1908 Louisiana gubernatorial election

1908 Louisiana gubernatorial election

January 28, 1908

Candidate Jared Y. Sanders Sr. Henry Newton Pharr Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 60,066 7,617 Percentage 86.4% 10.9%

Parish Results Sanders:      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      90-100%

Governor before election Newton C. Blanchard Democratic Elected Governor Jared Y. Sanders, Sr. Democratic

The 1908 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on April 21, 1908. Like most Southern states between Reconstruction and the civil rights era, Louisiana's Republican Party had minimal electoral support because of the mass disenfranchisement of African Americans. This meant that the Democratic Party primary held on January 28 was the most important contest to determine who would be governor. This election marked the first time Louisiana used primaries to nominate party nominees. Republicans nominated Henry Newton Pharr, son of the party's 1896 nominee, John Newton Pharr. The election resulted in the election of Democrat Jared Y. Sanders Sr. as governor of Louisiana.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Jared Y. Sanders Sr., Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
• Theodore S. Wilkinson, former State Representative from Plaquemines Parish

Results

1908 Democratic gubernatorial primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jared Y. Sanders Sr.	60,176	56.29%
	Democratic	Theodore S. Wilkinson	46,729r	43.71%
Total votes			106,905	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• James Barnes (Socialist)
• Henry Newton Pharr, sugar planter and son of 1898 nominee John Newton Pharr (Republican)
• Jared Y. Sanders Sr., Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (Democratic)

Results

1908 Louisiana gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jared Y. Sanders Sr.	60,066	86.39%	{{{change}}}
	Republican	Henry Newton Pharr	7,617	10.95%
	Socialist	James Barnes	1,247	1.79%
Total votes			69,530	100.00%