1894 South Dakota gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1894 South Dakota gubernatorial election South Dakota presidential no 1892 South Dakota gubernatorial election 1892 1896 South Dakota gubernatorial election 1896 November 6, 1894 x150px File:Charles H. Sheldon.jpg Charles H. Sheldon Republican Party (United States) 40,381 52.64% 3x4.svg Isaac Howe Populist Party (United States) 26,568 34.63% 3x4.svg James A. Ward Democratic Party (United States) 8,756 11.41% 250px 1894 South Dakota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg County resultsSheldon: #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Howe: #AFE9AF 40–50% #73D873 50–60% #42CA42 60–70%No Vote: #cccccc Governor of South Dakota Charles H. Sheldon Republican Party (United States) Charles H. Sheldon Republican Party (United States) The 1894 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1894. Incumbent Republican Governor Charles H. Sheldon ran for re-election to a second term. Despite facing a thread of defeat at the Republican convention, Sheldon was renominated unanimously. In the general election, he faced Populist nominee Isaac Howe, a Spink County Judge; James A. Ward, the former state chairman of the South Dakota Democratic Party; and Prohibition nominee M. D. Alexander. The election was largely a replay of the gubernatorial elections of 1890 and 1892, with the Farmers' Alliance candidate placing second and the Democratic nominee placing a distant third. This time, however, Sheldon won an outright majority and the Democratic Party's vote share shrank to just 11%, its worst performance in state history. Populist Party convention By 1894, the Independent Party, which had formed out of the South Dakota Farmers' Alliance, began to affiliate itself with the Populist Party. In the lead-up to its June 1894 convention, several names were mentioned as likely gubernatorial candidates: former State Representative Robert Buchanan, an erstwhile Republican;June 8, 1894 It Means Something Dakota Farmers' Leader Canton, S.D. 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/167027698/ June 11, 2021 Spink County Judge Isaac Howe;June 11, 1894 These Are Hungry: A List of Those Who Are Candidates at the Mitchell Convention Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229020723/ June 11, 2021 and Sioux Falls University President E. B. Meredith,June 8, 1894 City Briefs Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 4 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229007394/ June 11, 2021 a prohibitionist.June 8, 1894 E. B. Meredith for Governor Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229019814/ June 11, 2021 As the convention began on June 13, 1894, Buchanan, who had previously rejected entreaties to run for governor, acceded and became a candidate.June 13, 1894 Buck Like Caesar: He Is Offered the Gubernatorial Crown But Puts It Away Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229021491/ June 11, 2021 At this point, Meredith faded from contention and supported Buchanan over Howe.June 13, 1894 Howe Probably Knocked Out Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229021491/ June 11, 2021 The contest between Howe and Buchanan became a proxy battle between Henry L. Loucks, a longtime leader of the Farmers' Alliance, and Buchanan, and despite Howe supporters' hope that he would be nominated by acclamation, Buchanan took an early lead. The next day, however, it appeared that Buchanan had lost his early lead,June 14, 1894 Howe for Gov.: Judge Isaac Howe of Redfield Nominated for Governor Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229021865/ June 11, 2021 and Howe was overwhelmingly nominated.June 15, 1894 The Nominees: For Governor Mitchell Capital Mitchell, S.D. 9 https://www.newspapers.com/image/465122925/ June 11, 2021 Republican convention At the Republican convention in August 1894, Governor Sheldon faced a threat of losing renomination,August 22, 1894 State Convention: The Republicans of South Dakota Are Interested in the Yankton Convention Queen City Mail Spearfish, S.D. 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/91873959/ June 11, 2021 but the forces opposed to him were unable to recruit a challenger to him. Accordingly, he was renominated unopposed.August 24, 1894 The Yankton Convention Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229061047/ June 11, 2021 Democratic convention The Democratic convention convened in Sioux Falls in September 1894, three candidates were mentioned as likely contenders for Governor:September 5, 1894 Delegates Arrive: Delegates Arriving for the Democratic State Convention This Evening Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 5 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229061677/ June 11, 2021 Samuel A. Ramsey, the 1892 Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor;September 3, 1892 Will Not Fuse: South Dakota Democrats Nominate a Full State Ticket Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/31091466/ June 11, 2021 L. G. Oschenreiter, the President of the South Dakota World's Fair Commission;September 12, 1893 Putting on Style: South Dakota's Building Handsomely Decorated—A Great Book Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 7 https://www.newspapers.com/image/228992770/ June 11, 2021 and Court Boyd. At the convention, however, though Ramsey was nominated for governor, he withdrew in favor of James A. Ward, the state party chairman, who was nominated by acclamation.September 6, 1894 The State Ticket Argus Leader Sioux Falls, S.D. 5 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229061750/ June 11, 2021 General election Results 1894 South Dakota gubernatorial special electionNelson Nelson Heinrich Chad W. 2005 Chapter 8: Elections Legislative Manual: South Dakota, 2005 http://sdsdl-montage.auto-graphics.com/#/item-details/entities_1092?from=search-results Pierre, S.D. 616 Republican Party (United States) Charles H. Sheldon (inc.) 40,381 52.64% +5.18% Independent Party Isaac Howe 26,568 34.63% +2.64% Democratic Party (United States) James A. Ward 8,756 11.41% -9.14% Prohibition Party (United States) M. D. Alexander 1,011 1.32% — 13,813 18.01% +2.54% 70,410 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) References South Dakota 1894 Gubernatorial Category:November 1894 in the United States