1916 Utah gubernatorial election

1916 Utah gubernatorial election

November 7, 1916
 
Nominee Simon Bamberger Nephi L. Morris
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Progressive
Popular vote 78,502 59,522
Percentage 55.12% 41.79%

County results
Bamberger:      40–50%      50–60%
Morris:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

William Spry
Republican

Elected Governor

Simon Bamberger
Democratic

The 1916 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1916. Democratic nominee Simon Bamberger defeated Republican nominee Nephi L. Morris with 55.12% of the vote. It was the first time a Democrat was elected governor of the state.

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

  • Simon Bamberger, Democratic & Progressive[a]
  • Nephi L. Morris, Republican

Other candidates

  • F. M. McHugh, Socialist

Results

1916 Utah gubernatorial election[1][2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Simon Bamberger 78,502[b] 55.12% +22.77%
Republican Nephi L. Morris 59,522 41.80% +3.63%
Socialist F. M. McHugh 4,391 3.08% −4.81%
Total votes 142,415 100.00%
Majority 18,980 13.33%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +19.14%

Results by county

County[1][2] Simon Bamberger
Demcoratic
Nephi L. Morris
Republican
F. M. McHugh
Socialist
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Beaver 1,178 53.57% 963 43.79% 58 2.64% 215 9.78% 2,199
Box Elder 2,612 48.38% 2,759 51.10% 28 0.52% -147 -2.72% 5,399
Cache 4,866 53.38% 4,198 46.05% 52 0.57% 668 7.33% 9,116
Carbon 1,412 48.61% 1,339 46.09% 154 5.30% 73 2.51% 2,905
Davis 1,925[c] 50.90% 1,836 48.55% 21 0.56% 89 2.35% 3,782
Duchesne 1,305 51.14% 843 33.03% 404 15.83% 462 18.10% 2,552
Emery 1,244 52.38% 1,049 44.17% 82 3.45% 195 8.21% 2,375
Garfield 704 51.24% 653 47.53% 17 1.24% 51 3.71% 1,374
Grand 293[d] 53.76% 233 42.75% 19 3.49% 60 11.01% 545
Iron 1,031 49.98% 960 46.53% 72 3.49% 71 3.44% 2,063
Juab 2,105 58.17% 1,391 38.44% 123 3.40% 714 19.73% 3,619
Kane 278 42.90% 356 54.94% 14 2.16% -78 -12.04% 648
Millard 1,574 49.42% 1,538 48.29% 73 2.29% 36 1.13% 3,185
Morgan 461 48.48% 482 50.68% 8 0.84% -21 -2.21% 951
Piute 396 53.44% 287 38.73% 58 7.83% 109 14.71% 741
Rich 429 55.07% 350 44.93% 0 0.00% 79 10.14% 779
Salt Lake 29,200 58.62% 18,758 37.65% 1,858 3.73% 10,442 20.96% 49,816
San Juan 336 50.22% 320 47.83% 13 1.94% 16 2.39% 669
Sanpete 3,136[e] 48.73% 3,222 50.07% 77 1.20% -86 -1.34% 6,435
Sevier 1,851 48.48% 1,904 49.87% 63 1.65% -53 -1.39% 3,818
Summit 1,427[d] 48.80% 1,256 42.95% 241 8.24% 171 5.85% 2,924
Tooele 1,401 50.78% 1,254 45.45% 104 3.77% 147 5.33% 2,759
Uintah 1,340[f] 59.29% 827 36.59% 93 4.12% 513 22.70% 2,260
Utah 7,899[g] 57.15% 5,545 40.12% 377 2.73% 2,354 17.03% 13,821
Wasatch 853 49.82% 845 49.36% 14 0.82% 8 0.47% 1,712
Washington 1,185 56.51% 908 43.30% 4 0.19% 277 13.21% 2,097
Wayne 363 57.89% 255 40.67% 9 1.44% 108 17.22% 627
Weber 7,698[h] 58.12% 5,191 39.20% 355 2.68% 2,507 18.93% 13,244
Total 78,502 55.12% 59,522 41.79% 4,391 3.08% 18,980 13.33% 142,415

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Progressive to Democratic

Notes

  1. ^ The Progressive Party had a separate ballot line in Utah in 1916 but its nominees were the Democratic nominees for all offices.
  2. ^ 78,298 on the Democratic ticket and 204 on the Progressive ticket
  3. ^ Includes 3 votes on the Progressive ticket.
  4. ^ a b Includes 2 votes on the Progressive ticket.
  5. ^ Includes 67 votes on the Progressive ticket.
  6. ^ Includes 4 votes on the Progressive ticket.
  7. ^ Includes 6 votes on the Progressive ticket.
  8. ^ Includes 120 votes on the Progressive ticket.

References

  1. ^ a b Utah State Archives, Abstract of the Returns of an Election held in the State of Utah, Tuesday, November 7th, A.D. 1916 for Presidential Electors, for Representatives in the Sixty-fifth Congress of the United States, for State Officers, and for District Officers in Districts comprising more than one county, and for the Adoption of Rejection of Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of this State.
  2. ^ a b Mattson, David, ed. (1917). Report of the Secretary of State 1915-1916. Salt Lake City: Tribune-Reporter Printing Company. p. 135. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  3. ^ "List of Nominations". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City. November 6, 1916. p. 18. Retrieved December 30, 2025.