[4] Among the Black individuals seen as potential contenders were Michigan state senator Coleman Young, Judge Edward Bell, Detroit Common Councilor Ernest Browne, Gribbs aide Walter Greene, and Wayne County Sheriff William Lucas.

[4] Liberal Detroit Common Council president Mel Ravitz was initially seen as the most prominent potential White candidate for mayor.

[8] Additionally, Dayton, Ohio, elected James H. McGee (who had previously been appointed mayor in 1970) outright to a full term that year.

[5] Young was considered by the Associated Press to be a threat to Ravitz, as both were seeking similar liberal voters.

However, shortly after the conference ended, Young rejected this plan, as the way it had been pitched to him by Republican Inkster, Michigan mayor Edward Bivens, he was led to believe he would be prevented from inviting nationally prominent Black republican Democrats to endorse his candidacy.

Meanwhile, Young accused Republicans involved in the planned rallies of having been scheming to aid Bell's candidacy.

[5] It saw Mogk as a dark horse candidate, but believed that he might, "be the only challenger with potential to siphon away Nichols support and negotiate an upset.

[3] Nichols received the endorsements of the city's police groups, white ethnic clubs, and homeowner associations.

[3] The campaign chiefly focused on the city's very high crime rate and the operations of the Detroit Police Department.

[3] Young ran as an opponent of the Stop the Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets (STRESS) unit that the Detroit Police Department had implemented under Mayor Gribbs.

[15] The campaign also included discussion of the racial makeup of the city's police department,[16] with Young putting forth an affirmative action plan.

[18] He also did so out of the belief that campaigning in a general election would be more demanding of Nichols than running in the primary had been, and that it would take him away from his duties as police commissioner.

[13][1] United Press International attributed the lighter turnout to the cold weather on election day.