Preston Parks

Last updated

Preston Parks was a faithless elector during the 1948 United States presidential election.

A member of the Tennessee Democratic Party, Parks was chosen by his party as an elector for Democratic nominees - Harry S. Truman and Alben W. Barkley. However, he actively campaigned for the Dixiecrats, a splinter group of segregationist Southern Democrats, who ran their own (Strom Thurmond/Fielding L. Wright) ticket, opposing Truman's civil rights policy.

This made Parks the only elector pledged to one party who had campaigned for another ticket. Truman carried Tennessee but Preston, although formally pledged to him, cast his vote, as vowed, on Thurmond and Wright. The other Democratic Tennessee elector took the same vow as Parks, but ultimately voted for the Democratic Party ticket.

Parks' sole faithless vote, in addition to votes from States carried by Thurmond (South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana), gave the Dixiecrat ticket a total count of 39 votes in the electoral college.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election</span> 41st quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1948 United States presidential election was the 41st quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 1948. In one of the greatest election upsets in American history, incumbent President Harry S. Truman, the Democratic nominee, defeated heavily favored Republican Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey, and third-party candidates, becoming the third president to succeed to the presidency upon his predecessor's death and be elected to a full term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dixiecrat</span> 1948 U.S. segregationist political party

The States' Rights Democratic Party was a short-lived segregationist political party in the United States, active primarily in the South. It arose due to a Southern regional split in opposition to the regular Democratic Party. After President Harry S. Truman, the leader of the Democratic Party, ordered integration of the military in 1948 and other actions to address civil rights of African Americans, including the first presidential proposal for comprehensive civil and voting rights, many Southern white politicians who objected to this course organized themselves as a breakaway faction. They wished to protect the ability of states to maintain racial segregation. Its members were referred to as "Dixiecrats", a portmanteau of "Dixie", referring to the Southern United States, and "Democrat".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faithless elector</span> Elector who does not vote for the candidate for whom they had pledged to vote

In the United States Electoral College, a faithless elector is an elector who does not vote for the candidates for U.S. President and U.S. Vice President for whom the elector had pledged to vote, and instead votes for another person for one or both offices or abstains from voting. As part of United States presidential elections, each state selects the method by which its electors are to be selected, which in modern times has been based on a popular vote in most states, and generally requires its electors to have pledged to vote for the candidates of their party if appointed. A pledged elector is only considered a faithless elector by breaking their pledge; unpledged electors have no pledge to break. The consequences of an elector voting in a way inconsistent with their pledge vary from state to state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Democratic Party</span> Mississippi state affiliate of the Democratic Party

The Mississippi Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Mississippi. The party headquarters is located in Jackson, Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Georgia</span> Election in Georgia

The 1948 United States presidential election in Georgia took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the wider United States presidential election. Voters chose 12 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Virginia</span> Election in Virginia

The 1948 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 2, 1948, throughout the 48 contiguous states. Voters chose 11 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Texas</span> Election in Texas

The 1948 United States presidential election in Texas was held on November 2, 1948. Texas voters chose 23 electors to represent the state in the Electoral College, which chose the president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Mississippi</span> Election in Mississippi

The 1948 United States presidential election in Mississippi took place on November 2, 1948, in Mississippi as part of the wider United States presidential election of 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Alabama</span> Election in Alabama

The 1948 United States presidential election in Alabama was held on November 2, 1948. Alabama voters sent eleven electors to the Electoral College who voted for President and Vice-President. In Alabama, voters voted for electors individually instead of as a slate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Florida</span> Election in Florida

The 1948 United States presidential election in Florida was held on November 2, 1948. Voters chose eight electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States presidential election in South Carolina</span> Election in South Carolina

The 1964 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on November 3, 1964, as part of the 1964 United States presidential election. South Carolina voters chose 8 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1952 United States presidential election in Alabama</span> Election in Alabama

The 1952 United States presidential election in Alabama took place on November 4, 1952, as part of the 1952 United States presidential election. Alabama voters chose eleven representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. In Alabama, voters voted for electors individually instead of as a slate, as in the other states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1952 United States presidential election in North Carolina</span>

The 1952 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 4, 1952, as part of the 1952 United States presidential election. North Carolina voters chose 14 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in South Carolina</span> Election in South Carolina

The 1948 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 United States presidential election. State voters chose eight electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Arkansas</span> Election in Arkansas

The 1948 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 United States presidential election. State voters chose nine representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. This would be the last presidential election where Arkansas had nine electoral votes: the Great Migration would see the state lose three congressional districts in the next decade-and-a-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in North Carolina</span>

The 1948 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 United States presidential election. North Carolina voters chose 14 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1948 United States presidential election in Tennessee</span> Election in Tennessee

The 1948 United States presidential election in Tennessee took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 United States presidential election. Tennessee voters chose 12 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 United States presidential election in Texas</span> Election in Texas

The 1944 United States presidential election in Texas took place on November 7, 1944, as part of the 1944 United States presidential election. State voters chose 23 electors to represent the state in the Electoral College, which chose the president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 United States presidential election in Mississippi</span> Election in Mississippi

The 1944 United States presidential election in Mississippi took place on November 7, 1944, as part of the 1944 United States presidential election. Mississippi voters chose nine representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

References