1896 United States presidential election in Kentucky
← 1892 November 3, 1896 1900 →
 
Nominee William McKinley William Jennings Bryan
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Ohio Nebraska
Running mate Garret Hobart Arthur Sewall
Electoral vote 12 1
Popular vote 218,171 217,894
Percentage 48.93% 48.86%
County Results
President before election

Grover Cleveland
Democratic

Elected President

William McKinley
Republican

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The 1896 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 3, 1896. All contemporary 45 states were part of the 1896 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

Kentucky was won by the Republican nominees, former Ohio Governor William McKinley and his running mate Garret Hobart of New Jersey. They defeated the Democratic and Populist nominees, former Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan and his running mate Arthur Sewall of Maine. McKinley won the state by a very narrow margin of 0.07%.

As a result of his win, McKinley became the first Republican presidential candidate to ever win Kentucky. He would also be the only Republican presidential candidate to win the state until Calvin Coolidge in 1924.

Ever since the Civil War, Kentucky had been shaped politically by divisions created by that war between secessionist, Democratic counties and Unionist, Republican ones,[1] although the state as a whole leaned Democratic throughout this era and the GOP would never carry the state during the Third Party System.[2] However, the Democratic Party in the state was heavily divided over free silver and the role of corporations in the middle 1890s, and it lost the governorship for the first time in forty years in 1895 due to Populist defections.[3] For the 1896 election, the Democratic Party would aim to fuse with the Populists, and adopted the Populist free silver platform under former Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan.[3]

In contrast to the majority of antebellum slave states, Kentucky was sufficiently close to the industrial Northeast that it had a significant urban working class in its Ohio River cities that opposed free silver[4] because it would cause inflation.[5] Similar views were held by workers in Kentucky's developing coal mining industry. Polls late in October nonetheless showed Bryan carrying the state by a margin only slightly reduced from what discredited incumbent President Grover Cleveland had achieved in 1892.[6] A week later, however, polls had McKinley and Hobart carrying Kentucky by seventeen thousand votes.[7] As it turned out, the state was exceedingly close, with McKinley becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to carry Kentucky, by a mere 277 votes, or 0.06352%. Owing to the direct election of presidential electors and the extreme closeness of the result, one Bryan elector and twelve McKinley electors were chosen.

McKinley's victory is, by percentage margin, the seventh-closest popular results for presidential electors on record.[a]

McKinley would later lose Kentucky to Bryan four years later and Bryan would later win the state again in 1908 against William Howard Taft.

Results

1896 United States presidential election in Kentucky[8]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican William McKinley 218,171 48.93% 12
Democratic William Jennings Bryan 217,894 48.86% 1
National Democratic John M. Palmer 5,084 1.14% 0
Prohibition Joshua Levering 4,779 1.07% 0
Totals 445,928 100.00% 13
Voter turnout —

Results by county

County William McKinley[9]
Republican 		William Jennings Bryan[9]
Democratic 		John McAuley Palmer[9]
National Democratic 		Joshua Levering[9]
Prohibition 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Adair 1,612 53.40% 1,345 44.55% 40 1.32% 22 0.73% 267 8.84% 3,019
Allen 1,595 51.45% 1,460 47.10% 13 0.42% 32 1.03% 135 4.35% 3,100
Anderson 1,151 46.06% 1,286 51.46% 45 1.80% 17 0.68% -135 -5.40% 2,499
Ballard 495 22.41% 1,670 75.60% 9 0.41% 35 1.58% -1,175 -53.19% 2,209
Barren 2,092 40.25% 3,006 57.84% 43 0.83% 56 1.08% -914 -17.59% 5,197
Bath 1,579 45.98% 1,791 52.15% 23 0.67% 41 1.19% -212 -6.17% 3,434
Bell 1,900 74.54% 615 24.13% 21 0.82% 13 0.51% 1,285 50.41% 2,549
Boone 781 24.83% 2,317 73.65% 13 0.41% 35 1.11% -1,536 -48.82% 3,146
Bourbon 2,578 52.76% 2,210 45.23% 58 1.19% 40 0.82% 368 7.53% 4,886
Boyd 2,087 61.26% 1,241 36.43% 35 1.03% 44 1.29% 846 24.83% 3,407
Boyle 1,687 56.25% 1,206 40.21% 71 2.37% 35 1.17% 481 16.04% 2,999
Bracken 1,226 40.21% 1,762 57.79% 14 0.46% 47 1.54% -536 -17.58% 3,049
Breathitt 776 38.92% 1,204 60.38% 5 0.25% 9 0.45% -428 -21.46% 1,994
Breckinridge 2,274 49.76% 2,202 48.18% 43 0.94% 51 1.12% 72 1.58% 4,570
Bullitt 799 39.01% 1,168 57.03% 55 2.69% 26 1.27% -369 -18.02% 2,048
Butler 1,907 61.50% 1,139 36.73% 16 0.52% 39 1.26% 768 24.77% 3,101
Caldwell 1,544 49.66% 1,530 49.21% 24 0.77% 11 0.35% 14 0.45% 3,109
Calloway 561 17.38% 2,572 79.70% 9 0.28% 85 2.63% -2,011 -62.32% 3,227
Campbell 5,821 56.72% 4,304 41.94% 36 0.35% 102 0.99% 1,517 14.78% 10,263
Carlisle 390 18.68% 1,624 77.78% 16 0.77% 58 2.78% -1,234 -59.10% 2,088
Carroll 685 27.19% 1,778 70.58% 26 1.03% 30 1.19% -1,093 -43.39% 2,519
Carter 2,440 58.46% 1,665 39.89% 39 0.93% 30 0.72% 775 18.57% 4,174
Casey 1,643 59.46% 1,061 38.40% 26 0.94% 33 1.19% 582 21.06% 2,763
Christian 4,525 57.87% 3,145 40.22% 66 0.84% 83 1.06% 1,380 17.65% 7,819
Clark 2,032 48.17% 2,055 48.72% 98 2.32% 33 0.78% -23 -0.55% 4,218
Clay 1,725 69.98% 707 28.68% 7 0.28% 26 1.05% 1,018 41.30% 2,465
Clinton 1,004 72.44% 360 25.97% 11 0.79% 11 0.79% 644 46.46% 1,386
Crittenden 1,574 49.59% 1,576 49.65% 9 0.28% 15 0.47% -2 -0.06% 3,174
Cumberland 1,154 64.25% 621 34.58% 12 0.67% 9 0.50% 533 29.68% 1,796
Daviess 3,105 37.28% 4,952 59.46% 122 1.46% 149 1.79% -1,847 -22.18% 8,328
Edmonson 952 51.88% 863 47.03% 8 0.44% 12 0.65% 89 4.85% 1,835
Elliott 577 30.56% 1,294 68.54% 3 0.16% 14 0.74% -717 -37.98% 1,888
Estill 1,153 55.04% 929 44.34% 9 0.43% 4 0.19% 224 10.69% 2,095
Fayette 5,143 55.54% 3,938 42.53% 89 0.96% 90 0.97% 1,205 13.01% 9,260
Fleming 1,935 47.97% 2,013 49.90% 51 1.26% 35 0.87% -78 -1.93% 4,034
Floyd 1,057 42.50% 1,410 56.69% 5 0.20% 15 0.60% -353 -14.19% 2,487
Franklin 2,175 45.77% 2,465 51.87% 84 1.77% 28 0.59% -290 -6.10% 4,752
Fulton 603 28.70% 1,414 67.30% 47 2.24% 37 1.76% -811 -38.60% 2,101
Gallatin 396 29.44% 933 69.37% 8 0.59% 8 0.59% -537 -39.93% 1,345
Garrard 1,595 55.61% 1,171 40.83% 45 1.57% 57 1.99% 424 14.78% 2,868
Grant 1,417 42.41% 1,852 55.43% 35 1.05% 37 1.11% -435 -13.02% 3,341
Graves 1,628 25.15% 4,699 72.58% 53 0.82% 94 1.45% -3,071 -47.44% 6,474
Grayson 1,874 47.73% 2,002 50.99% 31 0.79% 19 0.48% -128 -3.26% 3,926
Green 1,389 54.36% 1,142 44.70% 17 0.67% 7 0.27% 247 9.67% 2,555
Greenup 1,802 55.65% 1,369 42.28% 15 0.46% 52 1.61% 433 13.37% 3,238
Hancock 1,026 48.08% 1,080 50.61% 13 0.61% 15 0.70% -54 -2.53% 2,134
Hardin 1,885 38.68% 2,848 58.44% 58 1.19% 82 1.68% -963 -19.76% 4,873
Harlan 1,189 83.15% 216 15.10% 11 0.77% 14 0.98% 973 68.04% 1,430
Harrison 1,705 37.66% 2,690 59.42% 61 1.35% 71 1.57% -985 -21.76% 4,527
Hart 1,999 49.59% 1,951 48.40% 62 1.54% 19 0.47% 48 1.19% 4,031
Henderson 2,750 40.05% 4,004 58.31% 69 1.00% 44 0.64% -1,254 -18.26% 6,867
Henry 1,711 43.24% 2,115 53.45% 92 2.32% 39 0.99% -404 -10.21% 3,957
Hickman 727 26.53% 1,928 70.36% 26 0.95% 59 2.15% -1,201 -43.83% 2,740
Hopkins 2,490 41.14% 3,470 57.34% 54 0.89% 38 0.63% -980 -16.19% 6,052
Jackson 1,517 87.79% 189 10.94% 15 0.87% 7 0.41% 1,328 76.85% 1,728
Jefferson 29,107 61.57% 16,707 35.34% 1,078 2.28% 380 0.80% 12,400 26.23% 47,272
Jessamine 1,343 46.53% 1,428 49.48% 48 1.66% 67 2.32% -85 -2.95% 2,886
Johnson 1,794 64.07% 975 34.82% 12 0.43% 19 0.68% 819 29.25% 2,800
Kenton 6,165 46.28% 7,008 52.60% 41 0.31% 108 0.81% -843 -6.33% 13,322
Knott 404 33.50% 795 65.92% 3 0.25% 4 0.33% -391 -32.42% 1,206
Knox 2,237 71.93% 833 26.78% 15 0.48% 25 0.80% 1,404 45.14% 3,110
Larue 955 41.49% 1,324 57.52% 10 0.43% 13 0.56% -369 -16.03% 2,302
Laurel 1,921 64.48% 969 32.53% 41 1.38% 48 1.61% 952 31.96% 2,979
Lawrence 1,966 51.39% 1,820 47.57% 22 0.58% 18 0.47% 146 3.82% 3,826
Lee 881 59.09% 587 39.37% 12 0.80% 11 0.74% 294 19.72% 1,491
Leslie 913 91.39% 81 8.11% 3 0.30% 2 0.20% 832 83.28% 999
Letcher 813 66.58% 388 31.78% 11 0.90% 9 0.74% 425 34.81% 1,221
Lewis 2,348 61.29% 1,433 37.41% 20 0.52% 30 0.78% 915 23.88% 3,831
Lincoln 1,833 50.27% 1,628 44.65% 61 1.67% 124 3.40% 205 5.62% 3,646
Livingston 872 38.41% 1,346 59.30% 48 2.11% 4 0.18% -474 -20.88% 2,270
Logan 2,484 42.09% 3,266 55.34% 91 1.54% 61 1.03% -782 -13.25% 5,902
Lyon 763 42.84% 969 54.41% 24 1.35% 25 1.40% -206 -11.57% 1,781
Madison 3,100 51.69% 2,756 45.96% 74 1.23% 67 1.12% 344 5.74% 5,997
Magoffin 1,148 57.46% 833 41.69% 4 0.20% 13 0.65% 315 15.77% 1,998
Marion 1,575 45.03% 1,873 53.54% 42 1.20% 8 0.23% -298 -8.52% 3,498
Marshall 568 22.21% 1,926 75.32% 16 0.63% 47 1.84% -1,358 -53.11% 2,557
Martin 730 75.73% 227 23.55% 4 0.41% 3 0.31% 503 52.18% 964
Mason 2,575 48.16% 2,698 50.46% 32 0.60% 42 0.79% -123 -2.30% 5,347
McCracken 2,284 42.62% 2,955 55.14% 31 0.58% 89 1.66% -671 -12.52% 5,359
McLean 935 38.97% 1,389 57.90% 25 1.04% 50 2.08% -454 -18.92% 2,399
Meade 781 33.35% 1,519 64.86% 30 1.28% 12 0.51% -738 -31.51% 2,342
Menifee 359 35.58% 636 63.03% 4 0.40% 10 0.99% -277 -27.45% 1,009
Mercer 1,765 48.33% 1,745 47.78% 91 2.49% 51 1.40% 20 0.55% 3,652
Metcalfe 1,153 54.21% 908 42.69% 33 1.55% 33 1.55% 245 11.52% 2,127
Monroe 1,613 66.16% 794 32.57% 18 0.74% 13 0.53% 819 33.59% 2,438
Montgomery 1,484 47.32% 1,624 51.79% 11 0.35% 17 0.54% -140 -4.46% 3,136
Morgan 910 35.27% 1,642 63.64% 11 0.43% 17 0.66% -732 -28.37% 2,580
Muhlenberg 2,217 55.20% 1,700 42.33% 49 1.22% 50 1.25% 517 12.87% 4,016
Nelson 1,446 38.66% 2,223 59.44% 46 1.23% 25 0.67% -777 -20.78% 3,740
Nicholas 1,159 37.28% 1,878 60.41% 19 0.61% 53 1.70% -719 -23.13% 3,109
Ohio 2,653 48.16% 2,679 48.63% 58 1.05% 119 2.16% -26 -0.47% 5,509
Oldham 691 40.48% 946 55.42% 46 2.69% 24 1.41% -255 -14.94% 1,707
Owen 1,086 23.94% 3,373 74.34% 38 0.84% 40 0.88% -2,287 -50.41% 4,537
Owsley 983 82.12% 197 16.46% 12 1.00% 5 0.42% 786 65.66% 1,197
Pendleton 1,585 44.11% 1,939 53.97% 26 0.72% 43 1.20% -354 -9.85% 3,593
Perry 824 68.84% 340 28.40% 27 2.26% 6 0.50% 484 40.43% 1,197
Pike 2,141 52.57% 1,900 46.65% 13 0.32% 19 0.47% 241 5.92% 4,073
Powell 625 46.61% 688 51.30% 14 1.04% 14 1.04% -63 -4.70% 1,341
Pulaski 3,668 62.48% 2,099 35.75% 58 0.99% 46 0.78% 1,569 26.72% 5,871
Robertson 449 39.49% 666 58.58% 3 0.26% 19 1.67% -217 -19.09% 1,137
Rockcastle 1,480 62.63% 846 35.80% 16 0.68% 21 0.89% 634 26.83% 2,363
Rowan 767 53.01% 650 44.92% 10 0.69% 20 1.38% 117 8.09% 1,447
Russell 1,038 60.95% 612 35.94% 37 2.17% 16 0.94% 426 25.01% 1,703
Scott 2,111 47.11% 2,237 49.92% 61 1.36% 72 1.61% -126 -2.81% 4,481
Shelby 2,029 42.92% 2,524 53.40% 122 2.58% 52 1.10% -495 -10.47% 4,727
Simpson 888 35.27% 1,531 60.80% 31 1.23% 68 2.70% -643 -25.54% 2,518
Spencer 596 37.23% 969 60.52% 21 1.31% 15 0.94% -373 -23.30% 1,601
Taylor 1,050 46.60% 1,166 51.75% 24 1.07% 13 0.58% -116 -5.15% 2,253
Todd 1,793 49.26% 1,707 46.90% 72 1.98% 68 1.87% 86 2.36% 3,640
Trigg 1,295 43.44% 1,633 54.78% 28 0.94% 25 0.84% -338 -11.34% 2,981
Trimble 418 23.93% 1,267 72.52% 32 1.83% 30 1.72% -849 -48.60% 1,747
Union 1,249 27.55% 3,183 70.22% 43 0.95% 58 1.28% -1,934 -42.66% 4,533
Warren 2,866 41.96% 3,716 54.41% 97 1.42% 151 2.21% -850 -12.45% 6,830
Washington 1,573 49.51% 1,536 48.35% 38 1.20% 30 0.94% 37 1.16% 3,177
Wayne 1,413 53.44% 1,190 45.01% 17 0.64% 24 0.91% 223 8.43% 2,644
Webster 1,484 37.16% 2,471 61.87% 21 0.53% 18 0.45% -987 -24.71% 3,994
Whitley 3,130 77.02% 862 21.21% 29 0.71% 43 1.06% 2,268 55.81% 4,064
Wolfe 583 36.69% 981 61.74% 12 0.76% 13 0.82% -398 -25.05% 1,589
Woodford 1,665 50.64% 1,546 47.02% 32 0.97% 45 1.37% 119 3.62% 3,288
Totals 218,171 48.93% 217,894 48.86% 5,084 1.14% 4,779 1.07% 277 0.06% 445,928

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The closer ones, beginning with the closest, are Florida in 2000, Maryland in 1832, Maryland in 1904, California in 1912, California in 1892 and Hawaii in 1960.

References

  1. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  2. ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 350 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  3. ^ a b Brown, Thomas J.; ‘’The Roots of Bluegrass Insurgency: An Analysis of the Populist Movement in Kentucky; The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 78, No. 3 (Summer 1980), pp. 219-242
  4. ^ Shannon, Jasper Berry and McQuown, Ruth; Presidential Politics in Kentucky, 1824-1948: A Compilation of Election Statistics and an Analysis of Political Behavior (1950), p. 96
  5. ^ Weir, Robert E.; Workers in America: A Historical Encyclopedia, p. 320 ISBN 1598847198
  6. ^ ‘McKinley Over 100,000 Ahead: Count in the Postal Card Canvas of the Middle West’; Evening Star (Washington D.C.), October 22, 1896, p. 11
  7. ^ ‘McKinley’s Kentucky Plurality’; St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 28, 1896, p. 2
  8. ^ Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; Presidential General Election Results – Kentucky
  9. ^ a b c d Géoelections; Popular Vote at the Presidential Election for 1896 (.xlsx file for €30 including full minor party figures)
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