1916 Montana gubernatorial election

The 1916 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1916. Incumbent Governor of Montana Sam V. Stewart, who was first elected governor in 1912, ran for re-election. After comfortably winning the Democratic primary, he advanced to the general election, where he faced Frank J. Edwards, the former Mayor of Helena, who narrowly emerged victorious in a close Republican primary. Benefitting from then-President Woodrow Wilson's landslide victory in Montana in the presidential election that year, Stewart narrowly won re-election to his second and final term as governor.

1916 Montana gubernatorial election

November 7, 1916

Nominee Sam V. Stewart Frank J. Edwards Lewis J. Duncan Party Democratic Republican Socialist Popular vote 85,683 76,547 11,342 Percentage 49.36% 44.10% 6.53%

County results Stewart:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Edwards:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election Sam V. Stewart Democratic Elected Governor Sam V. Stewart Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Sam V. Stewart, incumbent Governor of Montana
• Miles Romney Sr., former State Senator, former Mayor of Hamilton[1]

Results

Democratic Party primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam V. Stewart (incumbent)	28,185	70.46
	Democratic	Miles Romney, Sr.	11,816	29.54
Total votes			40,001	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Frank J. Edwards, former Mayor of Helena[3]
• Edward H. Cooney, Postmaster of Great Falls, former State Representative[4]
• Albert J. Galen, former Attorney General of Montana[5]
• Charles S. Henderson
• Walter B. Sands
• E. A. Gerhart
• I. A. Leighton

Results

Republican Primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank J. Edwards	13,933	28.36
	Republican	E. H. Cooney	10,425	21.22
	Republican	Albert J. Galen	9,554	19.45
	Republican	Charles S. Henderson	6,014	12.24
	Republican	Walter B. Sands	4,639	9.44
	Republican	E. A. Gerhart	3,102	6.31
	Republican	I. A. Leighton	1,461	2.97
Total votes			49,128	100.00

General election

Results

Montana gubernatorial election, 1916[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sam V. Stewart (incumbent)	85,683	49.36%	+17.55%
	Republican	Frank J. Edwards	76,547	44.10%	+15.33%
	Socialist	Lewis J. Duncan	11,342	6.53%	-9.22%
Majority			9,136	5.26%	+2.22%
Turnout			173,572
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. Stout, Tom (1921). Montana, Its Story and Biography: A History of Aboriginal and Territorial Montana and Three Decades of Statehood. American Historical Society. p. 538.
2. "Report of Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election, Held in the State of Montana, August 29, A. D., 1916" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
3. Bates, James Leonard (1999). Senator Thomas J. Walsh: Law and Public Affairs, from TR to FDR. University of Illinois Press. p. 45.
4. Fitzgerald Sanders, Helen (1913). A History of Montana, Volume 2. Lewis Publishing Company. p. 974.
5. "Attorney Generals of the State of Montana". Montana Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
6. "Official Vote of the State of Montana at an Election Held November 7th, 1916" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2014.