The 1995 Jacksonville mayoral election took place on May 9, 1995, following a primary election on April 11, 1995. The election was the first one to take place following the passage of a referendum in 1992 that provided for unitary elections, in which all candidates appeared on the same ballot regardless of party.[1]
Incumbent Mayor Ed Austin, who was elected in 1991 as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party in 1994,[2] declined to seek re-election. Austin's chief of staff, Republican John Delaney, ran to succeed him. Former Mayors Jake Godbold and Tommy Hazouri and City Councilman Harry Reagan ran as Democratic candidates. Godbold placed first in the primary with 33 percent of the vote, followed by Delaney with 32 percent. In the general election, Delaney narrowly defeated Godbold, 51–49 percent, becoming the first Republican to be elected Mayor since 1887.[3]
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