# William E. Evans (politician)

William Elmer Evans (December 14, 1877 – November 12, 1959) was a lawyer, real estate developer, and politician, who served as a Republican United States Congressman from California's 9th and 11th Congressional District. in all, he served four terms from 1927 to 1935.

## Biography

William Elmer Evans was born in Laurel County, Kentucky in 1877. He was educated at public schools and attended Sue Bennett Memorial College, in London, Kentucky.

### Early career

Evans studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1902, commencing practice in London, Kentucky. He later moved to Glendale, California in 1910 and continued to practice law and banking.
He was the city attorney of Glendale, California from 1911 to 1921 and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1924.

### Congress

Evans was elected as a Republican to the Seventieth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1927–January 3, 1935), and an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1934 to the Seventy-fourth Congress. In Congress he served on the House Naval Affairs Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

### Later career and death

Later in life, Evans resumed the practice of law, real estate development, and ranching until his death in Los Angeles, California, November 12, 1959. He is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California.

## Electoral history

United States House of Representatives elections, 1926 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William E. Evans (incumbent) | 102,270 | 59.5 |
| | Prohibition | Charles Hiram Randall | 61,719 | 35.9 |
| | Socialist | Charles F. Conley | 7,943 | 4.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 171,932 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1928 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William E. Evans (incumbent) | 222,261 | 77.0 |
| | Democratic | James B. Ogg | 58,263 | 20.2 |
| | Socialist | Christian Sorenson | 8,090 | 2.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 288,614 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1930 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William E. Evans (incumbent) | 182,176 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
1932 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William E. Evans (Incumbent) | 57,739 | 51.8 |
| | Democratic | Albert D. Hadley | 38,240 | 34.3 |
| | Liberty | Marshall V. Hartranft | 15,520 | 13.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 111,499 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
1934 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John S. McGroarty | 66,999 | 53.5 |
| | Republican | William E. Evans (Incumbent) | 56,350 | 45.0 |
| | Socialist | William E. Stephenson | 1,814 | 1.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 125,163 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |