1896 United States presidential election in Virginia

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1896 United States presidential election in Virginia
Flag of Virginia (1861).svg
  1892 November 3, 1896 1900  
  William Jennings Bryan 2 (cropped).jpg William McKinley by Courtney Art Studio, 1896 (cropped).jpg
Nominee William Jennings Bryan William McKinley
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Nebraska Ohio
Running mate Arthur Sewall Garret Hobart
Electoral vote120
Popular vote154,708135,379
Percentage52.50%45.94%

Virginia Presidential Election Results 1896.svg
County Results

President before election

Grover Cleveland
Democratic

Elected President

William McKinley
Republican

The 1896 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 3, 1896, as part of the 1896 United States presidential election. Voters chose 12 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

Following the state’s delayed readmission to the Union, Virginia was unique among ex-Confederate states in not having a period of Republican control during Reconstruction, due to the failure of the Underwood Constitution to pass in 1868 [1] and the consequent support for the Conservative Party that fused prewar Democrats and Whigs in the first postwar elections and consistently controlled the state legislature after readmission. From 1879, however, a fusion with the “Readjuster” faction of the state Democratic Party would revitalize the Republicans [1] until 1883, although the state GOP would remain competitive in statewide elections — only narrowly failing to carry the state in 1888 [1] — until the Cleveland Administration eliminated federal oversight while the Walton Act created the secret ballot and began large-scale black disenfranchisement. [2]

However, despite its dominant position, the Democratic Party was deeply divided between the conservative Gold Democrats of a state whose economy was already substantially influenced by the rapidly industrializing Northeast, and a Populist-influenced faction centered in the state’s rural areas. [2] Many Virginia farmers still depended upon a tobacco monoculture and had been affected severely by consistently declining prices, poor harvests [3] and the evolving rift between growing Northern and Southwest Virginia which were deeply tied culturally to the border states, and the declining, agrarian Southside.

After the nomination of Nebraska congressman William Jennings Bryan on a free silver platform was confirmed in June, it became clear he would face opposition in Virginia’s larger cities and towns, with the leader of this opposition being the Richmond Times under Bryan’s namesake Joseph. [3] At the beginning of the fall campaign Virginia was viewed as fairly secure for Bryan despite the defections that were expected to (and did) cost him the border states, [4] and this opinion did not change as the campaign developed during October. [5] Near the end, the state was heavily debated by politicians of opposing views on Bryan and Republican nominee, Ohio Governor William McKinley, some of whose supporters thought the GOP had a chance of carrying the state. [6]

Virginia ultimately voted comfortably for Bryan over McKinley. Bryan won the state by a margin of 6.56 percentage points; however, McKinley did make major gains in developing Southwest Virginia, where he was the first-ever Republican victor in Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Grayson, Greene, Pulaski, Shenandoah, Smyth and Washington Counties. [7] Aided by the developing shift to a “lily-white” Jim Crow state Republican Party, [1] [2] this region and these counties would become the party’s stronghold in Virginia during the first half of the twentieth century, allowing the party to remain more viable than in any other ex-Confederate state other than North Carolina and Tennessee where extremely loyal Unionist Republicanism remained. [8]

Bryan would later win the state against McKinley again four years later and would later win the state again in 1908 against William Howard Taft.

Results

1896 United States presidential election in Virginia [9]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Democratic William Jennings Bryan 154,70852.50%12
Republican William McKinley 135,37945.94%0
Prohibition Joshua Levering 2,3500.80%0
National Democratic John M. Palmer 2,1290.72%0
Socialist Labor Charles H. Matchett 1080.04%0
Totals294,674100.0%12

Results by county

1896 United States presidential election in Virginia by counties and independent cities [10] [11]
County or Independent CityWilliam Jennings Bryan
Democratic
William McKinley
Republican
Joshua Levering
Prohibition
John McAuley Palmer
National Democratic
Charles Horatio Matchett
Socialist Labor
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %# %# %
Accomack County 3,11562.25%1,67533.47%1863.72%280.56%10.02%1,44028.78%5,004
Albemarle County 2,62856.86%1,91841.50%250.54%511.10%20.04%71015.36%4,622
Alexandria County 32230.99%71368.62%20.19%20.19%00.00%-391-37.63%1,039
Alleghany County 72028.55%1,71167.84%783.09%130.52%00.00%-991-39.29%2,522
Amelia County 66342.20%89957.22%80.51%10.06%10.06%-236-15.02%1,571
Amherst County 1,75159.26%1,19040.27%40.14%100.34%60.20%56118.98%2,955
Appomattox County 94660.76%59838.41%80.51%50.32%00.00%34822.35%1,557
Augusta County 3,06650.12%2,82346.15%1943.17%340.56%20.03%2433.97%6,117
Bath County 50851.42%47147.67%30.30%60.61%00.00%373.74%988
Bedford County 3,08557.13%2,24841.63%320.59%350.65%20.04%83715.50%5,400
Bland County 49856.14%38843.74%00.00%10.11%00.00%11012.40%887
Botetourt County 1,49447.44%1,61451.25%190.60%220.70%00.00%-120-3.81%3,149
Brunswick County 1,37258.56%95640.80%30.13%120.51%30.13%41617.76%2,343
Buchanan County 50942.28%69557.72%00.00%00.00%00.00%-186-15.45%1,204
Buckingham County 1,24750.32%1,19948.39%80.32%240.97%20.08%481.94%2,478
Campbell County 2,11555.27%1,69644.32%80.21%80.21%20.05%41910.95%3,827
Caroline County 1,29345.97%1,50253.39%90.32%90.32%10.04%-209-7.43%2,813
Carroll County 1,52847.65%1,67352.17%30.09%30.09%00.00%-145-4.52%3,207
Charles City County 27242.11%36256.04%50.77%71.08%00.00%-90-13.93%646
Charlotte County 1,45870.78%53826.12%301.45%341.65%50.24%92044.66%2,060
Chesterfield County 1,72756.88%1,27341.93%140.46%220.72%10.03%45414.95%3,036
Clarke County 1,11468.39%49030.08%181.10%70.43%00.00%62438.31%1,629
Craig County 49064.73%24932.89%182.38%00.00%00.00%24131.84%757
Culpeper County 1,70459.98%1,11339.18%100.35%140.49%00.00%59120.80%2,841
Cumberland County 61848.13%65751.17%40.31%50.39%00.00%-39-3.04%1,284
Dickenson County 54750.09%53448.90%10.09%100.92%00.00%131.19%1,092
Dinwiddie County 1,09959.47%74140.10%10.05%70.38%00.00%35819.37%1,848
Elizabeth City County 57237.39%91960.07%201.31%191.24%00.00%-347-22.68%1,530
Essex County 92457.86%66941.89%10.06%30.19%00.00%25515.97%1,597
Fairfax County 2,10952.51%1,87746.74%80.20%220.55%10.02%2325.78%4,016
Fauquier County 2,74463.40%1,55335.88%90.21%220.51%20.05%1,19127.52%4,328
Floyd County 84835.53%1,52563.89%120.50%20.08%10.04%-677-28.36%2,387
Fluvanna County 91955.97%70843.12%30.18%120.73%10.06%21112.85%1,642
Franklin County 2,30557.28%1,71142.52%50.12%30.07%00.00%59414.76%4,024
Frederick County 1,84867.74%84530.98%240.88%110.40%00.00%1,00336.77%2,728
Giles County 99354.08%77742.32%512.78%150.82%00.00%21611.76%1,836
Gloucester County 81959.13%54939.64%100.72%70.51%10.07%27019.49%1,385
Goochland County 67642.62%89756.56%30.19%100.63%00.00%-221-13.93%1,586
Grayson County 1,32846.91%1,47352.03%20.07%280.99%00.00%-145-5.12%2,831
Greene County 53347.76%58152.06%20.18%00.00%00.00%-48-4.30%1,116
Greensville County 85064.05%47135.49%30.23%30.23%00.00%37928.56%1,327
Halifax County 3,23160.57%2,05038.43%330.62%200.37%10.02%1,18122.14%5,334
Hanover County 1,49951.71%1,33746.12%260.90%371.28%10.03%1625.59%2,899
Henrico County 2,33255.39%1,81743.16%130.31%481.14%50.12%51512.23%4,210
Henry County 1,40943.95%1,78355.61%100.31%40.12%00.00%-374-11.67%3,206
Highland County 55352.62%48946.53%70.67%20.19%10.10%646.09%1,051
Isle of Wight County 1,26463.17%72736.33%70.35%30.15%70.35%53726.84%2,001
James City County 26147.03%29152.43%20.36%10.18%10.18%-30-5.41%555
King and Queen County 85356.27%65543.21%50.33%30.20%00.00%19813.06%1,516
King George County 58245.75%68153.54%30.24%60.47%00.00%-99-7.78%1,272
King William County 59237.16%99062.15%60.38%50.31%00.00%-398-24.98%1,593
Lancaster County 1,07363.42%59935.40%160.94%40.24%30.18%47428.01%1,692
Lee County 1,47549.63%1,47049.46%160.54%110.37%00.00%50.17%2,972
Loudoun County 2,74156.67%1,99141.16%961.98%90.19%00.00%75015.51%4,837
Louisa County 1,36648.93%1,39149.82%250.90%100.36%00.00%-25-0.90%2,792
Lunenburg County 1,04568.30%47531.05%60.39%40.26%00.00%57037.25%1,530
Madison County 1,08959.90%72439.82%50.28%00.00%00.00%36520.08%1,818
Mathews County 79762.36%44434.74%302.35%70.55%00.00%35327.62%1,278
Mecklenburg County 2,09946.81%2,35352.48%260.58%60.13%00.00%-254-5.66%4,484
Middlesex County 68850.00%68049.42%50.36%30.22%00.00%80.58%1,376
Montgomery County 1,31744.21%1,59453.51%561.88%120.40%10.03%-277-9.30%2,979
Nansemond County 1,30054.64%1,06044.56%110.46%80.34%20.08%24010.09%2,379
Nelson County 1,49254.89%1,18343.52%200.74%230.85%00.00%30911.37%2,718
New Kent County 36944.84%44654.19%30.36%50.61%00.00%-77-9.36%823
Norfolk County 2,13737.66%3,47561.24%330.58%290.51%70.12%-1,338-23.58%5,674
Northampton County 1,08656.56%80241.77%211.09%110.57%00.00%28414.79%1,920
Northumberland County 95350.88%90448.26%130.69%30.16%10.05%492.62%1,873
Nottoway County 93665.36%47833.38%161.12%20.14%00.00%45831.98%1,432
Orange County 1,32457.44%95741.52%110.48%130.56%00.00%36715.92%2,305
Page County 1,16643.67%1,45454.46%371.38%130.49%20.07%-288-10.79%2,670
Patrick County 88643.45%1,14055.91%100.49%30.15%10.05%-254-12.46%2,039
Pittsylvania County 3,98755.04%3,19644.12%360.50%250.35%00.00%79110.92%7,244
Powhatan County 52845.17%63754.49%00.00%40.34%00.00%-109-9.32%1,169
Prince Edward County 99149.60%97949.00%60.30%221.10%00.00%120.60%1,998
Prince George County 51856.43%39442.92%10.11%50.54%10.11%12413.51%918
Prince William County 1,34164.56%72735.00%20.10%70.34%00.00%61429.56%2,077
Princess Anne County 79053.20%68746.26%60.40%20.13%00.00%1036.94%1,485
Pulaski County 1,10942.51%1,48957.07%30.11%80.31%10.04%-380-14.56%2,609
Rappahannock County 1,07665.05%56934.40%10.06%80.48%00.00%50730.65%1,654
Richmond County 66749.63%66749.63%30.22%70.52%00.00%00.00%1,344
Roanoke County 1,11642.15%1,48456.04%361.36%120.45%10.04%-368-13.90%2,648
Rockbridge County 1,63440.41%2,29056.63%170.42%1032.55%00.00%-656-16.22%4,044
Rockingham County 2,99845.09%3,52453.00%1001.50%270.41%00.00%-526-7.91%6,649
Russell County 1,53050.70%1,47548.87%90.30%40.13%10.03%551.82%3,018
Scott County 1,79344.67%2,20654.96%40.10%110.27%10.02%-413-10.29%4,014
Shenandoah County 2,05248.26%2,10249.44%511.20%471.11%00.00%-50-1.18%4,252
Smyth County 1,40747.41%1,54652.09%80.27%70.24%40.13%-139-4.68%2,968
Southampton County 1,43875.80%43923.14%140.74%60.32%00.00%99952.66%1,897
Spotsylvania County 87749.05%90350.50%40.22%40.22%00.00%-26-1.45%1,788
Stafford County 62936.59%1,08463.06%30.17%30.17%00.00%-455-26.47%1,719
Surry County 70953.39%60945.86%50.38%50.38%00.00%1007.53%1,328
Sussex County 76964.46%41835.04%20.17%40.34%00.00%35129.42%1,193
Tazewell County 1,58238.36%2,52561.23%80.19%90.22%00.00%-943-22.87%4,124
Warren County 1,17265.40%57532.09%251.40%201.12%00.00%59733.31%1,792
Warwick County 23829.10%57770.54%10.12%20.24%00.00%-339-41.44%818
Washington County 2,37446.74%2,66952.55%200.39%160.32%00.00%-295-5.81%5,079
Westmoreland County 70545.72%82753.63%20.13%80.52%10.06%-122-7.91%1,542
Wise County 96643.87%1,23055.86%00.00%60.27%10.05%-264-11.99%2,202
Wythe County 1,68346.17%1,88251.63%90.25%711.95%40.11%-199-5.46%3,645
York County 72275.05%22323.18%161.66%10.10%00.00%49951.87%962
Alexandria City 1,83057.55%1,28140.28%371.16%321.01%40.13%54917.26%3,180
Bristol City 41350.06%38446.55%161.94%121.45%00.00%293.52%825
Buena Vista City 21953.81%18445.21%00.00%30.74%00.00%358.60%407
Charlottesville City 80167.31%37131.18%70.59%110.92%00.00%43036.13%1,190
Danville City 1,70259.26%1,07837.53%511.78%411.43%00.00%62421.73%2,872
Fredericksburg City 53356.88%38841.41%70.74%90.96%30.32%14515.47%937
Lynchburg City 1,65749.21%1,64748.92%371.10%260.77%00.00%100.30%3,367
Manchester City 81256.90%58841.21%90.63%181.26%10.07%22415.70%1,427
Newport News City 67644.59%81553.76%50.33%201.32%10.07%-139-9.17%1,516
Norfolk City 3,06858.67%1,99538.15%731.39%931.78%50.10%1,07320.52%5,229
Petersburg City 1,68266.32%76630.21%50.20%833.27%20.08%91636.12%2,536
Portsmouth City 1,38062.61%76934.89%70.32%482.18%10.05%61127.72%2,204
Radford City 37252.47%30943.58%182.54%101.41%00.00%638.89%709
Richmond City 7,83958.36%5,16038.42%990.74%3342.49%50.04%2,67919.94%13,432
Roanoke City 2,00552.86%1,69744.74%581.53%330.87%20.05%3088.12%3,793
Staunton City 71350.82%55639.63%926.55%422.99%10.07%15711.19%1,403
Williamsburg City 11354.59%9043.48%31.45%10.48%00.00%2311.11%207
Winchester City 49049.70%44745.33%222.23%272.74%10.10%434.36%986
Totals154,97852.56%135,37945.92%2,3500.80%2,1290.72%1080.04%19,5996.65%294,837

See also

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References

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