1888 New York state election

The 1888 New York state election was held on November 6, 1888, to elect the governor, the lieutenant governor and a judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly.

History

The Prohibition state convention met on June 26 at the Alhambra Rink in Syracuse, New York. Frank E. Baldwin, of Chemung County, was temporary chairman until the choice of W. Martin Jones as president.[1] The convention re-assembled on June 27. W. Martin Jones was nominated after the second ballot (first ballot: W. Jennings Demorest 398, Benson J. Lossing 389, Jones 249, Guy C. Humphreys 26; second ballot: Lossing 466, Jones 417, Demorest 178). George Powell for lieutenant governor; and Charles W. Stevens, of Steuben County, for the Court of Appeals, were nominated by acclamation.[2]

The Republican state convention met on August 28 at the Skating Rink in Saratoga, New York. Benjamin F. Tracy was temporary chairman until the choice of Gen. George S. Batcheller[3] as president. Warner Miller was nominated for governor by acclamation. Stephen V. R. Cruger was nominated for lieutenant governor on the first ballot (vote: Cruger 409, John B. Weber 180, Cornelius R. Parsons 72, Norman M. Allen 32). William Rumsey was nominated for the Court of Appeals by acclamation.[4]

The Democratic state convention met on September 12 at Buffalo, New York. George Raines was temporary chairman until the choice of D. Cady Herrick as president. The incumbents, Governor David B. Hill, Lieutenant Governor Edward F. Jones and Judge John Clinton Gray,[5] were re-nominated by acclamation.[6]

The United Labor state convention met on September 20. The convention endorsed, with a vote of 124 to 103, the Republican candidate for governor, Warner Miller, because his party was "committed to ballot reform."[7] Then the convention voted 131 to 67 to nominate a separate ticket, and John H. Blakeney[8] was nominated for Lieutenant Governor and Lawrence J. McParlin for the Court of Appeals.[9]

The Socialist Labor state convention met on October 21 at the Labor Lyceum in New York City. J. Edward Hall was nominated for governor, Christian Pattberg, of Brooklyn for lieutenant governor, and Dr. Frank Gereau, of New York City for Judge of the Court of Appeals.[10]

Result

The whole Democratic ticket was elected.

The incumbents Hill, Jones and Gray were re-elected.

1888 state election results

Office	Democratic ticket		Republican ticket		Prohibition ticket		Socialist Labor ticket		United Labor ticket
Governor	David B. Hill	650,464	Warner Miller	631,283	W. Martin Jones[11]	30,215	J. Edward Hall	3,348	Warner Miller
Lieutenant Governor	Edward F. Jones	650,748	Stephen V. R. Cruger[12]	628,486	George Powell[13]	30,288	Christian Pattberg	3,049	John H. Blakeney	3,010
Judge of the Court of Appeals	John Clinton Gray	634,875	William Rumsey[14]	631,409	Charles W. Stevens	31,178	Francis Gerau[15]	3,523	Lawrence J. McParlin[16]	3,841

Notes

1. THE ARMY OF PROHIBITION.; THE NEW-YORK BRANCH IN CONVENTION in NYT on June 27, 1888
2. TO PULVERIZE THE SALOONS.; NEW-YORK PROHIBITIONISTS READY FOR WORK in NYT on June 28, 1888
3. George Sherman Batcheller (1837-1908), later U.S. Minister Resident to Portugal
4. MILLER AND CRUGER WIN in NYT on August 29, 1888
5. Gray had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles A. Rapallo.
6. HILL HEADS THE TICKET in NYT on September 13, 1888
7. The ballot reform was a highly controversial issue at the time. The Ballot Reform Law was proposed by Republican Charles T. Saxton three times. It passed the State Legislature in 1888 and 1889 but was both times vetoed by Governor David B. Hill. It was finally enacted in 1890.
8. John H. Blakeney, Secretary of the Typographical Union in Binghamton
9. WILL VOTE FOR MR. MILLER in NYT on September 21, 1888 [gives erroneously "James H. Blakeley"]
10. A COMPLETE TICKET in NYT on October 22, 1888
11. W. Martin Jones, lawyer, of Rochester, ran also for attorney general in 1885
12. Col. Stephen Van Rensselaer Cruger (May 9, 1844 New York City - June 23, 1898)
13. George F. or R. or T. Powell [different middle initials are given], of Columbia County, President of the Columbia County Farmers Club
14. William Rumsey (October 18, 1841 Bath, New York - 1903), justice of the New York Supreme Court
15. Dr. Francis Gerau, MD (ca. 1826-1896), of Brooklyn, President of the Labor Lyceum Association, ran also in 1890, 1893 and 1894; and for chief judge in 1892; see: TOO OLD FOR HER in NYT on September 11, 1886; DR. GERAU'S TRIALS in NYT on November 25, 1886; His funeral in NYT on February 24, 1896
16. Lawrence Jermain McParlin (b. Nov. 14, 1848 Lockport), lawyer, ran also in 1881, 1886, 1893 and 1896; and for chief judge in 1882 and 1892

Sources

• The tickets: THE NATIONAL, STATE, CITY, AND COUNTY NOMINATIONS in NYT on November 4, 1888 [contains a few erroneous spellings]
• THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, recalling previous result in 1888; in NYT on October 27, 1891
• Result in New York City: THE VOTE OF THE CITY in NYT on November 21, 1888
• Results OFFICIAL VOTE OF NEW-YORK STATE FOR CANDIDATES VOTED FOR ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1888 in NYT on November 24, 1888
• Result: The Tribune Almanac 1889

See also

New York gubernatorial elections