1908 United States presidential election in Kansas explained

See main article: 1908 United States presidential election.

Election Name:	1908 United States presidential election in Kansas
Country:	Kansas
Flag Year:	1927
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1904 United States presidential election in Kansas
Previous Year:	1904
Next Election:	1912 United States presidential election in Kansas
Next Year:	1912
Election Date:	November 3, 1908
Image1:	William Howard Taft, Bain bw photo portrait, 1908.jpg
Nominee1:	William Howard Taft
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:	Ohio
Running Mate1:	James S. Sherman
Electoral Vote1:	10
Popular Vote1:	197,216
Percentage1:	52.46%
Nominee2:	William Jennings Bryan
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:	Nebraska
Running Mate2:	John W. Kern
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	161,209
Percentage2:	42.88%
Map Size:	300px
President
Before Election:	Theodore Roosevelt
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	William Howard Taft
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 1908 United States presidential election in Kansas was held on November 3, 1908 as part of the 1908 United States presidential election. Kansas voters chose ten electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

In its first thirty years as a state Kansas had been powerfully Republican, but with the Populist movement and major agricultural crises the state turned to James B. Weaver in 1892 and William Jennings Bryan in 1896;^[1] however, President William McKinley won a rematch with Bryan in 1900. With the return to a conservative “Gold Democrat” candidate in 1904, Kansas reverted to rock-solid Republican as Alton B. Parker failed to carry a single county in the state against Theodore Roosevelt.

Bryan was nominated as the Democratic candidate for president for the third time. However, by October, most predictions suggested that Bryan would not win over the voters who had deserted Parker, and be unsuccessful in his attempt to emulate his “Commoner” success of 1896.^[2]

On election day, Republican candidate William Howard Taft carried Kansas by 9.60 points, an improvement of over 2 points upon McKinley's 1900 result and of 13.26 points upon the Republican result from 1896, despite Bryan campaigning in the state at the beginning of November.^[3] His underperformance was in part attributed to the fact that Kansas’ local Republicans supported Taft's plan to guarantee bank deposits for all customers through the state treasurer.^[4]

As of 2020, this remains the only time that Kansas has ever voted for a different presidential candidate than neighboring Nebraska.

Results

Presidential Candidate	Running Mate	Party	Electoral Vote (EV)	Popular Vote (PV)
William Howard Taft of Ohio	James S. Sherman	Republican	10^[5]	197,216	52.46%
William Jennings Bryan	John W. Kern	Democratic	0	161,209	42.88%
Eugene V. Debs	Ben Hanford	Socialist	0	12,420	3.30%
Eugene W. Chafin	Aaron S. Watkins	Prohibition	0	5,033	1.34%
Thomas L. Hisgen	John Temple Graves	Independent	0	68	0.02%

Results by county

1908 United States presidential election in Kansas by county^[6]
County	William Howard Taft Republican		William Jennings Bryan Democratic		Eugene Victor Debs Social Democratic		Eugene Wilder Chafin Prohibition		Thomas Louis Higsen Independent		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Allen		3,283		53.80%		2,579		42.26%		204		3.34%		36		0.59%		0		0.00%		704		11.54%		6,102
	Anderson		1,722		51.25%		1,512		45.00%		65		1.93%		61		1.82%		0		0.00%		210		6.25%		3,360
	Atchison		3,244		54.94%		2,593		43.91%		48		0.81%		18		0.30%		2		0.03%		651		11.02%		5,905
	Barber		1,097		53.72%		864		42.31%		45		2.20%		36		1.76%		0		0.00%		233		11.41%		2,042
	Barton		1,729		44.83%		2,004		51.96%		100		2.59%		24		0.62%		0		0.00%		-275		-7.13%		3,857
	Bourbon		2,695		47.83%		2,686		47.67%		211		3.75%		42		0.75%		0		0.00%		9		0.16%		5,634
	Brown		2,778		56.31%		2,044		41.44%		61		1.24%		50		1.01%		0		0.00%		734		14.88%		4,933
	Butler		3,049		53.97%		2,290		40.54%		149		2.64%		160		2.83%		1		0.02%		759		13.44%		5,649
	Chase		1,021		53.04%		834		43.32%		46		2.39%		24		1.25%		0		0.00%		187		9.71%		1,925
	Chautauqua		1,689		60.19%		958		34.14%		148		5.27%		11		0.39%		0		0.00%		731		26.05%		2,806
	Cherokee		3,893		44.26%		3,819		43.42%		1,030		11.71%		51		0.58%		2		0.02%		74		0.84%		8,795
	Cheyenne		486		54.30%		339		37.88%		41		4.58%		20		2.23%		9		1.01%		147		16.42%		895
	Clark		386		49.87%		350		45.22%		24		3.10%		12		1.55%		2		0.26%		36		4.65%		774
	Clay		1,858		52.96%		1,495		42.62%		102		2.91%		52		1.48%		1		0.03%		363		10.35%		3,508
	Cloud		2,170		52.24%		1,663		40.03%		244		5.87%		76		1.83%		1		0.02%		507		12.21%		4,154
	Coffey		2,094		53.38%		1,729		44.07%		35		0.89%		63		1.61%		2		0.05%		365		9.30%		3,923
	Comanche		392		59.67%		245		37.29%		10		1.52%		10		1.52%		0		0.00%		147		22.37%		657
	Cowley		3,578		50.55%		2,995		42.31%		396		5.59%		109		1.54%		0		0.00%		583		8.24%		7,078
	Crawford		5,152		46.55%		4,230		38.22%		1,631		14.74%		54		0.49%		1		0.01%		922		8.33%		11,068
	Decatur		898		39.18%		1,250		54.54%		94		4.10%		41		1.79%		9		0.39%		-352		-15.36%		2,292
	Dickinson		2,886		53.31%		2,282		42.15%		152		2.81%		94		1.74%		0		0.00%		604		11.16%		5,414
	Doniphan		2,307		66.46%		1,113		32.07%		33		0.95%		18		0.52%		0		0.00%		1,194		34.40%		3,471
	Douglas		3,279		60.63%		2,010		37.17%		49		0.91%		70		1.29%		0		0.00%		1,269		23.47%		5,408
	Edwards		773		50.23%		704		45.74%		27		1.75%		35		2.27%		0		0.00%		69		4.48%		1,539
	Elk		1,454		54.11%		1,187		44.18%		25		0.93%		21		0.78%		0		0.00%		267		9.94%		2,687
	Ellis		768		34.50%		1,421		63.84%		20		0.90%		17		0.76%		0		0.00%		-653		-29.34%		2,226
	Ellsworth		1,213		52.95%		1,039		45.35%		13		0.57%		26		1.13%		0		0.00%		174		7.59%		2,291
	Finney		1,000		61.46%		551		33.87%		58		3.56%		18		1.11%		0		0.00%		449		27.60%		1,627
	Ford		1,333		53.28%		1,089		43.53%		44		1.76%		36		1.44%		0		0.00%		244		9.75%		2,502
	Franklin		2,658		52.74%		2,155		42.76%		93		1.85%		134		2.66%		0		0.00%		503		9.98%		5,040
	Geary		1,257		53.38%		1,033		43.86%		38		1.61%		27		1.15%		0		0.00%		224		9.51%		2,355
	Gove		632		55.15%		456		39.79%		32		2.79%		26		2.27%		0		0.00%		176		15.36%		1,146
	Graham		911		52.24%		723		41.46%		95		5.45%		15		0.86%		0		0.00%		188		10.78%		1,744
	Grant		178		54.77%		133		40.92%		12		3.69%		2		0.62%		0		0.00%		45		13.85%		325
	Gray		372		46.79%		338		42.52%		64		8.05%		21		2.64%		0		0.00%		34		4.28%		795
	Greeley		206		64.58%		89		27.90%		21		6.58%		3		0.94%		0		0.00%		117		36.68%		319
	Greenwood		2,370		59.16%		1,545		38.57%		69		1.72%		22		0.55%		0		0.00%		825		20.59%		4,006
	Hamilton		415		57.32%		275		37.98%		30		4.14%		4		0.55%		0		0.00%		140		19.34%		724
	Harper		1,490		48.46%		1,404		45.66%		112		3.64%		69		2.24%		0		0.00%		86		2.80%		3,075
	Harvey		2,305		58.30%		1,475		37.30%		99		2.50%		74		1.87%		1		0.03%		830		20.99%		3,954
	Haskell		172		48.73%		139		39.38%		36		10.20%		6		1.70%		0		0.00%		33		9.35%		353
	Hodgeman		411		57.08%		290		40.28%		7		0.97%		12		1.67%		0		0.00%		121		16.81%		720
	Jackson		2,201		58.65%		1,494		39.81%		17		0.45%		39		1.04%		2		0.05%		707		18.84%		3,753
	Jefferson		2,270		55.57%		1,720		42.11%		64		1.57%		31		0.76%		0		0.00%		550		13.46%		4,085
	Jewell		2,410		53.48%		1,932		42.88%		54		1.20%		110		2.44%		0		0.00%		478		10.61%		4,506
	Johnson		2,313		51.17%		2,091		46.26%		88		1.95%		28		0.62%		0		0.00%		222		4.91%		4,520
	Kearny		435		56.64%		304		39.58%		26		3.39%		3		0.39%		0		0.00%		131		17.06%		768
	Kingman		1,442		47.26%		1,479		48.48%		84		2.75%		45		1.47%		1		0.03%		-37		-1.21%		3,051
	Kiowa		699		59.49%		409		34.81%		37		3.15%		30		2.55%		0		0.00%		290		24.68%		1,175
	Labette		3,367		49.17%		2,783		40.64%		643		9.39%		54		0.79%		1		0.01%		584		8.53%		6,848
	Lane		357		51.52%		271		39.11%		49		7.07%		16		2.31%		0		0.00%		86		12.41%		693
	Leavenworth		4,846		53.87%		3,818		42.44%		288		3.20%		43		0.48%		1		0.01%		1,028		11.43%		8,996
	Lincoln		1,218		50.27%		1,117		46.10%		58		2.39%		30		1.24%		0		0.00%		101		4.17%		2,423
	Linn		1,950		51.79%		1,657		44.01%		126		3.35%		31		0.82%		1		0.03%		293		7.78%		3,765
	Logan		524		59.34%		308		34.88%		32		3.62%		18		2.04%		1		0.11%		216		24.46%		883
	Lyon		2,973		50.87%		2,562		43.84%		161		2.75%		147		2.52%		1		0.02%		411		7.03%		5,844
	Marion		2,546		57.45%		1,747		39.42%		57		1.29%		80		1.81%		2		0.05%		799		18.03%		4,432
	Marshall		3,296		55.91%		2,514		42.65%		32		0.54%		53		0.90%		0		0.00%		782		13.27%		5,895
	McPherson		2,708		57.39%		1,905		40.37%		55		1.17%		51		1.08%		0		0.00%		803		17.02%		4,719
	Meade		560		56.22%		386		38.76%		26		2.61%		24		2.41%		0		0.00%		174		17.47%		996
	Miami		2,475		51.03%		2,256		46.52%		91		1.88%		26		0.54%		2		0.04%		219		4.52%		4,850
	Mitchell		1,765		50.50%		1,570		44.92%		118		3.38%		42		1.20%		0		0.00%		195		5.58%		3,495
	Montgomery		5,166		52.10%		4,030		40.64%		661		6.67%		57		0.57%		2		0.02%		1,136		11.46%		9,916
	Morris		1,788		57.53%		1,273		40.96%		19		0.61%		28		0.90%		0		0.00%		515		16.57%		3,108
	Morton		154		50.49%		140		45.90%		6		1.97%		5		1.64%		0		0.00%		14		4.59%		305
	Nemaha		2,394		51.57%		2,182		47.01%		32		0.69%		33		0.71%		1		0.02%		212		4.57%		4,642
	Neosho		2,929		53.15%		2,386		43.30%		166		3.01%		29		0.53%		1		0.02%		543		9.85%		5,511
	Ness		635		47.96%		461		34.82%		109		8.23%		117		8.84%		2		0.15%		174		13.14%		1,324
	Norton		1,448		49.76%		1,337		45.95%		59		2.03%		66		2.27%		0		0.00%		111		3.81%		2,910
	Osage		2,671		50.30%		2,288		43.09%		264		4.97%		86		1.62%		1		0.02%		383		7.21%		5,310
	Osborne		1,665		55.30%		1,132		37.60%		45		1.49%		169		5.61%		0		0.00%		533		17.70%		3,011
	Ottawa		1,444		50.54%		1,265		44.28%		83		2.91%		65		2.28%		0		0.00%		179		6.27%		2,857
	Pawnee		1,000		48.43%		961		46.54%		68		3.29%		36		1.74%		0		0.00%		39		1.89%		2,065
	Phillips		1,762		52.25%		1,490		44.19%		65		1.93%		55		1.63%		0		0.00%		272		8.07%		3,372
	Pottawatomie		2,650		60.78%		1,680		38.53%		11		0.25%		19		0.44%		0		0.00%		970		22.25%		4,360
	Pratt		1,193		50.53%		1,027		43.50%		67		2.84%		73		3.09%		1		0.04%		166		7.03%		2,361
	Rawlins		719		47.36%		732		48.22%		59		3.89%		7		0.46%		1		0.07%		-13		-0.86%		1,518
	Reno		4,092		52.72%		3,381		43.56%		175		2.25%		114		1.47%		0		0.00%		711		9.16%		7,762
	Republic		2,156		51.79%		1,905		45.76%		35		0.84%		67		1.61%		0		0.00%		251		6.03%		4,163
	Rice		1,832		51.35%		1,407		39.43%		110		3.08%		217		6.08%		2		0.06%		425		11.91%		3,568
	Riley		2,276		61.71%		1,289		34.95%		65		1.76%		58		1.57%		0		0.00%		987		26.76%		3,688
	Rooks		1,280		53.13%		1,003		41.64%		75		3.11%		51		2.12%		0		0.00%		277		11.50%		2,409
	Rush		764		45.02%		894		52.68%		30		1.77%		9		0.53%		0		0.00%		-130		-7.66%		1,697
	Russell		1,360		57.12%		976		40.99%		27		1.13%		18		0.76%		0		0.00%		384		16.13%		2,381
	Saline		2,297		50.15%		2,134		46.59%		116		2.53%		33		0.72%		0		0.00%		163		3.56%		4,580
	Scott		324		47.09%		294		42.73%		61		8.87%		8		1.16%		1		0.15%		30		4.36%		688
	Sedgwick		6,756		50.25%		6,049		44.99%		390		2.90%		247		1.84%		3		0.02%		707		5.26%		13,445
	Seward		427		48.09%		413		46.51%		33		3.72%		15		1.69%		0		0.00%		14		1.58%		888
	Shawnee		7,554		56.28%		5,585		41.61%		170		1.27%		112		0.83%		0		0.00%		1,969		14.67%		13,421
	Sheridan		639		48.89%		631		48.28%		22		1.68%		15		1.15%		0		0.00%		8		0.61%		1,307
	Sherman		439		43.64%		508		50.50%		46		4.57%		13		1.29%		0		0.00%		-69		-6.86%		1,006
	Smith		1,843		51.65%		1,593		44.65%		51		1.43%		78		2.19%		3		0.08%		250		7.01%		3,568
	Stafford		1,334		50.99%		1,135		43.39%		48		1.83%		99		3.78%		0		0.00%		199		7.61%		2,616
	Stanton		180		60.81%		107		36.15%		6		2.03%		3		1.01%		0		0.00%		73		24.66%		296
	Stevens		258		48.22%		215		40.19%		39		7.29%		23		4.30%		0		0.00%		43		8.04%		535
	Sumner		3,235		51.30%		2,772		43.96%		204		3.24%		95		1.51%		0		0.00%		463		7.34%		6,306
	Thomas		569		44.98%		630		49.80%		44		3.48%		22		1.74%		0		0.00%		-61		-4.82%		1,265
	Trego		617		54.65%		458		40.57%		32		2.83%		20		1.77%		2		0.18%		159		14.08%		1,129
	Wabaunsee		1,849		60.25%		1,163		37.90%		24		0.78%		33		1.08%		0		0.00%		686		22.35%		3,069
	Wallace		350		59.32%		206		34.92%		23		3.90%		11		1.86%		0		0.00%		144		24.41%		590
	Washington		2,711		57.51%		1,904		40.39%		46		0.98%		53		1.12%		0		0.00%		807		17.12%		4,714
	Wichita		233		54.31%		173		40.33%		22		5.13%		1		0.23%		0		0.00%		60		13.99%		429
	Wilson		2,428		53.14%		1,777		38.89%		324		7.09%		40		0.88%		0		0.00%		651		14.25%		4,569
	Woodson		1,252		53.23%		1,047		44.52%		41		1.74%		12		0.51%		0		0.00%		205		8.72%		2,352
	Wyandotte		8,684		47.56%		8,923		48.87%		528		2.89%		117		0.64%		7		0.04%		-239		-1.31%		18,259
Totals	197,316	52.47%	161,209	42.87%	12,420	3.30%	5,030	1.34%	70	0.02%	36,107	9.60%	376,045

See also

• United States presidential elections in Kansas

Notes and References

1. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
2. ‘Roads Can't Handle Crops: Predicts That Bryan Will Carry Missouri and Taft Kansas’; San Francisco Chronicle, October 5, 1908, p. 3
3. ‘Campaign Nears End: Hitchcock and Mack Rest. Stick to Forecasts of Last Week’; Boston Daily Globe, November 2, 1908, p.1
4. ‘Nominee at Same Banquet: Taft and Bryan Will Meet at Chicago’; Boston Daily Globe, September 12, 1908, p. 2
5. Web site: 1908 Presidential General Election Results – Kansas. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. 26 October 2019.
6. Web site: Géoelections. Popular Vote at the Presidential Election for 1908. (.xlsx file for €30 including full minor party figures)