1934 Wyoming state elections

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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 6, 1934. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. In the 1932 gubernatorial special election, the Democratic candidate, Leslie A. Miller, won and ran for re-election for a full term in 1934. The Democratic Party also won elections for Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, flipping those offices from the Republican Party.

Governor[edit]

Incumbent Democratic Governor Leslie A. Miller, first elected in the 1932 special election, ran for re-election to his second term and his first full term. He defeated Republican Secretary of State Alonzo M. Clark, who had acted as governor during the vacancy.

1934 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leslie A. Miller (inc.) 54,305 57.91% +7.06%
Republican Alonzo M. Clark 38,792 41.36% -5.85%
Socialist Louis Sky 527 0.56% -1.18%
Communist Merton Willer 156 0.17% -0.02%
Majority 15,513 16.54% +12.91%
Turnout 93,780 100.00%
Democratic hold

Secretary of State[edit]

Incumbent Secretary of State Alonzo M. Clark opted to run for Governor rather than seek re-election, creating an open seat. State Representative Lester C. Hunt won the Democratic primary over fellow State Representative Pat Flannery and faced State Senator Clifford A. Miller in the general election. Hunt defeated Miller by a wide margin, flipping control of the office to the Democratic Party for the first time since 1914.

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lester C. Hunt 16,996 62.31%
Democratic Pat Flannery 10,281 37.69%
Total votes 27,277 100.00%

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clifford A. Miller 10,519 32.85%
Republican Clarence Gardner 9,647 30.12%
Republican Fred S. Holdredge 9,175 28.65%
Republican W. C. DeLoney 2,683 8.38%
Total votes 32,024 100.00%

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

1934 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Lester C. Hunt 49,902 55.74% +16.18%
Republican Clifford A. Miller 38,939 43.50% -16.94%
Socialist A. Carlson 525 0.59% -
Communist Fred Strong 154 0.17% -
Majority 10,963 12.25% -8.63%
Turnout 89,520
Democratic gain from Republican

Auditor[edit]

Incumbent Republican Auditor Roscoe Alcorn ran for re-election to a third term, and a second full term following his appointment in 1929. He once again faced accountant C. H. Reimerth in the Republican primary, whom he easily defeated. In the general election, he faced William M. Jack, the Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives. Aided by the Democratic landslide in Wyoming, Jack easily defeated Alcorn.

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William M. Jack 25,407 100.00%
Total votes 25,407 100.00%

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

  • Roscoe Alcorn, incumbent State Auditor
  • C. H. Reimerth, accountant, 1930 Republican candidate for Auditor

Results[edit]

Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roscoe Alcorn (inc.) 21,814 68.77%
Republican C. H. Reimerth 9,907 31.23%
Total votes 31,721 100.00

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

1934 Wyoming Auditor election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic William M. Jack 52,086 57.69% +19.52%
Republican Roscoe Alcorn (inc.) 38,203 42.31% -19.52%
Majority 13,883 15.38% -8.30%
Turnout 90,289
Democratic gain from Republican

Treasurer[edit]

Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Harry Weston was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, and Weston opted to retire rather than seek another office.[6] Casper City Treasurer Charles A. Cullen won the Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee J. Kirk Baldwin, the former state airport supervisor, and Communist Party nominee Don Wirth in the general election. Baldwin defeated Cullen in a landslide.

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

  • J. Kirk Baldwin, former state airport supervisor[7]
  • A. E. Wilde, State Examiner, former State Representative from Lincoln County[8]

Results[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. Kirk Baldwin 13,868 51.01%
Democratic A. E. Wilde 13,320 48.99%
Total votes 27,188 100.00%

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles A. Cullen 11,324 36.22%
Republican F. G. Huffman 10,131 32.40%
Republican Hans Hansen 9,810 31.38%
Total votes 31,265 100.00%

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

1934 Wyoming Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic J. Kirk Baldwin 52,071 59.03% +18.22%
Republican Charles A. Cullen 35,948 40.75% -18.44%
Communist Don Wirth 195 0.22% -
Majority 16,123 18.28% -0.11%
Turnout 88,214
Democratic gain from Republican

Superintendent of Public Instruction[edit]

Incumbent Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Katharine A. Morton ran for re-election to a fifth term. She faced several challengers in the Republican primary and won renomination with a plurality. In the general election, she faced Jack R. Gage, who won the Democratic primary with less than 20% of the vote. Gage was able to take advantage of the Democratic landslide in Wyoming and defeated Morton with more than 60% of the vote, a significant reversal from Morton's past electoral successes.

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack R. Gage 5,549 19.84%
Democratic Maude Sholty 5,291 18.92%
Democratic Gilbert E. Johnson 4,742 16.96%
Democratic Ida M. B. Anderson 4,655 16.65%
Democratic Elmer J. Halseth 3,986 14.25%
Democratic M. A. Thrasher 3,742 13.38%
Total votes 27,965 100.00%

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

  • Katharine A. Morton, incumbent Superintendent of Instruction
  • H. T. Emmett, Wahaskie County Superintendent of Schools[16]
  • Clare E. Ausherman, former Wyoming State Librarian[17]

Results[edit]

Republican Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Katharine Morton (inc.) 16,569 49.34
Republican H. T. Emmett 9,100 27.10
Republican Clare E. Ausherman 7,910 23.56
Total votes 33,579 100.00%

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

1934 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jack R. Gage 55,194 60.94% +11.91%
Republican Katharine A. Morton (inc.) 35,379 39.06% -11.91%
Majority 19,815 21.88% +19.94%
Turnout 90,573 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hunt, Lester C. (1935). 1935 Official Directory of Wyoming and Election Returns for 1934. pp. 52–56.
  2. ^ "Representative L Hunt". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "Representative L Flannery". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "W. C. DeLoney Is Candidate: Will Seek Secretary of State Office". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. June 25, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Representative Fred Holdrege". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  6. ^ "Weston Will Not Run for Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 16, 1934. p. 10. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  7. ^ "Baldwin May Run for Office: Candidacy for State Treasurer Talked". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 13, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "A. E. Wilde in Race for Treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. July 20, 1934. pp. 1–2. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "C. A. Cullen Is Candidate for State Office: Will Seek Republican Nomination for Treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 23, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  10. ^ "Representative F Huffman". Wyoming Legislator Database. Wyoming State Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  11. ^ "Hansen May Enter Treasurer Race". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. July 6, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  12. ^ "Educator from Sheridan Seeks Office in State". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. June 3, 1934. p. 5. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Candidates Rush to File for Office as Time Limit Wanes". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. July 22, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  14. ^ "Elmer J. Halseth Files for Office". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 1, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Thrasher Files for State Office". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. June 29, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Emmett to File for State Superintendent". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. March 27, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  17. ^ "Worland Educator Files Nomination for State Office". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. June 10, 1934. p. 5. Retrieved June 3, 2021.