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1880 United States presidential election in California

Main article: 1880 United States presidential election
1880 United States presidential election in California
← 1876 November 2, 1880 1884 →
 
Nominee Winfield S. Hancock James A. Garfield
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Pennsylvania Ohio
Running mate William H. English Chester A. Arthur
Electoral vote 5 1
Popular vote 80,442[a] 80,348[b]
Percentage 48.954% 48.897%
County Results
President before election

Rutherford B. Hayes
Republican

Elected President

James A. Garfield
Republican

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The 1880 United States presidential election in California was held on November 2, 1880, as part of the 1880 United States presidential election. State voters chose six representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

California narrowly voted for the Democratic nominee, United States Army officer Winfield Hancock, over the Republican nominee, Ohio representative James A. Garfield. The 94-vote margin was the smallest in any statewide presidential election since Henry Clay won Maryland by only four votes in 1832, and as of 2020 it stands as by percentage of the vote the eleventh-closest statewide presidential election result on record – although California would later see even closer results in 1892 and 1912.[c]

At the time, voters in California voted for individual electors, with the top six candidates being elected. One of the electors on the Democratic ticket was David S. Terry, a controversial figure in California politics due to his killing of David C. Broderick in a duel in 1859. As a result, about five hundred Democratic voters scratched Terry's name off of their ballots.[1] Due to the closeness of the election, these lost votes caused Terry to receive fewer votes than the entire Republican ticket and thus a single Republican elector won the sixth-most votes to claim the last elector position. This was the first occasion in which California's electoral vote was split, rather than being awarded to a single candidate. This would subsequently occur in California three additional times in 1892, 1896, and 1912.[2]

This result constituted the first Democratic victory in California since 1856[3] when the Republican Party had only recently formed. It has been argued that the unexpected Democratic win was due almost entirely to Garfield being viewed as weaker than Hancock on the hot-bed issue of controlling immigration from China – which both major parties promised to do and which the California electorate was overwhelmingly in favor of.[4]

As a result of Garfield's loss, he became the first Republican to win the presidency without carrying California. This would not occur again until 120 years later. This was the first time ever that California voted for the losing candidate, which only occurred four times in the next 100 years- in 1884, 1912, 1960, and 1976.

Results

[edit]
General Election Results[5]
Party Pledged to Elector Votes
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock R. F. Del Valle 80,442
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock Barclay Henley 80,428
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock William T. Wallace 80,426
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock J. C. Shorb 80,420
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock W. B. C. Brown 80,413
Republican Party James A. Garfield Henry Edgerton 80,348
Republican Party James A. Garfield John F. Miller 80,282
Republican Party James A. Garfield John A. Bauer 80,281
Republican Party James A. Garfield Thomas R. Bard 80,253
Republican Party James A. Garfield W. W. McKaig 80,245
Republican Party James A. Garfield Charles N. Fox 80,229
Democratic Party Winfield Scott Hancock David S. Terry 79,885[d]
Greenback Party James B. Weaver J. E. Clark 3,394
Greenback Party James B. Weaver F. P. Dann 3,381
Greenback Party James B. Weaver James Kidney 3,378
Greenback Party James B. Weaver Geogre T. Elliott 3,369
Greenback Party James B. Weaver T. J. McQuiddy 3,365
Greenback Party James B. Weaver J. H. Redstone 2,531
Greenback Party James B. Weaver B. K. Lowe 830[e]
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow M. C. Winchester 61
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow G. W. Caldwell 56
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow W. O. Clark 56
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow John Woods 56
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow George Bramall 54
Prohibition Party Neal S. Dow G. W. Webb 49
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps Liba Finch 6
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps M. A. Harrow 6
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps L. B. Lathrop 6
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps D. Morrill 6
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps P. Beck 5
Anti-Masonic Party John W. Phelps R. Metcalf 5
Write-in Scattering 70
Votes cast[f] 164,321


Results by county

[edit]
County Winfield Scott Hancock[6]
Democratic 		James Abram Garfield[6]
Republican 		James Baird Weaver[6]
Greenback 		Neal S. Dow[6]
Prohibition 		John W. Phelps[6]
Anti-Masonic 		Scattering[6]
Write-in 		Margin Total votes cast[g]
# % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Alameda 3,894 39.35% 5,897 59.58% 81 0.82% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 25 0.25% -2,003 -20.24% 9,897
Alpine 41 38.32% 66 61.68% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -25 -23.36% 107
Amador 1,411 51.12% 1,345 48.73% 4 0.14% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 66 2.39% 2,760
Butte 1,832 50.25% 1,814 49.75% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 18 0.49% 3,646
Calaveras 1,137 49.18% 1,157 50.04% 18 0.78% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -20 -0.87% 2,312
Colusa 1,607 64.49% 882 35.39% 3 0.12% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 725 29.09% 2,492
Contra Costa 1,010 43.69% 1,302 56.31% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -292 -12.63% 2,312
Del Norte 297 52.85% 263 46.80% 2 0.36% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 34 6.05% 562
El Dorado 1,520 51.30% 1,419 47.89% 24 0.81% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 101 3.41% 2,963
Fresno 1,133 64.60% 613 34.95% 8 0.46% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 520 29.65% 1,754
Humboldt 735 25.51% 1,420 49.29% 725 25.16% 1 0.03% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -685 -23.78% 2,881
Inyo 274 46.05% 321 53.95% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -47 -7.90% 595
Kern 661 58.44% 463 40.94% 7 0.62% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 198 17.51% 1,131
Lake 677 59.33% 454 39.79% 10 0.88% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 223 19.54% 1,141
Lassen 301 43.50% 323 46.68% 64 9.25% 2 0.29% 0 0.00% 2 0.29% -22 -3.18% 692
Los Angeles 2,853 46.90% 2,914 47.90% 306 5.03% 10 0.16% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -61 -1.00% 6,083
Marin 561 41.71% 761 56.58% 23 1.71% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -200 -14.87% 1,345
Mariposa 598 58.06% 432 41.94% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 166 16.12% 1,030
Mendocino 1,313 57.34% 969 42.31% 4 0.17% 1 0.04% 0 0.00% 3 0.13% 344 15.02% 2,290
Merced 736 58.60% 516 41.08% 4 0.32% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 220 17.52% 1,256
Modoc 490 54.08% 410 45.25% 0 0.00% 6 0.66% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 80 8.83% 906
Mono 821 46.36% 913 51.55% 22 1.24% 8 0.45% 0 0.00% 8 0.45% -92 -5.19% 1,772
Monterey 1,205 48.16% 1,260 50.36% 37 1.48% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -55 -2.20% 2,502
Napa 1,082 46.84% 1,199 51.90% 26 1.13% 3 0.13% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -117 -5.06% 2,310
Nevada 2,029 47.27% 2,241 52.21% 22 0.51% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -212 -4.94% 4,292
Placer 1,416 45.43% 1,643 52.71% 58 1.86% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -227 -7.28% 3,117
Plumas 645 47.99% 698 51.93% 1 0.07% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -53 -3.94% 1,344
Sacramento 2,817 41.66% 3,794 56.11% 150 2.22% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 1 0.01% -977 -14.45% 6,762
San Benito 646 59.81% 429 39.72% 4 0.37% 0 0.00% 1 0.09% 0 0.00% 217 20.09% 1,080
San Bernardino 711 47.81% 730 49.09% 46 3.09% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -19 -1.28% 1,487
San Diego 546 41.74% 743 56.80% 19 1.45% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -197 -15.06% 1,308
San Francisco 21,471 52.06% 19,080 46.27% 672 1.63% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 16 0.04% 2,391 5.80% 41,239
San Joaquin 2,409 48.32% 2,568 51.51% 7 0.14% 0 0.00% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% -159 -3.19% 4,985
San Luis Obispo 729 41.99% 830 47.81% 171 9.85% 6 0.35% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -101 -5.82% 1,736
San Mateo 720 48.32% 760 51.01% 10 0.67% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -40 -2.68% 1,490
Santa Barbara 717 37.38% 907 47.29% 293 15.28% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 1 0.05% -190 -9.91% 1,918
Santa Clara 2,821 46.67% 3,113 51.50% 105 1.74% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 6 0.10% -292 -4.83% 6,045
Santa Cruz 1,102 44.96% 1,236 50.43% 110 4.49% 2 0.08% 0 0.00% 1 0.04% -134 -5.47% 2,451
Shasta 877 49.97% 868 49.46% 10 0.57% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 9 0.51% 1,755
Sierra 559 35.65% 997 63.58% 12 0.77% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -438 -27.93% 1,568
Siskiyou 900 52.36% 800 46.54% 18 1.05% 1 0.06% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 100 5.82% 1,719
Solano 1,959 49.70% 1,963 49.80% 13 0.33% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 7 0.18% -4 -0.10% 3,942
Sonoma 2,628 52.14% 2,290 45.44% 111 2.20% 11 0.22% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 338 6.71% 5,040
Stanislaus 1,161 60.69% 752 39.31% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 409 21.38% 1,913
Sutter 591 49.33% 602 50.25% 0 0.00% 5 0.42% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -11 -0.92% 1,198
Tehama 954 52.33% 868 47.61% 1 0.05% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 86 4.72% 1,823
Trinity 457 49.14% 464 49.89% 9 0.97% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -7 -0.75% 930
Tulare 1,306 55.13% 917 38.71% 146 6.16% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 389 16.42% 2,369
Tuolumne 1,001 51.65% 922 47.57% 15 0.77% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 79 4.08% 1,938
Ventura 522 46.40% 599 53.24% 4 0.36% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -77 -6.84% 1,125
Yolo 1,374 51.83% 1,256 47.38% 12 0.45% 5 0.19% 4 0.15% 0 0.00% 118 4.45% 2,651
Yuba 1,185 50.28% 1,165 49.43% 7 0.30% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 20 0.85% 2,357
Total 80,442 48.954% 80,348 48.897% 3,394 2.07% 61 0.04% 6 0.00% 70 0.04% 94 0.057% 164,321

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[edit]

Counties that flipped from Democrat to Republican

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Many sources give the Hancock vote as 80,426, which is the number of votes received by the first Democratic elector listed, but this figure is not the highest number of votes received by the Democratic ticket
  2. ^ Many sources give the Garfield vote as 80,282, which is the number of votes received by the first Republican elector listed, but this figure is not the highest number of votes received by the Republican ticket
  3. ^ Other closer results have been Florida in 2000 (closest), Maryland in 1904 (although voters voted for individual electors), Maryland in 1832, New Mexico in 2000, Kentucky in 1896 and Kentucky in 1952, Hawaii in 1960 and in New Hampshire in 1916.
  4. ^ The state's official source gives 79,858 but this appears to be a misprint. Newspapers of the time all reported this figure as 79,885 and the county figures add up to the latter total.
  5. ^ Appears to have replaced J. H. Redstone on some Greenback ballots
  6. ^ Based on totals for highest elector on each ticket
  7. ^ Based on the highest elector on each ticket

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Napa Daily Register". California Digital Newspaper Collection. The Napa Daily Register. November 8, 1880. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "DIVIDED ELECTORAL VOTES". Newspapers.com. The Boston Globe. November 11, 1912. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; Presidential General Election Results Comparison – California
  4. ^ Gold, Martin; Forbidden Citizens: Chinese Exclusion and the U.S. Congress: A Legislative History; p. 141 ISBN 1587332353
  5. ^ State and County Governments, 1881 Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Departments State of California. Sacramento, California: State Printing Office. p. 15. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Original Manuscript Returns, California State Archives