1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election

The 1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on April 17, 1900. This was the first state election after the adoption of Louisiana's 1898 constitution, which disenfranchised nearly all of the state's Black voters, who had been the core supporters of the Republican Party. The constitution had been prompted by the unusually strong voter support for Republicans and Populists in the 1896 Louisiana gubernatorial election.

1900 Louisiana gubernatorial election

← 1896 April 17, 1900 1904 →
 
Nominee William Wright Heard Donelson Caffery, Jr.
Party Democratic Populist
Popular vote 60,206 14,215
Percentage 78.32% 18.49%

Parish Results
Heard:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      >90%
Caffery:      40-50%

Governor before election

Murphy J. Foster
Democratic

Elected Governor

William Wright Heard
Democratic

With most of its voters disenfranchised, Louisiana's Republican Party had virtually no electoral support, as in most Southern states between Reconstruction and the civil rights era. In addition, a factional split among the few white Republicans who remained meant two different tickets in the governor's race, one (the "Lily-Whites") led by Donelson Caffery, Jr., son of Louisiana Senator Donelson Caffery, who was a Democrat.

As Louisiana had not yet adopted party primaries, this meant that the Democratic Party convention nomination vote was the real contest over who would be governor. The election resulted in the election of Democrat William Wright Heard as governor of Louisiana.

Results

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General Election, April 17[1]

Party Candidate Votes received Percent
Democratic William Wright Heard 60,206 78.32%
Populist/Republican Donelson Caffery, Jr. 14,215 18.49%
Republican E. Reems 2,449 3.19%

References

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  1. ^ Frois, J. (2006). Louisiana Almanac: 2006-2007. Pelican Publishing Company. p. 543. ISBN 9781455607693. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
Preceded by
1896 gubernatorial election
Louisiana gubernatorial elections Succeeded by
1904 gubernatorial election