The 1900 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 6, 1900, as part of the 1900 United States presidential election. Voters chose 12 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
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 County Results
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Following the state’s delayed readmission to the Union, Virginia was unique among ex-Confederate states in not having a period of Republican control during Reconstruction, due to the failure of the Underwood Constitution to pass in 1868[1] and the consequent support for the Conservative Party that fused prewar Democrats and Whigs in the first postwar elections and consistently controlled the state legislature after readmission. From 1879, however, a fusion with the “Readjuster” faction of the state Democratic Party would revitalize the Republicans[1] until 1883, although the state GOP would remain competitive in statewide elections — only narrowly failing to carry the state in 1888[1] — until the Cleveland Administration eliminated federal oversight while the Walton Act created the secret ballot and began large-scale black disenfranchisement.[2]
However, despite its dominant position, the Democratic Party would become deeply divided between the conservative Gold Democrats of a state whose economy was already substantially influenced by the rapidly industrializing Northeast, and a Populist-influenced faction centered in the state’s rural areas.[2] Many Virginia farmers still depended upon a tobacco monoculture and had been affected severely by consistently declining prices, poor harvests[3] and the evolving rift between growing Northern and Southwest Virginia which were deeply tied culturally to the border states, and the declining, agrarian Southside. This divide had the effect of strengthening a now “lily-white” Jim Crow state Republican Party[2] in the 1896 election cycle, as the old Whig minority in Southwest Virginia was less attached to party labels and strongly supported Republican William McKinley. Consequently, Southwest Virginia would become the GOP’s stronghold in the state during the first half of the twentieth century, allowing it to remain more viable than in any other ex-Confederate state other than North Carolina and Tennessee where extremely loyal Unionist Republicanism remained.[4]
Neither candidate campaigned in the state, which had voted Democratic at every election since 1876. In October, it was generally thought that Bryan would be sure to carry the state,[5] and unlike in 1896,[6] even pro-Republican journalists did not believe McKinley possessed any chance.
Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate, former U.S. Representative William Jennings Bryan over the Republican candidate, incumbent President William McKinley. Bryan won the state by a margin of 11.47 percentage points. Until Donald Trump failed to do so in 2024, McKinley is the only recent Republican to win two terms in the White House without carrying Virginia either time, and one of only two presidents of any party to achieve this alongside Bill Clinton, who came within 1.96 percentage points in 1996.
Along with having defeated McKinley in Virginia four years earlier, Bryan would later win the state again in 1908 against William Howard Taft.
Results
edit| 1900 United States presidential election in Virginia[7] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | William Jennings Bryan | 146,079 | 55.29% | 12 | |
| Republican | William McKinley (inc.) | 115,769 | 43.82% | 0 | |
| Prohibition | John G. Woolley | 2,130 | 0.81% | 0 | |
| Socialist Labor | Joseph F. Maloney | 167 | 0.06% | 0 | |
| Populist | Wharton Barker | 63 | 0.02% | 0 | |
| Totals | 264,208 | 100.0% | 12 | ||
Results by county
edit| 1900 United States presidential election in Virginia by counties and independent cities[8][9] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County or Independent City | William Jennings Bryan Democratic |
William McKinley Republican |
John Granville Woolley Prohibition |
Various candidates Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 3,210 | 67.72% | 1,460 | 30.80% | 69 | 1.46% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,750 | 36.92% | 4,740 |
| Albemarle County | 2,411 | 58.73% | 1,674 | 40.78% | 20 | 0.49% | 0 | 0.00% | 737 | 17.95% | 4,105 |
| Alexandria County | 413 | 49.40% | 421 | 50.36% | 37 | 1.59% | 0 | 0.00% | -8 | -0.96% | 836 |
| Alleghany County | 841 | 36.11% | 1,451 | 62.30% | 12 | 0.82% | 14 | 0.95% | -610 | -26.19% | 2,329 |
| Amelia County | 608 | 41.30% | 838 | 56.93% | 4 | 0.16% | 18 | 0.71% | -230 | -15.63% | 1,472 |
| Amherst County | 1,516 | 59.97% | 990 | 39.16% | 5 | 0.32% | 3 | 0.19% | 526 | 20.81% | 2,528 |
| Appomattox County | 1,082 | 69.94% | 457 | 29.54% | 2 | 0.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 625 | 40.40% | 1,547 |
| Augusta County | 2,869 | 51.87% | 2,473 | 44.71% | 185 | 3.34% | 4 | 0.07% | 396 | 7.16% | 5,531 |
| Bath County | 422 | 47.90% | 454 | 51.53% | 5 | 0.57% | 0 | 0.00% | -32 | -3.63% | 881 |
| Bedford County | 2,535 | 55.08% | 1,982 | 43.07% | 84 | 1.83% | 1 | 0.02% | 553 | 12.02% | 4,602 |
| Bland County | 513 | 52.29% | 465 | 47.40% | 3 | 0.31% | 0 | 0.00% | 48 | 4.89% | 981 |
| Botetourt County | 1,382 | 50.51% | 1,329 | 48.57% | 25 | 0.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 53 | 1.94% | 2,736 |
| Brunswick County | 1,064 | 47.37% | 1,177 | 52.40% | 5 | 0.22% | 0 | 0.00% | -113 | -5.03% | 2,246 |
| Buchanan County | 587 | 45.82% | 694 | 54.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -107 | -8.35% | 1,281 |
| Buckingham County | 942 | 50.16% | 922 | 49.09% | 14 | 0.75% | 0 | 0.00% | 20 | 1.06% | 1,878 |
| Campbell County | 1,339 | 50.82% | 1,288 | 48.88% | 7 | 0.27% | 1 | 0.04% | 51 | 1.94% | 2,635 |
| Caroline County | 1,077 | 48.19% | 1,144 | 51.19% | 14 | 0.63% | 0 | 0.00% | -67 | -3.00% | 2,235 |
| Carroll County | 1,434 | 44.77% | 1,759 | 54.92% | 9 | 0.28% | 1 | 0.03% | -325 | -10.15% | 3,203 |
| Charlotte County | 1,011 | 75.67% | 323 | 24.18% | 2 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 688 | 51.50% | 1,336 |
| Chesterfield County | 1,368 | 60.11% | 884 | 38.84% | 22 | 0.97% | 2 | 0.09% | 484 | 21.27% | 2,276 |
| Clarke County | 1,055 | 69.73% | 426 | 28.16% | 30 | 1.98% | 2 | 0.13% | 629 | 41.57% | 1,513 |
| Craig County | 415 | 57.80% | 265 | 36.91% | 38 | 5.29% | 0 | 0.00% | 150 | 20.89% | 718 |
| Culpeper County | 1,512 | 64.07% | 847 | 35.89% | 1 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 665 | 28.18% | 2,360 |
| Cumberland County | 537 | 71.70% | 205 | 27.37% | 1 | 0.13% | 6 | 0.80% | 332 | 44.33% | 749 |
| Dickenson County | 727 | 51.56% | 683 | 48.44% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 44 | 3.12% | 1,410 |
| Dinwiddie County | 990 | 62.66% | 583 | 36.90% | 6 | 0.38% | 1 | 0.06% | 407 | 25.76% | 1,580 |
| Elizabeth City County | 1,027 | 59.09% | 697 | 40.10% | 8 | 0.46% | 6 | 0.35% | 330 | 18.99% | 1,738 |
| Essex County | 731 | 55.30% | 590 | 44.63% | 1 | 0.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 141 | 10.67% | 1,322 |
| Fairfax County | 2,135 | 58.40% | 1,507 | 41.22% | 14 | 0.38% | 0 | 0.00% | 628 | 17.18% | 3,656 |
| Fauquier County | 2,610 | 65.30% | 1,377 | 34.45% | 8 | 0.20% | 2 | 0.05% | 1,233 | 30.85% | 3,997 |
| Floyd County | 648 | 29.22% | 1,566 | 70.60% | 4 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | -918 | -41.39% | 2,218 |
| Fluvanna County | 790 | 53.34% | 678 | 45.78% | 13 | 0.88% | 0 | 0.00% | 112 | 7.56% | 1,481 |
| Franklin County | 1,785 | 50.72% | 1,702 | 48.37% | 24 | 0.68% | 8 | 0.23% | 83 | 2.36% | 3,519 |
| Frederick County | 1,748 | 71.52% | 671 | 27.45% | 21 | 0.86% | 4 | 0.16% | 1,077 | 44.07% | 2,444 |
| Giles County | 1,010 | 53.05% | 858 | 45.06% | 36 | 1.89% | 0 | 0.00% | 152 | 7.98% | 1,904 |
| Gloucester County | 484 | 57.69% | 354 | 42.19% | 1 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 130 | 15.49% | 839 |
| Goochland County | 602 | 40.73% | 876 | 59.27% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -274 | -18.54% | 1,478 |
| Grayson County | 1,252 | 44.10% | 1,585 | 55.83% | 2 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | -333 | -11.73% | 2,839 |
| Greene County | 511 | 52.68% | 459 | 47.32% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 52 | 5.36% | 970 |
| Greensville County | 740 | 57.14% | 547 | 42.24% | 4 | 0.31% | 4 | 0.31% | 193 | 14.90% | 1,295 |
| Halifax County | 2,864 | 63.00% | 1,632 | 35.90% | 45 | 0.99% | 5 | 0.11% | 1,232 | 27.10% | 4,546 |
| Hanover County | 1,203 | 49.75% | 1,201 | 49.67% | 14 | 0.58% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.08% | 2,418 |
| Henrico County | 2,189 | 66.51% | 1,049 | 31.87% | 25 | 0.76% | 28 | 0.85% | 1,140 | 34.64% | 3,291 |
| Henry County | 1,356 | 49.49% | 1,367 | 49.89% | 17 | 0.62% | 0 | 0.00% | -11 | -0.40% | 2,740 |
| Highland County | 512 | 48.08% | 540 | 50.70% | 11 | 1.03% | 2 | 0.19% | -28 | -2.63% | 1,065 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1,206 | 61.22% | 763 | 38.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.05% | 443 | 22.49% | 1,970 |
| James City County | 294 | 53.45% | 255 | 46.36% | 1 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 39 | 7.09% | 550 |
| King and Queen County | 796 | 56.37% | 614 | 43.48% | 2 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 182 | 12.89% | 1,412 |
| King George County | 480 | 42.67% | 643 | 57.16% | 2 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | -163 | -14.49% | 1,125 |
| King William County | 462 | 34.38% | 871 | 64.81% | 8 | 0.60% | 3 | 0.22% | -409 | -30.43% | 1,344 |
| Lancaster County | 971 | 65.34% | 508 | 34.19% | 7 | 0.47% | 0 | 0.00% | 463 | 31.16% | 1,486 |
| Lee County | 1,493 | 51.61% | 1,392 | 48.12% | 6 | 0.21% | 2 | 0.07% | 101 | 3.49% | 2,893 |
| Loudoun County | 2,690 | 59.79% | 1,684 | 37.43% | 119 | 2.65% | 6 | 0.13% | 1,006 | 22.36% | 4,499 |
| Louisa County | 1,169 | 49.16% | 1,187 | 49.92% | 22 | 0.93% | 0 | 0.00% | -18 | -0.76% | 2,378 |
| Lunenburg County | 634 | 64.83% | 343 | 35.07% | 9 | 0.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 291 | 29.75% | 978 |
| Madison County | 986 | 59.76% | 664 | 40.24% | 14 | 0.84% | 0 | 0.00% | 322 | 19.52% | 1,650 |
| Mathews County | 726 | 68.88% | 294 | 27.89% | 40 | 3.77% | 0 | 0.00% | 432 | 40.99% | 1,054 |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,697 | 47.24% | 1,855 | 51.64% | 4 | 0.11% | 36 | 1.00% | -158 | -4.40% | 3,592 |
| Middlesex County | 686 | 51.58% | 640 | 48.12% | 56 | 4.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 46 | 3.46% | 1,330 |
| Montgomery County | 1,102 | 42.58% | 1,391 | 53.75% | 5 | 0.19% | 90 | 3.48% | -289 | -11.17% | 2,588 |
| Nansemond County | 1,481 | 59.74% | 992 | 40.02% | 12 | 0.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 489 | 19.73% | 2,479 |
| Nelson County | 1,530 | 56.52% | 1,163 | 42.96% | 4 | 0.15% | 10 | 0.37% | 367 | 13.56% | 2,707 |
| New Kent County | 282 | 38.42% | 447 | 60.90% | 1 | 0.14% | 4 | 0.54% | -165 | -22.48% | 734 |
| Norfolk County | 2,415 | 44.36% | 3,024 | 55.55% | 5 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | -609 | -11.19% | 5,444 |
| Northampton County | 1,180 | 56.43% | 896 | 42.85% | 12 | 0.57% | 3 | 0.14% | 284 | 13.58% | 2,091 |
| Northumberland County | 809 | 49.85% | 807 | 49.72% | 7 | 0.43% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.12% | 1,623 |
| Nottoway County | 1,076 | 68.14% | 489 | 30.97% | 13 | 0.82% | 1 | 0.06% | 587 | 37.18% | 1,579 |
| Orange County | 1,100 | 53.71% | 929 | 45.36% | 19 | 0.93% | 0 | 0.00% | 171 | 8.35% | 2,048 |
| Page County | 1,041 | 45.64% | 1,214 | 53.22% | 26 | 1.14% | 0 | 0.00% | -173 | -7.58% | 2,281 |
| Patrick County | 1,026 | 44.32% | 1,281 | 55.33% | 8 | 0.35% | 0 | 0.00% | -255 | -11.02% | 2,315 |
| Pittsylvania County | 3,758 | 61.16% | 2,328 | 37.88% | 59 | 0.96% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,430 | 23.27% | 6,145 |
| Powhatan County | 458 | 44.00% | 582 | 55.91% | 1 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | -124 | -11.91% | 1,041 |
| Prince Edward County | 843 | 59.49% | 574 | 40.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 269 | 18.98% | 1,417 |
| Prince George County | 367 | 54.86% | 301 | 44.99% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.15% | 66 | 9.87% | 669 |
| Prince William County | 1,351 | 66.52% | 680 | 33.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 671 | 33.04% | 2,031 |
| Princess Anne County | 743 | 69.31% | 327 | 30.50% | 2 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 416 | 38.81% | 1,072 |
| Pulaski County | 1,048 | 45.74% | 1,243 | 54.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -195 | -8.51% | 2,291 |
| Rappahannock County | 813 | 61.27% | 507 | 38.21% | 7 | 0.53% | 0 | 0.00% | 306 | 23.06% | 1,327 |
| Richmond County | 692 | 54.49% | 574 | 45.20% | 3 | 0.24% | 1 | 0.08% | 118 | 9.29% | 1,270 |
| Roanoke County | 942 | 42.95% | 1,188 | 54.17% | 58 | 2.64% | 5 | 0.23% | -246 | -11.22% | 2,193 |
| Rockbridge County | 1,658 | 42.46% | 2,223 | 56.93% | 22 | 0.56% | 2 | 0.05% | -565 | -14.47% | 3,905 |
| Rockingham County | 2,852 | 51.60% | 2,572 | 46.54% | 103 | 1.86% | 0 | 0.00% | 280 | 5.07% | 5,527 |
| Russell County | 1,956 | 58.58% | 1,377 | 41.24% | 6 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 579 | 17.34% | 3,339 |
| Scott County | 1,813 | 52.17% | 1,659 | 47.74% | 3 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 154 | 4.43% | 3,475 |
| Shenandoah County | 1,965 | 50.75% | 1,862 | 48.09% | 40 | 1.03% | 5 | 0.13% | 103 | 2.66% | 3,872 |
| Smyth County | 1,252 | 40.94% | 1,794 | 58.67% | 12 | 0.39% | 0 | 0.00% | -542 | -17.72% | 3,058 |
| Southampton County | 1,708 | 73.21% | 610 | 26.15% | 15 | 0.64% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,098 | 47.06% | 2,333 |
| Spotsylvania County | 774 | 48.50% | 817 | 51.19% | 5 | 0.31% | 0 | 0.00% | -43 | -2.69% | 1,596 |
| Stafford County | 648 | 42.74% | 867 | 57.19% | 1 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | -219 | -14.45% | 1,516 |
| Surry County | 839 | 62.85% | 473 | 35.43% | 22 | 1.65% | 1 | 0.07% | 366 | 27.42% | 1,335 |
| Sussex County | 733 | 62.70% | 430 | 36.78% | 1 | 0.09% | 5 | 0.43% | 303 | 25.92% | 1,169 |
| Tazewell County | 1,312 | 32.93% | 2,663 | 66.84% | 8 | 0.20% | 1 | 0.03% | -1,351 | -33.91% | 3,984 |
| Warren County | 1,068 | 68.95% | 462 | 29.83% | 19 | 1.23% | 0 | 0.00% | 606 | 39.12% | 1,549 |
| Warwick County | 526 | 61.02% | 336 | 38.98% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 190 | 22.04% | 862 |
| Washington County | 2,291 | 47.74% | 2,498 | 52.05% | 10 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | -207 | -4.31% | 4,799 |
| Westmoreland County | 691 | 53.19% | 597 | 45.96% | 10 | 0.77% | 1 | 0.08% | 94 | 7.24% | 1,299 |
| Wise County | 1,215 | 41.10% | 1,725 | 58.36% | 15 | 0.51% | 1 | 0.03% | -510 | -17.25% | 2,956 |
| Wythe County | 1,607 | 45.31% | 1,932 | 54.47% | 6 | 0.17% | 2 | 0.06% | -325 | -9.16% | 3,547 |
| York County | 551 | 45.84% | 631 | 52.50% | 0 | 0.00% | 20 | 1.66% | -80 | -6.66% | 1,202 |
| Alexandria City | 2,003 | 68.04% | 935 | 31.76% | 6 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,068 | 36.28% | 2,944 |
| Bristol City | 787 | 72.80% | 281 | 25.99% | 13 | 1.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 506 | 46.81% | 1,081 |
| Buena Vista City | 215 | 50.47% | 204 | 47.89% | 5 | 1.17% | 2 | 0.47% | 11 | 2.58% | 426 |
| Charlottesville City | 731 | 66.15% | 361 | 32.67% | 11 | 1.00% | 2 | 0.18% | 370 | 33.48% | 1,105 |
| Danville City | 1,575 | 79.83% | 310 | 15.71% | 87 | 4.41% | 1 | 0.05% | 1,265 | 64.12% | 1,973 |
| Fredericksburg City | 587 | 62.18% | 353 | 37.39% | 3 | 0.32% | 1 | 0.11% | 234 | 24.79% | 944 |
| Lynchburg City | 1,081 | 61.67% | 660 | 37.65% | 0 | 0.00% | 12 | 0.68% | 421 | 24.02% | 1,753 |
| Manchester City | 647 | 58.03% | 442 | 39.64% | 34 | 3.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 205 | 18.39% | 1,115 |
| Newport News City | 1,896 | 62.23% | 1,108 | 36.36% | 15 | 0.49% | 28 | 0.92% | 788 | 25.86% | 3,047 |
| Norfolk City | 3,883 | 62.17% | 2,301 | 36.84% | 39 | 0.62% | 23 | 0.37% | 1,582 | 25.33% | 6,246 |
| Petersburg City | 1,589 | 69.33% | 688 | 30.02% | 9 | 0.39% | 6 | 0.26% | 901 | 39.31% | 2,292 |
| Portsmouth City | 1,743 | 74.74% | 566 | 24.27% | 14 | 0.60% | 9 | 0.39% | 1,177 | 50.47% | 2,332 |
| Radford City | 257 | 55.99% | 197 | 42.92% | 5 | 1.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 60 | 13.07% | 459 |
| Richmond City | 6,095 | 68.35% | 2,729 | 30.60% | 71 | 0.80% | 22 | 0.25% | 3,366 | 37.75% | 8,917 |
| Roanoke City | 1,761 | 58.98% | 1,120 | 37.51% | 53 | 1.77% | 52 | 1.74% | 641 | 21.47% | 2,986 |
| Staunton City | 612 | 57.90% | 375 | 35.48% | 70 | 6.62% | 0 | 0.00% | 237 | 22.42% | 1,057 |
| Williamsburg City | 161 | 62.89% | 88 | 34.38% | 7 | 2.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 73 | 28.52% | 256 |
| Winchester City | 593 | 57.74% | 423 | 41.19% | 10 | 0.97% | 1 | 0.10% | 170 | 16.55% | 1,027 |
| Charles City County[a] | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |||||||
| Totals | 146,079 | 55.26% | 115,769 | 43.79% | 2,130 | 0.81% | 473 | 0.18% | 30,310 | 11.47% | 264,357 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ No returns were canvassed for Charles City County and voters in this county were (presumably) listed in neighbouring counties.
References
edit- ^ a b c Heersink, Boris; Jenkins, Jeffrey A. (March 19, 2020). Republican Party Politics and the American South, 1865–1968. Cambridge University Press. pp. 217–221. ISBN 978-1107158436.
- ^ a b c Moger, Allen. "The Rift in Virginia Democracy in 1896". The Journal of Southern History. 4 (3): 295–317. doi:10.2307/2191291. JSTOR 2191291.
- ^ Wright, James D. (May 18, 1978). "The farmer's revolt: the election of 1896 in Virginia". University of Richmond.
- ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 210, 242 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
- ^ "M'Kinley 282, Bryan 165: That Is New York Herald's Estimate from Poll". The Weekly Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. October 26, 1900. p. 8.
- ^ "Doubtful States: Representatives of Them Interviewed on the Outlook — Opinions of the Common People: Results of Visits to Hotels and Railroad Stations — The Views Expressed". Evening Star. Washington, D.C. October 31, 1896. p. 10.
- ^ "1900 Presidential General Election Results – Virginia". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Robinson, Edgar Eugene; The Presidential Vote 1896-1932, pp. 354-361 ISBN 9780804716963
- ^ "Popular Vote for President, 1900 (.xlsx file for €15)". Géoelections.