User:Khahn16/1912 United States Senate election in Colorado

The non-binding 1912 United States Senate election in Colorado was held November 8, 1912, to reflect the preference of the people for a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado, concurrently with the 1912 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.The Colorado General Assembly elected a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado on

1912 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1906 November 8, 1912 (1912-11-08) 1918 →
 
Nominee John F. Shafroth Clyde C. Dawson Frank D. Catlin
Party Democratic Republican Progressive
Popular vote 118,260 66,949 58,649
Percentage 47.3% 26.8% 23.5%

U.S. senator before election

Simon Guggenheim
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John F. Shafroth
Democratic

Background

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Incumbent Republican Senator Simon Guggenheim, who had served since 1907, decided to not run for another term.

Elections for U.S. Senator

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Originally, under Article I, § 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, each state legislature elected its state's senators for a six-year term.[1] Each state, regardless of size, is entitled to two senators as part of the Connecticut Compromise between the small and large states.[2] At the time the U.S. Constitution was crafted, this decision was not controversial.[3] Having the state legislatures elect the senators reassured anti-federalists that there would be some protection against the federal government swallowing up of states and their powers,Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). and providing a check on the power of the federal government.

With the beginning of the 20th century, opponents of the indirect elections of U.S. senators grew louder. They pointed out the two primary problems that were in their view caused by the original provisions: legislative corruption and electoral deadlocks.[4] There was a sense that senatorial elections were "bought and sold", changing hands for favors and sums of money rather than because of the competence of the candidate. Electoral deadlocks were another issue. Because state legislatures were charged with deciding whom to appoint as senators, the system relied on their ability to agree. Some states could not, and thus delayed sending representatives to Congress; in a few cases, the system broke down to the point where states completely lacked representation in the Senate.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

The conceived problems with the original method of selecting U.S. Senators lead to calls for reform. The first wave of reforms came by the states themselves. In 1908, Oregon passed the first law that based the selection of U.S. senators on a popular vote. Oregon's system worked effectively like a advisory referenda instructing state legislatures how to vote.[4] On the second national legislative front, reformers worked toward a constitutional amendment, which was strongly supported in the House of Representatives but initially opposed by the Senate. Finally on May 13, 1912, Congress proposed an amendment to the constitution mandating the direct popular election of U.S. senators. This amendment would later be ratified by the then necessary number of 36 states and certified by Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan on May 31, 1913.[5] It became the Seventeenth Amendment.[5]

The 1912 United States Senate elections were the last elections before the Seventeenth Amendment went into effect. Colorado had adopted a system similar to Oregon's. The parties selected their candidates either in the statewide primary on September 10, 1912 or in a state convention. Voters were able to make a choice between the candidates in the Colorado elections on November 8, 1912.[6] This election was non-binding, as the Colorado General Assembly would be able to elect the Senator at the beginning of the 1913 session. Some legislative candidates had signed "Statement No. 1" though, which was a pledge to vote for the candidate with the strongest popular support without taking political affiliation into account. Other had signed "Statement No. 2", which was only a pledge to support the winner of the respective primary. These pledges were part of the new state law[7] and printed on the ballot.[8]

Split in the Republican Party

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At the beginning of the 20th century, the Republican party was divided into two main wings: the progressives (led by Theodore Roosevelt) and the conservatives (led by William Howard Taft). The rift between the two wings had deepened during the Taft's service as 27th President of the United States, prompting former President Roosevelt to run against the incumbent Taft for the Republican nomination in the 1912 United States Presidential Election. Taft won the nomination at the 1912 Republican National Convention in Chicago, causing Roosevelt to found the Progressive Party and run as a third-party candidate. In many other national and state elections in the year 1912, candidates ran against the Democratic and Republican nominees under Roosevelt's "Progressive" or "Bull Mouse" Banner.

In Colorado, Edward P. Costigan quickly emerged as the leader of the new Progressive Party and was chosen by the party to contest the gubernatorial race.[9]

Democratic primary

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Governor John F. Shafroth was able to win the Democratic primary on September 10, 1912 against former Governor Alva Adams and attorney Thomas J. O'Donnell.

Candidates

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Nominated

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Eliminated in the primary

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  • Alva Adams, former Governor
  • Thomas J. O'Donnell, attorney

Results

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Democratic primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John F. Shafroth 30,562 46.0
Democratic Alva Adams 21,410 32.2
Democratic Thomas J. O'Donnell 14,496 21.8
Total votes 66,468 100.0

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Nominated

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  • Clyde C. Dawson, Attorney[10]

Eliminated in the primary

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  • Merle D. Vincent

Results

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Republican primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clyde C. Dawson 24,911 62.3
Republican Merle D. Vincent 15,055 37.7
Total votes 39,966 100.0

General Election

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United States Senate election in Colorado, 1912[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John F. Shafroth 118,260 47.34%
Republican Clyde C. Dawson 66,949 26.80%
Progressive Frank D. Catlin 58,649 23.48%
Prohibition Mary E. Miller 5,948 2.38%
Total votes 261,567 100%

Aftermath

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References

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  1. ^ Zywicki, Todd J. (1997). "Beyond the Shell and Husk of History: The History of the Seventeenth Amendment and its Implications for Current Reform Proposals" (PDF). Cleveland State Law Review. 45 (1). Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. ISSN 0009-8876.
  2. ^ Vile, John R. (2003). Encyclopedia of constitutional amendments, proposed amendments, and amending issues, 1789–2002 (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-428-8.
  3. ^ Zywicki, Todd J. (1994). "Senators and Special Interests: A Public Choice Analysis of the Seventeenth Amendment" (PDF). Oregon Law Review. 73 (1). University of Oregon School of Law. ISSN 0196-2043.
  4. ^ a b Bybee, Jay S. (1997). "Ulysses at the Mast: Democracy, Federalism, and the Sirens' Song of the Seventeenth Amendment". Northwestern University Law Review. 91 (1). Northwestern University School of Law. ISSN 0029-3571.
  5. ^ a b James J. Kilpatrick, ed. (1961). The Constitution of the United States and Amendments Thereto. Virginia Commission on Constitutional Government. p. 49.
  6. ^ "New Primary Law Puts New Face on Election of U.S. Senators". Wray Gazette. 22 August 1912. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
  7. ^ "U.S. Senator Is Chosen Under the New Primary Laws". Greeley Tribune. 25 July 1912. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
  8. ^ "Candidates Have Their Names Go On Primary Ballots Same As Others ; Legislative Honor Seekers Must Sign Pledge". Aspen Democrat-Times. 20 July 1912. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
  9. ^ Laugen, R. Todd (2011). The Gospel of Progressivism. University Press of Colorado.
  10. ^ a b c d e Pearce, James B. (1913). State of Colorado. Abstract of Votes Cast at the Primary Election held on the Tenth Day of September, A.D. 1912 and the General Election held on Fifth Day of November, A.D. 1912 (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado.

Category:1912 Colorado elections Category:1912 United States Senate elections