1920 United States presidential election in New York

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1920 United States presidential election in New York
Flag of New York (1909-2020).svg
←  1916 November 2, 1920 1924  →
Turnout56.4% [1] Decrease2.svg 15.2 pp
  Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg James M. Cox 1920.jpg Debs penitentiary.jpg
Nominee Warren G. Harding James M. Cox Eugene V. Debs
Party Republican Democratic Socialist
Home state Ohio Ohio Indiana
Running mate Calvin Coolidge Franklin D. Roosevelt Seymour Stedman
Electoral vote4500
Popular vote1,871,167781,238203,201
Percentage64.56%26.95%7.01%
New York Presidential Election Results 1920.svg
County Results
Harding
  50–60%
  60–70%
  70–80%

The 1920 United States presidential election in New York took place on November 2, 1920. All contemporary 48 states were part of the 1920 United States presidential election. Voters chose 45 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

Contents

New York was won by Republican Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio, who was running against Democratic Ohio Governor James M. Cox. Harding's running mate was Governor Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts, while Cox ran with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York. Also running that year was Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs of Indiana and his running mate Seymour Stedman of Illinois.

Harding won New York State with an overwhelming landslide of 64.56% of the vote to Cox's 26.95%, a victory margin of 37.61%. Socialist Party candidate Eugene Debs finished with a relatively strong showing for a third party candidate, taking 7.01% of the vote, more than twice his national vote share, making New York his third strongest state in the nation. The strongest county for Debs within the state was the New York City borough of the Bronx, where Debs broke 15% of the vote.

With the deeply unpopular Democratic administration of Woodrow Wilson as the backdrop for the 1920 campaign, [2] Warren G. Harding promised a "return to normalcy" that appealed to many voters, [3] while Cox was tied to the policies of the Wilson administration, which had even in 1916 been criticized for insensitivity to Irish-American wishes. [4] Harding won nationally in one of the most decisive landslides in American history, and New York, already a fiercely Republican state during the Fourth Party System, went even harder for Harding than the nation, making New York a solid 12% more Republican than the national average. [5] The Irish-Americans were offended by Cox' close ties to Wilson's proposed League of Nations; [6] whilst Palatine Germans who had been the Democratic Party's other base in New York since before the Civil War were similarly offended by Wilson's pro-British policies. Schoharie County, which had been the only New York county to stay Democratic during the "free silver" election of 1896, went Republican for the first time ever [7] and has only twice voted Democratic since. [note 1]

Results

1920 United States presidential election in New York [8]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Republican Warren G. Harding 1,871,16764.56%45
Democratic James Cox 781,23826.95%0
Socialist Eugene V. Debs 203,2017.01%0
Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins 19,6530.68%0
Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen 18,4130.64%0
Socialist Labor William Wesley Cox 4,8410.17%0
Totals2,898,513100.0%45

New York City results

1920 Presidential Election in New York City Manhattan The Bronx Brooklyn Queens Staten Island Total
Republican Warren G. Harding 275,013106,050292,69294,36017,844785,95961.42%
59.22%56.61%63.32%68.71%63.15%
Democratic James M. Cox 135,24945,741119,61235,2969,373345,27126.98%
29.12%24.42%25.88%25.70%33.17%
Socialist Eugene V. Debs 46,04932,92345,1006,143712130,92710.23%
9.92%17.57%9.76%4.47%2.52%
Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen 7,0791,9493,4731,20417013,8751.08%
1.52%1.04%0.75%0.88%0.60%
Socialist Labor William W. Cox 567452638179481,8840.15%
0.12%0.24%0.14%0.13%0.17%
Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins 4632147331421111,6630.13%
0.10%0.11%0.16%0.10%0.39%
TOTAL464,420187,329462,248137,32428,2581,279,579100.00%

Results by county

Results by Manhattan assembly district. Colors are as above with the following additions: Harding--30-40% Cox--40-50% Cox--80-90% Manhattan U.S. President results 1920.png
Results by Manhattan assembly district. Colors are as above with the following additions:
  Harding—30-40%
  Cox—40-50%
  Cox—80-90%
Results by Bronx assembly district. Bronx U.S. President results 1920.png
Results by Bronx assembly district.
CountyWarren G. Harding
Republican		James M. Cox
Democratic		Eugene V. Debs
Socialist		Aaron Watkins
Prohibition		Parley P. Christensen
Farmer-Labor		William W. Cox
Socialist Labor		MarginTotal votes cast [9]
# %# %# %# %# %# %# %
Albany 48,75061.72%28,37635.92%1,4381.82%2440.31%1180.15%630.08%20,37425.79%78,989
Allegany 10,89874.15%2,79919.04%5133.49%4413.00%220.15%240.16%8,09955.11%14,697
Bronx 106,05056.61%45,74124.42%32,92317.57%2140.11%1,9491.04%4520.24%60,30932.19%187,329
Broome 24,75968.96%9,25125.77%1,1203.12%6231.74%900.25%600.17%15,50843.19%35,903
Cattaraugus 16,08366.93%6,69327.85%6582.74%4812.00%750.31%390.16%9,39039.08%24,029
Cayuga 15,23467.68%6,34328.18%6392.84%1910.85%330.15%700.31%8,89139.50%22,510
Chautauqua 27,61871.57%6,78117.57%3,1438.15%8692.25%620.16%1140.30%20,83754.00%38,587
Chemung 17,86468.53%7,06027.08%4311.65%6332.43%460.18%340.13%10,80441.45%26,068
Chenango 10,11671.12%3,73526.26%680.48%2821.98%140.10%90.06%6,38144.86%14,224
Clinton 9,06267.70%4,11030.71%290.22%1661.24%110.08%70.05%4,95237.00%13,385
Columbia 9,28462.63%5,20335.10%2111.42%950.64%150.10%150.10%4,08127.53%14,823
Cortland 9,60676.75%2,54120.30%1361.09%2181.74%60.05%90.07%7,06556.45%12,516
Delaware 11,71970.17%4,52827.11%1500.90%2691.61%270.16%80.05%7,19143.06%16,701
Dutchess 21,15265.60%9,93830.82%8822.74%1670.52%710.22%360.11%11,21434.78%32,246
Erie 99,76263.22%40,43625.63%15,1119.58%1,4300.91%5210.33%5360.34%59,32637.60%157,796
Essex 8,04277.48%2,21821.37%470.45%610.59%90.09%20.02%5,82456.11%10,379
Franklin 9,78670.58%3,82527.59%620.45%1781.28%120.09%20.01%5,96142.99%13,865
Fulton 10,94670.44%3,19220.54%8885.71%4362.81%350.23%420.27%7,75449.90%15,539
Genesee 9,62874.50%2,57019.89%5394.17%1521.18%130.10%210.16%7,05854.62%12,923
Greene 6,32361.50%3,49834.02%2642.57%1601.56%200.19%170.17%2,82527.48%10,282
Hamilton 88162.66%51636.70%30.21%40.28%20.14%00.00%36525.96%1,406
Herkimer 14,31065.27%6,50729.68%7933.62%2641.20%250.11%250.11%7,80335.59%21,924
Jefferson 22,07270.74%7,92525.40%2520.81%4061.30%5101.63%360.12%14,14745.34%31,201
Kings 292,69263.32%119,61225.88%45,1009.76%7330.16%3,4730.75%6380.14%173,08037.44%462,248
Lewis 5,90667.95%2,67330.75%240.28%760.87%100.12%30.03%3,23337.20%8,692
Livingston 9,48868.84%3,57125.91%4973.61%1921.39%170.12%180.13%5,91742.93%13,783
Madison 11,09472.28%3,79724.74%2301.50%1821.19%220.14%230.15%7,29747.54%15,348
Monroe 73,80963.78%28,52324.65%11,0899.58%1,3241.14%6780.59%2980.26%45,28639.13%115,721
Montgomery 12,83566.07%5,91130.43%4762.45%1340.69%260.13%430.22%6,92435.64%19,425
Nassau 33,09976.39%8,59519.84%1,2542.89%1550.36%1820.42%460.11%24,50456.55%43,331
New York 275,01359.22%135,24929.12%46,0499.92%4630.10%7,0791.52%5670.12%139,76430.09%464,420
Niagara 21,19368.29%7,41623.90%1,8726.03%3801.22%1040.34%670.22%13,77744.40%31,032
Oneida 36,31166.27%15,56028.40%2,2974.19%4120.75%780.14%1330.24%20,75137.87%54,791
Onondaga 57,00866.25%23,30827.09%4,7075.47%6400.74%1630.19%2210.26%33,70039.16%86,047
Ontario 13,36166.20%5,67828.13%9144.53%1860.92%240.12%210.10%7,68338.06%20,184
Orange 24,55866.13%10,56728.46%1,5734.24%2920.79%930.25%520.14%13,99137.68%37,135
Orleans 8,30572.79%2,26619.86%6205.43%1761.54%300.26%130.11%6,03952.93%11,410
Oswego 17,90566.37%8,04529.82%4911.82%4741.76%360.13%280.10%9,86036.55%26,979
Otsego 12,11263.88%6,27533.09%1340.71%3912.06%360.19%130.07%5,83730.78%18,961
Putnam 3,44770.19%1,40528.61%230.47%200.41%80.16%80.16%2,04241.58%4,911
Queens 94,36068.71%35,29625.70%6,1434.47%1420.10%1,2040.88%1790.13%59,06443.01%137,324
Rensselaer 28,81056.08%20,22439.37%1,8493.60%2780.54%1160.23%940.18%8,58616.71%51,371
Richmond 17,84463.15%9,37333.17%7122.52%1110.39%1700.60%480.17%8,47129.98%28,258
Rockland 11,16966.10%5,05729.93%4982.95%800.47%670.40%260.15%6,11236.17%16,897
Saratoga 16,22267.99%6,90528.94%3511.47%2901.22%730.31%170.07%9,31739.05%23,858
Schenectady 19,20857.20%8,74126.03%4,94114.71%5091.52%660.20%1170.35%10,46731.17%33,582
Schoharie 5,57258.43%3,69738.76%300.31%2152.25%120.13%110.12%1,87519.66%9,537
Schuyler 3,82771.29%1,23122.93%1512.81%1382.57%90.17%120.22%2,59648.36%5,368
Seneca 6,26064.56%3,02331.18%2502.58%1351.39%120.12%160.17%3,23733.38%9,696
St. Lawrence 24,65175.60%7,21322.12%3721.14%2820.86%560.17%320.10%17,43853.48%32,606
Steuben 18,33565.79%7,40126.56%1,2174.37%7842.81%520.19%790.28%10,93439.23%27,868
Suffolk 26,73773.10%8,85224.20%5961.63%2330.64%1180.32%380.10%17,88548.90%36,574
Sullivan 8,02964.45%3,62329.08%6715.39%980.79%260.21%110.09%4,40635.37%12,458
Tioga 6,77271.20%2,40625.30%830.87%2232.34%160.17%110.12%4,36645.90%9,511
Tompkins 9,50870.05%3,48725.69%2882.12%2501.84%210.15%190.14%6,02144.36%13,573
Ulster 19,00166.41%8,75930.61%3011.05%4551.59%760.27%200.07%10,24235.80%28,612
Warren 9,00971.76%3,22725.70%1891.51%1010.80%200.16%90.07%5,78246.05%12,555
Washington 13,64775.43%4,12422.79%1620.90%1230.68%240.13%130.07%9,52352.63%18,093
Wayne 13,33373.24%4,28923.56%3041.67%2411.32%180.10%200.11%9,04449.68%18,205
Westchester 76,02068.28%28,06025.20%6,0975.48%4350.39%4850.44%2380.21%47,96043.08%111,335
Wyoming 9,13475.48%2,44220.18%2942.43%1941.60%210.17%160.13%6,69255.30%12,101
Yates 5,63876.28%1,57121.26%520.70%1221.65%60.08%20.03%4,06755.03%7,391
Totals1,871,16764.56%781,23826.95%203,2017.01%19,6530.68%18,4130.64%4,8410.17%1,089,92937.60%2,898,513

Analysis

Harding swept every county in the state of New York, winning every upstate county as well as winning all five boroughs of New York City and Long Island. All but five of New York State's 62 counties went Republican with more than 60% of the vote.

Harding won heavily populated New York City as a whole with a commanding majority, sweeping all 5 boroughs. Harding received over 60% of the vote in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, and also won majorities in Manhattan and the Bronx. [10] 1920 was the first of only two occasions in which a Republican presidential candidate won all 5 boroughs of New York City since the city's incorporation in 1898, the other occasion being 1924. 1920 remains the only election ever in which a Republican presidential candidate has won an absolute majority of the vote in all five boroughs as well as in New York City as a whole. In 1924, Calvin Coolidge would win every borough of New York City for the GOP once more, but with mere pluralities in every borough sans Queens. This is the second of three elections in which Republicans won New York City as a whole (along with 1896 and 1924).

Likewise, this was the first of only two occasions (the other being 1924) in which a Republican has won the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx since they took their modern forms with the creation of Bronx County in 1914. [11]

Harding also won decisive majorities in upstate New York in rural and urban counties. Harding won over 60% in Albany County, home to the state capital of Albany, as well as in Erie County, home to the city of Buffalo, and in Monroe County, home to the city of Rochester. 1920 made Warren G. Harding the first of three presidential candidates of either party who has been able to sweep every county in New York State, the only others being Republican Calvin Coolidge in 1924 and Democrat Lyndon Johnson in 1964. As of 2020, this is the most recent election where New York's most Democratic county was not one of the five boroughs of New York City, as Cox had his best performance in Upstate Rensselaer County.

Harding's 64.56% of the vote in New York State remains the highest vote share any Republican presidential candidate has ever received in the state, and the second-highest vote share any candidate of either party has ever gotten in the state, beaten only by Democrat Lyndon Johnson's 68.56% in the Democratic landslide of 1964. Harding's landslide victory margin of 37.61% remains the widest margin by which any candidate of either party has ever won New York State, beating even Lyndon Johnson's 37.25% in 1964. [12]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ These were for Lyndon Johnson against Barry Goldwater in 1964 and for Bill Clinton against Bob Dole in 1996.

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References

  1. ↑ Bicentennial Edition: Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970, part 2, p. 1072.
  2. ↑ McGerr, Michael E.; The Decline of Popular Politics: The American North, 1865-1928; p. 169 ISBN   0195363760
  3. ↑ Carr, Richard and Hart, Bradley W.; The Global 1920s: Politics, Economics and Society, p. 143 ISBN   1317277872
  4. ↑ Lichtman, Allan J.; Prejudice and the Old Politics: The Presidential Election of 1928, p. 103 ISBN   0739101269
  5. ↑ Counting the Votes; New York
  6. ↑ Yanoso, Nicole Anderson; The Irish and the American Presidency, p. 143 ISBN   1351480642
  7. ↑ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 121 ISBN   9780691163246
  8. ↑ "1920 Presidential Election Results - New York". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
  9. ↑ New York State Board of Elections; 'Vote for Electors of President in 1920'; New York Red Book (1921) p. 530
  10. ↑ Keuchtenberg, William E.; The Perils of Prosperity, 1914-1932; p. 88 ISBN   0226473716
  11. ↑ Sullivan, Robert David; 'How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century'; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  12. ↑ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; Presidential General Election Results Comparison – New York
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