1920 United States presidential election in Michigan explained

See main article: 1920 United States presidential election.

Election Name:	1920 United States presidential election in Michigan
Country:	Michigan
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1916 United States presidential election in Michigan
Previous Year:	1916
Next Election:	1924 United States presidential election in Michigan
Next Year:	1924
Votes For Election:	All 15 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
Election Date:	November 2, 1920
Image1:	Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg
Nominee1:	Warren G. Harding
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:	Ohio
Running Mate1:	Calvin Coolidge
Electoral Vote1:	15
Popular Vote1:	762,865
Percentage1:	72.76%
Nominee2:	James M. Cox
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:	Ohio
Running Mate2:	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	233,450
Percentage2:	22.27%
President
Before Election:	Woodrow Wilson
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Warren G. Harding
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)
Map Size:	375px

The 1920 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 United States presidential election. Voters chose 15^[1] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Ever since the Panic of 1893 and the Populist movement, Michigan had been rigidly one-party polity dominated by the Republican Party.^[2] In the 1894 elections, the Democratic Party lost all but one seat in the Michigan legislature,^[3] and over the four ensuing decades the party would never make major gains there.^[2]

The dominance of the culture of the Lower Peninsula by anti-slavery Yankees^[4] would be augmented by the turn of formerly Democratic-leaning German Catholics away from that party as a result of the remodelled party’s agrarian and free silver sympathies, which became rigidly opposed by both the upper class and workers who followed them,^[5] while the Populist movement eliminated Democratic ties with business and commerce of Michigan and other Northern states.^[6] Unlike the other states of the Upper Midwest, the Yankee influence on the culture of the Lower Peninsula was so strong that left-wing third parties did not provide significant opposition to the Republicans, nor was there more than a moderate degree of coordinated factionalism within the hegemonic Michigan Republican Party.^[7]

Although by taking a substantial proportion of the 1912 “Bull Moose” vote, incumbent president Woodrow Wilson had managed the best performance in Michigan by a Democrat since Grover Cleveland in 1888,^[8] 1918 saw a major reaction against Wilson throughout the Midwest, due to supposed preferential treatment of Southern farmers:^[9] Republicans would hold every seat in the State Senate for over a decade after the fall election,^[10] as they had between 1895 and 1897 and between 1905 and 1911.

During the 1920 election campaign Michigan gained almost no attention because it had been so firmly Republican over the past quarter century. A poll of four university students showed three voting for Republican candidate Warren G. Harding and one for Democratic opponent James M. Cox.^[11] A later poll in October showed that the very small August poll was not inaccurate, with Harding leading by slightly less than three-to-one.^[12] The Post-Crescent’s expectations were fulfilled, as Harding won in a landslide, with almost 73 percent of the vote to only 22.27 percent for Cox.

Analysis

With 72.76 percent of the popular, Michigan would prove to be Harding third strongest state in the 1920 election terms of popular vote percentage after North Dakota and Vermont.^[13]

Harding received the largest share of the popular vote in a presidential election for Michigan at the time, though that record would be broken four years later. Cox fell more than 3.5 percent below the previous worst Democratic showing by Alton B. Parker from 1904. This was the first of three consecutive elections where Michigan supported a Republican candidate with more than seventy percent of the vote and the only examples of any presidential candidate receiving such a high share in the state.^[8]

Concurrent with Harding’s triumph in the state, the Republicans would win every single seat in not just the State Senate, but also the State House of Representatives.

Results

Results by county

1920 United States presidential election in Michigan by county

County	Warren Gamail Harding Republican		James Middleton Cox Democratic		Eugene Victor Debs Socialist		Parley Parker Christensen Farmer–Labor		Various candidates Other parties		Margin		data-sort-type="number" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"	Total votes cast^[14]
		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Alcona		1,043		75.85%		264		19.20%		39		2.84%		5		0.36%		24		1.75%		779		56.65%		1,375
	Alger		1,263		66.09%		468		24.49%		143		7.48%		23		1.20%		14		0.73%		795		41.60%		1,911
	Allegan		7,825		75.89%		2,154		20.89%		127		1.23%		29		0.28%		176		1.71%		5,671		55.00%		10,311
	Alpena		3,467		63.38%		1,893		34.61%		84		1.54%		7		0.13%		19		0.35%		1,574		28.78%		5,470
	Antrim		2,260		77.53%		518		17.77%		63		2.16%		9		0.31%		65		2.23%		1,742		59.76%		2,915
	Arenac		1,521		66.36%		669		29.19%		55		2.40%		12		0.52%		35		1.53%		852		37.17%		2,292
	Baraga		1,368		74.67%		304		16.59%		120		6.55%		25		1.36%		15		0.82%		1,064		58.08%		1,832
	Barry		5,154		70.69%		1,874		25.70%		44		0.60%		14		0.19%		205		2.81%		3,280		44.99%		7,291
	Bay		13,933		64.93%		7,011		32.67%		180		0.84%		207		0.96%		129		0.60%		6,922		32.26%		21,460
	Benzie		1,520		72.00%		422		19.99%		88		4.17%		28		1.33%		53		2.51%		1,098		52.01%		2,111
	Berrien		15,748		74.06%		4,855		22.83%		368		1.73%		87		0.41%		207		0.97%		10,893		51.23%		21,265
	Branch		5,704		69.72%		2,181		26.66%		76		0.93%		18		0.22%		202		2.47%		3,523		43.06%		8,181
	Calhoun		16,722		69.12%		6,291		26.00%		540		2.23%		171		0.71%		469		1.94%		10,431		43.12%		24,193
	Cass		4,498		74.25%		1,286		21.23%		153		2.53%		23		0.38%		98		1.62%		3,212		53.02%		6,058
	Charlevoix		3,079		77.07%		704		17.62%		135		3.38%		12		0.30%		65		1.63%		2,375		59.45%		3,995
	Cheboygan		2,472		63.47%		1,281		32.89%		61		1.57%		43		1.10%		38		0.98%		1,191		30.58%		3,895
	Chippewa		4,732		74.36%		1,266		19.89%		180		2.83%		78		1.23%		108		1.70%		3,466		54.46%		6,364
	Clare		1,762		73.48%		511		21.31%		77		3.21%		4		0.17%		44		1.83%		1,251		52.17%		2,398
	Clinton		6,019		78.91%		1,464		19.19%		39		0.51%		13		0.17%		93		1.22%		4,555		59.71%		7,628
	Crawford		726		64.42%		361		32.03%		26		2.31%		5		0.44%		9		0.80%		365		32.39%		1,127
	Delta		4,938		65.40%		1,985		26.29%		348		4.61%		199		2.64%		80		1.06%		2,953		39.11%		7,550
	Dickinson		3,539		76.65%		580		12.56%		352		7.62%		38		0.82%		108		2.34%		2,959		64.09%		4,617
	Eaton		7,343		70.99%		2,727		26.36%		92		0.89%		28		0.27%		154		1.49%		4,616		44.62%		10,344
	Emmet		3,059		68.88%		1,070		24.09%		188		4.23%		23		0.52%		101		2.27%		1,989		44.79%		4,441
	Genesee		24,543		74.66%		7,408		22.54%		538		1.64%		85		0.26%		299		0.91%		17,135		52.12%		32,873
	Gladwin		1,687		78.68%		313		14.60%		81		3.78%		6		0.28%		57		2.66%		1,374		64.09%		2,144
	Gogebic		5,486		79.72%		823		11.96%		364		5.29%		70		1.02%		139		2.02%		4,663		67.76%		6,882
	Grand Traverse		4,056		74.04%		1,158		21.14%		155		2.83%		20		0.37%		89		1.62%		2,898		52.90%		5,478
	Gratiot		6,578		77.41%		1,846		21.72%		41		0.48%		15		0.18%		18		0.21%		4,732		55.68%		8,498
	Hillsdale		6,690		71.12%		2,467		26.23%		57		0.61%		13		0.14%		179		1.90%		4,223		44.90%		9,406
	Houghton		14,938		80.20%		3,088		16.58%		381		2.05%		117		0.63%		101		0.54%		11,850		63.62%		18,625
	Huron		8,354		82.57%		1,581		15.63%		93		0.92%		20		0.20%		69		0.68%		6,773		66.95%		10,117
	Ingham		18,437		69.63%		7,061		26.67%		508		1.92%		88		0.33%		386		1.46%		11,376		42.96%		26,480
	Ionia		7,977		67.59%		3,395		28.77%		93		0.79%		23		0.19%		314		2.66%		4,582		38.82%		11,802
	Iosco		2,013		76.71%		548		20.88%		39		1.49%		14		0.53%		10		0.38%		1,465		55.83%		2,624
	Iron		3,515		82.80%		497		11.71%		172		4.05%		18		0.42%		43		1.01%		3,018		71.10%		4,245
	Isabella		5,089		73.82%		1,627		23.60%		73		1.06%		10		0.15%		95		1.38%		3,462		50.22%		6,894
	Jackson		15,922		64.90%		7,789		31.75%		294		1.20%		89		0.36%		440		1.79%		8,133		33.15%		24,534
	Kalamazoo		13,765		67.53%		5,271		25.86%		548		2.69%		521		2.56%		279		1.37%		8,494		41.67%		20,384
	Kalkaska		890		73.19%		224		18.42%		38		3.13%		9		0.74%		55		4.52%		666		54.77%		1,216
	Kent		40,802		70.14%		14,763		25.38%		973		1.67%		783		1.35%		854		1.47%		26,039		44.76%		58,175
	Keweenaw		1,272		90.15%		89		6.31%		39		2.76%		1		0.07%		10		0.71%		1,183		83.84%		1,411
	Lake		926		74.80%		261		21.08%		30		2.42%		11		0.89%		10		0.81%		665		53.72%		1,238
	Lapeer		5,523		78.61%		1,298		18.47%		38		0.54%		20		0.28%		147		2.09%		4,225		60.13%		7,026
	Leelanau		2,156		82.26%		406		15.49%		39		1.49%		4		0.15%		16		0.61%		1,750		66.77%		2,621
	Lenawee		11,973		68.89%		5,095		29.32%		85		0.49%		19		0.11%		207		1.19%		6,878		39.58%		17,379
	Livingston		4,639		64.10%		2,437		33.67%		12		0.17%		8		0.11%		141		1.95%		2,202		30.43%		7,237
	Luce		708		76.54%		187		20.22%		6		0.65%		2		0.22%		22		2.38%		521		56.32%		925
	Mackinac		1,685		62.87%		932		34.78%		37		1.38%		8		0.30%		18		0.67%		753		28.10%		2,680
	Macomb		9,735		73.97%		3,023		22.97%		183		1.39%		68		0.52%		152		1.15%		6,712		51.00%		13,161
	Manistee		2,179		47.68%		2,184		47.79%		150		3.28%		14		0.31%		43		0.94%		-5		-0.11%		4,570
	Marquette		9,233		70.46%		3,012		22.99%		534		4.08%		207		1.58%		117		0.89%		6,221		47.48%		13,103
	Mason		3,652		69.39%		1,338		25.42%		154		2.93%		21		0.40%		98		1.86%		2,314		43.97%		5,263
	Mecosta		3,932		74.78%		1,145		21.78%		112		2.13%		7		0.13%		62		1.18%		2,787		53.00%		5,258
	Menominee		5,045		72.41%		1,560		22.39%		239		3.43%		66		0.95%		57		0.82%		3,485		50.02%		6,967
	Midland		4,115		78.88%		959		18.38%		79		1.51%		12		0.23%		52		1.00%		3,156		60.49%		5,217
	Missaukee		1,801		82.46%		345		15.80%		14		0.64%		2		0.09%		22		1.01%		1,456		66.67%		2,184
	Monroe		8,646		61.34%		5,224		37.06%		119		0.84%		12		0.09%		95		0.67%		3,422		24.28%		14,096
	Montcalm		6,644		77.27%		1,695		19.71%		109		1.27%		18		0.21%		132		1.54%		4,949		57.56%		8,598
	Montmorency		832		75.57%		199		18.07%		55		5.00%		5		0.45%		10		0.91%		633		57.49%		1,101
	Muskegon		11,702		73.70%		3,468		21.84%		485		3.05%		56		0.35%		166		1.05%		8,234		51.86%		15,877
	Newaygo		4,188		78.91%		929		17.51%		81		1.53%		11		0.21%		98		1.85%		3,259		61.41%		5,307
	Oakland		19,321		70.98%		6,421		23.59%		916		3.37%		112		0.41%		450		1.65%		12,900		47.39%		27,220
	Oceana		3,535		77.85%		785		17.29%		101		2.22%		22		0.48%		98		2.16%		2,750		60.56%		4,541
	Ogemaw		1,687		75.55%		444		19.88%		43		1.93%		7		0.31%		52		2.33%		1,243		55.67%		2,233
	Ontonagon		1,977		67.71%		657		22.50%		215		7.36%		37		1.27%		34		1.16%		1,320		45.21%		2,920
	Osceola		3,603		80.84%		769		17.25%		33		0.74%		11		0.25%		41		0.92%		2,834		63.59%		4,457
	Oscoda		439		83.78%		75		14.31%		5		0.95%		3		0.57%		2		0.38%		364		69.47%		524
	Otsego		874		64.03%		466		34.14%		4		0.29%		10		0.73%		11		0.81%		408		29.89%		1,365
	Ottawa		10,528		78.74%		2,391		17.88%		205		1.53%		41		0.31%		205		1.53%		8,137		60.86%		13,370
	Presque Isle		2,522		80.76%		525		16.81%		36		1.15%		22		0.70%		18		0.58%		1,997		63.94%		3,123
	Roscommon		652		75.29%		182		21.02%		21		2.42%		3		0.35%		8		0.92%		470		54.27%		866
	Saginaw		20,425		68.24%		8,494		28.38%		578		1.93%		240		0.80%		195		0.65%		11,931		39.86%		29,932
	Sanilac		7,256		84.66%		1,146		13.37%		59		0.69%		7		0.08%		103		1.20%		6,110		71.29%		8,571
	Schoolcraft		1,776		71.33%		428		17.19%		226		9.08%		26		1.04%		34		1.37%		1,348		54.14%		2,490
	Shiawassee		7,194		69.93%		2,595		25.23%		143		1.39%		36		0.35%		319		3.10%		4,599		44.71%		10,287
	St. Clair		14,938		75.14%		4,566		22.97%		147		0.74%		84		0.42%		144		0.72%		10,372		52.18%		19,879
	St. Joseph		6,035		66.59%		2,725		30.07%		121		1.34%		24		0.26%		158		1.74%		3,310		36.52%		9,063
	Tuscola		7,282		82.67%		1,269		14.41%		62		0.70%		29		0.33%		167		1.90%		6,013		68.26%		8,809
	Van Buren		6,904		75.11%		1,988		21.63%		162		1.76%		17		0.18%		121		1.32%		4,916		53.48%		9,192
	Washtenaw		14,082		74.46%		4,468		23.63%		155		0.82%		9		0.05%		198		1.05%		9,614		50.84%		18,912
	Wayne		220,482		74.75%		51,773		17.55%		14,531		4.93%		5,827		1.98%		2,330		0.79%		168,709		57.20%		294,943
	Wexford		3,406		73.03%		1,095		23.48%		57		1.22%		22		0.47%		84		1.80%		2,311		49.55%		4,664
Totals	762,865	72.76%	233,450	22.27%	28,947	2.76%	10,480	1.00%	12,669	1.21%	529,415	50.50%	1,048,411

See also

• United States presidential elections in Michigan

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1920 Election for the Thirty-Fourth Term (1921-1925). 2018-04-03.
2. Book: Burnham, Walter Dean. The System of 1896: An Analysis. The Evolution of American Electoral Systems. 178–179. 0313213798.
3. News: Swamped! The Democrats Drowned Out by a Tremendous Republican Tidal Wave. The L'Anse Sentinel. November 10, 1894. L'Anse. 1.
4. English, Gustavus P.; Proceedings of the Ninth Republican National Convention (1888), p. 234
5. Book: Sundquist, James. Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years. 526. 0815719094.
6. Book: Rogowski, Ronald. Commerce and Coalitions: How Trade Affects Domestic Political Alignments. 0691219435. Princeton University Press. 2020.
7. Book: Hansen. John Mark. Shigeo. Hirano. Snyder Jr.. James M.. Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980. Gerber. Alan S.. Schickler. Eric. Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America. 165–168. 978-1-107-09509-0.
8. Web site: Presidential General Election Results Comparison — Michigan. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
9. Book: Morello, John A.. Albert D. Lasker, Advertising, and the Election of Warren G. Harding. 64. 0275970302.
10. Kang. Michael S.. Hyperpartisan Gerrymandering. Boston College Law Review. May 29, 2019. 69. 1395.
11. News: Harding Elected By Students of N.Y. University — Practically Every State Is Represented in "Election" Held Recently: Many Women Vote for Him; Cox Runs Second and Debs Polls Nearly as Many as Democrat. The Lima Gazette and The Lima Republican. Lima, Ohio. August 22, 1920. 15.
12. News: Women of Nation Vote for Harding: Rexall Returns Show that They Furnish One-Quarter of Voting Strength. The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. October 8, 1920. 8.
13. Web site: 1920 Presidential Election Statistics. Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. 2018-03-05.
14. Michigan Department of State — Bureau of Elections; ‘Presidential Vote in Michigan From 1920 to 1932’; Michigan Manual, (1933), p. 387