1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election
Country:Louisiana
Type:presidential
Ongoing:No
Previous Election:1896 Louisiana gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1896
Next Election:1904 Louisiana gubernatorial election
Next Year:1904
Election Date:April 17, 1900
Flag Year:1861b
Nominee1:William Wright Heard
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:60,206
Percentage1:78.32%
Nominee2:Donelson Caffery, Jr.
Party2:People's Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:14,215
Percentage2:18.49%
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Murphy J. Foster
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:William Wright Heard
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on April 17, 1900. This was the first state election after the adoption of Louisiana's 1898 constitution, which disenfranchised nearly all of the state's Black voters, who had been the core supporters of the Republican Party. The constitution had been prompted by the unusually strong voter support for Republicans and Populists in the 1896 Louisiana gubernatorial election.

With most of its voters disenfranchised, Louisiana's Republican Party had virtually no electoral support, as in most Southern states between Reconstruction and the civil rights era. In addition, a factional split among the few white Republicans who remained meant two different tickets in the governor's race, one (the "Lily-Whites") led by Donelson Caffery, Jr., son of Louisiana Senator Donelson Caffery, who was a Democrat.

As Louisiana had not yet adopted party primaries, this meant that the Democratic Party convention nomination vote was the real contest over who would be governor. The election resulted in the election of Democrat William Wright Heard as governor of Louisiana.

Results

General Election, April 17[1]

PartyCandidateVotes receivedPercent
DemocraticWilliam Wright Heard60,20678.32%
Populist/RepublicanDonelson Caffery, Jr.14,21518.49%
RepublicanE. Reems2,4493.19%

Notes and References

  1. Book: Louisiana Almanac: 2006-2007. Frois, J.. 2006. Pelican Publishing Company. 9781455607693. 543. 2014-10-24.