First-term incumbent
Know Nothing mayor
Levi Boone did not seek reelection. His tenure had been very unpopular, and his anti-immigrant policies had led to a strong blowback from Chicago's immigrant community. Taking place several years prior to the start of the
American Civil War, the election was shaped by the tenuous national debate surrounding slavery. The campaign was particularly shaped by debate surrounding the
Kansas–Nebraska Act (such as whether or not
popular sovereignty should be applied in determining the status of new states as slave or free states). Douglas strongly backed Dyer and sought to frame the mayoral race as a referendum about his stance on slavery. In February 1856, two organizations that sided with Douglas' side of the debate had nominated separate candidates. "Douglas Democracy" nominated L. M. Keith, and a fusion organization that included "Nebraska Democrats" nominated Dyer. However, Keith refused to accept the mayoral nomination, thus Dyer was also supported by "Douglas Democracy" (who voted by acclamation to support his candidacy). For the remainder of their ticket, for citywide offices the Know Nothing Party renominated incumbent party members (
City Treasurer William F. DeWolf, City Collector Jacob Russell, and City Surveyor Samuel S. Greele) along with two non-incumbents (Reuben Cleveland for city marshall J.D. Ward for city attorney). The Know Nothing Party also nominated candidates for the
Chicago Common Council in six of the city's nine wards. If that is true for the 1856 election,
electoral fraud would have contributed to Dyer's margin of victory. ==Endorsements==