1920 United States presidential election in Michigan

none June 2025 September 2023 1920 United States presidential election 1920 United States presidential election in Michigan Michigan presidential no 1916 United States presidential election in Michigan 1916 1924 United States presidential election in Michigan 1924 All 15 Michigan votes to the Electoral College November 2, 1920 x200px Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg Warren G. Harding Republican Party (United States) Ohio Calvin Coolidge 15 762,865 72.76% James M. Cox 1920.jpg James M. Cox Democratic Party (United States) Ohio Franklin D. Roosevelt 0 233,450 22.27% President Woodrow Wilson Democratic Party (United States) Warren G. Harding Republican Party (United States) 375px 375px County results Harding #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% #aa0000 80–90% #800000 90–100% Cox #b9d7ff 40–50% The 1920 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 United States presidential election. Voters chose 15https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/1917_1921.html#1920 1920 Election for the Thirty-Fourth Term (1921-1925) 2018-04-03 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Since the Panic of 1893 and the Populist movement, Michigan had been a rigidly one-party polity dominated by the Republican Party.Burnham Walter Dean The System of 1896: An Analysis The Evolution of American Electoral Systems December 23, 1981 178–179 Bloomsbury Academic 0313213798 In the 1894 elections, the Democratic Party lost all but one seat in the Michigan legislature,Swamped! The Democrats Drowned Out by a Tremendous Republican Tidal Wave The L'Anse Sentinel November 10, 1894 L'Anse 1 and the party would never make major gains there over the four ensuing decades. The dominance of the culture of the Lower Peninsula by anti-slavery YankeesEnglish, Gustavus P.; Proceedings of the Ninth Republican National Convention (1888), p. 234 would be augmented by the turn of formerly Democratic-leaning German Catholics away from that party as a result of the remodelled party's agrarian and free silver sympathies, which became rigidly opposed by both the upper class and workers who followed them.Sundquist James Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years December 2010 526 Brookings Institution Press 978-0815719090 At the same time, the Populist movement eliminated Democratic ties with the business and commerce of Michigan and other Northern states.Rogowski Ronald Commerce and Coalitions: How Trade Affects Domestic Political Alignments 978-0691219431 Princeton University Press 2020 Unlike the other states of the Upper Midwest, the Yankee influence on the culture of the Lower Peninsula was so strong that left-wing third parties did not provide significant opposition to the Republicans, nor was there more than a moderate degree of coordinated factionalism within the hegemonic Michigan Republican Party.Hansen John Mark Shigeo Hirano Snyder Jr. James M. Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980 Gerber Alan S. Schickler Eric Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America February 27, 2017 165–168 Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-09509-0 Although by taking a substantial proportion of the 1912 “Bull Moose” vote, incumbent president Woodrow Wilson had managed the best performance in Michigan by a Democrat since Grover Cleveland in 1888,https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=1916&fips=26&f=0&off=0&elect=0&type=state Presidential General Election Results Comparison — Michigan Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas 1918 saw a major reaction against Wilson throughout the Midwest, due to supposed preferential treatment of Southern farmers:Morello John A. Albert D. Lasker, Advertising, and the Election of Warren G. Harding April 30, 2001 64 Bloomsbury Academic 0275970302 Republicans would hold every seat in the State Senate for over a decade after the fall election,Kang Michael S. Hyperpartisan Gerrymandering Boston College Law Review May 29, 2019 69 1395 as they had between 1895 and 1897 and between 1905 and 1911. During the 1920 election campaign, Michigan gained almost no attention because it had been so firmly Republican over the past quarter-century. A poll of four university students showed three voting for Republican candidate Warren G. Harding and one for Democratic opponent James M. Cox.Harding Elected By Students of N.Y. University — Practically Every State Is Represented in "Election" Held Recently: Many Women Vote for Him; Cox Runs Second and Debs Polls Nearly as Many as Democrat The Lima Gazette and The Lima Republican Lima, Ohio August 22, 1920 15 A later poll in October showed that the very small August poll was not inaccurate, with Harding leading by slightly less than three-to-one.Women of Nation Vote for Harding: Rexall Returns Show that They Furnish One-Quarter of Voting Strength The Post-Crescent Appleton, Wisconsin October 8, 1920 8 The Post-Crescent’s expectations were fulfilled, as Harding won in a landslide, with almost 73 percent of the vote to only 22.27 percent for Cox. Harding swept all of Michigan's 83 counties, receiving more than 60% of the vote in every county except for Manistee County."manistee" Whether Harding or Cox won Manistee County is debatable, see detailed section below. Results + General Election ResultsMichigan State Archives, Canvass of the votes given at the General Election, held in the State of Michigan on Tuesday the 2nd day of November A.D. 1920Party Pledged to Elector Votes Republican Warren G. Harding Walter J. Hayes762,865 Republican Warren G. Harding Mary L. Veenflict757,562 Republican Warren G. Harding Charles K. Warren756,895 Republican Warren G. Harding George W. Cook756,639 Republican Warren G. Harding Ferry K. Heath756,569 Republican Warren G. Harding Charles F. Clippert756,406 Republican Warren G. Harding Alfred M. Fleischhauer756,215 Republican Warren G. Harding Eber W. Yost755,736 Republican Warren G. Harding William T. Hosner755,735 Republican Warren G. Harding Francis St. Peter754,605 Republican Warren G. Harding Louie Vandervoot-Stegman754,464 Republican Warren G. Harding Herman C. Buck754,279 Republican Warren G. Harding Louisa Yeoman-King754,132 Republican Warren G. Harding Grace Cookson-Stair753,893 Republican Warren G. Harding Myron J. Sherwood753,831 Democratic James M. Cox George J. Burke233,450 Democratic James M. Cox Howard W. Cavanagh232,230 Democratic James M. Cox Joses T. LaMeasure232,121 Democratic James M. Cox Sidney T. Miller232,079 Democratic James M. Cox William L. McManus Jr.232,067 Democratic James M. Cox Charles V. Taylor231,910 Democratic James M. Cox John Lennane231,855 Democratic James M. Cox John George Zink231,840 Democratic James M. Cox Estelle L. Moore231,759 Democratic James M. Cox William H. Loutit231,749 Democratic James M. Cox Albert S. Ley231,741 Democratic James M. Cox August C. Goehrend231,684 Democratic James M. Cox Lola K. Brown231,677 Democratic James M. Cox Hattie B. Vanzelingen231,673 Democratic James M. Cox Ethel G. Kelbie231,672 Socialist Eugene V. Debs A. Glenn Berry28,947 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Joseph W. Hawkins28,534 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Violet M. Blumenbery28,475 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Arthur A. Wood28,469 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Frank H. Dixon28,445 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Charles G. Taylor28,439 Socialist Eugene V. Debs W. F. Long28,419 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Otto J. Young28,419 Socialist Eugene V. Debs W. W. Lloyd28,417 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Ruby Grant28,412 Socialist Eugene V. Debs William Cobine28,395 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Frank Zeek28,382 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Henry Pilch28,372 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Inez Luther28,369 Socialist Eugene V. Debs Ellsworth A. Kellogg28,368 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Robert G. Ewald10,480 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Joseph Obernwayer10,372 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen August Kleinow10,193 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen James Douglas10,191 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Frank S. Lehnen10,164 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Robert A. Washburn10,157 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Albert L. Cheney10,154 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Edmond L. Ege10,153 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Henry F. Repke10,152 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Arthur Darling10,149 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Robert Legg10,138 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Edward C. Scheid10,120 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Albert Begin10,031 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Lily M. McCone9,646 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Mary J. Johnston9,552 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins William Calkins9,541 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Elmer Scott9,526 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Jarvis M. Green9,523 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Adelaide Z. Sewell9,516 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Ernest H. Clark9,502 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Roseltha Huff9,502 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Edith R. Luttenbacher9,500 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins M. Adelaide Titus9,498 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Emir L. Wilder9,485 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Alexander Peterkin9,484 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins John McCoil9,470 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Frederick C. Nieman9,468 Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Oscar V. Schwensen8,673There were also 1,469 votes for "Olaf V. Schwensen" that were listed separately. Farmer-Labor Parley P. Christensen Edward W. Second7,850There were also 2,292 votes for "Eward W. Second" that were listed separately. Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins Lester G. Rathburn7,078There were also 2,427 votes for "Lester G. Rathbun" that were listed separately. Socialist Labor William Wesley Cox Charles Pierson2,539 Socialist Labor William Wesley Cox D. Theofanis2,361 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley William C. McCarthy484 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley A. Lawrence Smith464 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Henry C. L. Forler430 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Ray Robson429 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Alexander S. Diack424 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Basil McKnight419 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Wilbur Brotherton416 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley George D. Ball414 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley James N. Symons411 Single Tax Robert C. Macauley Elmer Letourneam394 Write-in Scattering54Votes cast"highest" Based on highest elector on each ticket 1,048,465 Results by county The results below are those for the highest elector on each ticket. The results listed in the 1921-1922 Michigan Manual are a "general average" for each ticket and thus not the "true" results. CountyDeLand Charles J. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual for the Years 1921-1922 1921 Lansing 636-638 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049834&view=1up&seq=650 24 May 2026The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1921 1921 The Press Publishing Co. New York 698 https://archive.org/details/worldalmanacency1921newy/page/698/mode/2up 24 May 2026 Warren G. HardingRepublican James M. CoxDemocratic Eugene V. DebsSocialist Parley P. ChristensenFarmer-Labor Aaron S. WatkinsProhibition All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast"highest" # % # % # % # % # % # % # %Alcona1,04875.67%26719.28%412.96%50.36%141.01%100.72%78156.39%1,385Alger1,27266.04%47124.45%1467.58%231.19%00.00%140.73%80141.59%1,926Allegan7,85275.87%2,15820.85%1291.25%290.28%1641.58%170.16%5,69455.02%10,349Alpena3,49063.36%1,90734.62%841.53%70.13%140.25%60.11%1,58328.74%5,508Antrim2,25577.44%51917.82%632.16%90.31%632.16%30.10%1,73659.62%2,912Arenac1,52866.32%67329.21%562.43%120.52%311.35%40.17%85537.11%2,304Baraga1,37874.69%30716.64%1206.50%251.36%70.38%80.43%1,07158.05%1,845Barry5,16970.61%1,88325.72%450.61%140.19%2072.83%30.04%3,28644.88%7,321Bay13,93364.93%7,01132.67%1800.84%2070.96%540.25%750.35%6,92232.26%21,460Benzie1,52271.93%42319.99%894.21%291.37%482.27%50.24%1,09951.94%2,116Berrien15,79574.05%4,86622.81%3731.75%870.41%1610.75%480.23%10,92951.24%21,330Branch5,71269.72%2,18226.63%790.96%180.22%1962.39%60.07%3,53043.09%8,193Calhoun16,78069.10%6,31426.00%5412.23%1700.70%3911.61%870.36%10,46643.10%24,283Cass4,51564.71%2,18631.33%1532.19%230.33%841.20%160.23%2,32933.38%6,977Charlevoix3,09077.00%70617.59%1363.39%120.30%591.47%100.25%2,38459.41%4,013Cheboygan2,48763.41%1,29132.92%611.56%441.12%280.71%110.28%1,19630.49%3,922Chippewa4,76374.27%1,28119.98%1842.87%781.22%861.34%210.33%3,48254.30%6,413Clare1,77273.50%51021.15%803.32%40.17%281.16%170.71%1,26252.34%2,411Clinton6,03978.91%1,46819.18%400.52%130.17%901.18%30.04%4,57159.73%7,653Crawford73064.49%36332.07%252.21%50.44%90.80%00.00%36732.42%1,132Delta4,97565.11%2,02926.55%3534.62%1992.60%320.42%530.69%2,94638.56%7,641Dickinson3,57176.29%59612.73%3607.69%370.79%460.98%711.52%2,97563.55%4,681Eaton7,37670.98%2,73826.35%930.90%280.27%1491.43%70.07%4,63844.63%10,391Emmet3,07568.87%1,07724.12%1884.21%230.52%871.95%150.34%1,99844.75%4,465Genesee24,60474.60%7,44422.57%5451.65%850.26%2500.76%520.16%17,16052.03%32,980Gladwin1,69678.55%31714.68%823.80%60.28%532.45%50.23%1,37963.87%2,159Gogebic5,56979.57%83911.99%3755.36%690.99%881.26%590.84%4,73067.58%6,999Grand Traverse4,09774.13%1,16321.04%1582.86%200.36%831.50%60.11%2,93453.08%5,527Gratiot6,58377.38%1,84921.74%420.49%150.18%170.20%10.01%4,73455.65%8,507Hillsdale6,71771.13%2,47826.24%560.59%130.14%1721.82%70.07%4,23944.89%9,443Houghton14,97680.18%3,10316.61%3802.03%1170.63%850.46%180.10%11,87363.56%18,679Huron8,44482.61%1,59715.62%940.92%200.20%590.58%80.08%6,84766.98%10,222Ingham18,52469.59%7,09326.65%5161.94%900.34%3511.32%440.17%11,43142.94%26,618Ionia8,00167.60%3,40528.77%940.79%230.19%3052.58%80.07%4,59638.83%11,836Iosco2,02576.56%55120.83%411.55%150.57%90.34%40.15%1,47455.73%2,645Iron3,54882.68%50411.75%1764.10%180.42%140.33%310.72%3,04470.94%4,291Isabella5,11373.80%1,63423.59%731.05%100.14%871.26%110.16%3,47950.22%6,928Jackson16,02064.97%7,81031.67%2931.19%890.36%4131.67%320.13%8,21033.30%24,657Kalamazoo13,81967.55%5,28325.83%5522.70%5212.55%2181.07%630.31%8,53641.73%20,456Kalkaska89173.21%22518.49%373.04%90.74%514.19%40.33%66654.72%1,217Kent40,80270.14%14,76325.38%9731.67%7831.35%7131.23%1410.24%26,03944.76%58,175Keweenaw1,27490.10%896.29%392.76%10.07%100.71%10.07%1,18583.80%1,414Lake93374.76%26321.07%312.48%110.88%100.80%00.00%67053.69%1,248Lapeer5,55878.54%1,30718.47%390.55%200.28%1462.06%70.10%4,25160.07%7,077Leelanau2,18582.14%41515.60%401.50%40.15%130.49%30.11%1,77066.54%2,660Lenawee12,00468.86%5,11729.35%850.49%190.11%1921.10%150.09%6,88739.51%17,432Livingston4,65464.19%2,43633.60%120.17%80.11%1361.88%40.06%2,21830.59%7,250Luce71776.03%19320.47%70.74%30.32%222.33%10.11%52455.57%943Mackinac1,68562.87%93234.78%371.38%80.30%150.56%30.11%75328.10%2,680Macomb9,79174.03%3,02922.90%1841.39%680.51%1170.88%360.27%6,76251.13%13,225Manistee"manistee"3,27457.65%2,19638.67%1512.66%140.25%350.62%90.16%1,07818.98%5,679Marquette9,36870.54%3,04022.89%5424.08%2061.55%890.67%350.26%6,32847.65%13,280Mason3,70569.33%1,36025.45%1592.98%210.39%861.61%130.24%2,34543.88%5,344Mecosta3,95174.82%1,14921.76%1132.14%70.13%591.12%20.04%2,80253.06%5,281Menominee5,08972.46%1,56822.33%2433.46%660.94%320.46%250.36%3,52150.14%7,023Midland4,16178.94%96718.35%791.50%120.23%470.89%50.09%3,19460.60%5,271Missaukee1,81282.48%34715.79%140.64%20.09%221.00%00.00%1,46566.68%2,197Monroe8,67161.38%5,22937.01%1190.84%120.08%930.66%30.02%3,44224.36%14,127Montcalm6,67677.38%1,69419.64%1091.26%180.21%1191.38%110.13%4,98257.75%8,627Montmorency84475.56%20117.99%554.92%50.45%100.90%20.18%64357.56%1,117Muskegon11,77873.67%3,49421.86%4893.06%570.36%1270.79%420.26%8,28451.82%15,987Newaygo4,20078.87%93117.48%821.54%110.21%941.77%70.13%3,26961.39%5,325Oakland19,34970.90%6,44923.63%9263.39%1120.41%3851.41%690.25%12,90047.27%27,290Oceana3,56277.94%78617.20%1012.21%220.48%891.95%100.22%2,77660.74%4,570Ogemaw1,69575.50%44819.96%431.92%70.31%452.00%70.31%1,24755.55%2,245Ontonagon1,99667.87%66022.44%2157.31%371.26%150.51%180.61%1,33645.43%2,941Osceola3,61280.81%77217.27%350.78%110.25%380.85%20.04%2,84063.53%4,470Oscoda44283.08%7714.47%50.94%30.56%50.94%00.00%36568.61%532Otsego87563.96%46834.21%40.29%100.73%110.80%00.00%40729.75%1,368Ottawa10,56678.75%2,39617.86%2071.54%410.31%1821.36%250.19%8,17060.89%13,417Presque Isle2,52380.68%52716.85%361.15%220.70%60.19%130.42%1,99663.83%3,127Roscommon66475.37%18521.00%212.38%30.34%40.45%40.45%47954.37%881Saginaw20,52968.20%8,52228.31%5831.94%2570.85%1440.48%680.23%12,00739.89%30,103Sanilac7,29984.66%1,15213.36%590.68%70.08%951.10%100.12%6,14771.29%8,622Schoolcraft1,79771.11%43317.13%2359.30%261.03%160.63%200.79%1,36453.98%2,527Shiawassee7,22169.92%2,60525.23%1431.38%360.35%3133.03%90.09%4,61644.70%10,327St. Clair14,96775.15%4,56822.94%1520.76%840.42%1240.62%210.11%10,39952.21%19,916St. Joseph6,05266.66%2,72329.99%1201.32%240.26%1291.42%310.34%3,32936.67%9,079Tuscola7,31082.38%1,27614.38%620.70%290.33%1641.85%330.37%6,03468.00%8,874Van Buren6,95475.02%2,00721.65%1661.79%170.18%1141.23%110.12%4,94753.37%9,269Washtenaw14,00474.14%4,51823.92%1570.83%90.05%1630.86%370.20%9,48650.22%18,888Wayne224,12274.67%52,52917.50%14,8724.96%6,1242.04%1,0360.35%1,4530.48%171,59357.17%300,136Wexford3,44072.88%1,10823.47%641.36%220.47%781.65%80.17%2,33249.41%4,720Totals762,86572.76%233,45022.27%28,947The county results add up to 28,9412.76%10,4801.00%9,6460.92%3,0770.29%529,41550.49%1,048,459 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican 20em Arenac Calhoun Cass Crawford Jackson Kalamazoo Kent Monroe Otsego St. Joseph Analysis With 72.76 percent of the popular vote, Michigan proved to be Harding's third strongest state in the 1920 election terms of popular vote percentage after North Dakota and Vermont.https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=1920&f=0&off=0&elect=0 1920 Presidential Election Statistics Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections 2018-03-05 Harding received the largest share of the popular vote in a presidential election for Michigan at the time, though that record would be broken four years later. Cox fell more than 3.5 percent below the previous worst Democratic showing by Alton B. Parker from 1904. This was the first of three consecutive elections where Michigan supported a Republican candidate with more than seventy percent of the vote and the only example of any presidential candidate receiving such a high share in the state. Concurrent with Harding's triumph in the state, the Republicans would win every single seat in the State Senate, and the State House of Representatives. Manistee county Many sources show Cox carrying Manistee County by five votes. This result can be traced back to the 1921-1922 Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual (link included in references). However, during this era, Michigan was still voting for presidential electors directly and the Michigan Manuals reported only average votes per ticket in each county. In 1920, the votes received by Republican presidential electors in Manistee County varied considerably, from a high of 3,936 (for Mary L. Veenflict) to a low of 661 (for Myron J. Sherwood). The following table shows the Republican and Democratic vote in Manistee County in 1920: + 1920 United States presidential election in Manistee CountyMichigan State Archives, Statement of votes cast in the county of Manistee, State of Michigan, at the General Election held in the said county, on Tuesday, the second day of November, in the year one thousand nine hundred twenty.RepublicanDemocratic Elector Votes Elector Votes Mary L. Veenflict3,936 George J. Burke2,196 Walter J. Hayes3,274 Joses T. La Measure2,189 Ferry K. Heath3,184 John Lennane2,187 Alfred M. Fleischhauer3,125 William H. Loutit2,185 Charles K. Warren2,713 Charles V. Taylor2,185 Charles F. Clippert2,613 August C. Goehrend2,184 George W. Cook2,459 William L. McManus Jr.2,184 Eber W. Yost2,267 Sidney T. Miller2,184 William T. Hosner2,209 John George Zink2,184 Francis St. Peter1,695 Estelle L. Moore2,183 Louie Vandervoot-Stegman1,425 Lola K. Brown2,182 Louisa Yeoman-King1,231 Howard W. Cavanagh2,182 Grace Cookson-Stair975 Albert S. Ley2,182 Herman C. Buck931 Hattie B. Vanzelingen2,181 Myron J. Sherwood661 Ethel G. Kelbie2,180 Total32,698 Total32,768 Based on these figures, the average vote is 2,180 for Harding and 2,185 for Cox (the 1921-22 Manual lists 2,179 and 2,184, respectively, by rounding down). However, the usual convention for reporting on presidential elections from before the introduction of the modern short ballot is to use the results for the elector on each ticket who received the most votes statewide. Following that convention, the results in Manistee County are 3,274 for Harding and 2,196 for Cox (as shown in the full county by county table above). However, there were ultimately more total Democratic votes than Republican votes recorded in the county, so that gives some support to a potential Cox victory. Michigan also held simultaneous elections for state officers in 1920. In the gubernatorial election, for instance, the vote in Manistee County was 59.88% Republican and 38.16% Democratic.DeLand Charles J. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual for the Years 1921-1922 1921 Lansing 389-404 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049834&view=1up&seq=431 24 May 2026 Similar results were polled in other races. Thus, Cox winning Manistee County in the presidential election would be entirely inconsistent with the rest of the results in Michigan. Indeed, following the highest elector convention results in the split in Manistee County being 57.65% for Harding and 38.67% for Cox, which is consistent with the other statewide elections. See also United States presidential elections in Michigan Notes References Michigan 1920 United States presidential election