| Election Name: | 1879 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Wisconsin |
| Flag Year: | 1866 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1877 |
| Next Election: | 1881 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1881 |
| Election Date: | November 4, 1879 |
| Nominee1: | William E. Smith |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 100,535 |
| Percentage1: | 53.19% |
| Nominee2: | James Graham Jenkins |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 75,030 |
| Percentage2: | 39.70% |
| Nominee3: | Reuben May |
| Party3: | Greenback Party |
| Popular Vote3: | 26,216 |
| Percentage3: | 6.88% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | William E. Smith |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | William E. Smith |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
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. Smith and Jenkins also faced a Greenback candidate and a nominee from the nascent Prohibition Party in the general election.[1] 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.
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 | 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 | 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 | 55.30% | 2,398 | ||||||||||||||
| Vernon | 2,092 | 65.83% | 377 | 11.86% | 707 | 22.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.06% | 1,385 | 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 | 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 | ||||||||||||||