Editing Calvin Coolidge (section)

===City offices===
The [[History of the Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] was dominant in New England at the time, and Coolidge followed the example of Hammond and Field by becoming active in local politics.{{sfn|Sobel|1998a|pp=49–51}} In 1896, Coolidge campaigned for Republican presidential candidate [[William McKinley]], and was selected to be a member of the Republican City Committee the next year.{{sfn|White|1938|pp=51–53}} In 1898, he won election to the [[City Council]] of Northampton, placing second in a ward where the top three candidates were elected.{{sfn|Sobel|1998a|pp=49–51}} The position offered no salary but provided Coolidge with valuable political experience.{{sfn|Fuess|1940|p=83}} 

In 1899, the city council made Coolidge city solicitor. He was elected to a one-year term in 1900 and reelected in 1901.{{sfn|Fuess|1940|pp=84–85}} This position gave Coolidge more experience as a lawyer and paid a salary of $600 ({{Inflation|US|600|1901|fmt=eq}}).{{sfn|Fuess|1940|pp=84–85}} In 1902, the city council selected a Democrat for city solicitor, and Coolidge returned to private practice. Soon thereafter, the [[Court clerk|clerk of courts]] for the county died, and Coolidge was chosen to replace him. The position paid well, but it barred him from practicing law, so he remained at the job for only a year.{{sfn|McCoy|1967|p=29}} 

In 1904, Coolidge suffered his sole defeat at the ballot box, losing an election to the Northampton [[Board of Education|school board]]. When told that some of his neighbors voted against him because he had no children in the schools he would govern, the recently married Coolidge replied, "Might give me time!"{{sfn|McCoy|1967|p=29}}