# 1918 South Dakota gubernatorial election

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The 1918 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1918. Incumbent Republican Governor Peter Norbeck ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary unopposed and faced Nonpartisan League candidate Mark P. Bates, a farmer, and Democratic nominee James E. Bird in the general election. Norbeck's share of the vote decreased from 1916 to 53%, but he benefited from the split field. Bates placed second with 26% of the vote, while Bird placed third with 19% of the vote.

## Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 28, 1918.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* James E. Bird, businessman, 1916 Democratic nominee for Secretary of State

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James E. Bird | 8,361 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,361 | 100.00% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Peter Norbeck, incumbent Governor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Peter Norbeck (inc.) | 35,752 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 35,752 | 100.00% |

### Socialist primary
#### Candidates

* Orville Anderson, farmer and prisoner

#### Results

Socialist primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Socialist | Orville Anderson | 241 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 241 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* James E. Bird, Democratic
* Peter Norbeck, Republican
* Orville Anderson, Socialist
* Mark P. Bates, Independent (Nonpartisan League candidate), stockman
* Knute Lewis, Independent, Prohibition candidate for Governor in 1898 and 1906

### Results

1918 South Dakota gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Peter Norbeck (inc.) | 51,175 | 53.22% | −3.42% |
| | Nonpartisan League | Mark P. Bates | 25,118 | 26.12% | — |
| | Democratic | James E. Bird | 17,858 | 18.57% | −20.76% |
| | Independent | Knute Lewis | 1,268 | 1.32% | — |
| | Socialist | Orville Anderson | 741 | 0.77% | −2.00% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26,057 | 27.10% | +9.79% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 96,160 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |