On 21 March 1920 local elections were held in Zagreb, the first ones in the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The incumbent mayor was Stjepan Srkulj from the Croatian Union party, who took office in 1917. Svetozar DeliÃÂ of the Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia was elected mayor, but his term lasted only six days before being suspended by the government. New elections were called for 18 June 1920.
At the meeting of the City Assembly on 16 April 1920 it was to be decided who will be the new mayor in a two-round voting system. In the first round of the vote Svetozar Deliàof the Socialist Workers' Party of Yugoslavia (SRPJ(k)) gained 22 votes, incumbent mayor Stjepan Srkulj from the Croatian Union (HZ) received 14 votes, Ivan Ancel from the Democratic Party (DS) 4 votes, Milan Kreà ¡iàfrom the DS one vote, and four ballots were not valid (empty). Svetozar Deliàand Stjepan Srkulj each failed to get more than 50%, but managed to get into the second round. The second round was won by Deliàwith 27 votes against Srkulj's 14.
The Croatian-Slavonian Provincial Government led by Croatian Ban Matko Laginja suspended the election of Svetozar DeliÃÂ, relieving him of his duty, and named Dragutin TonÃÂiÃÂ as the government commissioner. On 20 April the government suspended the SRPJ(k) delegates and called for a new election for 20 seats in the City Assembly on 18 June 1920. Dragutin TonÃÂiÃÂ was named the acting mayor on 5 May 1920.