1924 United States presidential election in Michigan

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1924 United States presidential election in Michigan
Flag of Michigan.svg
  1920 November 4, 1924 1928  

All 15 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
  Calvin Coolidge cph.3g10777 crop.jpg John William Davis.jpg Robert La Follette Sr crop.jpg
Nominee Calvin Coolidge John W. Davis Robert M. La Follette
Party Republican Democratic Progressive
Home state Massachusetts West Virginia Wisconsin
Running mate Charles G. Dawes Charles W. Bryan Burton K. Wheeler
Electoral vote1500
Popular vote874,631152,359122,014
Percentage75.37%13.13%10.51%

Michigan Presidential Election Results 1924.svg
County Results
Coolidge
  40-50%
  50-60%
  60-70%
  70-80%
  80-90%
  90-100%

The 1924 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 4, 1924, as part of the 1924 United States presidential election. Voters chose fifteen [1] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

Ever since the Panic of 1893 and the Populist movement, Michigan had been rigidly one-party polity dominated by the Republican Party. [2] In the 1894 elections, the Democratic Party lost all but one seat in the Michigan legislature, [3] and over the four ensuing decades the party would never make major gains there. [2] The dominance of the culture of the Lower Peninsula by anti-slavery Yankees [4] would be augmented by the turn of formerly Democratic-leaning German Catholics away from that party as a result of the remodelled party's agrarian and free silver sympathies, which became rigidly opposed by both the upper class and workers who followed them, [5] while the Populist movement eliminated Democratic ties with the business and commerce of Michigan and other Northern states. [6] By the 1920s, the only significant financial backer of the state Democratic Party was billionaire William Comstock. [7]

Unlike the other states of the Upper Midwest, the Yankee influence on the culture of the Lower Peninsula was so strong that left-wing third parties did not provide significant opposition to the Republicans, nor was there more than a moderate degree of coordinated factionalism within the hegemonic Michigan Republican Party. [8]

By taking a substantial proportion of the 1912 “Bull Moose” vote, incumbent president Woodrow Wilson would manage the best performance in Michigan by a Democrat since Grover Cleveland in 1888, [9] but 1918 saw a major reaction against Wilson throughout the Midwest, due to supposed preferential treatment of Southern farmers. [10] Republicans would hold every seat in the State Senate for over a decade after the fall election, [11] as they had between 1895 and 1897 and between 1905 and 1911, and every seat in both houses of the state legislature between 1921 and 1923.

The only campaigning done in the state by any of the three major candidates – Republican Party incumbent Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts, Democratic nominee John W. Davis of West Virginia and third-party candidate Robert M. La Follette of the Progressive Party — was a tour by conservative Southern Democrat Davis in September, [12] during which he campaigned to eliminate the income tax burden of the poorer classes. [13]

Results

1924 United States presidential election in Michigan
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Calvin Coolidge (inc.) 874,631 75.37%
Democratic John W. Davis 152,35913.13%
Progressive Robert M. La Follette 122,01410.51%
Prohibition Herman P. Faris 6,0850.52%
Communist William Z. Foster 5,3300.46%
Total votes1,160,419 100%

Results by county

1924 United States presidential election in Michigan by county
CountyJohn Calvin Coolidge
Republican
John William Davis
Democratic
Robert M. La Follette
Progressive
Herman Preston Faris
Prohibition
William Zebulon Foster
Communist
MarginTotal votes cast [14]
# %# %# %# %# %# %
Alcona 1,02772.32%18412.96%17912.61%211.48%90.63%84359.37%1,420
Alger 1,62366.52%2289.34%50520.70%381.56%461.89%1,118 [a] 45.82%2,440
Allegan 9,41779.32%1,56213.16%7956.70%680.57%300.25%7,85566.16%11,872
Alpena 4,62875.78%94815.52%4887.99%210.34%220.36%3,68060.26%6,107
Antrim 2,24676.79%37112.68%2709.23%230.79%150.51%1,87564.10%2,925
Arenac 1,76767.57%57521.99%2549.71%140.54%50.19%1,19245.58%2,615
Baraga 1,71471.84%2088.72%39116.39%361.51%371.55%1,323 [a] 55.45%2,386
Barry 5,65670.72%2,04625.58%2423.03%440.55%100.13%3,61045.14%7,998
Bay 14,86164.75%5,88125.62%1,9918.68%1420.62%760.33%8,98039.13%22,951
Benzie 1,92273.84%1987.61%41916.10%441.69%200.77%1,503 [a] 57.74%2,603
Berrien 15,61263.73%4,44518.15%4,18317.08%1580.64%990.40%11,16745.59%24,497
Branch 6,01664.67%2,25324.22%94310.14%690.74%210.23%3,76340.45%9,302
Calhoun 18,16571.91%4,02015.91%2,78211.01%1700.67%1250.49%14,14555.99%25,262
Cass 4,54559.93%2,32830.70%6458.50%430.57%230.30%2,21729.23%7,584
Charlevoix 3,34679.65%4069.66%3879.21%370.88%250.60%2,94069.98%4,201
Cheboygan 2,68364.16%99423.77%44110.55%451.08%190.45%1,68940.39%4,182
Chippewa 5,44377.44%5167.34%99714.18%360.51%370.53%4,446 [a] 63.25%7,029
Clare 1,92077.67%35814.48%1576.35%190.77%180.73%1,56263.19%2,472
Clinton 6,63776.81%1,35915.73%5966.90%380.44%110.13%5,27861.08%8,641
Crawford 84072.92%16314.15%13711.89%70.61%50.43%67758.77%1,152
Delta 4,76149.83%4634.85%4,20444.00%480.50%780.82%557 [a] 5.83%9,554
Dickinson 4,53868.66%4006.05%1,49522.62%801.21%961.45%3,043 [a] 46.04%6,609
Eaton 8,23273.66%2,46222.03%3943.53%550.49%320.29%5,77051.63%11,175
Emmet 3,02069.23%77317.72%50111.49%350.80%330.76%2,24751.51%4,362
Genesee 34,26483.82%4,22510.34%2,1245.20%1250.31%1400.34%30,03973.48%40,878
Gladwin 1,90878.36%25510.47%2429.94%230.94%70.29%1,65367.89%2,435
Gogebic 5,12866.54%4876.32%1,78123.11%1682.18%1431.86%3,347 [a] 43.43%7,707
Grand Traverse 4,01174.86%55810.41%70913.23%541.01%260.49%3,302 [a] 61.63%5,358
Gratiot 6,72076.09%1,83920.82%2002.26%530.60%200.23%4,88155.26%8,832
Hillsdale 6,55668.45%1,98020.67%9479.89%670.70%280.29%4,57647.78%9,578
Houghton 13,83383.02%1,0456.27%1,5799.48%830.50%1220.73%12,254 [a] 73.54%16,662
Huron 8,84381.14%9889.07%9839.02%600.55%240.22%7,85572.08%10,898
Ingham 28,00581.16%4,81413.95%1,4884.31%1460.42%520.15%23,19167.21%34,505
Ionia 9,50273.21%2,82121.74%5594.31%790.61%180.14%6,68151.48%12,979
Iosco 1,71371.43%30412.68%32913.72%321.33%200.83%1,384 [a] 57.71%2,398
Iron 2,80265.06%2475.73%1,14326.54%601.39%551.28%1,659 [a] 38.52%4,307
Isabella 5,24577.08%1,20817.75%2854.19%520.76%150.22%4,03759.32%6,805
Jackson 19,64069.18%5,63919.86%2,88010.14%1410.50%900.32%14,00149.32%28,390
Kalamazoo 18,45175.31%3,58714.64%2,2839.32%970.40%820.33%14,86460.67%24,500
Kalkaska 96670.46%20514.95%17712.91%181.31%50.36%76155.51%1,371
Kent 45,20776.61%7,98213.53%5,3569.08%2600.44%2030.34%37,22563.08%59,008
Keweenaw 1,42191.15%503.21%674.30%60.38%150.96%1,354 [a] 86.85%1,559
Lake 1,06968.79%31320.14%16010.30%40.26%80.51%75648.65%1,554
Lapeer 6,29783.65%92912.34%2483.29%400.53%140.19%5,36871.31%7,528
Leelanau 1,79275.36%30112.66%24910.47%230.97%130.55%1,49162.70%2,378
Lenawee 13,35872.65%3,95021.48%9585.21%820.45%400.22%9,40851.16%18,388
Livingston 4,88667.37%2,03728.09%2743.78%400.55%150.21%2,84939.29%7,252
Luce 85080.65%11210.63%837.87%90.85%00.00%73870.02%1,054
Mackinac 1,60651.62%99832.08%48115.46%120.39%140.45%60819.54%3,111
Macomb 11,14769.96%3,19120.03%1,5069.45%540.34%350.22%7,95649.93%15,933
Manistee 3,70158.09%1,31420.62%1,29420.31%430.67%190.30%2,38737.47%6,371
Marquette 9,77170.70%8456.11%2,98421.59%1210.88%990.72%6,787 [a] 49.11%13,820
Mason 3,56767.18%81515.35%79114.90%631.19%741.39%2,75251.83%5,310
Mecosta 3,88476.96%79415.73%3046.02%330.65%320.63%3,09061.22%5,047
Menominee 4,14253.35%1,05513.59%2,45931.67%480.62%600.77%1,683 [a] 21.68%7,764
Midland 4,00479.08%62512.34%3587.07%641.26%120.24%3,37966.74%5,063
Missaukee 1,72385.09%20810.27%793.90%130.64%20.10%1,51574.81%2,025
Monroe 8,94058.12%4,98132.38%1,3438.73%730.47%460.30%3,95925.74%15,383
Montcalm 6,94278.97%1,39615.88%3493.97%780.89%260.30%5,54663.09%8,791
Montmorency 74863.93%14011.97%26422.56%141.20%40.34%484 [a] 41.37%1,170
Muskegon 14,42279.22%1,4628.03%2,18812.02%680.37%660.36%12,234 [a] 67.20%18,206
Newaygo 4,24379.22%72013.44%3336.22%480.90%120.22%3,52365.78%5,356
Oakland 28,60381.27%4,10511.66%2,2016.25%1620.46%1250.36%24,49869.60%35,196
Oceana 3,33574.94%65014.61%3808.54%501.12%350.79%2,68560.34%4,450
Ogemaw 1,71479.32%25811.94%1567.22%190.88%140.65%1,45667.38%2,161
Ontonagon 2,24971.42%41713.24%39912.67%230.73%611.94%1,83258.18%3,149
Osceola 3,05077.79%56614.44%2566.53%401.02%90.23%2,48463.35%3,921
Oscoda 38982.24%5210.99%306.34%00.00%20.42%33771.25%473
Otsego 1,14473.81%24916.06%1439.23%80.52%60.39%89557.74%1,550
Ottawa 11,68878.55%1,87112.57%1,2208.20%540.36%470.32%9,81765.97%14,880
Presque Isle 2,31567.45%43112.56%64518.79%270.79%140.41%1,670 [a] 48.66%3,432
Roscommon 48469.64%9914.24%10114.53%60.86%50.72%383 [a] 55.11%695
Saginaw 23,61867.99%6,20617.87%4,64913.38%1620.47%1030.30%17,41250.12%34,738
Sanilac 7,76784.53%98310.70%3663.98%500.54%220.24%6,78473.84%9,188
Schoolcraft 1,51561.34%1907.69%72029.15%240.97%210.85%795 [a] 32.19%2,470
Shiawassee 8,98772.99%1,73814.12%1,36611.09%1441.17%780.63%7,24958.87%12,313
St. Clair 17,43576.54%3,60015.80%1,6357.18%680.30%420.18%13,83560.73%22,780
St. Joseph 6,63361.34%2,64926.13%7477.37%520.51%560.55%3,98439.30%10,137
Tuscola 7,49080.37%1,07611.55%6537.01%910.98%90.10%6,41468.83%9,319
Van Buren 7,38471.55%1,64615.95%1,17011.34%720.70%480.47%5,73855.60%10,320
Washtenaw 14,32672.24%3,60318.17%1,7288.71%930.47%800.40%10,72354.07%19,830
Wayne 268,65380.11%23,8177.10%39,77311.86%1,1210.33%1,9720.59%228,880 [a] 68.25%335,336
Wexford 3,92677.47%59211.68%4438.74%741.46%330.65%3,33465.79%5,068
Totals874,63175.37%152,35913.13%122,01410.51%6,0850.52%5,3300.46%722,27262.24%1,160,419

Analysis

The first poll taken showed it clearly that Coolidge would carry Michigan by a huge margin, [15] although there was substantial debate as to whom the opposition vote would go — early polls had La Follette receiving twice as many votes as Davis, but Democratic spokesmen worried that the state's few Democrats would desert to Coolidge said Davis would out-poll the Wisconsin Senator. [7] Ultimately, Davis did out-poll the Wisconsin Senator, whose figures of around 20 percent in October would fall to only 10.51 percent of the vote on election day, whilst Coolidge carried Michigan with a percentage even higher than originally predicted and which surpassed Warren G. Harding’s record performance from 1920. [16] [17]

Coolidge carried Michigan with 75.37 percent of the popular vote. This remains the best performance in a presidential election in Michigan as of the 2020 election , and Coolidge emulated Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 and William Howard Taft in 1908 by carrying every county in the state. Michigan was to be Coolidge's second strongest state in the 1924 election in terms of popular vote percentage after his birth state of Vermont. [18]

Democrat Davis gathered only 13.13 percent of the vote and did not pass one-third in any of Michigan's eighty-three counties, whilst La Follette, who carried his neighbouring home state of Wisconsin and received over thirty percent in all other states of the Upper Midwest, received limited support in Michigan because it was less German [19] and more Yankee and Polish than any other Midwestern state. [20] La Follette's best performance was in the heavily Finnish and anti-clerical Upper Peninsula, [21] where he received forty-four percent in Delta County and over twenty percent in seven other counties in the western Upper Peninsula. However, in the more populous Lower Peninsula, La Follette exceeded his national vote share of 16.62 percent only in four of sixty-eight counties, [b] and consequently the Wisconsin Senator won only 10.51 percent of Michigan's total vote, making it his third-weakest state in the Midwest after heavily Southern-leaning Indiana and Missouri. As in 1920, the Republican presidential landslide was accompanied by a clean sweep of every seat in both houses of the State legislature.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 In this county where La Follette ran second ahead of Davis, margin given is Coolidge vote minus La Follette vote, and percentage margin Collidge percentage minus La Follette percentage.
  2. These were Presque Isle, Manistee, Montmorency, and Berrien Counties

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