1918 South Carolina gubernatorial election

1918 South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial primary

August 27, 1918 (1918-08-27)

Candidate Robert A. Cooper John Gardiner Richards Jr. Andrew Bethea Party Democratic Democratic Democratic Popular vote 61,900 31,230 10,362 Percentage 57.9% 29.2% 9.7%

Governor of South Carolina before election Richard Manning III Democratic Elected Governor of South Carolina Robert Archer Cooper Democratic

The 1918 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1918, to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Robert Archer Cooper emerged from the crowded Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the one-party state's general election to become the 93rd governor of South Carolina.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Andrew Bethea, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
• Robert Archer Cooper, former State Representative from Laurens and candidate for Governor in 1914 and 1916
• John M. DesChamps, candidate for Governor in 1916
• John T. Duncan, perennial candidate
• John L. McLaurin, planter and former U.S. Senator (1897–1903) and State Senator from Bennettsville (1913–1914)
• John Gardiner Richards Jr., former State Representative from Liberty Hill, Kershaw County and candidate for Governor in 1910 and 1914

Campaign

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on August 27 and progressive reformer Robert Archer Cooper emerged as the winner in a crowded field. He garnered more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary election and was able to avoid a runoff election.

Results

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Robert Archer Cooper	61,900	57.9
John Gardiner Richards, Jr.	31,230	29.2
Andrew J. Bethea	10,362	9.7
John L. McLaurin	1,584	1.5
John T. Duncan	1,256	1.2
John M. DesChamps	496	0.5

General election

The general election was held on November 5, 1918, and Robert Archer Cooper was elected the next governor of South Carolina without opposition. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout was much less than the previous gubernatorial election.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1918

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Robert Archer Cooper	25,267	100.0	+2.1
Majority			25,267	100.0	+3.9
Turnout			25,267
	Democratic hold

See also

• Governor of South Carolina
• List of governors of South Carolina
• South Carolina gubernatorial elections

References

• "Primary Election Results Declared". The News and Courier. September 4, 1918. p. 2.
• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876–1962. pp. 33–34.
• "Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina. Part II." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume II. Columbia, South Carolina: 1919, p. 34.

External links

• SCIway Biography of Robert Archer Cooper

Preceded by 1916

South Carolina gubernatorial elections

Succeeded by 1920