1892 Illinois gubernatorial election

1892 Illinois gubernatorial election

←  1888 November 8, 1892 (1892-11-08) 1896  →

Nominee John Peter Altgeld Joseph W. Fifer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 425,558 402,676 Percentage 48.74% 46.12%

County results Altgeld:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70% Fifer:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Governor before election Joseph W. Fifer Republican Elected Governor John Peter Altgeld Democratic

The 1892 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1892.

Incumbent Republican Governor Joseph W. Fifer was defeated by Democratic nominee John Peter Altgeld who won 48.74% of the vote. Altgeld was the first Democratic Governor of Illinois elected since 1852, before the foundation of the Republican Party.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

• John Peter Altgeld, former Justice of the Superior Court of Cook County
• John C. Black, former United States Commissioner of Pensions
• Andrew Jackson Hunter, judge of the Edgar County court
• William H. Neece, former U.S. Congressman for Illinois's 11th congressional district
• Delos P. Phelps, Democratic nominee for Illinois's 10th congressional district in 1878

Results

The Democratic state convention was held on April 27, 1892, at Springfield.

Democratic gubernatorial nomination, 1st ballot, April 27, 1892 ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Peter Altgeld	561	65.31
	Democratic	John C. Black	185	21.54
	Democratic	Andrew Jackson Hunter	53	6.17
	Democratic	William H. Neece	44	5.12
	Democratic	Delos P. Phelps	16	1.86
Total votes			859	100.00

Republican nomination

Candidates

• Joseph W. Fifer, incumbent Governor
• Joel Minnick Longenecker, state’s attorney in Chicago, Cook County
• Horace S. Clark
• George Hunt, incumbent Illinois Attorney General
• Benjamin Franklin Marsh, former U.S. Congressman for Illinois's 10th congressional district

Results

Sketch of the Republican station convention at which Fifer was re-nominated

The Republican state convention was held on May 4 and 5, 1892 at Springfield.

Republican gubernatorial nomination, 1st ballot, May 4, 1892 ^{[1] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [a]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Joseph W. Fifer (incumbent)	941	76.19
	Republican	Joel Minnick Longenecker	120	9.72
	Republican	Horace S. Clark	93	7.53
	Republican	George Hunt	51	4.13
	Republican	Benjamin Franklin Marsh	30	2.43
Total votes			1,235	100.00

General election

Candidates

• John Peter Altgeld, Democratic
• Joseph W. Fifer, Republican
• Nathan M. Barnett, People's Party, Union Labor nominee for Illinois State Treasurer in 1888
• Robert R. Link, Prohibition, Prohibition nominee for Illinois State Treasurer in 1890

Results

Illinois gubernatorial election, 1892 ^{[12] [13] [14]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Peter Altgeld	425,558	48.74%
	Republican	Joseph W. Fifer (incumbent)	402,676	46.12%
	Prohibition	Robert R. Link	24,808	2.84%
	Populist	Nathan M. Barnett	20,103	2.30%
Majority			22,882	2.62%
Turnout			873,145	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing

References

1. Illinois Blue Book 1925, p. 303.
2. "IL Governor, 1892 - D Convention". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
3. "How Altgeld Was Chosen". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. April 28, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
4. "Altgeld Men Win The Point". Delphi Journal. Delphi, Indiana. May 5, 1892. p. 6. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
5. "IL Governor, 1892 - R Convention". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
6. "Great Gatherings". Rock Island Daily Argus. Rock Island, Ill. May 6, 1892. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
7. "Second Day's Session". The Madison daily leader. Madison, S.D. May 6, 1892. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
8. "Illinois Goes Instructed". Pittsburg dispatch. Pittsburg, Pa. May 6, 1892. p. 9. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
9. "Indorse Harrison". Marble Hill press. Marble Hill, Mo. May 12, 1892. p. 5. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
10. "Illinois Republicans". Santa Fe daily New Mexican. Santa Fe, N.M. May 6, 1892. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
11. "Points in Politics". The Evening Bulletin. Maysville, Kentucky. May 6, 1892. p. 4. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
12. Illinois Official Vote 1892, pp. 5–6.
13. "IL Governor, 1892". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
14. Journal of the Senate of the Thirty-Eighth General Assembly of the State of Illinois. Springfield, Ill.: H. W. Rokker, State Printer and Binder. 1893. p. 10.

Notes

1. Some sources give Hunt's vote as 31. ^{[10] [11]}

Bibliography

• Compiled and Printed by the Secretary of State (1893). Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the General Election held November 8, 1892. Springfield, Ill.: H. W. Rokker, State Printer and Binder.
• Louis L. Emmerson, Secretary of State, ed. (1925). "Personal Reminiscenses of Joseph W. Fifer". Blue Book of the State of Illinois 1925-1926. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Journal Co. p. 303.