Electoral Politics in Gary

Abstract

Focusing on mayoral primary elections between 1967 and 1975 in Gary, Indiana, this article attempts to shed light on the voting calculations of the black electorate where race is not a factor. The main thesis is that Mayor Richard Hatcher's continued success in being reelected is based on two main factors: his superior political organization, and his satis factory policy performance in the eyes of the majority of the dominant black electorate. The data include a pilot survey of 121 black registered voters, and personal interviews with public officials, Hatcher organizational supporters, and members of the black electorate at large. Further, wider implications are inferred. For example, it is suggested that no black elected official can expect to remain in office for long unless he or she is able to main tain an effective political organization and, most importantly, appears to meet the felt needs of the majority of the black electorate. Blacks, all else being equal, calculate their votes on a black incumbent's policy performance and not his race.