1912 United States presidential election in California

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1912 United States presidential election in California
Flag of California (1911-1924).png
  1908 November 5, 1912 1916  
Turnout71.68% (of registered voters)
45.11% (of eligible voters) [1]
  Unsuccessful 1912 2.jpg Woodrow Wilson-H&E.jpg Eugene Debs portrait.jpeg
Nominee Theodore Roosevelt Woodrow Wilson Eugene V. Debs
Party Republican (California) Democratic Socialist
Alliance Progressive
Home state New York New Jersey Indiana
Running mate Hiram Johnson Thomas R. Marshall Emil Seidel
Electoral vote1120
Popular vote283,610283,43679,201
Percentage41.834%41.808%11.68%

California Presidential Election Results 1912.svg
County Results

President before election

William Howard Taft
Republican

Elected President

Woodrow Wilson
Democratic

The 1912 United States presidential election in California took place on November 5, 1912, as part of the 1912 United States presidential election. State voters chose 13 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

California narrowly voted for the Progressive Party nominee, former president Theodore Roosevelt, over the Democratic nominee, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson, though two electors cast their votes for Wilson. Although Roosevelt was the candidate of the “Bull Moose” Progressive Party nationally, in California and South Dakota he gained the support of the state Republican Party and acquired the "Republican" line, whilst the incumbent, and national GOP nominee William Howard Taft did not appear on the ballot and was a write-in candidate. [lower-alpha 1] Roosevelt's running mate was incumbent Governor of California Hiram Johnson.

This was the fourth occasion in which California's electoral vote was split, rather than being awarded to a single candidate. The previous occasions when this happened were in 1880, 1892, and 1896. [2] This occurred because, at the time, electors were not awarded based upon the popular vote in the presidential preference vote. Instead, voters cast votes for individual electors, with the thirteen top vote-getters among elector nominees becoming elected the state's members of the United States Electoral College. [3] A split in the electoral vote would never again occur in California.

This was the closest presidential election in California history, with Roosevelt winning by just 174 votes out of 677,944 cast, a margin of 0.02567%. It remains the fourth-closest presidential race in any state in history, behind Florida in 2000, Maryland in 1832, and Maryland in 1904, the latter of which also involved Roosevelt. [lower-alpha 2]

Although Wilson narrowly failed to win the state, he did become the first Democrat to carry Napa, Solano [lower-alpha 3] and Marin Counties since James Buchanan in 1856, the first to carry San Mateo and Sierra County since Stephen A. Douglas in 1860, the first to win San Diego County since 1868, the first to ever carry Ventura County, which had been created in 1872, and the first to carry Calaveras County and Sutter County since 1876. [4] Since this election, Solano County has voted Democratic in all but six Republican landslide elections of 1920, 1924, 1928, 1972, 1980 and 1984.

With 41.83% of the popular vote, California would prove to be Roosevelt's second-strongest state in terms of popular vote percentage in the 1912 election after South Dakota. [5] California would not vote for the losing candidate again until 1960.

Results

General Election Results [6]
PartyPledged toElectorVotes
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltA. J. Wallace283,610
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonThomas F. Griffin283,436
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltCharles S. Wheeler283,193
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltGeorge C. Pardee283,057
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltMarshall Stimson282,910
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltPhilip Bancroft282,888
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltJohn P. McLaughlin282,868
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltFrank H. Devlin282,790
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltFlorence Collins Porter282,781
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltR. G. Fernald282,676
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltM. B. Harris282,671
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltRalph W. Bull282,653
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonR. F. Del Valle282,651
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltJ. W. Finney282,594
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonHenry E. Monroe282,594
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonT. W. H. Shanahan282,579
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonClarence F. Lea282,578
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonJoseph F. Tobin282,530
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonF. B. Lynch282,516
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonStephen J. Sill282,432
Republican Party (Progressive) Theodore RooseveltM. A. Luce282,383
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonGeorge W. Mordecai282,325
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonE. L. Doheny282,309
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonMary Bourn Tucker282,215
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonMary E. Foy282,213
Democratic Party Woodrow WilsonGeorge M. Cooley282,198
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsW. M. Boyd79,201
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsJob Harriman78,910
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsDr. A. E. Briggs78,905
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsH. F. Whitley78,867
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsT. W. Williams78,860
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsJames Andrews78,813
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsRose Walker78,791
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsJennie Ream78,757
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsH. J. Duffy78,740
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsIda Kinney78,735
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsJ. R. Cothran78,709
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsEthel Lynn78,689
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsMary Garbutt78,534
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinAnnie E. K. Bidwell23,366
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinStephen H. Taft23,265
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinFrank Willard Emerson23,144
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinEllsworth L. Rich23,053
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinLucy S. Blanchard23,052
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinWilliam P. Fassett23,040
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinFrederick Head23,010
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinStella B. Irvine23,004
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinHenry French23,001
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinSimeon P. Meads22,997
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinByron E. Paddock22,995
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinEdward F. Van Vlear22,988
Prohibition Party Eugene W. ChafinThomas K. Bear22,983
Republican Party William Howard TaftAnson S. Blake3,914
Republican Party William Howard TaftFred A. Dodge3,908
Republican Party William Howard TaftArthur E. Miller3,903
Republican Party William Howard TaftJotham Bixby3,902
Republican Party William Howard TaftCharles N. Felton3,896
Republican Party William Howard TaftNorman Bridge3,783
Republican Party William Howard TaftRoss Campbell3,753
Republican Party William Howard TaftCharles E. Clinch3,677
Republican Party William Howard TaftMrs. K. M. Flynn3,582
Republican Party William Howard TaftJoseph Martin3,525
Republican Party William Howard TaftRobert Sweeney3,313
Republican Party William Howard TaftSimon Levi3,057
Republican Party William Howard TaftAndrea Sbarboro2,847
Write-in Scattering4,417
Votes cast [lower-alpha 4] 677,944

Results by county

County Theodore Roosevelt
Republican/Progressive "Bull Moose"
Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
Eugene V. Debs
Socialist
Eugene W. Chafin
Prohibition
William Howard Taft
Republican (write-in)
Scattering
Write-in
MarginTotal votes cast [lower-alpha 5]
# %# %# %# %# %# %# %
Alameda 31,54247.47%24,41836.75%9,33214.04%1,1601.75%00.00%00.00%7,12410.72%66,452
Alpine 3645.00%3442.50%22.50%00.00%810.00%00.00%22.50%80
Amador 68427.33%1,62264.80%1355.39%572.28%50.20%00.00%-938-37.48%2,503
Butte 3,36538.14%4,02845.66%93010.54%4895.54%100.11%00.00%-663-7.52%8,822
Calaveras 75024.28%1,86960.51%39912.92%662.14%50.16%00.00%-1,119-36.23%3,089
Colusa 81029.26%1,76063.58%1114.01%843.03%30.11%00.00%-950-34.32%2,768
Contra Costa 3,53942.38%3,29039.40%1,30015.57%1812.17%400.48%00.00%2492.98%8,350
Del Norte 37644.60%32338.32%10412.34%404.74%00.00%00.00%536.29%843
El Dorado 77628.40%1,61359.04%27810.18%491.79%160.59%00.00%-837-30.64%2,732
Fresno 8,83942.71%8,89142.96%2,27811.01%5902.85%950.46%30.01%-52-0.25%20,696
Glenn 90637.21%1,32554.41%1265.17%672.75%110.45%00.00%-419-17.21%2,435
Humboldt 3,60942.20%2,88733.76%1,78120.83%1772.07%931.09%50.06%7228.44%8,552
Imperial 1,42042.17%1,29538.46%44613.25%1935.73%130.39%00.00%1253.71%3,367
Inyo 43126.49%80649.54%30518.75%774.73%80.49%00.00%-375-23.05%1,627
Kern 3,64733.88%5,56951.73%1,30012.08%1821.69%670.62%00.00%-1,922-17.85%10,765
Kings 1,41935.94%1,96749.82%40610.28%1563.95%00.00%00.00%-548-13.88%3,948
Lake 64930.10%1,11851.86%26612.34%1235.71%00.00%00.00%-469-21.75%2,156
Lassen 55939.59%64445.61%14810.48%342.41%271.91%00.00%-85-6.02%1,412
Los Angeles 75,59345.73%55,11033.34%19,89512.04%8,1904.95%2,1811.32%4,3272.62%20,48312.39%165,296
Madera 94338.98%1,15447.71%2269.34%893.68%10.04%60.25%-211-8.72%2,419
Marin 2,75042.97%2,84944.52%73311.45%681.06%00.00%00.00%-99-1.55%6,400
Mariposa 30626.15%68958.89%13811.79%171.45%201.71%00.00%-393-32.74%1,170
Mendocino 2,23739.61%2,50744.39%75213.31%1412.50%110.19%00.00%-270-4.78%5,648
Merced 1,57137.16%1,97846.78%44110.43%2285.39%100.24%00.00%-407-9.63%4,228
Modoc 60835.47%94154.90%1196.94%452.63%10.06%00.00%-333-19.43%1,714
Mono 10628.73%18249.32%6718.16%112.98%30.81%00.00%-76-20.60%369
Monterey 3,08142.02%3,39246.26%5577.60%3014.11%10.01%00.00%-311-4.24%7,332
Napa 2,43242.52%2,66246.55%4788.36%1262.20%00.00%210.37%-230-4.02%5,719
Nevada 1,38134.40%1,85146.11%64816.14%1112.77%230.57%00.00%-470-11.71%4,014
Orange 5,14345.03%4,40638.58%8967.85%8527.46%1231.08%10.01%7376.45%11,421
Placer 1,91343.91%1,82341.84%48111.04%1252.87%150.34%00.00%902.07%4,357
Plumas 76242.78%74241.66%23613.25%301.68%110.62%00.00%201.12%1,781
Riverside 5,14650.94%2,96329.33%1,03610.25%8348.25%1241.23%00.00%2,18321.61%10,103
Sacramento 7,53439.23%9,86951.39%1,5538.09%2131.11%360.19%00.00%-2,335-12.16%19,205
San Benito 1,05440.96%1,25348.70%1796.96%742.88%130.51%00.00%-199-7.73%2,573
San Bernardino 6,20240.42%5,83538.03%1,90112.39%1,2338.04%1721.12%00.00%3672.39%15,343
San Diego 7,92236.46%9,73144.79%2,87313.22%1,1395.24%630.29%00.00%-1,809-8.33%21,728
San Francisco 38,61038.17%48,95348.40%12,35412.21%1,1581.14%650.06%80.01%-10,343-10.23%101,148
San Joaquin 4,31431.40%7,96958.00%9957.24%4263.10%350.25%00.00%-3,655-26.60%13,739
San Luis Obispo 2,37342.73%2,24840.48%70412.68%2143.85%130.23%10.02%1252.25%5,553
San Mateo 2,82540.44%3,24646.47%82711.84%801.15%70.10%00.00%-421-6.03%6,985
Santa Barbara 3,39546.78%2,81938.84%6198.53%3574.92%680.94%00.00%5767.94%7,258
Santa Clara 10,86846.97%9,17339.64%2,0688.94%8243.56%1730.75%330.14%1,6957.33%23,139
Santa Cruz 3,05942.77%2,87540.20%89212.47%3234.52%30.04%00.00%1842.57%7,152
Shasta 1,63634.93%2,04043.55%93820.03%541.15%160.34%00.00%-404-8.63%4,684
Sierra 48341.71%51544.47%13311.49%131.12%100.86%40.35%-32-2.76%1,158
Siskiyou 1,74034.99%2,46549.57%63312.73%1042.09%290.58%20.04%-725-14.58%4,973
Solano 3,35341.95%3,65045.66%7819.77%1692.11%400.50%00.00%-297-3.72%7,993
Sonoma 5,80640.89%6,50045.78%1,49410.52%3672.58%320.23%00.00%-694-4.89%14,199
Stanislaus 3,14339.78%3,12739.58%7499.48%86410.94%170.22%00.00%160.20%7,900
Sutter 84641.11%1,06351.65%793.84%653.16%50.24%00.00%-217-10.54%2,058
Tehama 1,21836.01%1,59547.16%38811.47%1684.97%130.38%00.00%-377-11.15%3,382
Trinity 34334.44%46146.29%18218.27%90.90%10.10%00.00%-118-11.85%996
Tulare 4,28342.21%4,29342.31%1,23312.15%2652.61%730.72%00.00%-10-0.10%10,147
Tuolumne 75528.76%1,45955.58%36313.83%381.45%80.30%20.08%-704-26.82%2,625
Ventura 2,05542.52%2,10843.62%4268.81%1693.50%711.47%40.08%-53-1.10%4,833
Yolo 1,33233.35%2,23956.06%3017.54%1132.83%90.23%00.00%-907-22.71%3,994
Yuba 1,13243.36%1,24247.57%1867.12%341.30%170.65%00.00%-110-4.21%2,611
Total283,61041.834%283,43641.808%79,20111.68%23,3663.45%3,9140.58%4,4170.65%1740.026%677,944

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. Other incumbent Presidents not on the ballot in all states have been Benjamin Harrison in Florida in 1892, Taft in South Dakota during this 1912 election, Harry S. Truman in Alabama in 1948, and Lyndon B. Johnson also in Alabama in 1964.
  2. Although Roosevelt won Maryland by fifty-one votes, voters in Maryland in those days voted for individual electors and only one Republican, elector, Charles Bonaparte, survived the tally. The other seven top vote recipients were Democrats.
  3. "Southern Democrat" John Breckinridge (Buchanan's Vice-President) did carry Solano County in 1860
  4. Based on totals for highest elector on each ticket
  5. Based on the highest elector on each ticket

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References

  1. "Historical Voter Registration and Participation in Statewide General Elections 1910-2018" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  2. "DIVIDED ELECTORAL VOTES" . Newspapers.com. The Boston Globe. November 11, 1912. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  3. "NEITHER SIDE WINS STATE" . Newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 16, 1912. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  4. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 153-155 ISBN   0786422173
  5. "1912 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  6. Statement of the Vote of California at the General Election held November 5, 1912. Sacramento, California. pp. 4–13. Retrieved July 15, 2024.