1938 New York state election

none January 2025 September 2023 1938 11 8 1938 New York state election New York No 1937 New York state election 1937 1939 New York state election 1939 The 1938 New York state election was held on November 8, 1938, to elect the governor, the lieutenant governor, the state comptroller, the attorney general, two U.S. senators and two U.S. representatives-at-large, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate. The 1938 election was the first election where the governor of New York was elected to a four-year term, rather than a two-year term as had been used since the 1894 election. Nominations The Republican state convention met on September 29, Speaker Oswald D. Heck presided. They nominated D.A. of New York Thomas E. Dewey for governor. Also nominated were Frederic H. Bontecou for lieutenant governor; Julius Rothstein for comptroller; Col. Arthur V. McDermott for attorney general; and John Lord O'Brian and Edward Corsi for the U.S. Senate."DEWEY NOMINATED BY REPUBLICANS", The New York Times, September 30, 1938 (subscription required) The Democratic state convention met on October 1, and re-nominated the incumbents Lehman, Tremaine, Bennett and Wagner; and completed the ticket with Supreme Court Justice Charles Poletti for lieutenant governor; and John M. Mead for short term in the U.S. Senate."LEHMAN IS DRAFTED FOR FOURTH TERM", The New York Times, October 1, 1938 (subscription required) The Socialist state convention met on October 1, and nominated again Norman Thomas for governor; and Dr. George W. Hartmann for lieutenant governor; Coleman B. Cheney for Comptroller; and Miss Marion L. Severn for attorney general."SOCIALISTS ASSAIL 'DEALS' BY LABOR; ...THOMAS IS NOMINATED", The New York Times, October 2, 1938 (subscription required) The American Labor state convention met on October 3 at the Manhattan Opera House in New York City and nominated the Democratic incumbent Herbert H. Lehman for governor. They also endorsed Democrats Poletti, Wagner, Mead,"LABORITES NAME LEHMAN, WAGNER", The New York Times, October 4, 1938 (subscription required) Merritt and O'Day; and completed the ticket with Langdon W. Post for Comptroller and Joseph V. O'Leary for Attorney-General."LABOR NAMES MEAD AS SESSIONS CLOSE; Convention Also Nominates Post, O'Leary, Mrs. O'Day and Merritt to Fill Ticket", The New York Times, October 5, 1938 (subscription required) Lehman was only able to win reelection due to the votes he received on the American Labor ballot line. Dewey received more votes on the Republican ballot line than Lehman had on the Democratic ballot line.Murphy Paul 1974 Political Parties In American History, Volume 3, 1890-present G. P. Putnam's Sons The "Independent Progressive" Party filed a petition to nominate a ticket headed by Republican Thomas E. Dewey. This was done to have a second ballot line, like Gov. Lehman who ran on two lines also."MAJOR PARTIES GET 2D LINES ON BALLOT", The New York Times, October 12, 1938 (subscription required) The Socialist Labor Party changed its name and filed a petition to nominate candidates as the "Industrial Government Party.""INDUSTRIAL PARTY LISTS CANDIDATES", The New York Times, November 6, 1938 (subscription required) Result The whole Democratic ticket was elected. The incumbents Lehman, Tremaine, Bennett, Wagner, Merritt and O'Day were re-elected. This was the first election where governors were elected to four year terms. + 1938 state election results Office Democratic ticket Republican ticket American Labor ticket Communist ticket Socialist ticket Independent Progressive ticket Industrial Government ticket GovernorHerbert H. Lehman 1,971,307Thomas E. Dewey 2,302,505Herbert H. Lehman 419,979(none)Norman Thomas 24,980Thomas E. Dewey 24,387Aaron M. Orange 3,516Lieutenant GovernorCharles Poletti 1,976,166Frederic H. Bontecou 2,130,088Charles Poletti 395,313George W. HartmannDr. George Wilfried Hartmann (1904-1955), psychologist, of Columbia University, editor of The Social Frontier, ran also for Mayor of New York in 1941 29,282Frederic H. Bontecou 12,030 Jacob Berlin 4,012ComptrollerMorris S. Tremaine 2,220.931Julius Rothstein 1,829,006Langdon W. PostLangdon W. Post (1899-1981), Harvard graduate, Dem. assemblyman 1929-32, Chairman of the New York City Housing Authority under Mayor La Guardia, "LANGDON W. POST, 82, DEAD; HOUSING AND LABOR ADVISOR", The New York Times, September 5, 1981 (subscription required) 413,234Langdon W. Post 25,910Julius Rothstein 10,703Jacob Grossman 4,323Attorney GeneralJohn J. Bennett Jr. 2,151,831Arthur V. McDermottCol. Arthur V. McDermott, of Brooklyn, lawyer, during World War II New York City Director of the Selective Service Administration 1,950,187Joseph V. O'Leary 391,901Joseph O'Leary 23,963Arthur V. McDermott 11,044Frank Passonno 8.756U.S. Senator (full term)Robert F. Wagner 2,098,919John Lord O'Brian 2,046,794Robert F. Wagner 398,410 Herman J. HahnRev. Herman J. Hahn, of Buffalo, ran also for Lieutenant Governor in 1928 and 1936 23,553John Lord O'Brian 11,821O. Martin OlsonO. Martin Olson, of Jamestown, ran also for Comptroller in 1934 3,851U.S. Senator (short term)to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Royal S. CopelandJames M. Mead 2,060,876Edward F. Corsi 2,083,666James M. Mead 378,028Harry W. Laidler 27,161 U.S. Representative-at-largeMatthew J. Merritt 2,023,131Richard B. Scandrett Jr. 1,980,352Matthew J. Merritt 329,029Israel Amter 105,681Brendan Sexton 24,990Richard B. Scandrett 10,103Jeremiah D. CrowleyJeremiah D. Crowley, of Marcellus, ran also for State Engineer in 1910; for Lieutenant Governor in 1912, 1914 and 1920; for Governor in 1916, 1922, 1926 and 1930; for the U.S. Senate in 1932; and for Congress at-large in 1934 5,080U.S. Representative-at-largeCaroline O'Day 2,024,135Helen Z. M. Rodgers 2,000,814Caroline O'Day 339,328Edna Mitchell BlueEdna Mitchell Blue, wife of Lewi Tonks, ran also in 1938 25,214Helen Z.M. Rogers 10,753William Herlet 4,291 Obs.: "Blank, void and scattering" votes: 75,047 (Governor) The vote for governor is used to define ballot access, for all other offices numbers are totals on all tickets for candidates nominated on more than one. See also New York gubernatorial elections New York state elections Notes References Sources Official Result: "LEHMAN PLURALITY OFFICIALLY 64,394; State Board Puts His Vote Finally at 2,391,286, With 2,326,892 for Dewey LABOR'S POLL AT 419,979 Blank, Void and Scattered Ballots Totaled 75,047; Poletti Won by 229,361", The New York Times, December 8, 1938 (subscription required) New York Red Book 1938 1938 New York Category:Thomas E. Dewey