1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky explained

See main article: 1920 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Country:Kentucky
Flag Image:Flag of Kentucky (1918-1963).svg
Flag Year:1918
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1916 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Previous Year:1916
Next Election:1924 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Next Year:1924
Election Date:November 2, 1920
Image1:James M. Cox 1920.jpg
Nominee1:James M. Cox
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:Ohio
Running Mate1:Franklin D. Roosevelt
Electoral Vote1:13
Popular Vote1:456,497
Percentage1:49.69%
Nominee2:Warren G. Harding
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:Ohio
Running Mate2:Calvin Coolidge
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:452,480
Percentage2:49.25%
Map Size:380px
President
Before Election:Woodrow Wilson
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Warren G. Harding
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 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]

In 1919, however, Kentucky saw a significant change as the Republicans won not merely the governorship via Edwin P. Morrow but also control of the state legislature.[5] However, there was a thought at the time that the triumph was partly a reflection of Morrow's own personal popularity.[6]

The state legislature would ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on January 6, 1920, by more than three-to-one in both houses,[7] and Kentucky would – alongside North Carolina which was abolishing its poll tax – observe the largest mobilization of new voters in the entire Union,[8] and possibly the largest mobilization of female voters anywhere.[9]

Despite the extreme hostility to outgoing President Wilson, Democratic nominee and Ohio Governor James M. Cox – who originated in Butler County, Ohio just across the state line – was supported powerfully by Fayette County political boss Billy Kair, and alongside the mobilization of female voters noted above, this caused Kentucky to lead the nation in turnout.[10] With this high turnout and Kair's powerful support of Governor Cox, the Democrats were able to carry Kentucky by 0.44 percent or 4,017 votes, in spite of Cox losing Tennessee and all the other Border States to Ohio Senator and Republican nominee Warren G. Harding,[10] who nationally won the largest popular-vote margin on record. Alongside North Carolina, Kentucky was the state which most resisted the Republican landslide, with Cox falling by only 3 percent from Woodrow Wilson’s 1916 vote share.[11]

Results

Presidential CandidateRunning MatePartyElectoral Vote (EV)Popular Vote (PV)
James M. Cox of OhioFranklin D. RooseveltDemocratic13[12] 456,49749.69%
Warren G. HardingCalvin CoolidgeRepublican0452,48049.26%
Eugene V. DebsSeymour StedmanSocialist06,4090.70%
Aaron S. WatkinsD. Leigh ColvinProhibition03,2500.35%

Results by county

1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky by county[13]
CountyJames Middleton Cox
Democratic
Warren Gamaliel Harding
Republican
Eugene Victor Debs
Socialist
Aaron Sherman Watkins
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" %
Adair2,72543.50%3,52656.28%50.08%90.14%-801-12.79%6,265
Allen2,25539.08%3,47660.24%60.10%330.57%-1,221-21.16%5,770
Anderson2,49957.71%1,81942.01%00.00%120.28%68015.70%4,330
Ballard3,98776.48%1,10721.24%1052.01%140.27%2,88055.25%5,213
Barren5,49957.70%3,97241.67%270.28%330.35%1,52716.02%9,531
Bath2,44054.72%1,99744.79%60.13%160.36%4439.93%4,459
Bell2,27725.26%6,69174.23%240.27%220.24%-4,414-48.97%9,014
Boone3,47277.50%97321.72%110.25%240.54%2,49955.78%4,480
Bourbon5,45257.24%4,02942.30%110.12%320.34%1,42314.94%9,524
Boyd5,10344.13%6,33454.78%530.46%730.63%-1,231-10.65%11,563
Boyle4,09955.83%3,20543.65%100.14%280.38%89412.18%7,342
Bracken2,62158.66%1,79140.09%451.01%110.25%83018.58%4,468
Breathitt2,73752.31%2,46447.09%90.17%220.42%2735.22%5,232
Breckinridge3,70245.71%4,36853.93%100.12%190.23%-666-8.22%8,099
Bullitt2,54864.44%1,39335.23%80.20%50.13%1,15529.21%3,954
Butler1,35624.81%4,09774.95%40.07%90.16%-2,741-50.15%5,466
Caldwell2,74647.41%2,95851.07%691.19%190.33%-212-3.66%5,792
Calloway4,57472.79%1,52024.19%1542.45%360.57%3,05448.60%6,284
Campbell10,59744.20%12,21050.93%1,0464.36%1230.51%-1,613-6.73%23,976
Carlisle2,68878.09%68819.99%381.10%280.81%2,00058.11%3,442
Carroll3,20977.49%90621.88%40.10%220.53%2,30355.61%4,141
Carter2,75737.19%4,59561.98%280.38%340.46%-1,838-24.79%7,414
Casey1,95135.26%3,54364.03%90.16%300.54%-1,592-28.77%5,533
Christian7,20944.90%8,74354.45%660.41%390.24%-1,534-9.55%16,057
Clark4,84660.67%3,10538.88%130.16%230.29%1,74121.80%7,987
Clay96019.17%4,01580.17%220.44%110.22%-3,055-61.00%5,008
Clinton43115.40%2,35684.20%60.21%50.18%-1,925-68.80%2,798
Crittenden2,13840.26%3,14959.29%90.17%150.28%-1,011-19.04%5,311
Cumberland93128.01%2,38071.60%40.12%90.27%-1,449-43.59%3,324
Daviess9,66955.70%7,58443.69%480.28%580.33%2,08512.01%17,359
Edmonson1,17133.13%2,34866.42%40.11%120.34%-1,177-33.30%3,535
Elliott1,76466.89%86032.61%00.00%130.49%90434.28%2,637
Estill1,82341.55%2,55258.17%30.07%90.21%-729-16.62%4,387
Fayette12,92653.55%11,03245.70%580.24%1230.51%1,8947.85%24,139
Fleming3,48853.88%2,96045.72%50.08%210.32%5288.16%6,474
Floyd3,59755.61%2,82543.68%310.48%150.23%77211.94%6,468
Franklin5,87868.28%2,71031.48%130.15%80.09%3,16836.80%8,609
Fulton3,84373.35%1,36526.05%170.32%140.27%2,47847.30%5,239
Gallatin1,78276.58%53623.03%40.17%50.21%1,24653.55%2,327
Garrard2,43444.51%2,99454.74%60.11%350.64%-560-10.24%5,469
Grant2,68661.93%1,61337.19%40.09%340.78%1,07324.74%4,337
Graves9,01872.14%3,24125.93%2161.73%250.20%5,77746.22%12,500
Grayson2,83040.15%4,17459.21%100.14%350.50%-1,344-19.07%7,049
Green1,72342.54%2,31057.04%80.20%90.22%-587-14.49%4,050
Greenup2,75446.18%3,11152.17%671.12%310.52%-357-5.99%5,963
Hancock1,38448.07%1,44650.23%351.22%140.49%-62-2.15%2,879
Hardin5,38261.28%3,33437.96%300.34%360.41%2,04823.32%8,782
Harlan1,80519.30%7,49380.13%310.33%220.24%-5,688-60.83%9,351
Harrison4,80466.36%2,37832.85%100.14%470.65%2,42633.51%7,239
Hart2,97247.08%3,26451.70%590.93%180.29%-292-4.63%6,313
Henderson7,27262.06%4,16135.51%2061.76%790.67%3,11126.55%11,718
Henry4,64067.28%2,20832.01%100.14%390.57%2,43235.26%6,897
Hickman3,04577.40%86622.01%170.43%60.15%2,17955.39%3,934
Hopkins7,82952.77%6,73245.38%1601.08%1150.78%1,0977.39%14,836
Jackson2607.55%3,17492.16%40.12%60.17%-2,914-84.61%3,444
Jefferson56,04644.64%68,20254.32%1,1190.89%1820.14%-12,156-9.68%125,549
Jessamine3,20656.35%2,34941.29%50.09%1292.27%85715.06%5,689
Johnson1,71427.93%4,37371.26%250.41%250.41%-2,659-43.33%6,137
Kenton16,30056.74%11,41139.72%8783.06%1410.49%4,88917.02%28,730
Knott2,29573.84%80225.80%20.06%90.29%1,49348.04%3,108
Knox1,53422.50%5,22876.68%360.53%200.29%-3,694-54.18%6,818
Larue2,36156.07%1,83843.65%40.09%80.19%52312.42%4,211
Laurel1,62127.43%4,25271.96%160.27%200.34%-2,631-44.53%5,909
Lawrence2,55847.08%2,84952.44%70.13%190.35%-291-5.36%5,433
Lee1,24639.99%1,85659.56%70.22%70.22%-610-19.58%3,116
Leslie1425.19%2,57694.22%130.48%30.11%-2,434-89.03%2,734
Letcher1,96031.11%4,31768.51%100.16%140.22%-2,357-37.41%6,301
Lewis1,55026.60%4,18671.84%500.86%410.70%-2,636-45.24%5,827
Lincoln3,78750.05%3,71049.04%260.34%430.57%771.02%7,566
Livingston1,93351.08%1,79047.30%561.48%50.13%1433.78%3,784
Logan6,11160.36%3,94838.99%350.35%310.31%2,16321.36%10,125
Lyon1,96859.96%1,27538.85%230.70%160.49%69321.12%3,282
Madison5,64748.10%6,01251.21%320.27%480.41%-365-3.11%11,739
Magoffin1,35236.39%2,34763.18%70.19%90.24%-995-26.78%3,715
Marion3,80760.83%2,43138.85%40.06%160.26%1,37621.99%6,258
Marshall3,56964.99%1,88334.29%150.27%250.46%1,68630.70%5,492
Martin33015.89%1,72683.10%80.39%130.63%-1,396-67.21%2,077
Mason4,69155.34%3,74344.16%90.11%330.39%94811.18%8,476
McCracken8,49657.10%6,08540.89%2561.72%430.29%2,41116.20%14,880
McCreary52515.27%2,88984.01%150.44%100.29%-2,364-68.74%3,439
McLean2,75452.75%2,40846.12%500.96%90.17%3466.63%5,221
Meade2,19559.44%1,46839.75%220.60%80.22%72719.69%3,693
Menifee1,14965.81%58133.28%70.40%90.52%56832.53%1,746
Mercer3,62356.24%2,78643.25%60.09%270.42%83712.99%6,442
Metcalfe1,44244.25%1,80955.51%00.00%80.25%-367-11.26%3,259
Monroe1,10824.36%3,42675.31%30.07%120.26%-2,318-50.96%4,549
Montgomery3,06958.35%2,16341.12%90.17%190.36%90617.22%5,260
Morgan3,34764.79%1,80234.88%40.08%130.25%1,54529.91%5,166
Muhlenberg4,82441.04%6,66756.73%2241.91%380.32%-1,843-15.68%11,753
Nelson5,06163.00%2,94536.66%80.10%190.24%2,11626.34%8,033
Nicholas2,95365.71%1,49633.29%110.24%340.76%1,45732.42%4,494
Ohio4,01141.91%5,37156.12%1441.50%450.47%-1,360-14.21%9,571
Oldham2,65572.07%1,01427.52%50.14%100.27%1,64144.54%3,684
Owen4,62381.26%1,04918.44%70.12%100.18%3,57462.82%5,689
Owsley25711.79%1,91487.80%60.28%30.14%-1,657-76.01%2,180
Pendleton2,59854.67%2,10544.30%100.21%390.82%49310.37%4,752
Perry2,20333.52%4,34566.10%120.18%130.20%-2,142-32.59%6,573
Pike5,61941.25%7,91158.08%320.23%600.44%-2,292-16.83%13,622
Powell1,03855.10%83544.32%10.05%100.53%20310.77%1,884
Pulaski3,74933.90%7,26265.67%180.16%300.27%-3,513-31.77%11,059
Robertson94059.87%62339.68%00.00%70.45%31720.19%1,570
Rockcastle1,43828.66%3,56170.96%70.14%120.24%-2,123-42.31%5,018
Rowan1,26444.40%1,56454.94%130.46%60.21%-300-10.54%2,847
Russell1,15730.85%2,58768.97%30.08%40.11%-1,430-38.12%3,751
Scott4,99365.02%2,66134.65%100.13%150.20%2,33230.37%7,679
Shelby5,44661.34%3,40238.32%120.14%190.21%2,04423.02%8,879
Simpson3,20665.34%1,68034.24%50.10%160.33%1,52631.10%4,907
Spencer2,13565.63%1,10233.88%50.15%110.34%1,03331.76%3,253
Taylor2,38048.59%2,49350.90%60.12%190.39%-113-2.31%4,898
Todd3,29254.78%2,66344.31%290.48%260.43%62910.47%6,010
Trigg3,05655.08%2,42043.62%561.01%160.29%63611.46%5,548
Trimble2,05784.51%36114.83%50.21%110.45%1,69669.68%2,434
Union4,91970.81%1,94327.97%640.92%210.30%2,97642.84%6,947
Warren7,01055.64%5,47443.45%340.27%810.64%1,53612.19%12,599
Washington2,60047.26%2,89252.56%30.05%70.13%-292-5.31%5,502
Wayne1,82737.68%2,99261.70%150.31%150.31%-1,165-24.03%4,849
Webster4,83157.41%3,55442.23%120.14%180.21%1,27715.18%8,415
Whitley1,55617.64%7,23582.04%200.23%80.09%-5,679-64.40%8,819
Wolfe1,47660.69%93938.61%20.08%150.62%53722.08%2,432
Woodford3,29959.53%2,21840.02%130.23%120.22%1,08119.51%5,542
Totals456,49749.69%452,48049.26%6,4090.70%3,2500.35%4,0170.44%918,636

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. Harrison, Lowell Hayes; A New History of Kentucky, p. 268
  5. Ellis, William; A History of Education in Kentucky, p. 193
  6. Harrison; A New History of Kentucky, p. 352
  7. Klotter, James C.; Our Kentucky: A Study of the Bluegrass State, p. 200
  8. Schuyler, Lorraine Gates; The Weight of Their Votes: Southern Women and Political Leverage in the 1920s, p. 190
  9. Corder, J. Kevin and Wolbrecht, Christina; Counting Women's Ballots: Female Voters from Suffrage Through the New Deal, p. 137
  10. Bolin, Janes Duane; Bossism and Reform in a Southern City: Lexington, Kentucky, 1880-1940, pp. 82-83
  11. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, p. 52
  12. Web site: 1920 Presidential General Election Results – Kentucky. Dave Leip. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  13. Kentucky Secretary of State; General Election Held November 2nd, 1920 Presidential Electors (Ledger)