1898 South Dakota gubernatorial election

1898 South Dakota gubernatorial election
	County results; Lee: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%; Phillips: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%; No Vote:
Governor of South Dakota before election; Andrew E. Lee; Populist	Elected Governor of South Dakota ; Andrew E. Lee; Fusion

The 1898 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1898. Incumbent governor Andrew E. Lee, elected in 1896 as a Populist, he ran for re-election as a Fusion candidate. He was challenged by Republican nominee Kirk G. Phillips, the state treasurer. Lee narrowly defeated Phillips to win his second term as governor, but most of his Fusion allies lost their elections, leaving him as the lone statewide officeholder.

Fusion conventions

Prior to the separate conventions of the Democrats, Populists, and Free Silver Republicans, U.S. Senator Richard F. Pettigrew worked behind the scenes to continue the coalition's success. To ensure that anti-silver Democrats didn't bolt from the coalition, he convinced the three parties that the Democrats should be granted four positions on the statewide ticket, which the parties embraced.^[1] In the end, the nominations were divvied up among the three parties as follows:^[2]

Governor: Andrew E. Lee, Populist
Lieutenant Governor: T. C. Robinson, Free Silver Republican
Secretary of State: George Sparling, Populist
Treasurer: Maris Taylor, Democrat
Superintendent of Public Instruction: L. G. Hintz, Democrat
Attorney General: C. S. Palmer, Free Silver Republican
Auditor: Hugh J. Smith, Democrat
Commissioner of School Lands: John Scollard, Democrat
Railroad Commissioner: W. H. Tompkins, Populist

Republican convention

State Treasurer Kirk G. Phillips entered the Republican convention, held on August 24, 1898, in Mitchell, as the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination. He ended up winning the nomination in a landslide, winning 449 votes to O. S. Gifford's 449 and H. M. Finnerud's 43.^[3]

General election

Results

1898 South Dakota gubernatorial special election^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Fusion	Andrew E. Lee (inc.)	37,319	49.65%	−0.10%
	Republican	Kirk G. Phillips	36,949	49.16%	−0.21%
	Prohibition	K. Lewis	891	1.19%	+0.31%
Majority			370	0.49%	+0.11%
Turnout			75,159	100.00%
	Fusion hold

References

^ Lindell, Terrence J. (1982). South Dakota Populism (M.A.). University of Nebraska–Lincoln. pp. 137–38. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
^ "Have Named the Ticket: Democrats Geta Good Share of the Offices With the Populists". Mitchell Capital. Mitchell, S.D. June 24, 1898. p. 5. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
^ "The Ticket is Named: A Strong Ticket Put Up at the Mitchell Convention". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, S.D. August 25, 1898. pp. 1–2. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
^ Nelson, Nelson; Heinrich, Chad W., eds. (2005). "Chapter 8: Elections". Legislative Manual: South Dakota, 2005. Pierre, S.D. p. 617.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[1] Lindell, Terrence J. (1982). South Dakota Populism (M.A.). University of Nebraska–Lincoln. pp. 137–38. Retrieved June 11, 2021.

[2] "Have Named the Ticket: Democrats Geta Good Share of the Offices With the Populists". Mitchell Capital. Mitchell, S.D. June 24, 1898. p. 5. Retrieved June 11, 2021.

[3] "The Ticket is Named: A Strong Ticket Put Up at the Mitchell Convention". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, S.D. August 25, 1898. pp. 1–2. Retrieved June 11, 2021.

[2005_legislative_manual-4] Nelson, Nelson; Heinrich, Chad W., eds. (2005). "Chapter 8: Elections". Legislative Manual: South Dakota, 2005. Pierre, S.D. p. 617.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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