1908 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
November 3, 1908
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County results
Davidson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Aylward: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1908 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1908. Primary elections were held on September 1, 1908.
Incumbent Republican Governor James O. Davidson won re-election, defeating Democratic nominee John A. Aylward and Social Democratic nominee Harvey Dee Brown, with 54.03% of the vote.
Primary election
Republican party
Candidates
- James O. Davidson, incumbent Governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James O. Davidson (incumbent) | 158,867 | 99.12% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 1,406 | 0.88% | |
| Total votes | 160,273 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Candidates
- John A. Aylward, Democratic nominee for Governor in 1906
- Adolph J. Schmitz, lawyer, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1894[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John A. Aylward | 25,273 | 61.47% | |
| Democratic | Adolph J. Schmitz | 15,813 | 38.46% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 28 | 0.07% | |
| Total votes | 41,114 | 100.00% | ||
Socialist party
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | Harvey Dee Brown | 4,071 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 4,071 | 100.00% | ||
Prohibition party
Candidates
- Winfred Douglas Cox, Prohibition nominee for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district in 1900 and 1902
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | Winfred Douglas Cox | 1,941 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,941 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James O. Davidson (incumbent) | 242,935 | 54.03% | −3.33% | |
| Democratic | John A. Aylward | 165,977 | 36.91% | +4.63% | |
| Social Democratic | Harvey Dee Brown | 28,583 | 6.36% | −1.28% | |
| Prohibition | Winfred D. Cox | 11,760 | 2.62% | +0.05% | |
| Socialist Labor | Herman Bottema | 393 | 0.09% | −0.05% | |
| Scattering | 8 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 76,958 | 17.11% | |||
| Turnout | 449,656 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | -7.96% | |||
Results by county
| County[5][7] | James O. Davidson Republican |
John A. Aylward Democratic |
Harvey Dee Brown Social Democratic |
Winfred D. Cox Prohibition |
Herman Bottema Socialist Labor |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,186 | 71.23% | 402 | 24.14% | 21 | 1.26% | 55 | 3.30% | 1 | 0.06% | 784 | 47.09% | 1,665 |
| Ashland | 2,211 | 54.15% | 1,563 | 38.28% | 204 | 5.00% | 104 | 2.55% | 1 | 0.02% | 648 | 15.87% | 4,083 |
| Barron | 3,434 | 71.33% | 992 | 20.61% | 118 | 2.45% | 263 | 5.46% | 7 | 0.15% | 2,442 | 50.73% | 4,814 |
| Bayfield | 1,985 | 72.95% | 500 | 18.38% | 162 | 5.95% | 70 | 2.57% | 4 | 0.15% | 1,485 | 54.58% | 2,721 |
| Brown | 4,944 | 56.01% | 3,249 | 36.81% | 485 | 5.49% | 139 | 1.57% | 10 | 0.11% | 1,695 | 19.20% | 8,827 |
| Buffalo | 1,933 | 64.56% | 982 | 32.80% | 20 | 0.67% | 59 | 1.97% | 0 | 0.00% | 951 | 31.76% | 2,994 |
| Burnett | 1,268 | 78.86% | 201 | 12.50% | 54 | 3.36% | 82 | 5.10% | 3 | 0.19% | 1,067 | 66.36% | 1,608 |
| Calumet | 1,567 | 46.78% | 1,676 | 50.03% | 71 | 2.12% | 35 | 1.04% | 1 | 0.03% | -109 | -3.25% | 3,350 |
| Chippewa | 3,491 | 59.54% | 2,160 | 36.84% | 79 | 1.35% | 133 | 2.27% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,331 | 22.70% | 5,863 |
| Clark | 3,477 | 66.56% | 1,503 | 28.77% | 78 | 1.49% | 162 | 3.10% | 4 | 0.08% | 1,974 | 37.79% | 5,224 |
| Columbia | 4,046 | 60.41% | 2,341 | 34.95% | 129 | 1.93% | 182 | 2.72% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,705 | 25.46% | 6,698 |
| Crawford | 2,014 | 53.86% | 1,602 | 42.85% | 43 | 1.15% | 78 | 2.09% | 2 | 0.05% | 412 | 11.02% | 3,739 |
| Dane | 9,341 | 52.30% | 7,815 | 43.76% | 248 | 1.39% | 453 | 2.54% | 3 | 0.02% | 1,526 | 8.54% | 17,860 |
| Dodge | 3,762 | 37.51% | 6,033 | 60.16% | 60 | 0.60% | 174 | 1.73% | 0 | 0.00% | -2,271 | -22.64% | 10,029 |
| Door | 2,481 | 76.39% | 648 | 19.95% | 56 | 1.72% | 56 | 1.72% | 7 | 0.22% | 1,833 | 56.43% | 3,248 |
| Douglas | 3,612 | 57.61% | 1,616 | 25.77% | 627 | 10.00% | 280 | 4.47% | 135 | 2.15% | 1,996 | 31.83% | 6,270 |
| Dunn | 3,369 | 78.42% | 713 | 16.60% | 105 | 2.44% | 109 | 2.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,656 | 61.82% | 4,296 |
| Eau Claire | 3,903 | 64.00% | 1,842 | 30.21% | 157 | 2.57% | 194 | 3.18% | 2 | 0.03% | 2,061 | 33.80% | 6,098 |
| Florence | 541 | 81.60% | 105 | 15.84% | 4 | 0.60% | 13 | 1.96% | 0 | 0.00% | 436 | 65.76% | 663 |
| Fond du Lac | 5,676 | 50.11% | 5,231 | 46.18% | 173 | 1.53% | 245 | 2.16% | 3 | 0.03% | 445 | 3.93% | 11,328 |
| Forest | 1,030 | 73.89% | 283 | 20.30% | 42 | 3.01% | 38 | 2.73% | 1 | 0.07% | 747 | 53.59% | 1,394 |
| Grant | 4,883 | 54.60% | 3,666 | 40.99% | 88 | 0.98% | 306 | 3.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,217 | 13.61% | 8,943 |
| Green | 2,429 | 51.91% | 1,915 | 40.93% | 115 | 2.46% | 220 | 4.70% | 0 | 0.00% | 514 | 10.99% | 4,649 |
| Green Lake | 2,018 | 53.86% | 1,637 | 43.69% | 29 | 0.77% | 63 | 1.68% | 0 | 0.00% | 381 | 10.17% | 3,747 |
| Iowa | 2,933 | 55.68% | 2,076 | 39.41% | 16 | 0.30% | 243 | 4.61% | 0 | 0.00% | 857 | 16.27% | 5,268 |
| Iron | 1,118 | 74.63% | 292 | 19.49% | 42 | 2.80% | 45 | 3.00% | 1 | 0.07% | 826 | 55.14% | 1,498 |
| Jackson | 2,660 | 81.22% | 520 | 15.88% | 36 | 1.10% | 58 | 1.77% | 1 | 0.03% | 2,140 | 65.34% | 3,275 |
| Jefferson | 3,058 | 38.83% | 4,580 | 58.15% | 61 | 0.77% | 176 | 2.23% | 1 | 0.01% | -1,522 | -19.32% | 7,876 |
| Juneau | 2,498 | 58.98% | 1,625 | 38.37% | 36 | 0.85% | 73 | 1.72% | 3 | 0.07% | 873 | 20.61% | 4,235 |
| Kenosha | 3,349 | 53.69% | 2,029 | 32.53% | 630 | 10.10% | 230 | 3.69% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,320 | 21.16% | 6,238 |
| Kewaunee | 1,603 | 47.26% | 1,714 | 50.53% | 48 | 1.42% | 27 | 0.80% | 0 | 0.00% | -111 | -3.27% | 3,392 |
| La Crosse | 4,399 | 50.73% | 3,970 | 45.78% | 103 | 1.19% | 197 | 2.27% | 3 | 0.03% | 429 | 4.95% | 8,672 |
| Lafayette | 2,844 | 56.37% | 2,079 | 41.21% | 22 | 0.44% | 99 | 1.96% | 0 | 0.00% | 765 | 15.16% | 5,045[b] |
| Langlade | 1,807 | 55.24% | 1,367 | 41.79% | 27 | 0.83% | 70 | 2.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 440 | 13.45% | 3,271 |
| Lincoln | 2,276 | 53.12% | 1,849 | 43.15% | 94 | 2.19% | 66 | 1.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 427 | 9.96% | 4,285 |
| Manitowoc | 4,098 | 45.12% | 3,993 | 43.96% | 926 | 10.19% | 63 | 0.69% | 3 | 0.03% | 105 | 1.16% | 9,083 |
| Marathon | 5,089 | 49.42% | 4,804 | 46.65% | 255 | 2.48% | 149 | 1.45% | 0 | 0.00% | 285 | 2.77% | 10,297 |
| Marinette | 3,477 | 65.62% | 1,451 | 27.38% | 124 | 2.34% | 245 | 4.62% | 2 | 0.04% | 2,026 | 38.23% | 5,299 |
| Marquette | 1,521 | 62.90% | 831 | 34.37% | 19 | 0.79% | 46 | 1.90% | 1 | 0.04% | 690 | 28.54% | 2,418 |
| Milwaukee | 26,243 | 35.91% | 26,917 | 36.83% | 18,423 | 25.21% | 1,396 | 1.91% | 107 | 0.15% | -674 | -0.92% | 73,086 |
| Monroe | 3,304 | 58.75% | 2,117 | 37.64% | 95 | 1.69% | 107 | 1.90% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,187 | 21.11% | 5,624 |
| Oconto | 2,944 | 63.24% | 1,508 | 32.40% | 101 | 2.17% | 100 | 2.15% | 2 | 0.04% | 1,436 | 30.85% | 4,655 |
| Oneida | 1,453 | 57.57% | 684 | 27.10% | 351 | 13.91% | 36 | 1.43% | 0 | 0.00% | 769 | 30.47% | 2,524 |
| Outagamie | 4,971 | 51.46% | 4,366 | 45.20% | 110 | 1.14% | 203 | 2.10% | 9 | 0.09% | 605 | 6.26% | 9,659 |
| Ozaukee | 1,117 | 35.87% | 1,913 | 61.43% | 58 | 1.86% | 24 | 0.77% | 2 | 0.06% | -796 | -25.56% | 3,114 |
| Pepin | 995 | 67.14% | 444 | 29.96% | 4 | 0.27% | 39 | 2.63% | 0 | 0.00% | 551 | 37.18% | 1,482 |
| Pierce | 2,984 | 74.60% | 837 | 20.93% | 43 | 1.08% | 136 | 3.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,147 | 53.68% | 4,000 |
| Polk | 3,024 | 78.34% | 570 | 14.77% | 121 | 3.13% | 143 | 3.70% | 2 | 0.05% | 2,454 | 63.58% | 3,860 |
| Portage | 3,266 | 56.33% | 2,386 | 41.15% | 46 | 0.79% | 97 | 1.67% | 3 | 0.05% | 880 | 15.18% | 5,798 |
| Price | 1,707 | 65.70% | 546 | 21.02% | 260 | 10.01% | 82 | 3.16% | 1 | 0.04% | 1,161 | 44.69% | 2,598[c] |
| Racine | 5,029 | 48.66% | 4,035 | 39.05% | 781 | 7.56% | 485 | 4.69% | 3 | 0.03% | 994 | 9.62% | 10,334[b] |
| Richland | 2,343 | 53.24% | 1,724 | 39.17% | 51 | 1.16% | 280 | 6.36% | 3 | 0.07% | 619 | 14.06% | 4,401 |
| Rock | 7,781 | 67.12% | 3,130 | 27.00% | 262 | 2.26% | 402 | 3.47% | 17 | 0.15% | 4,651 | 40.12% | 11,592 |
| Rusk | 1,439 | 71.45% | 442 | 21.95% | 84 | 4.17% | 46 | 2.28% | 3 | 0.15% | 997 | 49.50% | 2,014 |
| Sauk | 3,788 | 56.62% | 2,536 | 37.91% | 31 | 0.46% | 334 | 4.99% | 1 | 0.01% | 1,252 | 18.71% | 6,690 |
| Sawyer | 849 | 74.28% | 260 | 22.75% | 14 | 1.22% | 20 | 1.75% | 0 | 0.00% | 589 | 51.53% | 1,143 |
| Shawano | 3,344 | 64.62% | 1,709 | 33.02% | 28 | 0.54% | 94 | 1.82% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,635 | 31.59% | 5,175 |
| Sheboygan | 5,833 | 51.82% | 4,486 | 39.85% | 683 | 6.07% | 244 | 2.17% | 10 | 0.09% | 1,347 | 11.97% | 11,256 |
| St. Croix | 3,325 | 64.70% | 1,650 | 32.11% | 71 | 1.38% | 92 | 1.79% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,675 | 32.59% | 5,139 |
| Taylor | 1,601 | 61.11% | 896 | 34.20% | 86 | 3.28% | 37 | 1.41% | 0 | 0.00% | 705 | 26.91% | 2,620 |
| Trempealeau | 3,616 | 73.81% | 1,122 | 22.90% | 28 | 0.57% | 131 | 2.67% | 2 | 0.04% | 2,494 | 50.91% | 4,899 |
| Vernon | 4,122 | 69.82% | 1,539 | 26.07% | 42 | 0.71% | 199 | 3.37% | 2 | 0.03% | 2,583 | 43.75% | 5,904 |
| Vilas | 794 | 72.38% | 262 | 23.88% | 22 | 2.01% | 19 | 1.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 532 | 48.50% | 1,097 |
| Walworth | 4,263 | 64.51% | 1,846 | 27.94% | 70 | 1.06% | 426 | 6.45% | 3 | 0.05% | 2,417 | 36.58% | 6,608 |
| Washburn | 1,134 | 73.54% | 318 | 20.62% | 52 | 3.37% | 37 | 2.40% | 1 | 0.06% | 816 | 52.92% | 1,542 |
| Washington | 2,491 | 47.21% | 2,667 | 50.55% | 75 | 1.42% | 40 | 0.76% | 0 | 0.00% | -176 | -3.34% | 5,276[d] |
| Waukesha | 4,546 | 54.40% | 3,282 | 39.28% | 214 | 2.56% | 312 | 3.73% | 2 | 0.02% | 1,264 | 15.13% | 8,356 |
| Waupaca | 4,728 | 71.55% | 1,505 | 22.78% | 142 | 2.15% | 232 | 3.51% | 1 | 0.02% | 3,223 | 48.77% | 6,608 |
| Waushara | 2,749 | 78.79% | 515 | 14.76% | 83 | 2.38% | 128 | 3.67% | 14 | 0.40% | 2,234 | 64.03% | 3,489 |
| Winnebago | 6,814 | 52.79% | 5,387 | 41.74% | 289 | 2.24% | 414 | 3.21% | 2 | 0.02% | 1,427 | 11.06% | 12,907[b] |
| Wood | 3,007 | 50.85% | 2,523 | 42.67% | 256 | 4.33% | 125 | 2.11% | 2 | 0.03% | 484 | 8.19% | 5,913 |
| Total | 242,935 | 54.03% | 165,977 | 36.91% | 28,583 | 6.36% | 11,760 | 2.62% | 393 | 0.09% | 76,958 | 17.11% | 449,656 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Notes
- ^ One must exercise caution using the Blue Book as a source for Wisconsin election data for the period of 1890-1920 as it was unreliable during this period. In this case, the Blue Book's totals for Davidson, Cox, Bottema, and Scattering are incorrect and it also contains numerous mistakes in the county figures.
- ^ a b c Includes 1 Scattering vote
- ^ Includes 2 Scattering votes
- ^ Includes 3 Scattering votes
References
- ^ a b c d "For State Officers". Weekly Watertown leader. Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis. September 25, 1908. p. 2. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ Bruce, William George; Currey, Josiah Seymour (1922). History of Milwaukee City and County. Vol. II. Milwaukee: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 404–407.
- ^ "The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin on January 21, 1908 · 5". The Journal Times. Racine, Wisconsin. January 21, 1908. p. 5. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Death Claims Health Chief". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. August 23, 1937. p. 16. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of Canvassers of the State of Wisconsin for General Election held November 3, 1908
- ^ "Chicago Daily News Almanac". Chicago Daily News Company. 1911. p. 448. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Beck, J. D., ed. (1909). "Population, 1905, Vote And Pluralities For Governor, 1908". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer. p. 469.
Bibliography
- Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 0-930466-17-9.
- Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
- Beck, J. D., ed. (1909). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Co., State Printer.