1908 United States presidential election in Michigan

Summary

The 1908 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 3, 1908, as part of the 1908 United States presidential election. Voters chose 14[1] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

1908 United States presidential election in Michigan

← 1904 November 3, 1908 1912 →

All 14 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
 
Nominee William Howard Taft William Jennings Bryan
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Ohio Nebraska
Running mate James S. Sherman John W. Kern
Electoral vote 14 0
Popular vote 335,580 175,771
Percentage 61.93% 32.44%

County Results
Taft
  50-60%
  60-70%
  70-80%
  80-90%
  90-100%


President before election

Theodore Roosevelt
Republican

Elected President

William Howard Taft
Republican

Following the Panic of 1893 and the Populist movement, Michigan would turn from a competitive Republican-leaning state into a rigidly one-party polity dominated by the Republican Party.[2] The dominance of the culture of the Lower Peninsula by anti-slavery Yankees[3] would be augmented by the turn of formerly Democratic-leaning German Catholics away from that party as a result of the remodelled party’s agrarian and free silver sympathies, which became rigidly opposed by both the upper class and workers who followed them.[4] The state Democratic Party was further crippled via the Populist movement severing its critical financial ties with business and commerce in Michigan as in other Northern states.[5] A brief turn of the strongly evangelical Cabinet Counties toward the Populist movement in the 1896 presidential election would reverse itself following the return to prosperity under President William McKinley, so that these joined in Republican hegemony until the Great Depression. McKinley would also later beat Bryan in the state again four years later.

In the 1894 elections, the Democratic Party lost all but one seat in the Michigan legislature,[6] and the party would only make minor gains there for the next third of a century. Unlike the other states of the Upper Midwest, the Yankee influence on the culture of the Lower Peninsula was so strong that left-wing third parties did not provide significant opposition to the Republicans, nor was there more than a moderate degree of coordinated factionalism within the hegemonic Michigan Republican Party.[7]

With Michigan’s solid one-party GOP status not threatened, neither William Howard Taft nor Bryan campaigned in the state, and the only straw vote suggested that Republican nominee Taft from Ohio would carry the state over third-time Democratic candidate Nebraskan William Jennings Bryan by between fifty and one hundred thousand votes[8] — still a halving of the huge margin Theodore Roosevelt had gained over Alton B. Parker four years previously. However, the Santa Ana Register estimate proved extremely conservative, for the Republican ticket received nearly 62 percent of the vote, while the Democrats received only 32 percent.[9]

With 61.93 percent of the popular vote, Michigan would be Taft's third strongest victory in terms of popular vote percentage after Vermont and Maine.[10] This was the second time, after the previous election, that any party carried every county in the state.

Results edit

1908 United States presidential election in Michigan
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Howard Taft 335,580 61.93%
Democratic William Jennings Bryan 175,771 32.44%
Prohibition Eugene W. Chafin 16,974 3.13%
Socialist Eugene V. Debs 11,586 2.14%
Socialist Labor August Gillhaus 1,096 0.20%
Independence Thomas L. Hisgen 760 0.14%
United Christian Daniel Turney 63 0.01%
Total votes 541,830 100%

Results by county edit

1908 United States presidential election in Michigan by county
County William Howard Taft[11]
Republican
William Jennings Bryan[11]
Democratic
Eugene Wilder Chafin[11]
Prohibition
Eugene Victor Debs[11]
Socialist
Various candidates[11]
Other parties
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Alcona 824 76.37% 175 16.22% 24 2.22% 54 5.00% 2 0.19% 649 60.15% 1,079
Alger 997 75.59% 231 17.51% 22 1.67% 60 4.55% 9 0.68% 766 58.07% 1,319
Allegan 5,422 67.32% 2,186 27.14% 285 3.54% 135 1.68% 26 0.32% 3,236 40.18% 8,054
Alpena 2,358 68.07% 949 27.40% 33 0.95% 116 3.35% 8 0.23% 1,409 40.68% 3,464
Antrim 2,020 73.21% 574 20.80% 99 3.59% 59 2.14% 7 0.25% 1,446 52.41% 2,759
Arenac 1,081 56.19% 714 37.11% 59 3.07% 67 3.48% 3 0.16% 367 19.07% 1,924
Baraga 765 73.98% 232 22.44% 19 1.84% 14 1.35% 4 0.39% 533 51.55% 1,034
Barry 3,247 57.46% 2,126 37.62% 244 4.32% 21 0.37% 13 0.23% 1,121 19.84% 5,651
Bay 6,760 58.22% 4,223 36.37% 180 1.55% 403 3.47% 45 0.39% 2,537 21.85% 11,611
Benzie 1,437 62.97% 551 24.15% 205 8.98% 77 3.37% 12 0.53% 886 38.83% 2,282
Berrien 7,260 58.07% 4,598 36.78% 274 2.19% 276 2.21% 95 0.76% 2,662 21.29% 12,503
Branch 3,715 57.48% 2,402 37.17% 187 2.89% 131 2.03% 28 0.43% 1,313 20.32% 6,463
Calhoun 6,848 55.99% 4,240 34.67% 473 3.87% 530 4.33% 140 1.14% 2,608 21.32% 12,231
Cass 3,082 52.72% 2,466 42.18% 149 2.55% 128 2.19% 21 0.36% 616 10.54% 5,846
Charlevoix 2,530 68.92% 801 21.82% 147 4.00% 176 4.79% 17 0.46% 1,729 47.10% 3,671
Cheboygan 2,053 58.94% 1,205 34.60% 126 3.62% 83 2.38% 16 0.46% 848 24.35% 3,483
Chippewa 2,418 64.19% 1,175 31.19% 129 3.42% 37 0.98% 8 0.21% 1,243 33.00% 3,767
Clare 1,345 68.14% 567 28.72% 36 1.82% 22 1.11% 4 0.20% 778 39.41% 1,974
Clinton 3,490 59.63% 2,188 37.38% 146 2.49% 23 0.39% 6 0.10% 1,302 22.25% 5,853
Crawford 590 67.82% 237 27.24% 12 1.38% 28 3.22% 3 0.34% 353 40.57% 870
Delta 3,243 71.70% 1,097 24.25% 81 1.79% 80 1.77% 22 0.49% 2,146 47.45% 4,523
Dickinson 2,507 76.18% 544 16.53% 176 5.35% 44 1.34% 20 0.61% 1,963 59.65% 3,291
Eaton 4,364 55.92% 3,131 40.12% 204 2.61% 89 1.14% 16 0.21% 1,233 15.80% 7,804
Emmet 2,313 62.08% 1,012 27.16% 204 5.48% 184 4.94% 13 0.35% 1,301 34.92% 3,726
Genesee 7,211 64.31% 3,234 28.84% 437 3.90% 303 2.70% 28 0.25% 3,977 35.47% 11,213
Gladwin 1,168 71.35% 386 23.58% 47 2.87% 31 1.89% 5 0.31% 782 47.77% 1,637
Gogebic 2,256 72.96% 614 19.86% 147 4.75% 60 1.94% 15 0.49% 1,642 53.10% 3,092
Grand Traverse 2,811 65.88% 1,289 30.21% 133 3.12% 27 0.63% 7 0.16% 1,522 35.67% 4,267
Gratiot 4,158 61.65% 2,372 35.17% 176 2.61% 32 0.47% 6 0.09% 1,786 26.48% 6,744
Hillsdale 4,463 60.98% 2,516 34.38% 279 3.81% 44 0.60% 17 0.23% 1,947 26.60% 7,319
Houghton 9,352 73.04% 2,424 18.93% 629 4.91% 371 2.90% 28 0.22% 6,928 54.11% 12,804
Huron 3,565 67.66% 1,477 28.03% 161 3.06% 57 1.08% 9 0.17% 2,088 39.63% 5,269
Ingham 6,723 53.69% 5,016 40.06% 582 4.65% 157 1.25% 43 0.34% 1,707 13.63% 12,521
Ionia 4,584 54.77% 3,232 38.61% 450 5.38% 92 1.10% 12 0.14% 1,352 16.15% 8,370
Iosco 1,224 63.03% 668 34.40% 40 2.06% 9 0.46% 1 0.05% 556 28.63% 1,942
Iron 2,055 85.63% 260 10.83% 40 1.67% 22 0.92% 23 0.96% 1,795 74.79% 2,400
Isabella 3,171 63.18% 1,658 33.03% 132 2.63% 53 1.06% 5 0.10% 1,513 30.15% 5,019
Jackson 6,770 54.12% 5,226 41.77% 331 2.65% 161 1.29% 22 0.18% 1,544 12.34% 12,510
Kalamazoo 6,511 54.63% 4,477 37.57% 448 3.76% 425 3.57% 57 0.48% 2,034 17.07% 11,918
Kalkaska 1,153 69.33% 356 21.41% 105 6.31% 46 2.77% 3 0.18% 797 47.93% 1,663
Kent 16,576 55.44% 11,445 38.28% 848 2.84% 949 3.17% 83 0.28% 5,131 17.16% 29,901
Keweenaw 1,026 90.56% 63 5.56% 16 1.41% 25 2.21% 3 0.26% 963 85.00% 1,133
Lake 673 68.88% 253 25.90% 14 1.43% 31 3.17% 6 0.61% 420 42.99% 977
Lapeer 3,426 63.49% 1,644 30.47% 288 5.34% 34 0.63% 4 0.07% 1,782 33.02% 5,396
Leelanau 1,258 66.35% 566 29.85% 46 2.43% 23 1.21% 3 0.16% 692 36.50% 1,896
Lenawee 6,607 56.22% 4,704 40.03% 398 3.39% 28 0.24% 15 0.13% 1,903 16.19% 11,752
Livingston 2,740 50.82% 2,418 44.84% 218 4.04% 10 0.19% 6 0.11% 322 5.97% 5,392
Luce 354 70.66% 108 21.56% 31 6.19% 4 0.80% 4 0.80% 246 49.10% 501
Mackinac 1,156 58.89% 769 39.17% 22 1.12% 10 0.51% 6 0.31% 387 19.71% 1,963
Macomb 4,472 56.78% 3,138 39.84% 224 2.84% 34 0.43% 8 0.10% 1,334 16.94% 7,876
Manistee 2,706 56.79% 1,799 37.75% 109 2.29% 139 2.92% 12 0.25% 907 19.03% 4,765
Marquette 5,613 74.78% 1,275 16.99% 259 3.45% 332 4.42% 27 0.36% 4,338 57.79% 7,506
Mason 2,577 65.71% 1,132 28.86% 149 3.80% 52 1.33% 12 0.31% 1,445 36.84% 3,922
Mecosta 2,723 65.84% 1,179 28.51% 149 3.60% 80 1.93% 5 0.12% 1,544 37.33% 4,136
Menominee 2,843 65.00% 1,299 29.70% 125 2.86% 79 1.81% 28 0.64% 1,544 35.30% 4,374
Midland 1,987 66.97% 875 29.49% 53 1.79% 43 1.45% 9 0.30% 1,112 37.48% 2,967
Missaukee 1,570 74.98% 445 21.25% 50 2.39% 19 0.91% 10 0.48% 1,125 53.72% 2,094
Monroe 4,206 53.07% 3,451 43.54% 212 2.67% 50 0.63% 7 0.09% 755 9.53% 7,926
Montcalm 4,558 69.05% 1,715 25.98% 197 2.98% 116 1.76% 15 0.23% 2,843 43.07% 6,601
Montmorency 580 75.23% 179 23.22% 3 0.39% 8 1.04% 1 0.13% 401 52.01% 771
Muskegon 5,070 69.25% 1,794 24.50% 149 2.04% 273 3.73% 35 0.48% 3,276 44.75% 7,321
Newaygo 2,677 69.37% 956 24.77% 147 3.81% 69 1.79% 10 0.26% 1,721 44.60% 3,859
Oakland 6,267 58.18% 3,950 36.67% 422 3.92% 107 0.99% 25 0.23% 2,317 21.51% 10,771
Oceana 2,445 68.51% 799 22.39% 251 7.03% 57 1.60% 17 0.48% 1,646 46.12% 3,569
Ogemaw 1,218 68.47% 454 25.52% 78 4.38% 25 1.41% 4 0.22% 764 42.95% 1,779
Ontonagon 1,249 71.37% 425 24.29% 18 1.03% 47 2.69% 11 0.63% 824 47.09% 1,750
Osceola 2,718 74.38% 767 20.99% 143 3.91% 5 0.14% 21 0.57% 1,951 53.39% 3,654
Oscoda 331 72.75% 112 24.62% 9 1.98% 3 0.66% 0 0.00% 219 48.13% 455
Otsego 864 72.48% 276 23.15% 34 2.85% 15 1.26% 3 0.25% 588 49.33% 1,192
Ottawa 5,642 66.25% 2,429 28.52% 247 2.90% 164 1.93% 34 0.40% 3,213 37.73% 8,516
Presque Isle 1,706 81.39% 301 14.36% 18 0.86% 57 2.72% 14 0.67% 1,405 67.03% 2,096
Roscommon 427 69.43% 147 23.90% 18 2.93% 18 2.93% 5 0.81% 280 45.53% 615
Saginaw 9,447 54.41% 7,019 40.42% 244 1.41% 558 3.21% 96 0.55% 2,428 13.98% 17,364
Sanilac 4,173 68.96% 1,474 24.36% 356 5.88% 43 0.71% 5 0.08% 2,699 44.60% 6,051
Schoolcraft 1,360 79.44% 289 16.88% 41 2.39% 16 0.93% 6 0.35% 1,071 62.56% 1,712
Shiawassee 4,199 57.96% 2,339 32.28% 524 7.23% 171 2.36% 12 0.17% 1,860 25.67% 7,245
St. Clair 7,287 62.23% 3,756 32.08% 327 2.79% 295 2.52% 44 0.38% 3,531 30.16% 11,709
St. Joseph 3,466 52.93% 2,770 42.30% 172 2.63% 108 1.65% 32 0.49% 696 10.63% 6,548
Tuscola 4,430 68.84% 1,563 24.29% 388 6.03% 46 0.71% 8 0.12% 2,867 44.55% 6,435
Van Buren 4,531 62.80% 2,313 32.06% 193 2.67% 129 1.79% 49 0.68% 2,218 30.74% 7,215
Washtenaw 5,845 54.58% 4,441 41.47% 305 2.85% 88 0.82% 30 0.28% 1,404 13.11% 10,709
Wayne 49,580 63.69% 24,128 31.00% 1,401 1.80% 2,400 3.08% 331 0.43% 25,452 32.70% 77,840
Wexford 2,886 71.95% 831 20.72% 238 5.93% 40 1.00% 16 0.40% 2,055 51.23% 4,011
Totals 333,313 61.94% 174,619 32.45% 16,785 3.12% 11,527 2.14% 1,891 0.35% 158,694 29.49% 538,135

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "1908 Election for the Thirty-First Term (1909-1913)". Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  2. ^ Burnham, Walter Dean. "The System of 1896: An Analysis". The Evolution of American Electoral Systems. pp. 178–179. ISBN 0313213798.
  3. ^ English, Gustavus P.; Proceedings of the Ninth Republican National Convention (1888), p. 234
  4. ^ Sundquist, James. Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years. p. 526. ISBN 0815719094.
  5. ^ Rogowski, Ronald (2020). Commerce and Coalitions: How Trade Affects Domestic Political Alignments. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691219435.
  6. ^ "Swamped! The Democrats Drowned Out by a Tremendous Republican Tidal Wave". The L'Anse Sentinel. L'Anse. November 10, 1894. p. 1.
  7. ^ Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo, Hirano; Snyder Jr, James M. "Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980". In Gerber, Alan S.; Schickler, Eric (eds.). Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America. pp. 165–168. ISBN 978-1-107-09509-0.
  8. ^ "Taft Will Get Michigan". Santa Ana Register. Santa Ana, California. October 22, 1908. p. 1.
  9. ^ "1908 Presidential General Election Results — Michigan". Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "1908 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Popular Vote at the Presidential Election for 1908". Géoelections. (.xlsx file for €30 including full minor party figures)