The 1890 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1890.

Incumbent Republican Governor William D. Hoard was defeated by Democratic nominee George Wilbur Peck.

Peck became the first Democratic Governor of Wisconsin since William Robert Taylor in 1876.

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

Other candidates

Results

1890 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticGeorge W. Peck160,38851.86%+8.05%
RepublicanWilliam D. Hoard (incumbent)132,06842.70%−6.83%
ProhibitionCharles Alexander11,2463.64%−0.42%
Union LaborReuben May5,4471.76%−0.83%
Blank1050.03%
Majority28,3209.16%
Total votes309,254100.00%
Democratic gain from RepublicanSwing+14.87%

Results by county

Peck was the first Democrat to ever win Marinette County, Monroe County and Washburn County. Additionally, Green County, Portage County, and Sauk County voted Democratic for the first time since 1853. After this election, Buffalo County, Green County, Monroe County, Price County, Sauk County, and Washburn County would not vote Democratic again until 1932 while Eau Claire County would not do so again until 1950.

This was the first election in which Jackson County and Pierce County voted for the losing candidate, ending bellwether streaks that had extended back to 1851 and 1853, respectively.

CountyGeorge W. Peck DemocraticWilliam D. Hoard RepublicanCharles Alexander ProhibitionReuben May Union LaborMarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%#%
Adams29227.42%71366.95%272.54%333.10%-421-39.53%1,065
Ashland1,72847.14%1,76048.01%1022.78%762.07%-32-0.87%3,666
Barron73132.39%1,14750.82%1727.62%2079.17%-416-18.43%2,257
Bayfield43235.47%60049.26%695.67%1179.61%-168-13.79%1,218
Brown3,08359.51%1,93837.41%971.87%631.22%1,14522.10%5,181
Buffalo1,40852.56%1,15443.08%933.47%240.90%2549.48%2,679
Burnett489.01%31258.54%14927.95%244.50%-163-30.59%533
Calumet1,72066.46%76929.71%240.93%752.90%95136.75%2,588
Chippewa2,17151.40%1,79242.42%2215.23%400.95%3798.97%4,224
Clark1,49345.55%1,60048.81%1624.94%230.70%-107-3.26%3,278
Columbia2,41845.26%2,62749.17%2434.55%551.03%-209-3.91%5,343
Crawford1,50349.97%1,35645.08%672.23%822.73%1474.89%3,008
Dane6,21249.13%5,63244.54%7425.87%590.47%5804.59%12,645
Dodge6,59373.11%2,21024.51%1862.06%290.32%4,38348.60%9,018
Door97845.79%1,06149.67%663.09%311.45%-83-3.89%2,136
Douglas78135.09%99744.79%1526.83%29613.30%-216-9.70%2,226
Dunn1,31740.26%1,66250.81%2357.18%571.74%-345-10.55%3,271
Eau Claire1,99842.10%1,86139.21%62213.11%2655.58%1372.89%4,746
Florence15538.18%21853.69%215.17%122.96%6315.52%406
Fond du Lac4,98457.66%3,39939.32%2022.34%590.68%1,58518.34%8,644
Forest12748.11%11342.80%114.17%134.92%145.30%264
Grant3,34746.13%3,51348.42%3354.62%600.83%-166-2.29%7,255
Green2,00346.06%1,98045.53%2836.51%831.91%230.53%4,349
Green Lake1,69155.10%1,30142.39%632.05%140.46%39012.71%3,069
Iowa2,10745.88%2,09445.60%3808.28%110.24%130.28%4,592
Jackson1,00737.84%1,37151.52%2529.47%311.16%-364-13.68%2,661
Jefferson4,19963.49%2,22233.60%1762.66%170.26%1,97729.89%6,614
Juneau1,61845.09%1,82650.89%1133.15%310.86%-208-5.80%3,588
Kenosha1,65752.06%1,37143.07%611.92%170.53%2868.99%3,183
Kewaunee1,99276.70%54520.99%331.27%271.04%1,44755.72%2,597
La Crosse3,81952.32%3,10142.49%2903.97%891.22%7189.84%7,299
Lafayette2,14546.48%2,27049.19%1803.90%200.43%-125-2.71%4,615
Langlade1,07759.40%66136.46%613.36%140.77%41622.95%1,813
Lincoln1,39858.52%90137.71%552.30%351.47%49720.80%2,389
Manitowoc4,08767.08%1,90531.27%520.85%490.80%2,18235.81%6,093
Marathon3,50069.43%1,39127.59%691.37%811.61%2,10941.84%5,041
Marinette1,37748.59%1,14040.23%1354.76%1826.42%2378.36%2,834
Marquette1,18559.70%74337.43%492.47%80.40%44222.27%1,985
Milwaukee24,52055.48%18,31341.44%1530.35%1,2082.73%6,20714.04%44,194
Monroe2,13648.02%2,06046.31%1784.00%461.03%761.71%4,448
Oconto1,14953.79%89641.95%492.29%421.97%25311.84%2,136
Oneida80350.38%69743.73%442.76%503.14%1066.65%1,594
Outagamie4,21364.35%2,06031.46%1822.78%921.41%2,15332.89%6,547
Ozaukee2,32683.52%41114.76%150.54%331.18%1,91568.76%2,785
Pepin43337.04%59951.24%13111.21%60.51%-166-14.20%1,169
Pierce86731.13%1,56856.30%2519.01%993.55%-701-25.17%2,785
Polk50726.60%1,15460.55%19410.18%512.68%-647-33.95%1,906
Portage2,34255.70%1,74041.38%1002.38%230.55%60214.32%4,205
Price65246.44%63345.09%725.13%473.35%191.35%1,404
Racine3,42447.48%3,27445.40%2593.59%2543.52%1502.08%7,211
Richland1,42538.79%1,87451.01%2587.02%1173.18%-449-12.22%3,674
Rock3,41140.22%4,62954.59%4024.74%380.45%-1,218-14.36%8,480
Sauk2,70948.42%2,46344.02%3786.76%450.80%2464.40%5,595
Sawyer22036.97%30751.60%386.39%305.04%-87-14.62%595
Shawano2,01062.04%1,11534.41%591.82%561.73%89527.62%3,240
Sheboygan5,01362.74%2,81535.23%881.10%740.93%2,19827.51%7,990
St. Croix1,70141.29%1,95547.45%3789.17%862.09%-254-6.17%4,120
Taylor79559.77%48036.09%312.33%241.80%31523.68%1,330
Trempealeau1,37345.97%1,38746.43%1986.63%290.97%-14-0.47%2,987
Vernon1,40436.04%2,21656.88%1734.44%1032.64%-812-20.84%3,896
Walworth1,90634.84%3,13457.29%3736.82%571.04%-1,228-22.45%5,470
Washburn30845.97%30445.37%497.31%91.34%40.60%670
Washington2,99069.10%1,27629.49%310.72%300.69%1,71439.61%4,327
Waukesha3,22048.59%3,14547.46%2133.21%490.74%751.13%6,627
Waupaca2,11743.23%2,56752.42%1783.63%350.71%-450-9.19%4,897
Waushara83031.62%1,65162.90%1124.27%321.22%-821-31.28%2,625
Winnebago5,22450.44%4,64644.86%3643.51%1221.18%5785.58%10,356
Wood1,97956.25%1,44341.02%451.28%511.45%53615.24%3,518
Total160,38851.86%132,06842.71%11,2463.64%5,4471.76%28,3209.16%309,254

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

Bibliography

  • Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 0-930466-17-9.
  • Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
  • Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1891). . The Milwaukee Litho. & Engr. Co.