1920 United States presidential election in Georgia

none June 2025 September 2023 1920 United States presidential election 1920 United States presidential election in Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) 1920 presidential Popular no 1916 United States presidential election in Georgia 1916 1920 11 2 1924 United States presidential election in Georgia 1924 x200px James M. Cox 1920.jpg James M. Cox Democratic Party (United States) Ohio Franklin Roosevelt 14 107,162 72.06% Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg Warren Harding Republican Party (United States) Ohio Calvin Coolidge 0 41,089 27.63% 1920 United States presidential election in Georgia results map by county.svg 250px County results Cox #86b6f2 50–60% #4389e3 60–70% #1666cb 70–80% #0645b4 80–90% #002b84 90–100% Harding #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% President Woodrow Wilson Democratic Party (United States) Elected President Warren Harding Republican Party (United States) The 1920 United States presidential election in Georgia took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the wider United States presidential election. Voters chose 14 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. With the exception of a handful of historically Unionist North Georgia counties – chiefly Fannin but also to a lesser extent Pickens, Gilmer and Towns – Georgia since the 1880s had been a one-party state dominated by the Democratic Party. Disfranchisement of almost all African-Americans and most poor whites had made the Republican Party virtually nonexistent outside of local governments in those few hill counties,Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 208, 210 9780691163246 and the national Democratic Party served as the guardian of white supremacy against a Republican Party historically associated with memories of Reconstruction. The only competitive elections were Democratic primaries, which state laws restricted to whites on the grounds of the Democratic Party being legally a private club.Springer, Melanie Jean; How the States Shaped the Nation: American Electoral Institutions and Voter Turnout, 1920-2000, p. 155 022611435X Nonetheless, the largely white but secessionist “upcountry” regions of the state – lying immediately south of the few substantially unionist counties – had seen strong opposition to the policies of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson since World War I broke out.Smith, Zachary; ‘Tom Watson and Resistance to Federal War Policies in Georgia during World War I’; The Journal of Southern History; Vol. 78, No. 2 (May 2012), pp. 293-326 Wilson had attempted to purge anti-war Southern Democrats in the 1918 midterm elections, and with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment and his League of Nations proposal, further hostility to him emerged in Georgia.McRae, Elizabeth Gillespie; ‘Caretakers of Southern Civilization: Georgia Women and the Anti-Suffrage Campaign, 1914-1920’; The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. 82, No. 4, (Winter 1998), pp. 801-828 All these factors meant Cox lost significantly in the upcountry areas of the statePhillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 261 where Harding carried many areas that had supported Populist Thomas E. Watson or Progressives in recent elections. Elsewhere, however, partisan loyalties remained extremely strong, so that Harding's gain was less than most other Southern states and Georgia surpassed Louisiana – where a major anti-Wilson revolt was occurring at the polls in AcadianaPhillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 268 – as the third-most Democratic state behind Mississippi and South Carolina. Democratic primary 1920 Georgia Democratic presidential primary Georgia (U.S. state) 1920 presidential no 1924 Georgia Democratic presidential primary 1924 April 20, 1920 File:Portrait of A. Mitchell Palmer.jpg D99A6C A. Mitchell Palmer Pennsylvania 28 144 48,460 33.19% ThomasEWatson.jpg Thomas E. Watson B1E2B1 Georgia 0 132 51,974 35.60% Hoke Smith cph.3a02321 (3x4b).jpg Hoke Smith 355C7D Georgia 0 110 45,568 31.21% 1920 Georgia Democratic presidential primary.svg Election results by county Palmer: #fadecc 30-40% #eab591 40-50% #dd8c55 50-60% #ce5e13 60-70% #ba4f08 70-80% #993d00 80-90% Watson: #d2efd2 30-40% #9cd59c 40-50% #68bd68 50-60% #35a535 60-70% #008d00 70-80% #006f00 80-90% Smith: #deeefb 30-40% #b4d2ec 40-50% #8dbbe2 50-60% #67a3d7 60-70% #418ccd 70-80% No vote/data #808080 A primary for the Democratic presidential candidate was held in Georgia on April 20, 1920. United States Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer defeated Thomas E. Watson and Hoke Smith, despite losing the popular vote to Watson. Polls did not open in Wilkinson County, leading Chairman John Flynt of the Democratic State Executive Committee to appoint two Palmer delegates from that county in accordance with primary rules.1920-04-23 PALMER TO LEAD BY 12 IN GEORGIA CONVENTION https://www.nytimes.com/1920/04/23/archives/palmer-to-lead-by-12-in-georgia-convention-controversy-is-on-as-to.html 2025-11-24 en The subcommittee of the State Executive Committee, empowered to set the rules for all primaries other than gubernatorial or senatorial contests, had determined that the Georgia's delegates to the 1920 Democratic National Convention would be allocated to the candidate receiving the highest number of county unit votes under the county unit system.PALMER WINS POINT IN GEORGIA CONTEST https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/04/29/98587189.html 2025-11-24 The New York Times en 0362-4331 This selection would be formalized at the Georgia presidential convention in Atlanta on May 18, along with other matters.Atlanta tri-weekly journal., May 20, 1920, Image 1 https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053713/1920-05-20/ed-1/seq-1/ Atlanta tri-weekly journal 1 B. M. Blackburn, a representative of Watson, stated that it "would be utterly unfair and ridiculous for a minority to control the convention". Smith claimed that he had "no idea that the convention would consider itself bound by any rules except its own." Watson contested the results in Chatham, claiming that his name had been scratched off the ballots; in Wilkinson, as there had been no primary election; and in Bulloch, asserting that his supporters had been unable to vote in a precinct where no ballot box was provided. Smith contested Murray and Atkinson, claiming that the county executive committees had arbitrarily excluded certain precincts. At the convention, the majority of delegates, who were composed of Smith and Watson supporters, ignored the rule passed by the Democratic state executive committee, viewing the convention as sovereign and above the committee, with the right to select national convention delegates. This majority passed resolutions opposing the Covenant of the League of Nations as negotiated at Paris, rejecting a potential Wilson third term, advocating free speech, free press, local self-government, and repeal of all espionage, sedition, and conscription laws passed during the war.GEORGIA DEMOCRATS ELECT 2 DELEGATIONS https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/05/19/118316857.html 2025-11-24 The New York Times en 0362-4331 Furthermore, they elected William J. Vereen to succeed Clark Howell as Georgia's member of the Democratic National Committee. The majority offered to split the delegation in three, which was refused by Palmer leaders. The majority then elected delegates to the national convention to vote only for a candidate favorable to the principles endorsed by the convention. After adjournment, Palmer supporters convened separately, electing a rival delegation pledged to Palmer, and reelecting Howell as national committeeman. The Credentials Committee of the national convention chose to seat the delegates pledged to Palmer.1920-06-30 SEAT REFUSED REED IN BITTER CONTEST https://www.nytimes.com/1920/06/30/archives/seat-refused-reed-in-bitter-contest-credentials-committee-seats.html 2025-11-24 en Popular vote County unit vote A. Mitchell Palmer 48460 144 Thomas E. Watson 51974 132 Hoke Smith 45568 110 Results 1920 United States presidential election in GeorgiaDave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1920 Presidential General Election Results – GeorgiaPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Democratic James M. Cox 107,162 72.06% 14 Republican Warren Harding 41,089 27.63% 0 Socialist Eugene Debs 465These Socialist votes were not separated by county and only given as a statewide total. They are included in the totals at the bottom of the county table. 0.31% 0 Results by county CountyJames Middleton CoxDemocraticWarren Gamaliel HardingRepublicanMarginTotal votes castScammon, Richard M. (compiler); America at the Polls: A Handbook of Presidential Election Statistics 1920-1964; pp. 96-98 0405077114#%#%#% Appling 313 61.49% 196 38.51% 117 22.99% 509 Atkinson 453 79.20% 119 20.80% 334 58.39% 572 Bacon 307 58.37% 219 41.63% 88 16.73% 526 Baker 141 63.80% 80 36.20% 61 27.60% 221 Baldwin 554 85.76% 92 14.24% 462 71.52% 646 Banks 479 58.34% 342 41.66% 137 16.69% 821 Barrow 731 63.95% 412 36.05% 319 27.91% 1,143 Bartow 922 55.01% 754 44.99% 168 10.02% 1,676 Ben Hill 543 70.06% 232 29.94% 311 40.13% 775 Berrien 623 91.48% 58 8.52% 565 82.97% 681 Bibb 2,030 81.59% 458 18.41% 1,572 63.18% 2,488 Bleckley 262 100.00% 0 0.00% 262 100.00% 262 Brooks 597 88.71% 76 11.29% 521 77.41% 673 Bryan 175 89.29% 21 10.71% 154 78.57% 196 Bulloch 1,098 81.58% 248 18.42% 850 63.15% 1,346 Burke 387 90.85% 39 9.15% 348 81.69% 426 Butts 502 78.07% 141 21.93% 361 56.14% 643 Calhoun 449 98.90% 5 1.10% 444 97.80% 454 Camden 152 91.57% 14 8.43% 138 83.13% 166 Campbell 263 71.08% 107 28.92% 156 42.16% 370 Candler 673 90.82% 68 9.18% 605 81.65% 741 Carroll 1,632 57.08% 1,227 42.92% 405 14.17% 2,859 Catoosa 55 62.50% 33 37.50% 22 25.00% 88 Charlton 157 84.86% 28 15.14% 129 69.73% 185 Chatham 4,243 81.00% 995 19.00% 3,248 62.01% 5,238 Chattahoochee 87 94.57% 5 5.43% 82 89.13% 92 Chattooga 887 63.31% 514 36.69% 373 26.62% 1,401 Cherokee 544 32.34% 1,138 67.66% -594 -35.32% 1,682 Clarke 1,419 86.74% 217 13.26% 1,202 73.47% 1,636 Clay 230 78.50% 63 21.50% 167 57.00% 293 Clayton 475 93.32% 34 6.68% 441 86.64% 509 Clinch 294 79.25% 77 20.75% 217 58.49% 371 Cobb 1,208 52.45% 1,095 47.55% 113 4.91% 2,303 Coffee 426 64.94% 230 35.06% 196 29.88% 656 Colquitt 768 59.49% 523 40.51% 245 18.98% 1,291 Columbia 476 100.00% 0 0.00% 476 100.00% 476 Cook 260 46.18% 303 53.82% -43 -7.64% 563 Coweta 1,094 86.62% 169 13.38% 925 73.24% 1,263 Crawford 235 78.33% 65 21.67% 170 56.67% 300 Crisp 565 87.19% 83 12.81% 482 74.38% 648 Dade 494 81.25% 114 18.75% 380 62.50% 608 Dawson 254 41.78% 354 58.22% -100 -16.45% 608 Decatur 982 76.60% 300 23.40% 682 53.20% 1,282 DeKalb 1,847 69.70% 803 30.30% 1,044 39.40% 2,650 Dodge 627 77.99% 177 22.01% 450 55.97% 804 Dooly 544 93.31% 39 6.69% 505 86.62% 583 Dougherty 621 85.54% 105 14.46% 516 71.07% 726 Douglas 427 47.34% 475 52.66% -48 -5.32% 902 Early 381 91.81% 34 8.19% 347 83.61% 415 Effingham 726 86.02% 118 13.98% 608 72.04% 844 Elbert 1,247 86.96% 187 13.04% 1,060 73.92% 1,434 Emanuel 1,444 88.37% 190 11.63% 1,254 76.74% 1,634 Evans 432 96.43% 16 3.57% 416 92.86% 448 Fannin 549 33.64% 1,083 66.36% -534 -32.72% 1,632 Fayette 231 74.28% 80 25.72% 151 48.55% 311 Floyd 1,923 74.25% 667 25.75% 1,256 48.49% 2,590 Forsyth 813 52.32% 741 47.68% 72 4.63% 1,554 Franklin 889 66.54% 447 33.46% 442 33.08% 1,336 Fulton 6,635 66.54% 3,336 33.46% 3,299 33.09% 9,971 Gilmer 546 45.20% 662 54.80% -116 -9.60% 1,208 Glascock 232 73.65% 83 26.35% 149 47.30% 315 Glynn 422 76.17% 132 23.83% 290 52.35% 554 Gordon 713 43.42% 929 56.58% -216 -13.15% 1,642 Grady 887 79.27% 232 20.73% 655 58.53% 1,119 Greene 681 79.28% 178 20.72% 503 58.56% 859 Gwinnett 1,645 59.07% 1,140 40.93% 505 18.13% 2,785 Habersham 503 44.55% 626 55.45% -123 -10.89% 1,129 Hall 1,475 63.39% 852 36.61% 623 26.77% 2,327 Hancock 498 90.38% 53 9.62% 445 80.76% 551 Haralson 438 28.33% 1,108 71.67% -670 -43.34% 1,546 Harris 398 97.79% 9 2.21% 389 95.58% 407 Hart 694 68.24% 323 31.76% 371 36.48% 1,017 Heard 461 97.05% 14 2.95% 447 94.11% 475 Henry 608 100.00% 0 0.00% 608 100.00% 608 Houston 723 94.88% 39 5.12% 684 89.76% 762 Irwin 525 82.16% 114 17.84% 411 64.32% 639 Jackson 1,069 76.19% 334 23.81% 735 52.39% 1,403 Jasper 429 91.08% 42 8.92% 387 82.17% 471 Jeff Davis 260 46.18% 303 53.82% -43 -7.64% 563 Jefferson 837 91.08% 82 8.92% 755 82.15% 919 Jenkins 331 87.11% 49 12.89% 282 74.21% 380 Johnson 306 80.53% 74 19.47% 232 61.05% 380 Jones 87 73.73% 31 26.27% 56 47.46% 118 Laurens 1,167 76.93% 350 23.07% 817 53.86% 1,517 Lee 251 92.96% 19 7.04% 232 85.93% 270 Liberty 303 63.39% 175 36.61% 128 26.78% 478 Lincoln 509 99.41% 3 0.59% 506 98.83% 512 Lowndes 1,308 85.60% 220 14.40% 1,088 71.20% 1,528 Lumpkin 155 43.06% 205 56.94% -50 -13.89% 360 Macon 483 87.66% 68 12.34% 415 75.32% 551 Madison 693 71.15% 281 28.85% 412 42.30% 974 Marion 236 56.73% 180 43.27% 56 13.46% 416 McDuffie 382 77.80% 109 22.20% 273 55.60% 491 McIntosh 119 75.32% 39 24.68% 80 50.63% 158 Meriwether 1,059 85.06% 186 14.94% 873 70.12% 1,245 Miller 155 83.78% 30 16.22% 125 67.57% 185 Milton 278 54.62% 231 45.38% 47 9.23% 509 Mitchell 930 86.59% 144 13.41% 786 73.18% 1,074 Monroe 837 90.98% 83 9.02% 754 81.96% 920 Montgomery 169 53.31% 148 46.69% 21 6.62% 317 Morgan 450 71.88% 176 28.12% 274 43.77% 626 Murray 728 46.11% 851 53.89% -123 -7.79% 1,579 Muscogee 1,372 93.14% 101 6.86% 1,271 86.29% 1,473 Newton 753 68.33% 349 31.67% 404 36.66% 1,102 Oconee 341 75.95% 108 24.05% 233 51.89% 449 Oglethorpe 844 95.26% 42 4.74% 802 90.52% 886 Paulding 340 26.28% 954 73.72% -614 -47.45% 1,294 Pickens 437 34.49% 830 65.51% -393 -31.02% 1,267 Pierce 407 76.94% 122 23.06% 285 53.88% 529 Pike 1,277 82.02% 280 17.98% 997 64.03% 1,557 Polk 658 39.59% 1,004 60.41% -346 -20.82% 1,662 Pulaski 338 85.57% 57 14.43% 281 71.14% 395 Putnam 420 98.82% 5 1.18% 415 97.65% 425 Quitman 135 97.12% 4 2.88% 131 94.24% 139 Rabun 312 67.97% 147 32.03% 165 35.95% 459 Randolph 534 91.28% 51 8.72% 483 82.56% 585 Richmond 2,656 83.86% 511 16.14% 2,145 67.73% 3,167 Rockdale 488 70.83% 201 29.17% 287 41.65% 689 Schley 235 81.60% 53 18.40% 182 63.19% 288 Screven 639 71.08% 260 28.92% 379 42.16% 899 Spalding 830 82.10% 181 17.90% 649 64.19% 1,011 Stephens 415 62.22% 252 37.78% 163 24.44% 667 Stewart 344 91.73% 31 8.27% 313 83.47% 375 Sumter 1,076 78.43% 296 21.57% 780 56.85% 1,372 Talbot 379 89.81% 43 10.19% 336 79.62% 422 Taliaferro 330 96.49% 12 3.51% 318 92.98% 342 Tattnall 447 59.76% 301 40.24% 146 19.52% 748 Taylor 491 69.94% 211 30.06% 280 39.89% 702 Telfair 1,069 96.65% 37 3.35% 1,032 93.31% 1,106 Terrell 500 91.24% 48 8.76% 452 82.48% 548 Thomas 1,130 87.06% 168 12.94% 962 74.11% 1,298 Tift 576 78.90% 154 21.10% 422 57.81% 730 Toombs 397 61.74% 246 38.26% 151 23.48% 643 Towns 256 39.14% 398 60.86% -142 -21.71% 654 Treutlen 263 71.08% 107 28.92% 156 42.16% 370 Troup 1,451 80.93% 342 19.07% 1,109 61.85% 1,793 Turner 393 68.35% 182 31.65% 211 36.70% 575 Twiggs 273 86.12% 44 13.88% 229 72.24% 317 Union 469 45.49% 562 54.51% -93 -9.02% 1,031 Upson 957 84.92% 170 15.08% 787 69.83% 1,127 Walker 1,347 55.75% 1,069 44.25% 278 11.51% 2,416 Walton 1,189 90.63% 123 9.38% 1,066 81.25% 1,312 Ware 901 80.73% 215 19.27% 686 61.47% 1,116 Warren 402 82.89% 83 17.11% 319 65.77% 485 Washington 1,134 90.58% 118 9.42% 1,016 81.15% 1,252 Wayne 407 94.21% 25 5.79% 382 88.43% 432 Webster 185 88.52% 24 11.48% 161 77.03% 209 Wheeler 350 77.61% 101 22.39% 249 55.21% 451 White 209 44.19% 264 55.81% -55 -11.63% 473 Whitfield 762 41.53% 1,073 58.47% -311 -16.95% 1,835 Wilcox 481 81.94% 106 18.06% 375 63.88% 587 Wilkes 876 98.65% 12 1.35% 864 97.30% 888 Wilkinson 256 87.37% 37 12.63% 219 74.74% 293 Worth 626 74.52% 214 25.48% 412 49.05% 840EcholsNo returns were canvassed for Echols County. Whatever voters existed in Echols County were listed in totals for neighboring counties.N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/ATotals107,16272.06%41,08927.63%66,07344.43%148,716 Notes References 2 Georgia 1920 Category:1920 Georgia (U.S. state) elections