South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1916

The 1916 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1916 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Governor Richard Irvine Manning III faced a strong challenge from former governor Coleman Livingston Blease in the Democratic primary, but Manning managed to win a second two-year term as governor.

Democratic Primary

Governor Richard Irvine Manning III ran for a second term, but faced a challenge in the state Democratic primary from former governor Coleman Livingston Blease and Robert Archer Cooper. The progressive reforms initiated by Governor Manning alarmed many of the textile owners who threw their support to Cooper. Blease revived his political coalition of mill workers and sharecroppers and he made political capital out of Manning's use of troops to enforce a court eviction order against strikers at a mill in Anderson. Senator Ben Tillman openly supported the re-election of Governor Manning.

The results of the primary on August 29 had Blease in first place, but just short of a majority necessary to avoid a runoff election. With the elimination of Cooper, the mill executives threw their support to Manning. Indeed, most South Carolinians not already supporting Blease preferred Manning to Blease. Many viewed the election as one of government and misgovernment. Manning eked out a victory in the runoff on September 12 and was essentially elected to a second two-year term because there was nominal opposition in the general election.

General Election

The general election was held on November 7, 1916 and Richard Irvine Manning III was reelected governor of South Carolina without opposition. Turnout increased over the previous gubernatorial election because there was also a presidential election on the ballot.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Richard Irvine Manning III
votes = 60,405
percentage = 97.9
change = -1.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Coleman Livingston Blease
votes = 1,089
percentage = 1.8
change = +1.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Party of America
candidate = J.C. Gibbes
votes = 163
percentage = 0.3
change = +0.1Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 38
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 59,316
percentage = 96.1
change = -3.5Election box turnout
votes = 61,695
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
-

frame|300px|none|1916 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.

ee also

*Governor of South Carolina
*List of Governors of South Carolina
*South Carolina gubernatorial elections

References

*cite book | first = Ernest McPherson | last = Lander, Jr. | title = A History of South Carolina, 1865-1960 | year = 1970 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | id = ISBN 0872491692 | pages = pp. 54-55
*cite news |title= Results of First Primary Declared |work= The News and Courier |date= 6 September 1916 |page= 2
*cite news |title= Governor Manning Declared Nominee |work= The News and Courier |date= 20 September 1916 |page= 2
*cite book | last = Jordan | first = Frank E | title = The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 | pages = pp. 31-33
*"Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina. Part II." "Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina". Volume II. Columbia, SC: 1917, pp. 5-6.

External links

* [http://www.sciway.net/hist/governors/rmanningiii.html SCIway Biography of Richard Irvine Manning III]

sequence
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list=South Carolina gubernatorial elections
next=1918