1916 United States presidential election in Kentucky explained

See main article: 1916 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1916 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Flag Year:1918
Ongoing:No
After Election:Woodrow Wilson
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Before Election:Woodrow Wilson
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Nominee1:Woodrow Wilson
Home State1:New Jersey
Running Mate1:Thomas R. Marshall
Electoral Vote1:13
Popular Vote1:269,990
Percentage1:51.91%
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Nominee2:Charles Evans Hughes
Home State2:New York
Type:presidential
Running Mate2:Charles W. Fairbanks
Electoral Vote2:0
Percentage2:46.50%
Popular Vote2:241,854
Election Date:November 7, 1916
President
Votes For Election:All 13 Kentucky votes to the Electoral College
Image1:Thomas Woodrow Wilson, Harris & Ewing bw photo portrait, 1919 (cropped 3x4).jpg
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Previous Election:1912 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Previous Year:1912
Next Election:1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Next Year:1920
Map Size:380px

The 1916 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 7, 1916, as part of the 1916 United States presidential election. Voters chose thirteen representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Ever since the Civil War, Kentucky had been shaped politically by divisions created by that war between secessionist, Democratic counties and Unionist, Republican ones,[1] although the state as a whole leaned Democratic throughout this era and the GOP had carried the state only once[2] – by a very narrow margin in 1896[3] when northern parts of the state were affected by hostility towards William Jennings Bryan, and state native John M. Palmer drew votes from the Democrats.[4]

Unlike the other former Confederate states, Kentucky was not able to disfranchise its relatively small black population which had shrunk significantly in the late nineteenth century due to migration out of the South, in the 1900s,[5] and this helped the Republicans carry the governorship in 1907 and narrowly fail to do so in 1915. Reunited after the 1912 debacle between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, the GOP under Charles Evans Hughes visited the state in September and thought it could win a substantial plurality.[6] Wilson also visited Kentucky in September,[7] though for a large part of the fall the Republicans continued to believe they possessed a chance of carrying Kentucky's thirteen electoral votes,[8] after another campaign tour with Theodore Roosevelt.[9] However, by the second week of October, polls were suggesting that Wilson would comfortably carry Kentucky.[10] By the end of the month, polls suggested that Wilson had five-eighths of the vote over Hughes,[11] which if maintained would have been the best Democratic performance in the state between 1872 and 1960.[3]

Ultimately, Wilson carried the state by 5.41 percent, an improvement of around three points on the narrow victories of Alton B. Parker and William Jennings Bryan in Kentucky's previous three two-party contests, although much less than the final polls.

Results

Presidential CandidateRunning MatePartyElectoral Vote (EV)Popular Vote (PV)
Woodrow WilsonThomas R. MarshallDemocratic13[12] 269,99051.91%
Charles Evans HughesCharles W. FairbanksRepublican0241,85446.50%
Allan L. BensonGeorge Ross KirkpatrickSocialist04,7340.91%
Frank HanlyIra LandrithProhibition03,0360.58%
Arthur E. ReimerCaleb HarrisonSocialist Labor03330.06%
No candidateProgressive01220.02%

Results by county

1916 United States presidential election in Kentucky by county[13] [14]
CountyThomas Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
Charles Evans Hughes
Republican
Allan Louis Benson
Socialist
James Franklin Hanly
Prohibition
MarginTotal votes cast
data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %
Adair1,67547.14%1,86352.43%10.03%140.39%-188-5.29%3,553
Allen1,64742.98%2,14756.03%40.10%340.89%-500-13.05%3,832
Anderson1,52158.21%1,06540.76%10.04%261.00%45617.45%2,613
Ballard2,22274.02%69223.05%752.50%130.43%1,53050.97%3,002
Barren3,37057.24%2,46241.81%230.39%330.56%90815.42%5,888
Bath1,79656.48%1,36042.77%80.25%160.50%43613.71%3,180
Bell1,37328.80%3,32169.67%541.13%190.40%-1,948-40.86%4,767
Boone2,00878.81%53120.84%00.00%90.35%1,47757.97%2,548
Bourbon2,71555.18%2,16744.04%70.14%310.63%54811.14%4,920
Boyd2,73847.68%2,88350.20%621.08%601.04%-145-2.52%5,743
Boyle2,05257.45%1,49441.83%30.08%230.64%55815.62%3,572
Bracken1,67659.37%1,08238.33%471.66%180.64%59421.04%2,823
Breathitt2,06756.23%1,58443.09%30.08%220.60%48313.14%3,676
Breckinridge2,17245.35%2,54953.23%130.27%551.15%-377-7.87%4,789
Bullitt1,50864.39%82635.27%10.04%70.30%68229.12%2,342
Butler1,15831.75%2,45667.34%100.27%230.63%-1,298-35.59%3,647
Caldwell1,60548.01%1,67250.01%491.47%170.51%-67-2.00%3,343
Calloway3,33473.88%1,02622.73%1352.99%180.40%2,30851.14%4,513
Campbell7,29053.62%5,69641.90%5133.77%960.71%1,59411.72%13,595
Carlisle1,64675.33%49422.61%331.51%120.55%1,15252.72%2,185
Carroll1,75776.03%53523.15%10.04%180.78%1,22252.88%2,311
Carter1,95440.55%2,81858.48%190.39%280.58%-864-17.93%4,819
Casey1,35240.49%1,94958.37%80.24%300.90%-597-17.88%3,339
Christian3,64443.71%4,59455.11%540.65%440.53%-950-11.40%8,336
Clark2,62059.71%1,73139.45%60.14%310.71%88920.26%4,388
Clay82026.43%2,27173.21%50.16%60.19%-1,451-46.78%3,102
Clinton37922.93%1,26076.23%00.00%140.85%-881-53.30%1,653
Crittenden1,45544.20%1,79454.50%190.58%240.73%-339-10.30%3,292
Cumberland65331.67%1,39467.60%00.00%150.73%-741-35.94%2,062
Daviess5,39656.37%4,07842.60%290.30%700.73%1,31813.77%9,573
Edmonson93540.74%1,33958.34%70.31%140.61%-404-17.60%2,295
Elliott1,15168.23%52531.12%10.06%100.59%62637.11%1,687
Estill1,18043.30%1,52455.93%00.00%210.77%-344-12.62%2,725
Fayette6,34853.30%5,47245.95%190.16%700.59%8767.36%11,909
Fleming2,24054.41%1,83644.60%10.02%400.97%4049.81%4,117
Floyd2,21754.53%1,82344.84%160.39%100.25%3949.69%4,066
Franklin3,34569.67%1,42629.70%120.25%180.37%1,91939.97%4,801
Fulton2,20073.53%74724.97%170.57%280.94%1,45348.56%2,992
Gallatin1,06078.69%28321.01%00.00%40.30%77757.68%1,347
Garrard1,37545.42%1,62853.78%40.13%200.66%-253-8.36%3,027
Grant1,84162.24%1,07836.44%30.10%361.22%76325.79%2,958
Graves5,19771.44%1,93026.53%1311.80%170.23%3,26744.91%7,275
Grayson1,95344.77%2,36854.29%130.30%280.64%-415-9.51%4,362
Green1,23946.40%1,41252.88%00.00%190.71%-173-6.48%2,670
Greenup1,82048.34%1,82148.37%922.44%320.85%-1-0.03%3,765
Hancock83346.41%91851.14%321.78%120.67%-85-4.74%1,795
Hardin3,27263.08%1,88736.38%160.31%120.23%1,38526.70%5,187
Harlan69020.09%2,67077.73%531.54%220.64%-1,980-57.64%3,435
Harrison2,77865.43%1,40933.18%70.16%521.22%1,36932.24%4,246
Hart2,04849.53%2,03149.12%360.87%200.48%170.41%4,135
Henderson3,69960.73%2,21836.41%1252.05%490.80%1,48124.31%6,091
Henry2,59566.11%1,30233.17%50.13%230.59%1,29332.94%3,925
Hickman1,98277.42%53921.05%240.94%150.59%1,44356.37%2,560
Hopkins3,75750.06%3,61548.17%1021.36%310.41%1421.89%7,505
Jackson25211.26%1,96887.90%30.13%160.71%-1,716-76.64%2,239
Jefferson28,84049.46%28,38648.68%8831.51%2050.35%4540.78%58,314
Jessamine1,72755.39%1,32642.53%00.00%652.08%40112.86%3,118
Johnson1,25332.84%2,50065.51%411.07%220.58%-1,247-32.68%3,816
Kenton10,40264.28%5,26732.55%4112.54%1030.64%5,13531.73%16,183
Knott1,45471.66%57128.14%00.00%40.20%88343.52%2,029
Knox1,12625.81%3,19273.18%240.55%200.46%-2,066-47.36%4,362
Larue1,35058.72%93640.71%10.04%120.52%41418.01%2,299
Laurel1,17132.08%2,38365.29%782.14%180.49%-1,212-33.21%3,650
Lawrence1,91049.20%1,92849.67%180.46%260.67%-18-0.46%3,882
Lee79340.86%1,13558.48%10.05%120.62%-342-17.62%1,941
Leslie1338.04%1,51691.60%20.12%40.24%-1,383-83.56%1,655
Letcher1,12133.32%2,22065.99%120.36%110.33%-1,099-32.67%3,364
Lewis1,27634.40%2,32462.66%691.86%401.08%-1,048-28.26%3,709
Lincoln2,21253.22%1,86844.95%410.99%350.84%3448.28%4,156
Livingston1,28755.84%92340.04%833.60%120.52%36415.79%2,305
Logan3,37356.71%2,50142.05%310.52%430.72%87214.66%5,948
Lyon1,19160.77%74838.16%90.46%120.61%44322.60%1,960
Madison3,29551.94%3,01747.56%100.16%220.35%2784.38%6,344
Magoffin1,43347.83%1,53551.23%50.17%230.77%-102-3.40%2,996
Marion2,06359.33%1,39640.15%30.09%150.43%66719.18%3,477
Marshall2,26364.11%1,20134.02%461.30%200.57%1,06230.08%3,530
Martin28019.96%1,10078.40%151.07%80.57%-820-58.45%1,403
Mason2,82056.40%2,12742.54%70.14%460.92%69313.86%5,000
McCracken4,35656.92%3,05839.96%2112.76%280.37%1,29816.96%7,653
McCreary32416.36%1,63082.28%221.11%50.25%-1,306-65.93%1,981
McLean1,58951.37%1,43946.52%411.33%240.78%1504.85%3,093
Meade1,31760.86%80337.11%361.66%80.37%51423.75%2,164
Menifee73066.36%36933.55%10.09%00.00%36132.82%1,100
Mercer2,09357.20%1,53141.84%40.11%310.85%56215.36%3,659
Metcalfe1,04648.16%1,10750.97%40.18%150.69%-61-2.81%2,172
Monroe88230.43%2,00869.29%10.03%70.24%-1,126-38.85%2,898
Montgomery1,70558.33%1,19540.88%120.41%110.38%51017.45%2,923
Morgan2,31966.97%1,12332.43%70.20%140.40%1,19634.54%3,463
Muhlenberg2,90043.93%3,53353.52%1462.21%220.33%-633-9.59%6,601
Nelson2,63962.54%1,54636.64%40.09%310.73%1,09325.90%4,220
Nicholas1,82964.67%96434.09%60.21%291.03%86530.59%2,828
Ohio2,72343.83%3,28652.89%1562.51%480.77%-563-9.06%6,213
Oldham1,45568.76%64230.34%50.24%140.66%81338.42%2,116
Owen2,91180.70%66318.38%100.28%230.64%2,24862.32%3,607
Owsley19714.25%1,17384.88%30.22%90.65%-976-70.62%1,382
Pendleton1,72858.12%1,20640.57%130.44%260.87%52217.56%2,973
Perry90428.25%2,21769.28%531.66%260.81%-1,313-41.03%3,200
Pike3,41444.34%4,21254.71%310.40%420.55%-798-10.36%7,699
Powell75756.32%58743.68%00.00%00.00%17012.65%1,344
Pulaski2,53137.54%4,13661.35%160.24%590.88%-1,605-23.81%6,742
Robertson66361.22%41538.32%00.00%50.46%24822.90%1,083
Rockcastle96833.21%1,93266.28%80.27%70.24%-964-33.07%2,915
Rowan88147.91%94151.17%50.27%120.65%-60-3.26%1,839
Russell85939.30%1,29859.38%50.23%241.10%-439-20.08%2,186
Scott2,61163.30%1,48636.02%70.17%210.51%1,12527.27%4,125
Shelby2,91960.76%1,86338.78%50.10%170.35%1,05621.98%4,804
Simpson1,88766.03%95533.41%50.17%110.38%93232.61%2,858
Spencer1,27168.00%59131.62%10.05%60.32%68036.38%1,869
Taylor1,36050.07%1,33249.04%50.18%190.70%281.03%2,716
Todd2,05154.24%1,67144.19%280.74%310.82%38010.05%3,781
Trigg1,72251.73%1,53346.05%601.80%140.42%1895.68%3,329
Trimble1,31982.23%25916.15%50.31%211.31%1,06066.08%1,604
Union2,75468.99%1,18429.66%491.23%50.13%1,57039.33%3,992
Warren4,22857.96%3,00241.15%110.15%540.74%1,22616.81%7,295
Washington1,65449.77%1,65449.77%30.09%120.36%00.00%3,323
Wayne1,37345.25%1,63853.99%10.03%220.73%-265-8.73%3,034
Webster2,67355.65%2,08243.35%200.42%280.58%59112.30%4,803
Whitley1,17122.79%3,91976.27%330.64%150.29%-2,748-53.48%5,138
Wolfe1,10862.99%64536.67%00.00%60.34%46326.32%1,759
Woodford1,78657.50%1,30041.85%90.29%110.35%48615.65%3,106
Totals269,99051.91%241,85446.50%4,7340.91%3,0360.58%28,1365.41%520,069

See also

Notes and References

  1. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  2. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
  3. Web site: Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Kentucky. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  4. Book: Harrison, Lowell Hayes. A New History of Kentucky. 268. 9780813176307.
  5. Book: Klotter, Jeames C.. Kentucky: Portrait in Paradox, 1900-1950. 196–197. 0916968243.
  6. News: Make Railroad Bill a Republican Issue: Hughes Managers Are Canvassing Sentiment on Law Among Labor Men. New York Times. September 6, 1916. 1.
  7. News: 20,000 Cheer Speech as Wilson Accepts: Formally Opens Campaign by Defending His Policies. Demands "Big America", Calls Republican Party "a Practical and Moral Failure". The Washington Post. September 3, 1916. A1.
  8. News: Curtis. Sumner. Campaign Keyed High: Contest Becoming More Complex as It Progresses. Special to the Washington Post. October 7, 1916. 1.
  9. News: Seven Roosevelt Speeches Pledged: Colonel Will Make Special Effort, with Mr. Hughes, in Kentucky. New York Times. October 10, 1916. 24.
  10. News: Wilson Making Gains: Nation-wide Poll Shows Swing Toward the President. Special to the Washington Post. October 8, 1916. 8.
  11. News: Wilson Retains Lead in Kentucky and Tennessee. New York Times. October 29, 1916. 16.
  12. Web site: 1916 Presidential General Election Results – Kentucky. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  13. Web site: Géoelections. 1916 Presidential Election Popular Vote. (.xlsx file for €15)
  14. Web site: Géoelections. Popular Vote for Allan Louis Benson. (.xlsx file for €15)