1898 New Jersey gubernatorial election

Summary

The 1898 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1898. Republican nominee Foster McGowan Voorhees defeated Democratic nominee Elvin W. Crane with 48.91% of the vote.

1898 New Jersey gubernatorial election

← 1895 November 8, 1898 1901 →
 
Nominee Foster McGowan Voorhees Elvin W. Crane
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 164,051 158,552
Percentage 48.9% 47.3%

County results
MacGowan:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%
Crane:      50–60%

Governor before election

David Ogden Watkins (acting)
Republican

Elected Governor

Foster McGowan Voorhees
Republican

Democratic nomination edit

Essex County convention edit

Elvin W. Crane and James M. Seymour contested the convention to elect delegates to the state convention. Crane won 132 of the 163 delegates, and Seymour withdrew as a candidate, releasing his delegates to support Crane.[1]

State convention edit

The Democratic convention in Trenton on September 29 was controversial and chaotic. First, proceedings were disrupted by free silver supporters. A large number of names were placed in nomination, and after a ballot was taken, Robert Davis of Hudson County rose to change the county's 165 votes to Elvin Crane, securing his nomination without a second ballot. The rest of the delegates soon followed, making his nomination formally unanimous.[1]

Candidates edit

Results edit

1898 Democratic convention, informal ballot[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Elvin W. Crane 441 41.60%
Democratic William D. Daly 364 34.34%
Democratic Clarence T. Atkinson 75 7.08%
Democratic Richard Grant Augustus Donnelly 73 6.89%
Democratic Christian Braun 72 6.79%
Democratic James M. Seymour (draft) 19 1.79%
Democratic Howard Carrow 11 1.04%
Democratic Lee 2 0.19%
Democratic Blank 3 0.28%
Total votes 1,060 100.00%

General election edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1898[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Foster McGowan Voorhees 164,051 48.91%   3.37
Democratic Elvin W. Crane 158,552 47.27%   3.63
Prohibition Thomas H. Landon 6,893 2.06%   0.08
Socialist Labor Matthew Maguire 5,458 1.63%   0.30
Populist Frederick Schrayshuen 491 0.15%   0.46
Majority
Total votes 335,445 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Daly Might Have Had It: A Second Ballot Would Probably Have Resulted in his Nomination". The Jersey City News. September 29, 1898. p. 1.
  2. ^ Kalb, Deborah (December 24, 2015). Guide to U.S. Elections. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved January 25, 2016.