1918 Tennessee gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1918 United States gubernatorial elections.

1918 Tennessee gubernatorial election

November 5, 1918

Nominee Albert H. Roberts Hugh B. Lindsay Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 98,628 59,518 Percentage 62.37% 37.64%

County results Roberts:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Lindsay:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election Thomas Clarke Rye Democratic Elected Governor Albert H. Roberts Democratic

The 1918 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1918. Democratic nominee Albert H. Roberts defeated Republican nominee Hugh B. Lindsay with 62.37% of the vote.

In the primary election, Roberts defeated Austin Peay narrowly by around 12,000 votes.[1]

Background

Roberts again sought the Democratic nomination for governor in hopes of succeeding Governor Rye, who was not running for re-election. His opponent for the nomination was former state legislator Austin Peay. Roberts gained the support of party bosses E. H. Crump, Hilary Howse, and Nashville Banner publisher E. B. Stahlman,[2] and defeated Peay in the primary by 12,000 votes.[3] In the general election, Roberts defeated Knoxville judge Hugh B. Lindsay, 98,628 (62.4%) votes to 59,518 (37.6%). Turnout is believed to have been influenced by that year's flu epidemic.[4][5]

General election

Candidates

• Albert H. Roberts, Democratic
• Hugh B. Lindsay, Republican

Results

1918 Tennessee gubernatorial election[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Albert H. Roberts	98,628	62.37%
	Republican	Hugh B. Lindsay	59,518	37.64%
Majority			39,110
Turnout
	Democratic hold		Swing

See also

• 1918 United States Senate election in Tennessee

References

1. Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn. Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 303-309.
2. Gary W. Reichard, "The Defeat of Governor Roberts," Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Spring 1971), pp. 94-109.
3. Stanley Folmsbee, Robert Corlew, and Enoch Mitchell, Tennessee: A Short History (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1969), pp. 451-453.
4. Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 295-300.
5. Our Campaigns - TN Governor, 1918. Retrieved: 5 December 2012.
6. Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved July 17, 2020.