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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.

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

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.

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Preceded by
1896
South Carolina gubernatorial elections Succeeded by
1900