1926 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 2, 1926.

1926 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 2, 1926 (1926-11-02)
 
Nominee Alvan T. Fuller William A. Gaston
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 595,006 407,389
Percentage 58.76% 40.25%

Governor before election

Alvan T. Fuller
Republican

Elected Governor

Alvan T. Fuller
Republican

Incumbent Republican Governor Alvan T. Fuller was elected over Democrat William A. Gaston. This was Gaston's third and final unsuccessful bid for Governor.

Republican primary

Declared

Results

Governor Fuller was unopposed for renomination.

1926 Republican Gubernatorial primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alvan T. Fuller (incumbent) 237,979 100.00%
Write-in All others 6 0.00%
Total votes 237,985 100.00%
Declared

Results

Allen was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

1926 Republican Lt. Gubernatorial primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank G. Allen 223,253 100.00%
Write-in All others 2 0.00%
Total votes 223,255 100.00%

Democratic primary

Declared

Results

Gaston was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

1926 Democratic gubernatorial primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William A. Gaston 125,931 99.97%
Write-in All others 35 0.03%
Total votes 125,966 100.00%
Declared
  • Joseph B. Ely, former District Attorney for the Western District of Massachusetts and candidate for Governor in 1922
Withdrew
  • Harry J. Dooley (name remained on primary ballot)

Campaign

Harry J. Dooley and Joseph B. Ely competed for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor. Lieutenant Governor. Ely, an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1922, was tapped by the party leadership so that the party could present an ethnically diverse and geographically balanced ticket.[4] On August 28, Dooley dropped out of the race and endorsed Ely in order to unite the party. As Dooley did not exit the race before the August 13 deadline for withdrawals, his name remained on the ballot, however it was believed that Dooley's support of Ely would result in Ely easily winning the primary.[5] Dooley ended up winning the primary with the support of Irish Americans. Dooley refused the nomination as did Ely, who believed the means to be an embarrassment (but officially cited his mother's illness as his reason for declining).[4]

Dooley was replaced on the general election ballot by Fall River Mayor Edmond P. Talbot. Party leadership hoped that the popular French-Canadian politician would help the ticket attract votes from the state's 75,000 to 80,000 French-speaking residents, 75% of which were believed to be Republican supporters.[6]

Results

1926 Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Harry J. Dooley (withdrew) 51,327 52.86%
Democratic Joseph B. Ely 45,765 47.14%
Total votes 97,092 100.00%

Independents and third parties

Socialist

  • Walter S. Hutchins, perennial candidate

Socialist Labor

  • Samuel Leger, nominee for Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1924

Workers

  • Lewis Marks

General election

Results

1926 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Alvan T. Fuller (incumbent) 595,006 58.76% 2.76
Democratic William A. Gaston 407,389 40.25% 1.94
Socialist Walter S. Hutchins 4,750 0.47% 0.07
Workers Lewis Marks 3,006 0.30% 0.62
Socialist Labor Samuel Leger 2,010 0.20% 0.22
Write-in All others 5 0.00%
Total votes 1,012,166 100.00%

References

  1. Election Statistics 1926, p. 5.
  2. Election Statistics 1926, p. 8.
  3. Election Statistics 1926, p. 78.
  4. Huthmacher, J. Joseph (1959). Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919-1933. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. p. 123. OCLC 460668046.
  5. "Dooley Quits Race, Will Support Ely". The Boston Daily Globe. August 29, 1926.
  6. "Mayor Talbot To Run With Gaston". The Boston Daily Globe. September 22, 1926.
  7. Election Statistics 1926, p. 82.
  8. "MA Governor, 1926". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  9. Election Statistics 1926, p. 140.

Bibliography

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (1926). Election Statistics, 1926. Boston, MA.

See also

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