1914 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 3, 1914. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Governor Joseph M. Carey declined to seek re-election to a second term, and Democratic State Senator John B. Kendrick was elected as his successor. Republicans, however, won all of the other statewide executive offices, including picking up the Superintendent's office.

Governor

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Incumbent Democratic Governor Joseph M. Carey declined to seek re-election to a second term. State Senator John B. Kendrick won the Democratic nomination to succeed Carey unopposed, and faced former U.S. Attorney Hilliard S. Ridgely, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Kendrick defeated Ridgely by a decisive margin, but reduced from Carey's landslide victory four years earlier. Following Kendrick's election to the U.S. Senate in 1916, Secretary of State Frank L. Houx ascended to the governorship.

1914 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John B. Kendrick 22,387 51.61% −3.99%
Republican Hilliard S. Ridgely 19,174 44.20% +4.03%
Socialist Paul J. Paulson 1,816 4.19% −0.05%
Majority 3,213 7.41% −8.02%
Turnout 43,377 100.00%
Democratic hold

Secretary of State

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Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Frank L. Houx ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Democratic primary unopposed and faced State Senate President Birney H. Sage, the Republican nominee, and attorney E.C. Raymond, the Progressive nominee, in the general election. Just as Houx's 1910 election was close, so was his re-election; he narrowly defeated Sage to win a second term, prevailing by just 120 votes. During Houx's term, Governor John B. Kendrick would be selected to the Senate, making Houx acting Governor until the 1918 gubernatorial election.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Frank L. Houx (inc.) 6,318 100.00%
Total votes 6,318 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Birney H. Sage, President of the State Senate[2]

Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Birney H. Sage 9,573 100.00%
Total votes 9,573 100.00%

Progressive Party primary

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Candidates

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  • E. C. Raymond

Results

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Progressive Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive E. C. Raymond 334 100.00%
Total votes 334 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1914 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Frank L. Houx (inc.) 19,304 47.04% −0.57%
Republican Birney H. Sage 19,184 46.75% −0.96%
Socialist William Hill 1,813 4.42% −0.26%
Progressive E. C. Raymond 734 1.79%
Majority 120 0.29% +0.19%
Turnout 41,035 100.00%
Democratic hold

Auditor

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Incumbent Republican State Auditor Robert B. Forsyth ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary unopposed and faced Douglas Mayor Campbell H. McWhinnie, the Democratic nominee, and businessman Thomas Blythe, the Progressive nominee. Forsyth won re-election by a wide margin.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Campbell H. McWHinnie 5,996 100.00%
Total votes 5,996 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Robert B. Forsyth, incumbent State Auditor

Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert B. Forsyth (inc.) 9,779 100.00%
Total votes 9,779 100.00%

Progressive Party primary

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Candidates

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  • M. N. Grant

Results

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Progressive Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive M. N. Grant 332 100.00%
Total votes 332 100.00%

After M. N. Grant won the Progressive primary for State Auditor, he withdrew from consideration in protest of the Progressive Party's endorsement of John B. Kendrick for Governor. He was replaced on the ballot by Thomas Blythe, an Evanston businessman.[4]

General election

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Results

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1914 Wyoming Auditor election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Robert B. Forsyth (inc.) 20,794 51.41% +4.79%
Democratic Campbell H. McWhinnie 16,848 41.65% −7.06%
Socialist J. A. Green 1,826 4.51% −0.16%
Progressive Thomas Blyth 983 2.43%
Majority 3,946 9.76% +7.66%
Turnout 40,451 100.00%
Republican hold

Treasurer

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Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Joseph L. Baird was barred from seeking re-election to a second term, creating an open seat. State Representative Herman B. Gates won the Republican primary over W. G. Birkhauser, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Fremont County Treasurer Fred L. Thompson, the Democratic nominee, and W. S. Knittle, the Progressive nominee. Gates narrowly defeated Thompson, winning by just 246 votes, or 0.60% of the vote.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Fred L. Thompson 6,123 100.00%
Total votes 6,123 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Herman B. Gates 6,252 62.68%
Republican W. G. Birkhauser, 3,723 37.32%
Total votes 9,975 100.00%

Progressive Party primary

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Candidates

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  • F. S. Knittle

Results

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Progressive Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive F. S. Knittle 330 100.00%
Total votes 330 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1914 Wyoming Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Herman B. Gates 19,202 46.89% −0.54%
Democratic F. L. Thompson 18,956 46.29% −1.70%
Socialist William Patterson 1,803 4.40% −0.18%
Progressive F. S. Knittle 991 2.42%
Majority 246 0.60% +0.04%
Turnout 40,952 100.00%
Republican hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Rose Bird declined to seek re-election,[7] creating an open seat. Uinta County Superintendent Iva T. Irish won the Democratic primary unopposed. Edith K. O. Clark, the Sheridan County Superintendent of Schools, narrowly won a crowded Republican primary, and advanced to the general election as Irish's chief opponent. Clark defeated Irish by a decisive margin, picking up the office for the Republican Party.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Iva T. Irish 5,983 100.00%
Total votes 5,983 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Edith K. O. Clark, Sheridan County Superintendent of Schools[1]: 148 
  • Frances B. Smith, Carbon County Superintendent of Schools[9]
  • Thomas B. McDonough, Superintendent of Casper City Schools[9]
  • Frank W. Lee, Superintendent of Green River City Schools[9]
  • Jessie C. Liston, Principal of the Johnson School[9]

Results

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Republican Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Edith K. O. Clark 3,529 34.66%
Republican Frances B. Smith 2,500 24.55%
Republican Thomas B. McDonough 1,685 16.55%
Republican Frank W. Lee 1,487 14.60%
Republican Jessie C. Liston 981 9,63%
Total votes 10,182 100.00%

Progressive Party primary

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Candidates

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  • Minnie Williams,

Results

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Progressive Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Minnie Williams 336 100.00%
Total votes 336 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1914 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Edith K. O. Clark 20,631 50.14% +4.27%
Democratic Iva T. Irish 17,963 43.66% −5.87%
Socialist Robert Hanna 1,650 4.01% −0.60%
Progressive Minnie Williams 903 2.19%
Majority 2,668 6.48% +2.83%
Turnout 41,147
Republican gain from Democratic

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Erwin, Marie (1974). Trenholm, Virginia Cole (ed.). Wyoming Blue Book (PDF). Vol. 2. Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pioneer Printing & Stationery Co. pp. 584–86.
  2. ^ "Senator Birney Sage". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "Local News and Personal Items". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 24, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "Progressive Nominee in Wyoming Appointed". Billings Gazette. Billings, Mont. September 27, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Fred L. Thompson: Democratic Candidate For State Treasurer". Jackson's Hole Courier. Jackson, Mont. October 15, 1914. p. 1. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "Representative Herman Gates". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  7. ^ "Mrs. Iva T. Irish". Lusk Herald. Lusk, Wyo. May 7, 1914. p. 1. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "All Draw Salaries: Democratic Office Holders Speak in Cody". Northern Wyoming Herald. Cody, Wyo. October 30, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d "Burch in the Field". Kemmerer Camera. Kemmerer, Wyo. July 8, 1914. p. 5. Retrieved June 9, 2021.