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1874 South Carolina gubernatorial election

←  1872 November 3, 1874 1876 →
 
IR
Nominee Daniel Henry Chamberlain John T. Green
Party Republican Independent Republican
Alliance - Democratic
Popular vote 80,403 68,818
Percentage 53.87% 46.11%

County results

Chamberlain:      50%-54%      55%-59%      60-64%      >65%

Green:      50%-54%      55%-59%      60-64%      >65%

Governor before election

Franklin J. Moses, Jr.
Republican

Elected Governor

Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Republican

The 1874 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1874, to select the governor and lieutenant governor of the state of South Carolina. Daniel Henry Chamberlain won the election and became the 76th governor of South Carolina.

This was the last South Carolina gubernatorial election won by a Republican until 1974. Since the 1990s, the Republican Party has become more dominant in the state. As of 2023, all of the statewide officeholders are held by Republicans.

Campaign

Republican nomination for Governor
Candidate Votes %
Daniel Henry Chamberlain 73 59.4
John T. Green 40 32.5
John Winsmith 10 8.1

At the convention of the state Republicans on September 8 through September 11 in Columbia, the delegates felt that reform was vital for the continuation of Republican power. Governor Franklin J. Moses, Jr. was caught up in corruption scandals and never considered as a nominee for reelection to Governor. Instead, Daniel Henry Chamberlain was nominated for Governor and soundly won the nomination.

Chamberlain had been the Attorney General of South Carolina from 1868 to 1872 and pushed for reform of the state government. His association with Radical Republicans such as Senator John J. Patterson and former Governor Robert Kingston Scott enabled him to keep the support of stalwart Republicans while preaching a reform message.

It was this close association with Radical Republicans that again caused a split within the Republican party. The Independent Republicans met in Charleston on October 2 to select candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. John T. Green was chosen to be their nominee for Governor and Martin Delany, a black man, was their candidate for lieutenant governor. The Independent Republicans adopted the Republican platform and the only difference between the two parties was that the Independent Republicans claimed their intention to clean up state government if elected.

The Conservative Party of South Carolina formed in 1874 from the members of the State Tax Union advocating for change. They endorsed the Independent Republican ticket for statewide offices and their platform consisted entirely of restoring honesty and efficiency in state government.

General election

The general election was held on November 3, 1874, and Daniel Henry Chamberlain was elected as governor of South Carolina. Turnout was the highest for a gubernatorial election thus held in South Carolina, although many white voters stayed away from the polls.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1874
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Daniel Henry Chamberlain 80,403 53.9 -11.5
Independent Republican John T. Green 68,818 46.1 +11.8
No party Write-Ins 19 0.0 -0.3
Majority 11,585 7.8 -23.3
Turnout 149,240
Republican hold
1874 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.
  65+% won by Chamberlain
  60%-64% won by Chamberlain
  55%-59% won by Chamberlain
  50%-54% won by Chamberlain
  50%-54% won by Green
  55%-59% won by Green
  60%-64% won by Green
  65+% won by Green

See also

References

  • "Election Returns." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina at the Regular Session, 1873-'74. Columbia, South Carolina: Republican Printing Company, 1874, p. 85.
  • Reynolds, John S. (1969). Reconstruction in South Carolina. Negro University Press. ISBN  0-8371-1638-4.
  • "The Official Vote in the State". The News and Courier. November 20, 1874. p. 1.

External links

Preceded by
1872
South Carolina gubernatorial elections Succeeded by
1876