1878 Boston mayoral election

The Boston mayoral election of 1878 saw Republican Frederick O. Prince elected to return the mayoralty for a second nonconsecutive term. He defeated Democratic nominee Charles R. Codman and Greenback contender Davis J. King.

Nominations
The city's Republicans nominated Charles R. Codman for mayor on a "Citizens'" ticket at a convention held on November 30.

The city's Democrats formally nominated former mayor Frederick O. Prince on November 11, 1878.

The Labor Reform Party and Workingman's Party (Greenbacks) formally nominated Davis J. King on December 6, 1878. However, many of the city's backers of leading Greenback Benjamin Butler instead supported Prince's candidacy.