1911 Chicago mayoral election
In the 1911 Chicago mayoral election, Democrat Carter Harrison Jr. was elected to his fifth non-consecutive term as mayor, tying the then-record set by his father Carter Harrison Sr. for the most Chicago mayoral election victories. Harrison defeated Republican nominee Charles E. Merriam and Socialist nominee William E. Rodriguez.
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| Elections in Illinois |
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The election was held on April 4.
On February 28, 1911, for the first time, direct primary elections were held. Both major parties held primaries to determine their nominees, and both the Democratic and Republican primaries saw heated races. In the Democratic primary, former mayor Carter Harrison Jr. won a very narrow 0.97% margin of victory over former mayor Edward F. Dunne, also beating a competitive candidacy by banker Andrew J. Graham. With incumbent Republican mayor Fred A. Busse declining to seek a second term, the Republican Party also had an open race for its nomination. Charles E. Merriam won a strong victory over restaurateur John R. Thompson and former Illinois treasurer John F. Smulski, as well as two minor candidates.