[proofplan]
For a nonprincipal character, the point $t=0$ is handled by the real and nonreal Dirichlet nonvanishing theorems already proved in this chapter. For $t\neq0$, we use the de la Vallée Poussin positivity argument directly: the Euler products for $\zeta$, $L(s,\chi)$, and $L(s,\chi^2)$ imply that a certain product has modulus at least $1$ for real $\sigma>1$. If $L(1+it,\chi)$ vanished, the fourth power of that zero would dominate the cubic pole of $\zeta(\sigma)$ as $\sigma\downarrow1$, contradicting the lower bound. The principal case is then a finite Euler-factor comparison with the Riemann zeta function.
[/proofplan]
[step:Prove the nonprincipal boundary nonvanishing assertion]
Assume that $\chi$ is nonprincipal modulo $q$. Define
\begin{align*}
L_\chi:\{s\in\mathbb C:\operatorname{Re}(s)>1\}&\to\mathbb C\\
s&\mapsto \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\chi(n)}{n^s},
\end{align*}
and write $L(s,\chi)=L_\chi(s)$. Since $\chi$ is nonprincipal, its partial sums over complete periods vanish, so summation by parts gives a holomorphic continuation of $L_\chi$ to the half-plane $\operatorname{Re}(s)>0$.
Let
\begin{align*}
\zeta:\{s\in\mathbb C:\operatorname{Re}(s)>1\}&\to\mathbb C\\
s&\mapsto \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}n^{-s}
\end{align*}
denote the Riemann zeta function, together with its meromorphic continuation.
First take $t=0$. If $\chi$ is real-valued, then $L(1,\chi)\neq0$ by the [Dirichlet Nonvanishing Theorem for Real Characters](/theorems/TEMP-43). If $\chi$ is not real-valued, then $L(1,\chi)\neq0$ by [Dirichlet Nonvanishing for Nonreal Dirichlet Characters](/theorems/TEMP-44).
Now fix $t\in\mathbb R\setminus\{0\}$ and suppose, for contradiction, that
\begin{align*}
L(1+it,\chi)=0.
\end{align*}
Let $m\geq1$ be the order of this zero. Let $\chi^2:\mathbb Z\to\mathbb C$ be the Dirichlet character $n\mapsto\chi(n)^2$. The function $L(s,\chi^2)$ is bounded in a neighbourhood of $s=1+2it$: if $\chi^2$ is nonprincipal this follows from the same summation-by-parts continuation, and if $\chi^2$ is principal then the finite Euler-factor comparison with $\zeta$ and the fact $2t\neq0$ show holomorphy there.
For real $\sigma>1$, define
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)
:=
\left|\zeta(\sigma)^3L(\sigma+it,\chi)^4L(\sigma+2it,\chi^2)\right|.
\end{align*}
The absolutely convergent Euler products in the half-plane $\operatorname{Re}(s)>1$ give
\begin{align*}
\log P_t(\sigma)
&=
\sum_p\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}
\frac{
3+4\operatorname{Re}\!\left(\chi(p)^kp^{-ikt}\right)
+\operatorname{Re}\!\left(\chi(p)^{2k}p^{-2ikt}\right)
}{k p^{k\sigma}},
\end{align*}
where the outer sum is over primes. For each prime $p$ and integer $k\geq1$, put
\begin{align*}
\alpha_{p,k}:=\chi(p)^kp^{-ikt}.
\end{align*}
Then $|\alpha_{p,k}|\leq1$, and the numerator is
\begin{align*}
3+4\operatorname{Re}(\alpha_{p,k})+\operatorname{Re}(\alpha_{p,k}^2).
\end{align*}
Writing $\alpha_{p,k}=re^{i\theta}$ with $0\leq r\leq1$, this quantity equals
\begin{align*}
3+4r\cos\theta+r^2\cos(2\theta)
=
2r^2\cos^2\theta+4r\cos\theta+3-r^2.
\end{align*}
As a quadratic in $\cos\theta$ on $[-1,1]$, its minimum occurs at $\cos\theta=-1$ for $0\leq r\leq1$, and the minimum value is
\begin{align*}
3-4r+r^2=(1-r)(3-r)\geq0.
\end{align*}
Thus $\log P_t(\sigma)\geq0$, so
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)\geq1
\end{align*}
for every $\sigma>1$.
On the other hand, the [Hadamard-de la Vallée Poussin nonvanishing theorem for $\zeta$](/theorems/TEMP-30) gives a simple pole of $\zeta$ at $s=1$, so $\zeta(\sigma)^3=O((\sigma-1)^{-3})$ as $\sigma\downarrow1$. The assumed zero gives $L(\sigma+it,\chi)^4=O((\sigma-1)^{4m})$, and $L(\sigma+2it,\chi^2)=O(1)$. Therefore
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)=O((\sigma-1)^{4m-3})\to0,
\end{align*}
because $m\geq1$. This contradicts $P_t(\sigma)\geq1$. Hence $L(1+it,\chi)\neq0$ for every $t\neq0$, and the nonprincipal case is proved.
[guided]
Let $\chi$ be nonprincipal. Its $L$-function is initially
\begin{align*}
L_\chi:\{s\in\mathbb C:\operatorname{Re}(s)>1\}&\to\mathbb C\\
s&\mapsto \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\chi(n)}{n^s}.
\end{align*}
Because the character sum over one full period is zero, summation by parts extends this function holomorphically to $\operatorname{Re}(s)>0$.
Let
\begin{align*}
\zeta:\{s\in\mathbb C:\operatorname{Re}(s)>1\}&\to\mathbb C\\
s&\mapsto \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}n^{-s}
\end{align*}
denote the Riemann zeta function and its meromorphic continuation.
At $t=0$, the already proved Dirichlet nonvanishing theorems apply: the real-valued case is [Dirichlet Nonvanishing Theorem for Real Characters](/theorems/TEMP-43), and the nonreal-valued case is [Dirichlet Nonvanishing for Nonreal Dirichlet Characters](/theorems/TEMP-44).
Now take $t\neq0$ and assume toward a contradiction that $L(1+it,\chi)=0$. If the zero has order $m\geq1$, then near $\sigma=1$,
\begin{align*}
|L(\sigma+it,\chi)|=O((\sigma-1)^m).
\end{align*}
Define the auxiliary character
\begin{align*}
\chi^2:\mathbb Z&\to\mathbb C\\
n&\mapsto \chi(n)^2.
\end{align*}
Its $L$-function is bounded near $1+2it$: if $\chi^2$ is nonprincipal this is again summation by parts, while if $\chi^2$ is principal then the only possible pole is at
\begin{align*}
s=1,
\end{align*}
not at
\begin{align*}
s=1+2it,
\end{align*}
because
\begin{align*}
2t\neq0.
\end{align*}
For real $\sigma>1$, define
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)
:=
\left|\zeta(\sigma)^3L(\sigma+it,\chi)^4L(\sigma+2it,\chi^2)\right|.
\end{align*}
Euler products give the logarithmic expansion
\begin{align*}
\log P_t(\sigma)
&=
\sum_p\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}
\frac{
3+4\operatorname{Re}\!\left(\chi(p)^kp^{-ikt}\right)
+\operatorname{Re}\!\left(\chi(p)^{2k}p^{-2ikt}\right)
}{k p^{k\sigma}}.
\end{align*}
For each prime $p$ and integer $k\geq1$, define
\begin{align*}
\alpha_{p,k}:=\chi(p)^kp^{-ikt}.
\end{align*}
Then
\begin{align*}
|\alpha_{p,k}|\leq1
\end{align*}
and the numerator in the logarithmic expansion is
\begin{align*}
3+4\operatorname{Re}(\alpha_{p,k})+\operatorname{Re}(\alpha_{p,k}^2).
\end{align*}
Writing
\begin{align*}
\alpha_{p,k}=re^{i\theta},
\qquad
0\leq r\leq1,
\end{align*}
this numerator becomes
\begin{align*}
3+4r\cos\theta+r^2\cos(2\theta)
=
2r^2\cos^2\theta+4r\cos\theta+3-r^2.
\end{align*}
Its minimum on $-1\leq\cos\theta\leq1$ occurs at $\cos\theta=-1$, and the minimum value is
\begin{align*}
3-4r+r^2=(1-r)(3-r)\geq0.
\end{align*}
Thus
\begin{align*}
\log P_t(\sigma)\geq0,
\qquad
P_t(\sigma)\geq1.
\end{align*}
But the simple pole of $\zeta$ contributes at most order $3$, while the fourth power of the assumed zero contributes order at least $4$. The remaining factor is bounded. Hence the product tends to $0$ as $\sigma\downarrow1$, contradicting the lower bound. Thus no such zero exists.
More explicitly, the pole and zero estimates are
\begin{align*}
\zeta(\sigma)^3&=O((\sigma-1)^{-3}),\\
L(\sigma+it,\chi)^4&=O((\sigma-1)^{4m}),\\
L(\sigma+2it,\chi^2)&=O(1),
\end{align*}
so
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)=O((\sigma-1)^{4m-3})\to0,
\end{align*}
because
\begin{align*}
m\geq1.
\end{align*}
This contradicts
\begin{align*}
P_t(\sigma)\geq1.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
L(1+it,\chi)\neq0.
\end{align*}
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Compare the principal character with the zeta function]
Assume that $\chi=\chi_0$ is the [principal Dirichlet character](/page/Principal%20Dirichlet%20Character) modulo $q$. By the [Euler-factor formula for the principal Dirichlet character](/theorems/TEMP-37), for $\operatorname{Re}(s)>1$ and by meromorphic continuation,
\begin{align*}
L(s,\chi_0)=\zeta(s)\prod_{p\mid q}\left(1-p^{-s}\right).
\end{align*}
Define the finite Euler factor
\begin{align*}
E_q: \mathbb C &\to \mathbb C \\
s &\mapsto \prod_{p\mid q}\left(1-p^{-s}\right).
\end{align*}
At $s=1$ each factor $1-p^{-1}$ is nonzero, so $E_q(1)\neq 0$. Since $\zeta$ has a simple pole at $s=1$ and $E_q$ is holomorphic and nonzero at $s=1$, the product $L(s,\chi_0)=\zeta(s)E_q(s)$ has a simple pole at $s=1$.
Now let $t\in\mathbb R$. If $t=0$, then $s=1$ is the pole just proved and hence is not a zero. If $t\neq 0$, the zeta boundary theorem gives $\zeta(1+it)\neq 0$, and for every prime $p\mid q$,
\begin{align*}
|p^{-(1+it)}|=p^{-1}<1,
\end{align*}
so $1-p^{-(1+it)}\neq 0$. Therefore $L(1+it,\chi_0)\neq 0$ for every $t\neq 0$, and the principal-character case follows.
[guided]
For the principal character, the inducing primitive character is the principal character modulo $1$, so the associated primitive $L$-function is the Riemann zeta function. The finite difference between $L(s,\chi_0)$ and $\zeta(s)$ is exactly the deletion of Euler factors at primes dividing $q$. The [Euler-factor formula for the principal Dirichlet character](/theorems/TEMP-37) gives
\begin{align*}
L(s,\chi_0)=\zeta(s)\prod_{p\mid q}\left(1-p^{-s}\right)
\end{align*}
for $\operatorname{Re}(s)>1$, and meromorphic continuation extends the identity to the boundary line.
Define the finite Euler factor as the map
\begin{align*}
E_q: \mathbb C &\to \mathbb C \\
s &\mapsto \prod_{p\mid q}\left(1-p^{-s}\right).
\end{align*}
This is an entire function because it is a finite product of entire functions. At $s=1$,
\begin{align*}
E_q(1)=\prod_{p\mid q}\left(1-p^{-1}\right)\neq 0.
\end{align*}
The zeta boundary theorem says that $\zeta$ has a simple pole at $s=1$. Multiplying a [meromorphic function](/page/Meromorphic%20Function) with a simple pole by a [holomorphic function](/page/Holomorphic%20Function) that is nonzero at the pole preserves the order of the pole. Hence $L(s,\chi_0)=\zeta(s)E_q(s)$ has a simple pole at $s=1$.
It remains to rule out zeros on the rest of the boundary line. Let $t\in\mathbb R$ and set $s=1+it$. If $t=0$, then $s=1$ is a pole, so it is not a zero. If $t\neq 0$, the zeta boundary theorem gives $\zeta(1+it)\neq 0$. For each prime $p\mid q$,
\begin{align*}
|p^{-(1+it)}|=p^{-1}<1,
\end{align*}
so $p^{-(1+it)}\neq 1$ and therefore $1-p^{-(1+it)}\neq 0$. Thus $E_q(1+it)\neq 0$, and the product formula gives $L(1+it,\chi_0)\neq 0$ for $t\neq 0$. This proves both the simple pole and the boundary nonvanishing assertion in the principal case.
[/guided]
[/step]