[3] In June 1969, incumbent Detroit mayor Jerome Cavanagh announced that he would not be seeking reelection to a third term.

[7][8] Before he withdrew from the race, Carey was seen as appealing to conservative voters[7] and was regarded as being better-known than Gribbs.

[9] The New York Times wrote that, "although he is a sheriff, he is not a typical law and order candidate, but is generally considered a moderate Democrat.

[9] When he launched his candidacy on June 4, 1969 (prior to Cavanagh's announcement that he would not seek reelection), he became the first-ever major Black candidate for mayor of Detroit.

[7][10] He hoped to be able calm any fears White voters had about a Black man's ability to successfully lead the city.

[9] His campaign manager was Robert L. Millender Sr.[11] While avoiding specifics on the issue, Austin gave general support to the idea of implementing civilian control over the Detroit Police Department.

[7] In his effort to maintain a moderate appeal, Austin placed most of his campaign's emphasis on aspects such as his performance as auditor in improving the county's financial situation.

[5][7] Among the factors that journalist Carl Rowan identified as having been a challenge to Austin's candidacy were the fact that parts of the city's Black community were not committal towards him (criticizing him as too moderate), the fact that there was a "law and order" desire among much of the city's populace, and the presumption that most Whites would not be willing to vote for a Black man to be mayor.

[7] Time wrote that, before his campaign, Austin was, "little known even among Blacks," and also wrote that he was, "not the first choice of the city's black politicians," who Time reported had wanted to see William Patrick Jr., the president of the New Detroit community organization, run for mayor.

[13] Beck ran a single-issue campaign on the topic of crime control, running on a "law-and-order" platform.

[6] The Associated Press reported on September 10, "Austin benefited in yesterday's municipal election from an unexpectedly heavy turnout of voters, who responded a spirited get-out-the-vote drive in the inner city".

[6] After their first and second-place performances in the primary, they each pledged to avoid making race an issue in the general election, with Austin declaring, "we won't have a racist campaign".

[13] Despite candidates' preferences not to focus on race, the press believed that racial identity was still a major motivating factor for voters.

[1] Immediately after Austin's strong general election performance, top Democratic Party officials, such as Michigan Democratic Party chairman James McNeely, openly considered running Austin for statewide office in 1970, such as for lieutenant governor.