1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas

1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas
Bryan 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%	Taft 40–50% 50–60%
President before election; Theodore Roosevelt ; Republican	Elected President; William Howard Taft ; Republican

Last updated March 26, 2024

The 1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 3, 1908. All contemporary 46 states were part of the 1908 United States presidential election. Voters chose nine electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

Since 1890, Arkansas had been a classic Jim Crow Southern state in which most blacks and poor whites had been disfranchised by poll taxes.^[1] This would confine significant Republican Party politics to the two Unionist Ozark counties of Newton and Searcy that remained controlled by the GOP at a local level throughout the “Solid South” era.^[2] Because the coinage of silver had been the dominant political issue apart from black disfranchisement ever since the poll tax was passed,^[3] the state would powerfully back “free silver” Democrat William Jennings Bryan in 1896.^[4] However, in the following elections disfranchisement affected poor whites more than blacks, with the result that the Republican Party became somewhat more competitive despite being still associated with Reconstruction.^[5] Bryan would later win Arkansas again in 1900. The GOP was helped in the earlier 1900s elections by the view that 1904 Democratic nominee Alton B. Parker had betrayed Bryan with his support for the gold standard.^[6]

By October polls made it clear that Arkansas would stay firmly with the “Solid South”,^[7] and this is what was observed: indeed Bryan improved on Parker's 1904 margin, winning the state against William Howard Taft by a margin of 20.01% (up from Parker's 15.1% in 1904) despite the dislike of Bryan's retreat from free silver.

Results

1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic	William Jennings Bryan	87,015	57.31%	9
	Republican	William Howard Taft	56,624	37.30%	0
	Social Democratic	Eugene V. Debs	5,842	3.85%	0
	Prohibition	Eugene W. Chafin	1,026	0.68%	0
	Populist	Thomas E. Watson	1,026	0.68%	0
	Independence	Thomas L. Hisgen	289	0.19%	0
Totals			151,822	100.00%	9
Voter turnout					40%

Results by county

1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas by county^[9]
County	William Jennings Bryan Democratic		William Howard Taft Republican		Eugene Victor Debs Socialist		Various candidates Other parties		Margin		Total votes cast
County	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	Total votes cast
Arkansas	937	56.04%	672	40.19%	42	2.51%	21	1.26%	265	15.85%	1,672
Ashley	1,100	55.25%	821	41.24%	45	2.26%	25	1.26%	279	14.01%	1,991
Baxter	607	62.19%	300	30.74%	64	6.56%	5	0.51%	307	31.45%	976
Benton	3,067	63.82%	1,527	31.77%	155	3.23%	57	1.19%	1,540	32.04%	4,806
Boone	1,149	60.25%	681	35.71%	64	3.36%	13	0.68%	468	24.54%	1,907
Bradley	906	71.96%	316	25.10%	30	2.38%	7	0.56%	590	46.86%	1,259
Calhoun	554	69.34%	234	29.29%	8	1.00%	3	0.38%	320	40.05%	799
Carroll	1,295	53.25%	1,051	43.22%	72	2.96%	14	0.58%	244	10.03%	2,432
Chicot	438	40.29%	644	59.25%	2	0.18%	3	0.28%	-206	-18.95%	1,087
Clark	1,206	52.07%	1,007	43.48%	27	1.17%	76	3.28%	199	8.59%	2,316
Clay	1,527	56.35%	1,069	39.45%	106	3.91%	8	0.30%	458	16.90%	2,710
Cleburne	506	54.47%	294	31.65%	55	5.92%	74	7.97%	212	22.82%	929
Cleveland	771	61.48%	426	33.97%	39	3.11%	18	1.44%	345	27.51%	1,254
Columbia	1,613	65.57%	817	33.21%	9	0.37%	21	0.85%	796	32.36%	2,460
Conway	2,533	74.43%	818	24.04%	45	1.32%	7	0.21%	1,715	50.40%	3,403
Craighead	1,653	64.47%	711	27.73%	165	6.44%	35	1.37%	942	36.74%	2,564
Crawford	1,261	47.07%	1,339	49.98%	67	2.50%	12	0.45%	-78	-2.91%	2,679
Crittenden	428	52.20%	382	46.59%	6	0.73%	4	0.49%	46	5.61%	820
Cross	705	55.38%	507	39.83%	59	4.63%	2	0.16%	198	15.55%	1,273
Dallas	721	50.17%	636	44.26%	33	2.30%	47	3.27%	85	5.92%	1,437
Desha	518	65.40%	263	33.21%	6	0.76%	5	0.63%	255	32.20%	792
Drew	1,123	60.44%	679	36.54%	40	2.15%	16	0.86%	444	23.90%	1,858
Faulkner	1,771	67.01%	740	28.00%	93	3.52%	39	1.48%	1,031	39.01%	2,643
Franklin	1,311	63.58%	565	27.40%	119	5.77%	67	3.25%	746	36.18%	2,062
Fulton	741	62.69%	366	30.96%	63	5.33%	12	1.02%	375	31.73%	1,182
Garland	1,340	52.04%	1,105	42.91%	105	4.08%	25	0.97%	235	9.13%	2,575
Grant	524	74.64%	160	22.79%	16	2.28%	2	0.28%	364	51.85%	702
Greene	1,606	71.60%	549	24.48%	82	3.66%	6	0.27%	1,057	47.12%	2,243
Hempstead	1,779	55.09%	1,346	41.68%	27	0.84%	77	2.38%	433	13.41%	3,229
Hot Spring	833	53.19%	686	43.81%	23	1.47%	24	1.53%	147	9.39%	1,566
Howard	967	55.86%	610	35.24%	83	4.79%	71	4.10%	357	20.62%	1,731
Independence	1,529	57.61%	948	35.72%	109	4.11%	68	2.56%	581	21.89%	2,654
Izard	873	64.00%	392	28.74%	53	3.89%	46	3.37%	481	35.26%	1,364
Jackson	1,055	51.77%	864	42.39%	101	4.96%	18	0.88%	191	9.37%	2,038
Jefferson	1,585	50.72%	1,386	44.35%	125	4.00%	29	0.93%	199	6.37%	3,125
Johnson	1,164	62.35%	544	29.14%	140	7.50%	19	1.02%	620	33.21%	1,867
Lafayette	739	56.37%	552	42.11%	4	0.31%	16	1.22%	187	14.26%	1,311
Lawrence	1,188	64.78%	583	31.79%	59	3.22%	4	0.22%	605	32.99%	1,834
Lee	1,182	75.33%	354	22.56%	29	1.85%	4	0.25%	828	52.77%	1,569
Lincoln	389	66.95%	159	27.37%	16	2.75%	17	2.93%	230	39.59%	581
Little River	660	53.35%	435	35.17%	105	8.49%	37	2.99%	225	18.19%	1,237
Logan	1,716	57.62%	1,151	38.65%	88	2.96%	23	0.77%	565	18.97%	2,978
Lonoke	1,385	67.33%	592	28.78%	30	1.46%	50	2.43%	793	38.55%	2,057
Madison	1,441	47.01%	1,541	50.28%	69	2.25%	14	0.46%	-100	-3.26%	3,065
Marion	705	60.83%	370	31.92%	81	6.99%	3	0.26%	335	28.90%	1,159
Miller	1,035	56.19%	722	39.20%	36	1.95%	49	2.66%	313	16.99%	1,842
Mississippi	930	41.10%	1,167	51.57%	155	6.85%	11	0.49%	-237	-10.47%	2,263
Monroe	912	46.01%	1,022	51.56%	41	2.07%	7	0.35%	-110	-5.55%	1,982
Montgomery	553	46.59%	522	43.98%	87	7.33%	25	2.11%	31	2.61%	1,187
Nevada	890	45.32%	784	39.92%	47	2.39%	243	12.37%	106	5.40%	1,964
Newton	377	37.74%	582	58.26%	36	3.60%	4	0.40%	-205	-20.52%	999
Ouachita	1,166	43.20%	1,505	55.76%	14	0.52%	14	0.52%	-339	-12.56%	2,699
Perry	608	54.14%	445	39.63%	65	5.79%	5	0.45%	163	14.51%	1,123
Phillips	1,194	74.91%	393	24.65%	3	0.19%	4	0.25%	801	50.25%	1,594
Pike	568	47.22%	601	49.96%	21	1.75%	13	1.08%	-33	-2.74%	1,203
Poinsett	843	64.11%	462	35.13%	2	0.15%	8	0.61%	381	28.97%	1,315
Polk	824	49.70%	628	37.88%	165	9.95%	41	2.47%	196	11.82%	1,658
Pope	1,664	64.75%	811	31.56%	78	3.04%	17	0.66%	853	33.19%	2,570
Prairie	1,103	55.88%	812	41.13%	41	2.08%	18	0.91%	291	14.74%	1,974
Pulaski	3,893	50.33%	3,533	45.68%	228	2.95%	81	1.05%	360	4.65%	7,735
Randolph	1,348	70.35%	517	26.98%	28	1.46%	23	1.20%	831	43.37%	1,916
Saline	899	66.94%	369	27.48%	53	3.95%	22	1.64%	530	39.46%	1,343
Scott	893	55.92%	481	30.12%	175	10.96%	48	3.01%	412	25.80%	1,597
Searcy	597	42.89%	636	45.69%	141	10.13%	18	1.29%	-39	-2.80%	1,392
Sebastian	3,035	52.90%	2,050	35.73%	620	10.81%	32	0.56%	985	17.17%	5,737
Sevier	1,073	57.75%	526	28.31%	199	10.71%	60	3.23%	547	29.44%	1,858
Sharp	940	69.89%	317	23.57%	78	5.80%	10	0.74%	623	46.32%	1,345
St. Francis	619	41.91%	755	51.12%	80	5.42%	23	1.56%	-136	-9.21%	1,477
Stone	496	61.92%	267	33.33%	34	4.24%	4	0.50%	229	28.59%	801
Union	1,407	71.60%	535	27.23%	11	0.56%	12	0.61%	872	44.38%	1,965
Van Buren	797	50.64%	667	42.38%	39	2.48%	71	4.51%	130	8.26%	1,574
Washington	2,748	58.36%	1,704	36.19%	185	3.93%	72	1.53%	1,044	22.17%	4,709
White	1,718	57.88%	887	29.89%	176	5.93%	187	6.30%	831	28.00%	2,968
Woodruff	1,046	56.18%	752	40.39%	51	2.74%	13	0.70%	294	15.79%	1,862
Yell	1,743	58.16%	1,040	34.70%	194	6.47%	20	0.67%	703	23.46%	2,997
Totals	87,020	57.31%	56,684	37.33%	5,842	3.85%	2,299	1.51%	30,336	19.98%	151,845

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References

↑ Perman, Michael. Struggle for Mastery: Disfranchisement in the South, 1888-1908. p. 65. ISBN 0807860255.
↑ See Urwin, Cathy Kunzinger. Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71. p. 32. ISBN 1557282005.
↑ Dougan, Michael B. Arkansas Odyssey: The Saga of Arkansas from Prehistoric Times to Present: a History. pp. 305, 307. ISBN 9780914546658.
↑ Niswonger, Richard L. (Spring 1975). "Arkansas and the Election of 1896". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 34 (1): 41–78.
↑ Bemko, Dior Jurij (1991). From the new freedom to the New Deal: Southern politics, 1900-1932 (Thesis). Texas A&M University Press. p. 13. Docket 921682.
↑ Bemko. From the new freedom to the New Deal (Thesis), p. 15
↑ "Poll Gives Taft Lead of 27 Votes". Boston Globe . October 18, 1908. p. 1.
↑ "1908 Presidential General Election Results — Arkansas". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas.
↑ "Popular Vote at the Presidential Election for 1908". Géoelections. (.xlsx file for €30 including full minor party figures)

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[1] Perman, Michael. Struggle for Mastery: Disfranchisement in the South, 1888-1908. p. 65. ISBN 0807860255.

[2] See Urwin, Cathy Kunzinger. Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71. p. 32. ISBN 1557282005.

[3] Dougan, Michael B. Arkansas Odyssey: The Saga of Arkansas from Prehistoric Times to Present: a History. pp. 305, 307. ISBN 9780914546658.

[4] Niswonger, Richard L. (Spring 1975). "Arkansas and the Election of 1896". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 34 (1): 41–78.

[5] Bemko, Dior Jurij (1991). From the new freedom to the New Deal: Southern politics, 1900-1932 (Thesis). Texas A&M University Press. p. 13. Docket 921682.

[6] Bemko. From the new freedom to the New Deal (Thesis), p. 15

[7] "Poll Gives Taft Lead of 27 Votes". Boston Globe . October 18, 1908. p. 1.

[8] "1908 Presidential General Election Results — Arkansas". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas.

[Geoelections-9] "Popular Vote at the Presidential Election for 1908". Géoelections. (.xlsx file for €30 including full minor party figures)

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v t e Elections in Arkansas
General	1844 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1900 1902 1903 1904 1906 1907 1908 1910 1912 1913 1914 1916 1917 1918 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1926 1927 1928 1930 1932 1933 1934 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1942 1943 1944 1946 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 1956 1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Governor	1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 S 1852 1856 1860 1862 1864 U 1868 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 S 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House	1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1851 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 (4th S) 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 (6th S) 1962 1964 1966 (4th S) 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

v t e (1907 ←) 1908 United States elections (→ 1909)
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U.S. Senate	Alabama Florida Iowa Iowa (special) Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Maryland (special) Mississippi Pennsylvania Rhode Island (special) South Carolina (special) Utah Vermont Vermont (special)
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State legislatures	Iowa Senate Massachusetts Senate
Mayors	Manchester, NH

1908 United States presidential election in Arkansas

Contents

Results

Results by county

See also

Related Research Articles

References