1879 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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 County results Smith : 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Jenkins : 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1879 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1879. Incumbent Republican Governor William E. Smith ran for re-election to a second term. The Democratic convention initially nominated Alexander Mitchell for Governor, but Mitchell declined the nomination; in his place, Milwaukee attorney James Graham Jenkins received the nomination.[1] Smith and Jenkins also faced a Greenback candidate and a nominee from the nascent Prohibition Party in the general election.[2] Jenkins ultimately won re-election in a landslide, winning 53% of the vote Jenkins's 40%. Reuben May, the Greenback nominee, received only 7% of the vote, a significant erosion from the Party's 15% in 1877.
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William E. Smith (inc.) | 100,535 | 53.19% | +8.98% | |
| Democratic | James G. Jenkins | 75,030 | 39.70% | +0.13% | |
| Greenback | Reuben May | 12,996 | 6.88% | −7.84% | |
| Prohibition | W. R. Bloomfield | 387 | 0.20% | −0.02% | |
| Scattering | 57 | 0.03% | |||
| Majority | 25,505 | 13.49% | |||
| Total votes | 189,005 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +8.85% | |||
Results by county
[edit]Smith was the first Republican to ever carry Milwaukee County. Participating in its first election, Marinette County voted for Smith and would continue to vote for the statewide winner in every election until 1932. After voting for Jenkins in this election, Shawano County would not back the losing candidate again until 1942.
| County[3][4][5] | William E. Smith Republican |
James G. Jenkins Democratic |
Reuben May Greenback |
W. R. Bloomfield Prohibition |
Scattering Write-in |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 688 | 71.97% | 201 | 21.03% | 67 | 7.01% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 487 | 50.94% | 956 |
| Ashland | 177 | 61.03% | 113 | 38.97% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 64 | 22.07% | 290 |
| Barron | 709 | 71.47% | 280 | 28.23% | 2 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.10% | 429 | 43.25% | 992 |
| Bayfield | 83 | 73.45% | 30 | 26.55% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 53 | 46.90% | 113 |
| Brown | 2,030 | 46.15% | 2,250 | 51.15% | 117 | 2.66% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.05% | -220 | -5.00% | 4,399 |
| Buffalo | 1,324 | 61.58% | 815 | 37.91% | 11 | 0.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 509 | 23.67% | 2,150 |
| Burnett | 387 | 94.62% | 22 | 5.38% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 365 | 89.24% | 409 |
| Calumet | 777 | 30.75% | 1,519 | 60.11% | 215 | 8.51% | 15 | 0.59% | 1 | 0.04% | -742 | -29.36% | 2,527 |
| Chippewa | 816 | 46.00% | 785 | 44.25% | 172 | 9.70% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.06% | 31 | 1.75% | 1,774 |
| Clark | 1,005 | 66.87% | 347 | 23.09% | 151 | 10.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 658 | 43.78% | 1,503 |
| Columbia | 2,762 | 60.49% | 1,673 | 36.64% | 126 | 2.76% | 5 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,089 | 23.85% | 4,566 |
| Crawford | 938 | 46.74% | 755 | 37.62% | 314 | 15.65% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 183 | 9.12% | 2,007 |
| Dane | 4,623 | 50.21% | 4,072 | 44.22% | 501 | 5.44% | 6 | 0.07% | 6 | 0.07% | 551 | 5.98% | 9,208 |
| Dodge | 2,670 | 37.44% | 4,139 | 58.03% | 309 | 4.33% | 13 | 0.18% | 1 | 0.01% | -1,469 | -20.60% | 7,132 |
| Door | 613 | 59.86% | 94 | 9.18% | 315 | 30.76% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.20% | 298[a] | 29.10% | 1,024 |
| Douglas | 39 | 61.90% | 24 | 38.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 15 | 23.81% | 63 |
| Dunn | 1,356 | 68.48% | 621 | 31.36% | 3 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 735 | 37.12% | 1,980 |
| Eau Claire | 1,488 | 58.15% | 1,031 | 40.29% | 39 | 1.52% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.04% | 457 | 17.86% | 2,559 |
| Fond du Lac | 3,584 | 44.65% | 3,834 | 47.76% | 583 | 7.26% | 24 | 0.30% | 2 | 0.02% | -250 | -3.11% | 8,027 |
| Grant | 3,111 | 57.18% | 1,703 | 31.30% | 625 | 11.49% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.04% | 1,408 | 25.88% | 5,441 |
| Green | 2,000 | 57.69% | 1,104 | 31.84% | 361 | 10.41% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.06% | 896 | 25.84% | 3,467 |
| Green Lake | 1,092 | 52.98% | 637 | 30.91% | 332 | 16.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 455 | 22.08% | 2,061 |
| Iowa | 1,775 | 50.31% | 1,447 | 41.01% | 305 | 8.65% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.03% | 328 | 9.30% | 3,528 |
| Jackson | 1,836 | 75.84% | 387 | 15.99% | 192 | 7.93% | 6 | 0.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,449 | 59.85% | 2,421 |
| Jefferson | 2,301 | 43.62% | 2,760 | 52.32% | 210 | 3.98% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.08% | -459 | -8.70% | 5,275 |
| Juneau | 1,227 | 51.79% | 926 | 39.09% | 216 | 9.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 301 | 12.71% | 2,369 |
| Kenosha | 1,180 | 54.60% | 966 | 44.70% | 15 | 0.69% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 214 | 9.90% | 2,161 |
| Kewaunee | 254 | 22.18% | 888 | 77.55% | 3 | 0.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -634 | -55.37% | 1,145 |
| La Crosse | 2,234 | 56.16% | 910 | 22.88% | 799 | 20.09% | 35 | 0.88% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,324 | 33.28% | 3,978 |
| Lafayette | 1,673 | 48.98% | 1,619 | 47.39% | 115 | 3.37% | 9 | 0.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 54 | 1.58% | 3,416 |
| Lincoln | 172 | 63.70% | 49 | 18.15% | 49 | 18.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 123 | 45.56% | 270 |
| Manitowoc | 1,898 | 40.98% | 2,728 | 58.91% | 5 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -830 | -17.92% | 4,631 |
| Marathon | 661 | 28.94% | 1,334 | 58.41% | 289 | 12.65% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -673 | -29.47% | 2,284 |
| Marinette | 978 | 79.64% | 248 | 20.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 730 | 59.45% | 1,228 |
| Marquette | 614 | 43.55% | 747 | 52.98% | 41 | 2.91% | 7 | 0.50% | 1 | 0.07% | -133 | -9.43% | 1,410 |
| Milwaukee | 8,682 | 57.19% | 6,410 | 42.22% | 89 | 0.59% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,272 | 14.97% | 15,181 |
| Monroe | 1,862 | 57.31% | 992 | 30.53% | 395 | 12.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 870 | 26.78% | 3,249 |
| Oconto | 867 | 56.26% | 673 | 43.67% | 1 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 194 | 12.59% | 1,541 |
| Outagamie | 1,298 | 30.88% | 2,500 | 59.48% | 405 | 9.64% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -1,202 | -28.60% | 4,203 |
| Ozaukee | 519 | 23.33% | 1,485 | 66.74% | 220 | 9.89% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.04% | -966 | -43.42% | 2,225 |
| Pepin | 629 | 77.85% | 177 | 21.91% | 2 | 0.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 452 | 55.94% | 808 |
| Pierce | 1,514 | 69.71% | 335 | 15.42% | 318 | 14.64% | 0 | 0.00% | 5 | 0.23% | 1,179 | 54.28% | 2,172 |
| Polk | 1,196 | 79.79% | 303 | 20.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 893 | 59.57% | 1,499 |
| Portage | 1,420 | 51.64% | 1,218 | 44.29% | 98 | 3.56% | 13 | 0.47% | 1 | 0.04% | 202 | 7.35% | 2,750 |
| Price | 39 | 31.97% | 81 | 66.39% | 2 | 1.64% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -42 | -34.43% | 122 |
| Racine | 2,547 | 56.57% | 1,766 | 39.23% | 164 | 3.64% | 25 | 0.56% | 0 | 0.00% | 781 | 17.35% | 4,502 |
| Richland | 1,713 | 62.91% | 580 | 21.30% | 428 | 15.72% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.07% | 1,133 | 41.61% | 2,723 |
| Rock | 4,169 | 68.80% | 1,600 | 26.40% | 218 | 3.60% | 69 | 1.14% | 4 | 0.07% | 2,569 | 42.39% | 6,060 |
| Sauk | 2,387 | 64.65% | 917 | 24.84% | 384 | 10.40% | 4 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,470 | 39.82% | 3,692 |
| Shawano | 515 | 41.97% | 699 | 56.97% | 13 | 1.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -184 | -15.00% | 1,227 |
| Sheboygan | 2,113 | 42.61% | 2,130 | 42.95% | 714 | 14.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.04% | -17 | -0.34% | 4,959 |
| St. Croix | 1,846 | 55.94% | 1,383 | 41.91% | 12 | 0.36% | 59 | 1.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 463 | 14.03% | 3,300 |
| Taylor | 296 | 53.53% | 256 | 46.29% | 1 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 40 | 7.23% | 553 |
| Trempealeau | 1,697 | 70.77% | 301 | 12.55% | 371 | 15.47% | 28 | 1.17% | 1 | 0.04% | 1,326[a] | 55.30% | 2,398 |
| Vernon | 2,092 | 65.83% | 377 | 11.86% | 707 | 22.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.06% | 1,385[a] | 43.58% | 3,178 |
| Walworth | 3,286 | 73.78% | 1,095 | 24.58% | 55 | 1.23% | 17 | 0.38% | 1 | 0.02% | 2,191 | 49.19% | 4,454 |
| Washington | 1,277 | 35.88% | 2,190 | 61.53% | 86 | 2.42% | 6 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | -913 | -25.65% | 3,559 |
| Waukesha | 2,574 | 49.20% | 2,468 | 47.17% | 190 | 3.63% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 106 | 2.03% | 5,232 |
| Waupaca | 1,830 | 57.31% | 1,053 | 32.98% | 299 | 9.36% | 11 | 0.34% | 0 | 0.00% | 777 | 24.33% | 3,193 |
| Waushara | 1,487 | 83.73% | 169 | 9.52% | 112 | 6.31% | 0 | 0.00% | 8 | 0.45% | 1,318 | 74.21% | 1,776 |
| Winnebago | 3,086 | 48.32% | 2,439 | 38.19% | 827 | 12.95% | 33 | 0.52% | 2 | 0.03% | 647 | 10.13% | 6,387 |
| Wood | 519 | 39.98% | 375 | 28.89% | 403 | 31.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.08% | 116[a] | 9.93% | 1,298 |
| Total | 100,535 | 53.19% | 75,030 | 39.70% | 12,996 | 6.88% | 387 | 0.20% | 57 | 0.03% | 25,505 | 13.49% | 189,005 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
[edit]Counties that flipped from Greenback to Republican
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Nesbit 1985, p. 577.
- ^ "Capital Notes". Mineral Point Weekly Tribune. Mineral Point, Wis. September 25, 1879. p. 4. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Tabular Statement of the votes polled for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General and State Superintendent, for the term commencing on the first Monday of January A.D. 1880, at the general election held in the several towns, wards, villages and election districts in the State of Wisconsin, on the Tuesday next succeeding the first Monday, being the fourth day of November, A.D. 1879
- ^ a b Wisconsin Secretary of State (1880). "Appendix "P"". Annual Reports of the Secretary of State and Commissioners of Public Printing of the State of Wisconsin for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1880. Madison, Wisconsin: David Atwood, State Printer. pp. 132–133.
- ^ a b Wisconsin Secretary of State (1880). "Table of Votes". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin. pp. 270–271.
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Bibliography
[edit]- Nesbit, Robert C. (1985). Thompson, William Fletcher (ed.). The History of Wisconsin: Urbanization and Industrialization, 1873-1893. Vol. 3. Madison, Wis.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. ISBN 0-87020-122-0.