1926 Arizona gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1926 United States gubernatorial elections.

1926 Arizona gubernatorial election

←  1924 November 2, 1926 1928  →

Nominee George W. P. Hunt Elias S. Clark Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 39,979 39,580 Percentage 50.25% 49.75%

Election results by county Hunt:     50–60%     60–70% Clark:     50–60%

Governor before election George W. P. Hunt Democratic Elected Governor George W. P. Hunt Democratic

The 1926 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1926. Despite being a Democratic year generally, Hunt barely managed to be re-elected against his Republican opponent Elias Clark. Hunt had been governor for around 11 out of the State of Arizona's 14 years, coupled with his age and with issues regarding the Colorado River Compact, he was running out of steam. Despite that Hunt narrowly prevailed and won.

Governor W. P. Hunt was sworn in for a sixth term as governor on January 3, 1927. ^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• George W. P. Hunt, incumbent governor, former ambassador to Siam
• Everett E. Ellinwood, district attorney for territorial Arizona (1893–1898), Regent for the U of A ^[2]
• J. J. Cox, state senator ^[3]

Results

Democratic primary results ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	George W. P. Hunt (incumbent)	26,155	49.25%
	Democratic	Everett E. Ellinwood	16,057	30.24%
	Democratic	J.J. Cox	10,890	20.51%
Total votes			53,120	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• E. S. Clark, Arizona Territorial Attorney General ^[5]
• Thomas Maddock, Republican nominee for Representative in 1918, and as governor in 1934 ^[6]

Results

Republican primary results ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Elias S. Clark	8,294	54.06%
	Republican	Thomas Maddock	7,048	45.94%
Total votes			15,342	100.00

General election

Arizona gubernatorial election, 1926 ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	George W. P. Hunt (incumbent)	39,979	50.25%	−0.28%
	Republican	Elias S. Clark	37,580	49.75%	+0.28%
Majority			399	0.50%
Total votes			77,559	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing	+0.50%

Results by county

County	George W. P. Hunt Democratic		Elias S. Clark Republican		Margin		Total votes cast [7]
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Apache	753	51.36%	713	48.64%	40	2.73%	1,466
Cochise	4,564	48.60%	4,826	51.40%	-262	-2.79%	9,390
Coconino	1,464	55.16%	1,190	44.84%	274	10.32%	2,654
Gila	3,612	56.10%	2,826	43.90%	786	12.21%	6,438
Graham	1,561	56.15%	1,219	43.85%	342	12.30%	2,780
Greenlee	936	61.86%	577	38.14%	359	23.73%	1,513
Maricopa	12,036	45.91%	14,178	54.09%	-2,142	-8.17%	26,214
Mohave	744	41.22%	1,061	58.78%	-317	-17.56%	1,805
Navajo	1,346	54.58%	1,120	45.42%	226	9.16%	2,466
Pima	4,624	48.02%	5,005	51.98%	-381	-3.96%	9,629
Pinal	1,514	55.40%	1,219	44.60%	295	10.79%	2,733
Santa Cruz	771	49.58%	784	50.42%	-13	-0.84%	1,555
Yavapai	3,979	54.94%	3,263	45.06%	716	9.89%	7,242
Yuma	2,075	56.48%	1,599	43.52%	476	12.96%	3,674
Totals	39,979	50.25%	39,580	49.75%	399	0.50%	79,559

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Coconino
• Navajo
• Yavapai
• Yuma

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Santa Cruz

References

1. Goff 1973, p. 177.
2. Goff 1973, p. 274.
3. Goff 1973, p. 159.
4. Goff 1973, p. 171.
5. Goff 1973, p. 273.
6. Goff 1973, p. 277.
7. "Official Canvass General Election Returns, State of Arizona, November 2, 1926". Arizona Secretary of State. Retrieved July 11, 2024.

Bibliography

• Goff, John S. (1973). George The Fifth and Bibliographical and Biographical Notes (ed.). George W. P. Hunt and his Arizona. Phoenix: Socio-Technical Publications. pp. 159, 171–177, 273–277.