1898 South Carolina gubernatorial election

The 1898 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1898, to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Governor William Haselden Ellerbe won the Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election to win a second term as governor.

1898 South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff

September 8, 1898

Nominee William Haselden Ellerbe Claudius Cyprian Featherstone Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 37,723 33,271 Percentage 53.1% 46.9%

Governor before election William Haselden Ellerbe Democratic Elected Governor William Haselden Ellerbe Democratic

Democratic primary

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on August 30 and incumbent Governor Ellerbe was the frontrunner. Claudius Cyprian Featherstone won second place in the primary to advance to the runoff on September 8, but came up short against Ellerbe.

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
William Haselden Ellerbe	30,101	38.4
Claudius Cyprian Featherstone	17,782	22.7
George D. Tillman	12,361	15.8
O.L. Schumpert	8,137	10.4
R.B. Watson	7,560	9.7
E.L. Archer	2,000	2.5
G. Walton Whitman	367	0.5

Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
William Haselden Ellerbe	37,723	53.1	+14.7
Claudius Cyprian Featherstone	33,271	46.9	+24.2

General election

The general election was held on November 8, 1898, and William Haselden Ellerbe was reelected as the governor of South Carolina without opposition. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout was approximately half of that for the previous gubernatorial election.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	William Haselden Ellerbe (incumbent)	28,225	100.0	+10.9
Majority			28,225	100.0	+17.5
Turnout			28,225
	Democratic hold

  65+% won by Ellerbe

See also

• Governor of South Carolina
• List of governors of South Carolina
• South Carolina gubernatorial elections

References

• "Decline of the Primary". The News and Courier. September 6, 1898. p. 2.
• "The Vote Tabulated". The News and Courier. September 13, 1898. p. 2.
• "Election Returns." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: The Bryan Printing Company, 1899, p. 256.
• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 19–21.

External links

• SCIway Biography of Governor William Haselden Ellerbe

Preceded by 1896

South Carolina gubernatorial elections

Succeeded by 1900