1898 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 8, 1898. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. The Republican Party retained all of the offices up for election, though by reduced margins from 1894 as the Populist Party's performance decreased considerably.

Governor

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Incumbent Republican Governor William A. Richards ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated for renomination at the Republican convention by DeForest Richards. In the general election, Richards faced former State Representative Horace C. Alger, whom he defeated, but by a narrower margin than Governor Richards won by in 1894.

1898 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican DeForest Richards 10,383 52.43% −0.18%
Democratic Horace C. Alger 8,989 45.39% +9.29%
Populist E. B. Viall 431 2.18% −9.10%
Majority 1,394 7.04% −9.47%
Turnout 19,803 100.00%
Republican hold

Secretary of State

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Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Charles W. Burdick did not seek re-election to a second term. At the Republican convention, Fenimore Chatterton, a former State Senator, was nominated.[2] He faced Rock Springs businessman David Miller, a former Cheyenne City Councilman and former territorial legislator, in the general election.[3] Chatterton ultimately defeated Miller by a decisive margin, but reduced from four years prior.

General election

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Results

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1898 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Fenimore Chatterton 10,458 53.26% −0.48%
Democratic David Miller 8,742 44.52% +10.77%
Populist Shakespeare E. Seely 435 2.22% −10.29%
Majority 1,716 8.74% −11.25%
Turnout 19,635 100.00%
Republican hold

Auditor

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Incumbent Republican State Auditor William O. Owen declined to run for re-election. The Republican convention nominated LeRoy Grant, the deputy state revenue collector and a former State Representative from Albany County, as Owen's successor. In the general election, Grant was opposed by Charles H. Priest, a state water commissioner[2] and former Uinta County Treasurer.[4] Priest was a Free Silver Republican, who was nominated for State Auditor as part of a fusion deal with the state Democratic Party.[2] However, despite Priest's bipartisan appeal, Owen defeated him in a landslide.

General election

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Results

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1898 Wyoming Auditor election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican LeRoy Grant 10,806 55.40% +2.83%
Democratic Charles H. Priest 8,217 42.12% +7.54%
Populist John F. Pierce 484 2.48% −10.37%
Majority 2,589 13.27% −4.72%
Turnout 19,507 100.00%
Republican hold

Treasurer

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Incumbent Republican Treasurer Henry G. Hay was barred from seeking a second consecutive term as a Treasurer. State Senate President George E. Abbott was nominated as Hay's successor at the Republican state convention, and former Territorial Treasurer Luke Voorhees, a former Republican,[5] was nominated as his replacement at the Democratic convention, beating out Colin Hunter.[6] In the general election, Abbott defeated Voorhees by a wide margin.

General election

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Results

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1898 Wyoming Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George E. Abbott 10,634 54.58% +1.54%
Democratic Luke Voorhees 8,417 43.20% +9.13%
Populist John Milton Rouser 434 2.23% =10.68
Majority 2,217 11.38% −7.59%
Turnout 19,485 100.00%
Republican hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Incumbent Republican Superintendent Estelle Reed resigned from office on January 27, 1898, and Carroll H. Parmelee was appointed by Governor Richards as Reed's replacement.[1]: 146  Parmelee declined to seek re-election to a full term, and Thomas T. Tynan, the Clerk of the Fourth Judicial District Court, was nominated at the Republican convention for Superintendent.[2] At the Democratic convention, Jerome F. Brown, a State Representative from Sheridan County,[7] was nominated. Brown was a Free Silver Republican and was nominated by the Democratic convention as part of a fusion with Silver Republicans.[2]

General election

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Results

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1898 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Thomas T. Tynan 10,735 55.16% −1.50%
Democratic Jerome F. Brown 8,208 42.17% +8.84%
Populist M. A. Stocks 520 2.67% −7.34%
Majority 2,527 12.98% −10.33%
Turnout 19,463
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Erwin, Marie (1974). Trenholm, Virginia Cole (ed.). Wyoming Blue Book (PDF). Vol. 2. Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pioneer Printing & Stationery Co. pp. 550–51.
  2. ^ a b c d e "A Democratic View: How the Wyoming Political Situation Strikes the Denver Post". Laramie Republican. Laramie, Wyo. August 16, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "David Miller: The Democratic Candidate for Secretary of State". Carbon County Journal. Rawlins, Wyo. August 13, 1898. p. 6. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Charles H. Priest: Nominee for State Auditor on the Democratic Ticket". Carbon County Journal. Rawlins, Wyo. August 13, 1898. p. 6. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Erwin, Marie (1974). Trenholm, Virginia Cole (ed.). Wyoming Blue Book (PDF). Vol. 1. Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pioneer Printing & Stationery Co. p. 106.
  6. ^ "Three Nominated: Alger for Governor, Miller for Secretary of State Voorhees Treasurer". Laramie, Wyo. August 4, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Representative Jerome Brown". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2021.