26%90.26%00.00%3,400583,71372.24%3376.56%92618.02%571.11%801.56%260.51%10.02%5,140592,17752.31%1,25930.25%2225.33%3217.71%972.33%852.04%10.02%4,162601,19933.37%1,91953.41%1423.95%1704.73%681.89%952.64%00.00%3,593612,11248.96%1,28229.72%2575.96%3848.90%1894.38%902.09%00.00%4,314621,48156.77%54821.00%28210.81%1003.83%1586.06%401.53%00.00%2,609632,44174.49%1755.34%53816.42%571.74%591.80%70.21%00.00%3,277641,33076.70%1096.29%22112.75%241.38%372.13%130.75%00.00%1,734652,11470.40%2207.33%54818.25%521.73%551.83%140.47%00.00%3,003663,76178.35%2765.75%62913.10%571.19%631.31%130.27%10.02%4,800

Republican primary Candidates Declared Melissa Murray Bailey, businesswoman

Declined Ronald D. Castille, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, former District Attorney of Philadelphia and candidate for Mayor in 1991 Sean Clark, nonprofit executive Allan Domb, real estate developer and President of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors Rhashea Harmon, attorney and nominee for the State Senate in 2010 (running as an Independent) Kelvin Jeremiah, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority Sam Katz, businessman, public finance executive and Republican nominee for Mayor in 1999 and 2003 Elmer Money, candidate for City Council in 2011 Doug Oliver, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Philadelphia Gas Works and former press secretary for Mayor Nutter (running as a Democrat) Dana Spain, businesswoman and philanthropist

Results

Independent Candidates Declared Rhashea Harmon, attorney and Republican nominee for the State Senate in 2010

Declined Bill Green, former Philadelphia City Councilman and former chair of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission Sam Katz, businessman, public finance executive and Republican nominee for Mayor in 1999 and 2003"Is Sam Katz Running for Mayor Again?", Phillymag.com. Retrieved April 16, 2014. Dana Spain, businesswoman and philanthropist"Dana Spain Would Run for Philadelphia Mayor as Independent", Phillymag.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.

General election Candidates Melissa Murray Bailey – Republican Party James Foster – Independent Osborne Hart – Socialist Workers Party Jim Kenney – Democratic Party Boris Kindij – Independent

Results

Results by Ward WardKenneyBaileyFosterHartKindijWrite-inTotal