1924 Colorado gubernatorial election

none related races 1924 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1924 Colorado gubernatorial election Colorado 1911 Presidential no 1922 Colorado gubernatorial election 1922 1926 Colorado gubernatorial election 1926 November 4, 1924 File:Bench_and_bar_of_Colorado_-_CLARENCE_J._MORLEY.png 150x150px Clarence Morley Republican Party (United States) 178,078 51.92% File:William Sweet.gif William Ellery Sweet Democratic Party (United States) 151,041 44.04% 1924 Colorado gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 250px County resultsMorley: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70%Sweet: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% Governor William Ellery Sweet Democratic Party (United States) Clarence Morley Republican Party (United States) The 1924 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1924. Republican nominee Clarence Morley defeated Democratic incumbent William Ellery Sweet with 51.92% of the vote. Morley was supported by the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist terrorist organization. Primary elections Primary elections were held on September 9, 1924.https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/1900-1999/1924AbstractBook.pdf State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast 1924 Secretary of State of Colorado 1924 April 17, 2020 Democratic primary Candidates William Ellery Sweet, incumbent Governor Results thumb|277x277px|Shades of red: Morley Shades of Orange: Rockwell1924 Sep 9 • Republican Primary • Governor • State of Colorado State of Colorado https://historicalelectiondata.coloradosos.gov/contest/22642 2025-05-12 State of Colorado Elections Database en Democratic primary results William Ellery Sweet (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 43,160 100.00 43,160 100.00 Republican primary The Ku Klux Klan, established in Colorado in 1922, had become very powerful under the leadership of Grand Dragon John Galen Locke. In 1924, the Klan seized control of much of the party, especially in the Denver area, where mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton was first elected with Klan support (though he later turned his back on the Klan). Locke pushed Judge Morley, who was Klansman number 953 in Colorado.Adobe Acrobat https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:6a4bc206-86b5-4a99-a442-45790caa9dd2&viewer!megaVerb=group-discover 2025-05-12 acrobat.adobe.com An early and loyal supporter, Locke suspected Morley would obey his every command. During his term as governor, this proved correct. According to the History Colorado Center, Locke was in frequent contact by telephone and letters. Indeed, "One man in the governor's office had as his primary duty the carrying of written messages between the Capitol and Locke's Glenarm Place office. For all practical purposes, Locke was the governor."Colorado Under the Klan History Colorado https://www.historycolorado.org/story/2023/12/06/colorado-under-klan 2025-05-12 www.historycolorado.org Locke and Morley were opposed by incumbent Lt. Governor Robert F. Rockwell, a rancher and farmer from Western Colorado. Earl Cooley, another anti-Klan Republican, gained a small portion of the vote. In the end, though Rockwell was able to nearly sweep Western Colorado, Morley was carried across the finish line with a plurality thanks to strong support in Denver and Northeastern Colorado. Candidates Clarence Morley, Denver District Court Judge Robert F. Rockwell, incumbent Lieutenant Governor Earl Cooley, former Lieutenant Governor Results Republican primary results Clarence Morley Republican Party (United States) 57,152 48.9% Robert F. Rockwell Republican Party (United States) 51,976 44.5% Earl Cooley Republican Party (United States) 7,712 6.6% 116,840 General election Candidates Major party candidates Clarence Morley, Republican William Ellery Sweet, Democratic Other candidates Frank Cass, Farmer–Labor William R. Dietrich, Workers Louis E. Leeder, Independent Results 1924 Colorado gubernatorial election Republican Party (United States) Clarence Morley 178,078 51.92% +3.63% Democratic Party (United States) William Ellery Sweet (incumbent) 151,041 44.04% -5.60% Farmer–Labor Party Frank Cass 10,843 3.16% +2.43% Workers Party of America William R. Dietrich 1,582 0.46% N/A Independent politician Louis E. Leeder 1,418 0.41% N/A 27,037 7.88% 342,962 Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) References 1924 Colorado Gubernatorial