1894 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 6, 1894. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. The Republican Party, helped by the strong performance of the Populist Party, which operated as a spoiler to the Democratic Party, won back the governorship and improved its margin of victory in all other statewide offices.

Governor

Main article: 1894 Wyoming gubernatorial election

Incumbent Democratic Governor John E. Osborne, first elected in the 1892 special election, declined to run for a second term. Republican nominee William A. Richards, the Surveyor General of Wyoming, defeated State Senator William H. Holliday by a wide margin.

1894 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	William A. Richards	10,149	52.61%	+9.10%
	Democratic	William H. Holliday	6,965	36.11%	−17.73%
	Populist	Lewis C. Tidball	2,176	11.28%	—
Majority			3,184	16.51%	+6.18%
Turnout			19,290	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Amos W. Barber, who served as acting Governor for several years following the resignation of Governor Francis E. Warren, declined to run for re-election as Secretary of State. State Auditor Charles W. Burdick was nominated at the Republican convention to run as Barber's successor. He faced Democratic nominee Caleb P. Organ, a former member of the Territorial Council and the 1888 Democratic nominee for Congress from the Wyoming Territory's at-large congressional district,[2] and Populist nominee David W. Elliott. Burdick handily defeated both.

General election

Results

1894 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Charles W. Burdick	10,186	53.74%	−1.83%
	Democratic	Caleb P. Organ	6,397	33.75%	−10.68%
	Populist	David W. Elliott	2,370	12.50%	—
Majority			3,789	19.99%	+8.85%
Turnout			18,953	100.00%
	Republican hold

Auditor

Incumbent State Auditor Charles W. Burdick opted to run for Secretary of State rather than seeking a second term as Auditor. Republican William O. Owen, the former Albany County Surveyor,[1]: 134  was nominated by the Republican convention as Burdick's successor. He faced Democratic nominee James M. Fenwick, the Clerk of the Second Judicial District Court,[3] and Populist nominee John F. Pierce in the general election. Owen easily defeated both to win his first and only term as State Auditor.

General election

Results

1894 Wyoming Auditor election[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	William O. Owen	9,986	52.57%	−2.09%
	Democratic	James M. Fenwick	6,569	34.58%	−10.76%
	Populist	John F. Pierce	2,441	12.85%	—
Majority			3,417	17.99%	+8.68%
Turnout			18,996	100.00%
	Republican hold

Treasurer

Incumbent Republican Treasurer Otto Gramm was unable to seek re-election as Treasurer due to term limits, creating an open seat. Banker Henry G. Hay won the Republican nomination to succeed Gramm,[1]: 138  George Bolin, a Douglas businessman, was nominated by the Democratic convention as Hay's opponent.[4] Hay defeated both Bolin and Populist nominee Wilbur F. Williams in a landslide.

General election

Results

1894 Wyoming Treasurer election[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Henry G. Hay	10,102	53.03%	−3.48%
	Democratic	George Bolin	6,489	34.06%	−9.42%
	Populist	Wilbur F. Williams	2,458	12.90%	—
Majority			3,613	18.97%	+5.94%
Turnout			19,049	100.00%
	Republican hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Stephen Farwell declined to seek re-election, and Estelle Reel, the Laramie County Superintendent of Schools,[1]: 146  was nominated as his successor by the Republican convention. Arthur J. Matthews, the superintendent of city schools in Rock Springs, was named by the Democratic convention as its candidate,[5] and Sarah H. Rollman was nominated by the Populist Party. Reed defeated both by a sizable margin, becoming the first woman elected to statewide office in Wyoming.[6]

General election

Results

1894 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Estelle Reed	10,831	56.65%	−0.08%
	Democratic	Arthur J. Matthews	6,373	33.34%	−9.93%
	Populist	Sarah H. Rollman	1,914	10.01%	—
Majority			4,458	23.32%	+9.86%
Turnout			19,118
	Republican hold

References

1. Erwin, Marie (1974). Trenholm, Virginia Cole (ed.). Wyoming Blue Book (PDF). Vol. 2. Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pioneer Printing & Stationery Co. pp. 542–43.
2. Erwin, Marie (1974). Trenholm, Virginia Cole (ed.). Wyoming Blue Book (PDF). Vol. 1. Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pioneer Printing & Stationery Co. p. 548.
3. "Well Done: The Democrats Put Forward a Grand Ticket". Daily Boomerang. Laramie, Wyo. August 10, 1894. p. 3. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
4. "The New Candidates". Newcastle Democrat. Newcastle, Wyo. August 10, 1894. p. 3. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
5. "Laramie Honored". Daily Boomerang. Laramie, Wyo. August 10, 1894. p. 2. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
6. Drake, Kerry (November 8, 2014). "Estelle Reel, First Woman Elected to Statewide Office in Wyoming". WyoHistory.org. Wyoming State Historical Society. Retrieved June 7, 2021.