1912 South Dakota gubernatorial election

← 1910 November 5, 1912 1914 →

Nominee Frank M. Byrne Edwin S. Johnson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 57,161 53,850 Percentage 48.51% 45.70%

County results Byrne:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Johnson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% No Vote:

Governor before election Robert S. Vessey Republican Elected Governor Frank M. Byrne Republican

Elections in South Dakota
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2016 U.S. Senate elections 1889 1891 1894 1897 1901 1903 1903 sp 1907 1909 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1938 sp 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 U.S. House elections 1889 1890 1891 AL sp 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 AL sp 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 AL sp 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
State government General elections 2010 2014 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2018 2022 Senate elections 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2020 2022
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment C 2008 Measure 9 Measure 10 2020 Amendment A Measure 26

The 1912 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912. Incumbent Republican Governor Robert S. Vessey declined to run for re-election to a third term. Lieutenant Governor Frank M. Byrne won the Republican primary to succeed Vessey, and then faced State Senator Edwin S. Johnson, the Democratic nominee, in the general election. Byrne only narrowly defeated Johnson, winning just 49% of the vote to Johnson's 46%, the closest gubernatorial election since 1898.

Primary elections[edit]

Primary elections were held on June 4, 1912.

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

• Edwin S. Johnson, former State Senator^[1]
• P. F. Wickhem, former State Senator^[2]

Results[edit]

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

• Frank M. Byrne, Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
• George W. Egan, disbarred attorney, 1910 Republican candidate for Governor
• Loomis S. Cull, Registrar of the Rapid City United States Land Office^[4]

Results[edit]

Prohibition primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

• O. W. Butterfield, Prohibition candidate for Governor in 1910

Results[edit]

Socialist primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

• Samuel Lovett

Results[edit]

General election[edit]

Candidates[edit]

• Edwin S. Johnson, Democratic
• Frank M. Byrne, Republican
• O. W. Butterfield, Prohibition
• Samuel Lovett, Socialist

Results[edit]

References[edit]