1928 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 6, 1928.

1928 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 6, 1928

Nominee Frank G. Allen Charles H. Cole Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 769,372 750,137 Percentage 50.06% 48.81%

Governor before election Alvan T. Fuller Republican Elected Governor Frank G. Allen Republican

Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Frank G. Allen was elected to a two-year term, defeating Democrat Charles H. Cole.

The 1928 election represents a major turning point in Massachusetts political history. Al Smith's victory in the state's presidential contest and the competitive gubernatorial election marked a departure from decades of Republican dominance.

Republican primary

Declared

• Frank G. Allen, Lieutenant Governor
• Frank A. Goodwin, Registrar of Motor Vehicles

Results

Lieutenant Governor Frank Allen was nominated over Frank A. Goodwin.

1928 Republican Gubernatorial primary[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank G. Allen	270,022	61.20%
	Republican	Frank A. Goodwin	171,167	38.80%
	Write-in	All others	6	0.00%
Total votes			441,189	100.00%

Declared

• George A. Bacon, former Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party
• Charles L. Burrill, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
• Pehr G. Holmes, member of the Massachusetts Executive Council and former Mayor of Worcester
• John C. Hull, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
• Robert M. Leach, former U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 15th congressional district
• Wycliffe C. Marshall
• John H. Sherburne
• William S. Youngman, incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Results

Treasurer William S. Youngman won the highly competitive primary election by 21,099 votes over Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives John C. Hull.

1928 Republican Lt. Gubernatorial primary[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William S. Youngman	113,805	26.68%
	Republican	John C. Hull	92,706	21.73%
	Republican	Robert M. Leach	66,544	15.60%
	Republican	John H. Sherburne	64,822	15.20%
	Republican	Pehr G. Holmes	32,945	7.72%
	Republican	Charles L. Burrill	26,420	6.19%
	Republican	George A. Bacon	24,798	5.81%
	Republican	Wycliffe C. Marshall	4,524	1.06%
	Write-in	All others	3	0.00%
Total votes			426,569	100.00%

Democratic primary

Declared

• Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cole, former Adjutant General of Massachusetts and Commissioner of the Boston Fire and Police Departments
• John J. Cummings, candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1922 and 1924

Results

Brigadier General Charles Cole easily defeated John J. Cummings for the Democratic nomination.

1928 Democratic gubernatorial primary[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles H. Cole	165,174	80.63%
	Democratic	John J. Cummings	39,643	19.35%
	Write-in	All others	40	0.02%
Total votes			204,857	100.00%

Declared

• John F. Malley, resident of Chestnut Hill
• Charles S. Murphy, resident of Worcester

Results

1926 Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John F. Malley	115,912	61.02%
	Democratic	Charles S. Murphy	74,013	38.97%
	Write-in	All others	19	0.01%
Total votes			189,944	100.00%

Independents and third parties

Independent

• Edith Hamilton MacFadden, author[5]

MacFadden became the first female candidate for Governor in the history of Massachusetts. She ran on a platform of reducing tax exemptions. She is the mother of actor Hamilton MacFadden. She stated that she found "no opposition to a woman aspiring to the executive position of Governor."[6]

Prohibition

• Washington Cook, brother of Alonzo B. Cook and independent candidate for United States Senate in 1922 and 1926[7]

Socialist

• Mary Donovan Hapgood, Secretary of the Sacco-Vanzetti Defense Committee

Socialist Labor

• Stephen Surridge

Workers

• Chester W. Bixby, founding member of the Communist Party of the United States of America

General election

Results

1928 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frank G. Allen	769,372	50.06%	8.70
	Democratic	Charles H. Cole	750,137	48.81%	8.56
	Socialist	Mary Donovan Hapgood	7,486	0.49%	0.02
	Workers	Chester W. Bixby	4,495	0.29%	0.01
	Prohibition	Washington Cook	3,098	0.20%	0.20
	Socialist Labor	Stephen Surridge	1,374	0.09%	0.11
	Independent	Edith Hamilton MacFadden	928	0.06%	N/A
	Write-in	All others	9	0.00%
Total votes			1,536,899	100.00%

References

1. Election Statistics 1928, p. 96.
2. Election Statistics 1928, p. 102.
3. Election Statistics 1928, p. 135.
4. Election Statistics 1928, p. 181.
5. Listed on ballot as "Independent Citizen"
6. "Candidate Calls Tax Exemption Crying Evil". The Boston Globe. 31 July 1928. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
7. Listed on ballot as "Vigorous Prohibition Enforcement"
8. "MA Governor, 1928". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
9. Election Statistics 1928, p. 341.

Bibliography

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (1926). Election Statistics, 1928. Boston, MA.

See also