1916 United States presidential election in Tennessee explained

See main article: article and 1916 United States presidential election.

Election Name:	1916 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Country:	Tennessee
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Votes For Election:	All 12 Tennessee votes to the Electoral College
Previous Election:	1912 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Previous Year:	1912
Next Election:	1920 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Next Year:	1920
Election Date:	November 7, 1916
Image1:	Thomas Woodrow Wilson, Harris & Ewing bw photo portrait, 1919 (cropped 3x4).jpg
Nominee1:	Woodrow Wilson
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:	New Jersey
Running Mate1:	Thomas R. Marshall
Electoral Vote1:	12
Popular Vote1:	153,280
Percentage1:	56.31%
Nominee2:	Charles Evans Hughes
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:	New York
Running Mate2:	Charles W. Fairbanks
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	116,223
Percentage2:	42.70%
President
Before Election:	Woodrow Wilson
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Woodrow Wilson
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
Map Size:	350px

The 1916 United States presidential election in Tennessee was held on November 7, 1916. Tennessee voters chose twelve representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

For over a century after the Civil War, Tennessee was divided according to political loyalties established in that war. Unionist regions covering almost all of East Tennessee, Kentucky Pennyroyal-allied Macon County, and the five West Tennessee Highland Rim counties of Carroll, Henderson, McNairy, Hardin and Wayne^[1] voted Republican – generally by landslide margins – as they saw the Democratic Party as the “war party” who had forced them into a war they did not wish to fight.^[2] Contrariwise, the rest of Middle and West Tennessee who had supported and driven the state’s secession was equally fiercely Democratic as it associated the Republicans with Reconstruction.^[3] After the disfranchisement of the state’s African-American population by a poll tax was largely complete in the 1890s,^[4] the Democratic Party was certain of winning statewide elections if united,^[5] although unlike the Deep South Republicans would almost always gain thirty to forty percent of the statewide vote from mountain and Highland Rim support.

In the early 1910s, the state Democratic Party was divided over the issue of prohibition. One faction, known as the “Independent Democrats,” wanted the state's Four Mile Law (which banned the sale of liquor within four miles of any school) to apply statewide, while the other faction, known as the “Regular Democrats,” wanted the state's larger cities to be exempt from this law. In 1910, the Independent Democrats fled the party and formed a coalition, known as the “Fusionists,” with Republicans, helping to elect Governor Ben W. Hooper,^[6] although the Republicans did not gain at other levels. With the divisions within the Democratic Party temporarily healed in 1914, the major state issue was the control of Memphis political boss E. H. Crump, who had been arrested and ousted from power for violating state prohibition laws.^[7]

Although Tennessee had not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1868, Republican nominee Charles Evans Hughes did visit the state – becoming the first Republican nominee to ever visit Nashville – during the first week of September.^[8] Democratic incumbent Woodrow Wilson did not visit the state.

No polls were taken in Tennessee until the end of October, when President Wilson was given a clear lead, which led Hughes to concede the state.^[9] Later polls early in November confirmed this view,^[10] giving Wilson a five-to-four lead over the whole state. As it turned out, Wilson won by more than the poll had suggested, and improved by six points upon the margins achieved by Alton B. Parker in 1904 and William Jennings Bryan in 1908.

Results

Presidential Candidate	Running Mate	Party	Electoral Vote (EV)	Popular Vote (PV)
Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey	Thomas R. Marshall	Democratic	12^[11]	153,280	56.31%
Charles Evans Hughes	Charles W. Fairbanks	Republican	0	116,223	42.70%
Allan L. Benson	George R. Kirkpatrick	Socialist	0	2,542	0.93%
Frank Hanly	Ira Landrith	Prohibition	0	145	0.05%

Results by county

1916 United States presidential election in Tennessee by county
County	Thomas Woodrow Wilson Democratic		Charles Evans Hughes Republican		Allan Louis Benson Socialist		James Franklin Hanly Prohibition		Margin		Total 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"	%
	Anderson		537		23.49%		1,730		75.68%		19		0.83%		0		0.00%		-1,193		-52.19%		2,286
	Bedford		2,578		66.05%		1,324		33.92%		0		0.00%		1		0.03%		1,254		32.13%		3,903
	Benton		1,313		61.30%		805		37.58%		24		1.12%		0		0.00%		508		23.72%		2,142
	Bledsoe		423		38.32%		681		61.68%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-258		-23.37%		1,104
	Blount		1,015		29.03%		2,462		70.42%		1		0.03%		18		0.51%		-1,447		-41.39%		3,496
	Bradley		784		34.24%		1,482		64.72%		18		0.79%		6		0.26%		-698		-30.48%		2,290
	Campbell		485		22.04%		1,670		75.87%		46		2.09%		0		0.00%		-1,185		-53.84%		2,201
	Cannon		936		67.24%		456		32.76%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		480		34.48%		1,392
	Carroll		2,001		46.98%		2,217		52.05%		40		0.94%		1		0.02%		-216		-5.07%		4,259
	Carter		498		14.40%		2,961		85.60%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-2,463		-71.21%		3,459
	Cheatham		1,117		71.51%		439		28.10%		6		0.38%		0		0.00%		678		43.41%		1,562
	Chester		862		55.65%		645		41.64%		42		2.71%		0		0.00%		217		14.01%		1,549
	Claiborne		1,053		42.63%		1,398		56.60%		19		0.77%		0		0.00%		-345		-13.97%		2,470
	Clay		689		53.62%		578		44.98%		17		1.32%		1		0.08%		111		8.64%		1,285
	Cocke		595		28.52%		1,478		70.85%		13		0.62%		0		0.00%		-883		-42.33%		2,086
	Coffee		1,837		78.30%		489		20.84%		20		0.85%		0		0.00%		1,348		57.46%		2,346
	Crockett		1,608		58.43%		1,144		41.57%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		464		16.86%		2,752
	Cumberland		428		31.59%		924		68.19%		3		0.22%		0		0.00%		-496		-36.61%		1,355
	Davidson		8,958		72.71%		3,168		25.71%		194		1.57%		0		0.00%		5,790		47.00%		12,320
	Decatur		887		49.36%		893		49.69%		17		0.95%		0		0.00%		-6		-0.33%		1,797
	DeKalb		1,407		50.98%		1,343		48.66%		10		0.36%		0		0.00%		64		2.32%		2,760
	Dickson		2,105		66.74%		1,008		31.96%		40		1.27%		1		0.03%		1,097		34.78%		3,154
	Dyer		1,997		80.14%		459		18.42%		36		1.44%		0		0.00%		1,538		61.72%		2,492
	Fayette		1,812		93.89%		116		6.01%		2		0.10%		0		0.00%		1,696		87.88%		1,930
	Fentress		348		26.36%		925		70.08%		44		3.33%		3		0.23%		-577		-43.71%		1,320
	Franklin		2,469		76.32%		711		21.98%		55		1.70%		0		0.00%		1,758		54.34%		3,235
	Gibson		3,609		71.13%		1,443		28.44%		22		0.43%		0		0.00%		2,166		42.69%		5,074
	Giles		3,207		68.22%		1,488		31.65%		5		0.11%		1		0.02%		1,719		36.57%		4,701
	Grainger		843		35.49%		1,529		64.38%		0		0.00%		3		0.13%		-686		-28.88%		2,375
	Greene		2,254		42.46%		3,055		57.54%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-801		-15.09%		5,309
	Grundy		736		63.56%		319		27.55%		103		8.89%		0		0.00%		417		36.01%		1,158
	Hamblen		741		47.29%		795		50.73%		31		1.98%		0		0.00%		-54		-3.45%		1,567
	Hamilton		5,828		54.17%		4,697		43.66%		156		1.45%		78		0.72%		1,131		10.51%		10,759
	Hancock		386		23.90%		1,229		76.10%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-843		-52.20%		1,615
	Hardeman		1,724		77.80%		485		21.89%		7		0.32%		0		0.00%		1,239		55.91%		2,216
	Hardin		979		34.96%		1,811		64.68%		10		0.36%		0		0.00%		-832		-29.71%		2,800
	Hawkins		1,142		39.42%		1,739		60.03%		16		0.55%		0		0.00%		-597		-20.61%		2,897
	Haywood		1,677		95.88%		61		3.49%		11		0.63%		0		0.00%		1,616		92.40%		1,749
	Henderson		979		40.74%		1,387		57.72%		37		1.54%		0		0.00%		-408		-16.98%		2,403
	Henry		2,988		67.19%		1,393		31.32%		60		1.35%		6		0.13%		1,595		35.87%		4,447
	Hickman		1,479		58.46%		1,026		40.55%		25		0.99%		0		0.00%		453		17.91%		2,530
	Houston		627		71.49%		207		23.60%		42		4.79%		1		0.11%		420		47.89%		877
	Humphreys		1,148		71.00%		452		27.95%		17		1.05%		0		0.00%		696		43.04%		1,617
	Jackson		1,506		67.05%		740		32.95%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		766		34.11%		2,246
	James		230		27.51%		606		72.49%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-376		-44.98%		836
	Jefferson		520		23.93%		1,648		75.84%		5		0.23%		0		0.00%		-1,128		-51.91%		2,173
	Johnson		263		12.67%		1,812		87.33%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-1,549		-74.65%		2,075
	Knox		4,214		41.68%		5,791		57.27%		106		1.05%		0		0.00%		-1,577		-15.60%		10,111
	Lake		727		83.66%		130		14.96%		12		1.38%		0		0.00%		597		68.70%		869
	Lauderdale		1,572		74.64%		532		25.26%		2		0.09%		0		0.00%		1,040		49.38%		2,106
	Lawrence		1,787		49.17%		1,837		50.55%		10		0.28%		0		0.00%		-50		-1.38%		3,634
	Lewis		387		47.96%		414		51.30%		6		0.74%		0		0.00%		-27		-3.35%		807
	Lincoln		2,791		83.14%		552		16.44%		10		0.30%		4		0.12%		2,239		66.70%		3,357
	Loudon		423		37.63%		698		62.10%		3		0.27%		0		0.00%		-275		-24.47%		1,124
	Macon		980		37.98%		1,600		62.02%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-620		-24.03%		2,580
	Madison		2,659		67.78%		1,194		30.44%		70		1.78%		0		0.00%		1,465		37.34%		3,923
	Marion		1,155		43.73%		1,432		54.22%		54		2.04%		0		0.00%		-277		-10.49%		2,641
	Marshall		1,652		77.41%		461		21.60%		21		0.98%		0		0.00%		1,191		55.81%		2,134
	Maury		2,169		74.13%		720		24.61%		37		1.26%		0		0.00%		1,449		49.52%		2,926
	McMinn		1,088		38.66%		1,726		61.34%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-638		-22.67%		2,814
	McNairy		1,461		47.47%		1,616		52.50%		1		0.03%		0		0.00%		-155		-5.04%		3,078
	Meigs		541		47.04%		608		52.87%		1		0.09%		0		0.00%		-67		-5.83%		1,150
	Monroe		1,263		46.08%		1,459		53.23%		19		0.69%		0		0.00%		-196		-7.15%		2,741
	Montgomery		1,976		65.45%		991		32.83%		52		1.72%		0		0.00%		985		32.63%		3,019
	Moore		722		91.05%		71		8.95%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		651		82.09%		793
	Morgan		563		30.14%		1,265		67.72%		40		2.14%		0		0.00%		-702		-37.58%		1,868
	Obion		3,170		83.64%		591		15.59%		29		0.77%		0		0.00%		2,579		68.05%		3,790
	Overton		1,512		58.40%		1,030		39.78%		47		1.82%		0		0.00%		482		18.62%		2,589
	Perry		663		57.60%		483		41.96%		5		0.43%		0		0.00%		180		15.64%		1,151
	Pickett		418		45.48%		501		54.52%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-83		-9.03%		919
	Polk		767		45.90%		887		53.08%		17		1.02%		0		0.00%		-120		-7.18%		1,671
	Putnam		2,300		62.38%		1,383		37.51%		2		0.05%		2		0.05%		917		24.87%		3,687
	Rhea		661		45.27%		768		52.60%		31		2.12%		0		0.00%		-107		-7.33%		1,460
	Roane		667		32.16%		1,341		64.66%		66		3.18%		0		0.00%		-674		-32.50%		2,074
	Robertson		2,106		72.05%		733		25.08%		82		2.81%		2		0.07%		1,373		46.97%		2,923
	Rutherford		2,941		72.49%		1,116		27.51%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1,825		44.98%		4,057
	Scott		206		11.40%		1,486		82.24%		101		5.59%		14		0.77%		-1,280		-70.84%		1,807
	Sequatchie		335		57.86%		238		41.11%		6		1.04%		0		0.00%		97		16.75%		579
	Sevier		301		9.59%		2,837		90.38%		1		0.03%		0		0.00%		-2,536		-80.79%		3,139
	Shelby		10,967		69.92%		4,515		28.79%		202		1.29%		0		0.00%		6,452		41.14%		15,684
	Smith		2,196		69.96%		941		29.98%		0		0.00%		2		0.06%		1,255		39.98%		3,139
	Stewart		1,711		73.12%		591		25.26%		38		1.62%		0		0.00%		1,120		47.86%		2,340
	Sullivan		2,601		59.33%		1,776		40.51%		7		0.16%		0		0.00%		825		18.82%		4,384
	Sumner		2,487		78.33%		612		19.28%		76		2.39%		0		0.00%		1,875		59.06%		3,175
	Tipton		2,035		85.47%		281		11.80%		65		2.73%		0		0.00%		1,754		73.67%		2,381
	Trousdale		688		76.02%		217		23.98%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		471		52.04%		905
	Unicoi		226		19.04%		961		80.96%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-735		-61.92%		1,187
	Union		389		20.65%		1,490		79.09%		4		0.21%		1		0.05%		-1,101		-58.44%		1,884
	Van Buren		405		71.30%		151		26.58%		12		2.11%		0		0.00%		254		44.72%		568
	Warren		1,855		74.26%		624		24.98%		19		0.76%		0		0.00%		1,231		49.28%		2,498
	Washington		1,831		40.14%		2,723		59.69%		8		0.18%		0		0.00%		-892		-19.55%		4,562
	Wayne		517		23.94%		1,626		75.28%		17		0.79%		0		0.00%		-1,109		-51.34%		2,160
	Weakley		3,609		67.04%		1,768		32.84%		6		0.11%		0		0.00%		1,841		34.20%		5,383
	White		1,407		69.38%		587		28.94%		34		1.68%		0		0.00%		820		40.43%		2,028
	Williamson		2,036		76.95%		600		22.68%		10		0.38%		0		0.00%		1,436		54.27%		2,646
	Wilson		2,535		75.09%		841		24.91%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1,694		50.18%		3,376
Totals	153,280	56.31%	116,223	42.70%	2,542	0.93%	145	0.05%	37,057	13.61%	272,190

See also

• 1916 United States Senate election in Tennessee
• 1916 Tennessee gubernatorial election

Notes and References

1. Wright. John K.. Voting Habits in the United States: A Note on Two Maps. Geographical Review. 22. 4. October 1932. 666–672. 10.2307/208821 . 208821 . 1932GeoRv..22..666W .
2. [Valdimer Orlando Key|Key (Jr.), Valdimer Orlando]
3. Book: Lyons. William. Scheb (II). John M.. Stair. Billy. Government and Politics in Tennessee. 2001 . 183–184. Univ. of Tennessee Press . 1572331410.
4. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
5. Grantham. Dewey W.. Tennessee and Twentieth-Century American Politics. Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 54. 3. Fall 1995. 210–229.
6. Book: Langsdon, Phillip. Tennessee: A Political History. Franklin, Tennessee. Hillsboro Press. 2000. 287–295.
7. Gritter, Elizabeth; ‘Black politics in the age of Jim Crow: Memphis, Tennessee, 1865 to 1954’ (thesis number 3418536), p. 49. Published 2010 by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
8. News: Hughes Wins Audience of Wilson Democrats In Tennessee's Capital: Large Crowds Begin by Heckling Republican Leader and End by Giving Him Rounds of Applause for His Fearless Utterances of Opinion and Policy. San Francisco Chronicle. September 5, 1916. 1.
9. News: Wilson Retains Lead in Kentucky and Tennessee. The Washington Post. October 29, 1916. 16.
10. News: Still Uncertain in Many States: Presidential Contest Close to Very End of Straw Vote. Boston Daily Globe. November 5, 1916. 58.
11. Web site: 1916 Presidential General Election Results – Tennessee. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.