South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1908

The 1908 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1908 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Governor Martin Frederick Ansel faced state senator Coleman Livingston Blease in the Democratic primary and emerged victorious to win a second two-year term as governor.

[edit] Democratic Primary

Coleman Livingston Blease entered the state Democratic primary for governor as the only opposition to incumbent Governor Martin Frederick Ansel. The voters saw no reason to not give Ansel another term for governor and Blease was defeated rather decisively on August 25.

The general election was held on November 3, 1908 and Martin Frederick Ansel was reelected governor of South Carolina without opposition. Turnout increased over the previous gubernatorial election because there was also a presidential election on the ballot.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1908
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Martin Frederick Ansel	61,060	100.0	0.0
Majority			61,060	100.0	0.0
Turnout			61,060
	Democratic hold

1908 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county. 65+% won by Ansel

"Primary Results Declared", The News and Courier, 30 August 1908, p. 1.
Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962, p. 26.
"Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina. Part II." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume III. Columbia, SC: 1909, pp. 154-155.