1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
The 1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1912 as part of the 1912 United States presidential election. State voters chose thirteen electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
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County Results
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Elections in Wisconsin |
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Background and vote
Ever since the decline of the Populist movement, Wisconsin had become almost a one-party state dominated by the Republican Party.[1] The Democratic Party became entirely uncompetitive outside certain German Catholic counties adjoining Lake Michigan as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, completely fled from William Jennings Bryan’s agrarian and free silver sympathies.[2] As Democratic strength weakened severely after 1894 – although the state did develop a strong Socialist Party to provide opposition to the GOP – Wisconsin developed the direct Republican primary in 1903 and this ultimately created competition between the “League” under Robert M. La Follette, and the conservative “Regular” faction.[3]
At the turn of the decade, the Democratic Party underwent a brief revival, as it made significant gains upon its small share of state legislative seats and many people in the state saw in New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson the possibility of the party returning to the progressive ideals it was felt to have deserted with Bryan fifteen years beforehand.[4] Wilson campaigned in the state as early as 1911 – long before he was the official Democratic nominee – and was soon able to get many Republicans who had supported La Follette onto his bandwagon, and retained them despite former President Theodore Roosevelt running his own “Bull Moose” campaign as a result of the ongoing national split in the Republican Party.[4] Once regular nominee and incumbent Present William Howard Taft ceased campaigning in August, La Follette’s ability to hold Progressive GOP support for Wilson – outside the Scandinavian Lake Superior Lowland where Roosevelt controlled this group – meant that Democratic Party candidate Woodrow Wilson won Wisconsin's thirteen electoral votes with 41.07 percent of the popular vote.[5]
With his win, Wilson became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Wisconsin since Grover Cleveland in 1892. Another Democrat would not carry the state again until Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.
As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the only election in which Walworth County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.[6]
Results
1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
Democratic | Woodrow Wilson | 164,230 | 41.06% | 13 | |
Republican | William Howard Taft | 130,596 | 32.65% | 0 | |
Progressive Independent | Theodore Roosevelt | 62,448 | 15.61% | 0 | |
Social Democratic | Eugene V. Debs | 33,476 | 8.37% | 0 | |
Prohibition | Eugene Chafin | 8,584 | 2.15% | 0 | |
Independent | Arthur E. Reimer | 632 | 0.16% | 0 | |
Write-ins | — | 9 | 0.00% | 0 | |
Totals | 399,334 | 100.0% | 13 | ||
Results by county
County | Thomas Woodrow Wilson[7] Democratic |
William Howard Taft[7] Republican |
Theodore Roosevelt[8] Progressive Independent |
Eugene Victor Debs[9] Social Democratic |
Various candidates[9] Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
Adams | 462 | 30.90% | 689 | 46.09% | 204 | 13.65% | 66 | 4.41% | 74 | 4.95% | -227 | -15.18% | 1,495 |
Ashland | 1,451 | 41.54% | 937 | 26.83% | 677 | 19.38% | 315 | 9.02% | 113 | 3.24% | 514 | 14.72% | 3,493 |
Barron | 1,065 | 26.83% | 1,414 | 35.62% | 968 | 24.38% | 265 | 6.68% | 258 | 6.50% | -349 | -8.79% | 3,970 |
Bayfield | 666 | 29.84% | 514 | 23.03% | 671 | 30.06% | 306 | 13.71% | 75 | 3.36% | -5[lower-alpha 1] | -0.22% | 2,232 |
Brown | 3,557 | 42.16% | 2,764 | 32.76% | 1,396 | 16.55% | 569 | 6.74% | 151 | 1.79% | 793 | 9.40% | 8,437 |
Buffalo | 848 | 33.29% | 1,239 | 48.65% | 372 | 14.61% | 45 | 1.77% | 43 | 1.69% | -391 | -15.35% | 2,547 |
Burnett | 305 | 20.24% | 403 | 26.74% | 570 | 37.82% | 172 | 11.41% | 57 | 3.78% | -167[lower-alpha 2] | -11.08% | 1,507 |
Calumet | 1,366 | 47.76% | 931 | 32.55% | 454 | 15.87% | 85 | 2.97% | 24 | 0.84% | 435 | 15.21% | 2,860 |
Chippewa | 2,028 | 39.63% | 1,736 | 33.93% | 1,132 | 22.12% | 102 | 1.99% | 119 | 2.33% | 292 | 5.71% | 5,117 |
Clark | 1,528 | 34.24% | 2,035 | 45.61% | 648 | 14.52% | 143 | 3.20% | 108 | 2.42% | -507 | -11.36% | 4,462 |
Columbia | 2,473 | 42.73% | 2,463 | 42.55% | 583 | 10.07% | 121 | 2.09% | 148 | 2.56% | 10 | 0.17% | 5,788 |
Crawford | 1,515 | 44.86% | 1,407 | 41.66% | 321 | 9.51% | 69 | 2.04% | 65 | 1.92% | 108 | 3.20% | 3,377 |
Dane | 9,017 | 55.80% | 5,244 | 32.45% | 1,202 | 7.44% | 298 | 1.84% | 399 | 2.47% | 3,773 | 23.35% | 16,160 |
Dodge | 5,246 | 59.97% | 2,559 | 29.26% | 705 | 8.06% | 118 | 1.35% | 119 | 1.36% | 2,687 | 30.72% | 8,747 |
Door | 769 | 27.12% | 1,167 | 41.15% | 690 | 24.33% | 72 | 2.54% | 138 | 4.87% | -398 | -14.03% | 2,836 |
Douglas | 1,181 | 23.00% | 730 | 14.22% | 2,285 | 44.51% | 752 | 14.65% | 186 | 3.62% | -1,104[lower-alpha 1] | -21.50% | 5,134 |
Dunn | 833 | 22.24% | 1,403 | 37.45% | 1,174 | 31.34% | 235 | 6.27% | 101 | 2.70% | 229[lower-alpha 2] | 6.11% | 3,746 |
Eau Claire | 1,727 | 34.57% | 2,013 | 40.29% | 895 | 17.91% | 239 | 4.78% | 122 | 2.44% | -286 | -5.72% | 4,996 |
Florence | 131 | 21.83% | 262 | 43.67% | 182 | 30.33% | 15 | 2.50% | 10 | 1.67% | 80[lower-alpha 2] | 13.33% | 600 |
Fond du Lac | 4,838 | 50.31% | 3,014 | 31.34% | 1,236 | 12.85% | 349 | 3.63% | 179 | 1.86% | 1,824 | 18.97% | 9,616 |
Forest | 567 | 42.00% | 518 | 38.37% | 212 | 15.70% | 30 | 2.22% | 23 | 1.70% | 49 | 3.63% | 1,350 |
Grant | 3,615 | 45.84% | 3,283 | 41.63% | 667 | 8.46% | 99 | 1.26% | 222 | 2.82% | 332 | 4.21% | 7,886 |
Green | 1,716 | 41.61% | 1,601 | 38.82% | 516 | 12.51% | 83 | 2.01% | 208 | 5.04% | 115 | 2.79% | 4,124 |
Green Lake | 1,407 | 47.15% | 1,269 | 42.53% | 195 | 6.53% | 39 | 1.31% | 74 | 2.48% | 138 | 4.62% | 2,984 |
Iowa | 2,103 | 44.90% | 1,886 | 40.26% | 438 | 9.35% | 32 | 0.68% | 225 | 4.80% | 217 | 4.63% | 4,684 |
Iron | 347 | 29.33% | 473 | 39.98% | 254 | 21.47% | 72 | 6.09% | 37 | 3.13% | -126 | -10.65% | 1,183 |
Jackson | 606 | 22.88% | 1,398 | 52.77% | 477 | 18.01% | 78 | 2.94% | 90 | 3.40% | -792 | -29.90% | 2,649 |
Jefferson | 4,381 | 62.40% | 1,926 | 27.43% | 490 | 6.98% | 100 | 1.42% | 124 | 1.77% | 2,455 | 34.97% | 7,021 |
Juneau | 1,236 | 38.78% | 1,322 | 41.48% | 435 | 13.65% | 135 | 4.24% | 59 | 1.85% | -86 | -2.70% | 3,187 |
Kenosha | 2,216 | 36.09% | 1,671 | 27.21% | 1,649 | 26.85% | 492 | 8.01% | 113 | 1.84% | 545 | 8.87% | 6,141 |
Kewaunee | 1,696 | 54.32% | 1,115 | 35.71% | 263 | 8.42% | 22 | 0.70% | 26 | 0.83% | 581 | 18.61% | 3,122 |
La Crosse | 4,263 | 53.07% | 2,272 | 28.28% | 999 | 12.44% | 337 | 4.20% | 162 | 2.02% | 1,991 | 24.79% | 8,033 |
Lafayette | 1,852 | 41.50% | 1,747 | 39.14% | 756 | 16.94% | 28 | 0.63% | 80 | 1.79% | 105 | 2.35% | 4,463 |
Langlade | 1,387 | 45.72% | 710 | 23.40% | 810 | 26.70% | 91 | 3.00% | 36 | 1.19% | 577[lower-alpha 1] | 19.02% | 3,034 |
Lincoln | 1,760 | 52.41% | 712 | 21.20% | 627 | 18.67% | 212 | 6.31% | 47 | 1.40% | 1,048 | 31.21% | 3,358 |
Manitowoc | 3,436 | 44.74% | 2,389 | 31.11% | 919 | 11.97% | 890 | 11.59% | 46 | 0.60% | 1,047 | 13.63% | 7,680 |
Marathon | 4,043 | 44.26% | 3,033 | 33.20% | 1,274 | 13.95% | 597 | 6.54% | 188 | 2.06% | 1,010 | 11.06% | 9,135 |
Marinette | 1,559 | 33.29% | 1,618 | 34.55% | 1,125 | 24.02% | 276 | 5.89% | 105 | 2.24% | -59 | -1.26% | 4,683 |
Marquette | 923 | 41.30% | 881 | 39.42% | 365 | 16.33% | 22 | 0.98% | 44 | 1.97% | 42 | 1.88% | 2,235 |
Milwaukee | 27,628 | 38.75% | 17,877 | 25.07% | 5,939 | 8.33% | 19,243 | 26.99% | 615 | 0.86% | 8,385[lower-alpha 3] | 11.76% | 71,302 |
Monroe | 2,084 | 43.16% | 1,841 | 38.13% | 628 | 13.01% | 125 | 2.59% | 150 | 3.11% | 243 | 5.03% | 4,828 |
Oconto | 1,523 | 35.77% | 1,988 | 46.69% | 554 | 13.01% | 139 | 3.26% | 54 | 1.27% | -465 | -10.92% | 4,258 |
Oneida | 717 | 33.87% | 774 | 36.56% | 431 | 20.36% | 175 | 8.27% | 20 | 0.94% | -57 | -2.69% | 2,117 |
Outagamie | 4,139 | 50.04% | 2,384 | 28.82% | 1,401 | 16.94% | 192 | 2.32% | 155 | 1.87% | 1,755 | 21.22% | 8,271 |
Ozaukee | 1,878 | 63.27% | 749 | 25.24% | 241 | 8.12% | 76 | 2.56% | 24 | 0.81% | 1,129 | 38.04% | 2,968 |
Pepin | 410 | 31.06% | 528 | 40.00% | 329 | 24.92% | 27 | 2.05% | 26 | 1.97% | -118 | -8.94% | 1,320 |
Pierce | 985 | 29.10% | 986 | 29.13% | 1,204 | 35.57% | 102 | 3.01% | 108 | 3.19% | -218[lower-alpha 2] | -6.44% | 3,385 |
Polk | 830 | 26.56% | 848 | 27.14% | 1,068 | 34.18% | 270 | 8.64% | 109 | 3.49% | -220[lower-alpha 2] | -7.04% | 3,125 |
Portage | 2,301 | 43.32% | 1,932 | 36.37% | 890 | 16.75% | 101 | 1.90% | 88 | 1.66% | 369 | 6.95% | 5,312 |
Price | 662 | 27.58% | 708 | 29.50% | 662 | 27.58% | 290 | 12.08% | 78 | 3.25% | -46 | -1.92% | 2,400 |
Racine | 3,909 | 44.13% | 2,606 | 29.42% | 1,440 | 16.26% | 612 | 6.91% | 291 | 3.29% | 1,303 | 14.71% | 8,858 |
Richland | 1,493 | 37.72% | 1,623 | 41.01% | 367 | 9.27% | 127 | 3.21% | 348 | 8.79% | -130 | -3.28% | 3,958 |
Rock | 3,032 | 30.64% | 4,276 | 43.21% | 2,002 | 20.23% | 261 | 2.64% | 324 | 3.27% | -1,244 | -12.57% | 9,895 |
Rusk | 522 | 30.67% | 575 | 33.78% | 344 | 20.21% | 204 | 11.99% | 57 | 3.35% | -53 | -3.11% | 1,702 |
Sauk | 432 | 47.52% | 295 | 32.45% | 144 | 15.84% | 15 | 1.65% | 23 | 2.53% | 137 | 15.07% | 909 |
Sawyer | 1,661 | 36.72% | 1,535 | 33.94% | 1,103 | 24.39% | 99 | 2.19% | 125 | 2.76% | 126 | 2.79% | 4,523 |
Shawano | 3,968 | 41.23% | 2,692 | 27.97% | 1,628 | 16.91% | 1,084 | 11.26% | 253 | 2.63% | 1,276 | 13.26% | 9,625 |
Sheboygan | 1,806 | 38.86% | 1,728 | 37.18% | 823 | 17.71% | 188 | 4.04% | 103 | 2.22% | 78 | 1.68% | 4,648 |
St. Croix | 2,464 | 43.02% | 2,171 | 37.91% | 720 | 12.57% | 67 | 1.17% | 305 | 5.33% | 293 | 5.12% | 5,727 |
Taylor | 821 | 35.91% | 773 | 33.81% | 379 | 16.58% | 271 | 11.85% | 42 | 1.84% | 48 | 2.10% | 2,286 |
Trempealeau | 1,235 | 31.28% | 1,763 | 44.66% | 795 | 20.14% | 50 | 1.27% | 105 | 2.66% | -528 | -13.37% | 3,948 |
Vernon | 1,253 | 27.14% | 2,663 | 57.68% | 463 | 10.03% | 74 | 1.60% | 164 | 3.55% | -1,410 | -30.54% | 4,617 |
Vilas | 327 | 35.43% | 304 | 32.94% | 212 | 22.97% | 71 | 7.69% | 9 | 0.98% | 23 | 2.49% | 923 |
Walworth | 2,125 | 36.38% | 2,096 | 35.88% | 1,237 | 21.18% | 78 | 1.34% | 305 | 5.22% | 29 | 0.50% | 5,841 |
Washburn | 398 | 26.78% | 409 | 27.52% | 488 | 32.84% | 148 | 9.96% | 43 | 2.89% | -79[lower-alpha 2] | -5.32% | 1,486 |
Washington | 2,425 | 51.57% | 1,799 | 38.26% | 302 | 6.42% | 150 | 3.19% | 26 | 0.55% | 626 | 13.31% | 4,702 |
Waukesha | 3,594 | 48.82% | 2,714 | 36.86% | 597 | 8.11% | 196 | 2.66% | 261 | 3.55% | 880 | 11.95% | 7,362 |
Waupaca | 1,563 | 26.70% | 2,204 | 37.66% | 1,767 | 30.19% | 131 | 2.24% | 188 | 3.21% | 437[lower-alpha 2] | 7.47% | 5,853 |
Waushara | 772 | 25.54% | 1,343 | 44.43% | 741 | 24.51% | 92 | 3.04% | 75 | 2.48% | -571 | -18.89% | 3,023 |
Winnebago | 4,631 | 41.00% | 1,922 | 17.01% | 4,098 | 36.28% | 478 | 4.23% | 167 | 1.48% | 533[lower-alpha 1] | 4.72% | 11,296 |
Wood | 2,523 | 47.28% | 1,742 | 32.65% | 525 | 9.84% | 369 | 6.92% | 177 | 3.32% | 781 | 14.64% | 5,336 |
Totals | 164,230 | 41.07% | 130,596 | 32.66% | 62,358 | 15.59% | 33,476 | 8.37% | 9,216 | 2.30% | 33,634 | 8.41% | 399,876 |
Notes
- In this county where Taft ran behind both Roosevelt and Wilson (but ahead of Debs) margin given is Wilson vote minus Roosevelt vote and percentage margin Wilson percentage minus Roosevelt percentage.
- In this county where Wilson ran third behind both Taft and Roosevelt, margin given is Taft vote minus Roosevelt vote and percentage margin Taft percentage minus Roosevelt percentage.
- In this county where Debs ran second ahead of Roosevelt and Taft, margin given is Wilson vote minus Debs vote and percentage margin Wilson percentage minus Debs percentage.
References
- Burnham, Walter Dean; 'The System of 1896: An Analysis'; in The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 178-179 ISBN 0313213798
- Sundquist, James; Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years, p. 526 ISBN 0815719094
- Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo Hirano, and Snyder, James M. Jr.; ‘Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980’; in Gerber, Alan S. and Schickler, Eric; Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America, pp. 165-168 ISBN 978-1-107-09509-0
- Crews, Kenneth D.; ‘Woodrow Wilson, Wisconsin, and the Election of 1912’; Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3: ‘Presidents, Vice Presidents and Political Parties: Performance and Prospects’ (Summer, 1982), pp. 369-376
- "1912 Presidential General Election Results – Wisconsin". Retrieved August 18, 2016.
- Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
- Robinson, Edgar Eugene; The Presidential Vote; 1896-1932 (second edition); pp. 226-227 Published 1947 by Stanford University Press
- Géoelections; 1912 Presidential Election Popular Vote Archived 2018-06-13 at the Wayback Machine (.xlsx file for €15)
- Géoelections; 1912 Presidential Election Popular Vote for Eugene Debs (.xlsx file for €15)