Eisspeedway

1920 Tennessee gubernatorial election

1920 Tennessee gubernatorial election

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1922 →
 
Nominee Alfred A. Taylor Albert H. Roberts
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 229,133 185,890
Percentage 54.93% 44.56%

County results
Taylor:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Roberts:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election

Albert H. Roberts
Democratic

Elected Governor

Alfred A. Taylor
Republican

The 1920 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1920. Republican nominee Alfred A. Taylor, brother of former governor Robert Love Taylor, defeated Incumbent Democratic governor Albert H. Roberts with 54.9% of the vote.

Roberts alienated a significant portion of his party by enacting unpopular tax reforms and helping ratify the 19th Amendment (which gave women the right to vote). Taylor also supported the 19th Amendment, but he campaigned primarily against Roberts' tax reforms. This was the state's first gubernatorial election in which women could vote.[1]

Before this election, Alfred A. Taylor ran for governor in 1886, which he lost to his brother. After this election, no Republican would win a Tennessee gubernatorial election until Winfield Dunn won in 1970.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 5, 1920.[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Albert H. Roberts (incumbent) 67,886 59.56%
Democratic W. H. Crabtree 44,853 39.35%
Democratic John Randolph Neal Jr. 957 0.84%
Democratic W. L. Wirt 276 0.24%
Total votes 113,972 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

  • Alfred A. Taylor, Republican
  • Albert H. Roberts, Democratic

Other candidates

  • J. M. Lindsley, Socialist

Results

1920 Tennessee gubernatorial election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Alfred A. Taylor 229,133 54.93% +17.29
Democratic Albert H. Roberts (incumbent) 185,890 44.56% −17.81
Socialist J. M. Lindsley 2,113 0.51% N/A
Majority 43,243 10.37% N/A
Turnout 417,136 100.00% N/A
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

See also

References

  1. ^ Robert L. Taylor, Jr., "Alfred Alexander Taylor," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2009. Retrieved: 6 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved June 15, 2020.