1896 Illinois gubernatorial election

1896 Illinois gubernatorial election

←  1892 November 3, 1896 (1896-11-03) 1900  →

Nominee John Riley Tanner John Peter Altgeld Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 587,637 474,256 Percentage 54.10% 43.66%

County results Tanner:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Altgeld:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election John Peter Altgeld Democratic Elected Governor John Riley Tanner Republican

The 1896 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1896.

Incumbent Democratic Governor John Peter Altgeld was defeated by Republican nominee John Riley Tanner who won 54.10% of the vote.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

• John Peter Altgeld, incumbent Governor

Results

The Democratic state convention was held on June 23, 1896, in Peoria. ^[1]

Democratic gubernatorial nomination, 1st ballot, 23 June 1896 ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Peter Altgeld (incumbent)	acclaimed

Republican nomination

Candidates

• Albert J. Hopkins, incumbent U.S. Congressman for Illinois's 8th congressional district
• Dr. Joseph Robbins
• John Riley Tanner, former Illinois State Treasurer, chairman of the Illinois State Republican Central Committee in 1894 ^[3]

Results

The Republican state convention was held on April 29 and 30, 1896 at Springfield. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Republican gubernatorial nomination, 1st ballot, 29 April 1896 ^{[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [a]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Riley Tanner	1,083	81.12
	Republican	Albert J. Hopkins	183	13.71
	Republican	Joseph Robbins	69	5.17
Total votes			1,335	100.00

General election

The "Flying Squadron" of Illinois Governors who campaigned for John Tanner. Sitting from left to right is former Governor John L. Beveridge, former Governor Richard J. Oglesby, former Governor Shelby M. Cullom, and former Governor John M. Hamilton. Standing from left to right is former Lieutenant Governor John C. Smith, Republican gubernatorial nominee and future Governor John R. Tanner, James Van Cleve, former Governor Joseph W. Fifer, and former Lieutenant Governor Lyman B. Ray.

Candidates

• John Peter Altgeld, Democratic
• John Riley Tanner, Republican
• George Washington Gere, Prohibition
• William St. John Forman, National Democrat, former U.S. Congressman for Illinois's 18th congressional district
• Charles A. Baustian, Socialist Labor
• Isaac W. Higgs, National

Results

Illinois gubernatorial election, 1896 ^{[23] [24] [25]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John Riley Tanner	587,637	54.10%
	Democratic	John Peter Altgeld (incumbent)	474,256	43.66%
	Prohibition	George Washington Gere	14,559	1.34%
	National Democratic	William St. John Forman	8,102	0.75%
	Socialist Labor	Charles A. Baustian	985	0.09%
	National Party	Isaac W. Higgs	723	0.07%
	Scattering		10	0.00%
Majority			113,381	10.44%
Turnout			1,086,272	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing

References

1. "Desperation of Democracy". The San Francisco call. San Francisco, Calif. June 24, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
2. "Political". Alexandria gazette. Alexandria, D.C. June 24, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
3. Bateman, Newton; Selby, Paul, eds. (1918). Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois. Vol. I. Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company. p. 518.
4. "Cullom's a Stayer". Wood County reporter. Grand Rapids, Wis. April 30, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
5. "M'Kinley The Choice". The copper country evening news. Calumet, Mich. May 2, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
6. "Tanner for Governor". Abilene weekly reflector. Abilene, Kan. May 7, 1896. p. 12. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
7. "Tanner's Without A Fight". Omaha daily bee. Omaha, Neb. April 30, 1896. p. 5. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
8. "Named for Governor". Evening star. Washington, D.C. April 30, 1896. p. 15. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
9. "Goldbugs to the very core". The Salt Lake herald. Salt Lake City, Utah. April 30, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
10. "In the field of politics". The herald. Los Angeles, Calif. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
11. "Inland". Abendblatt. Chicago, Ill. April 30, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
12. "The Illinois Republicans". Indianapolis News. Indianapolis, Indiana. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
13. "Cullom or M'Kinley?". Indianapolis Journal. Indianapolis, Indiana. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
14. "Tanner named for Governor". The Norfolk Virginian. Norfolk, Va. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
15. "The Illinois Republicans". The San Francisco call. San Francisco, Calif. April 30, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
16. "Battle Royal in Illinois". New-York tribune. New York, N.Y. April 30, 1896. p. 3. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
17. "Big fight is in prospect". The daily morning journal and courier. New Haven, Conn. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
18. "Slow Work at Springfield". The morning news. Savannah, Ga. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
19. "Illinois Republicans". Birmingham state herald. Birmingham, Ala. April 30, 1896. p. 5. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
20. "Illinois's Great Fight". The sun. New York, N.Y. April 30, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
21. Church, Charles A. (1912). History of the Republican Party in Illinois 1854-1912. Rockford, Ill.: Wilson Brothers Company. p. 179.
22. "IL Governor, 1896 - R Convention". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
23. Illinois Official Vote 1896, pp. 7–9.
24. "IL Governor, 1896". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
25. Journal of the Senate of the Fortieth General Assembly of the State of Illinois. Convened at the Capitol, in Springfield, January 6, 1897, and adjourned sine die June 4, 1897. Springfield, Ill.: Phillips Bros., State Printers. 1897. p. 159.

Notes

1. Some sources give the result as Tanner 1,106, Hopkins 160, Robbins 69 ^{[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]} or as Tanner 1,081, Hopkins 185, Robbins 69 ^{[21] [22]}

Bibliography

• Compiled and Printed by the Secretary of State (1897). Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the General Election held November 3, 1896. Springfield, Ill.: Phillips Bros., State Printers.