# 1908 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election

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The 1908 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1908, and featured incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Melville R. Hopewell, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee Erasmus O. Garrett as well as Prohibition Party nominee Frank E. Linch and Socialist Party nominee Thomas Jorgenson.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Erasmus O. Garrett, former superintendent of schools and general agent for the American Book Company from Fremont, Nebraska
* James A. Grimison, district judge and former county attorney of Colfax County from Schuyler, Nebraska
* Addison S. Tibbets, judge and vice president of the state prison association from Lincoln, Nebraska

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Erasmus O. Garrett | 15,552 | 51.60 |
| Democratic | Addison S. Tibbets | 8,420 | 27.94 |
| Democratic | James A. Grimison | 6,167 | 20.46 |

## People's Independent primary
### Candidates

The People's Independent Party, a remnant of the earlier populist movement, chose between two of the democratic candidates for lieutenant governor since the Democratic Party and the Populist Party had run on "fusion" tickets in past elections.

### Results

People's Independent primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Populist | Erasmus O. Garrett | 2,573 | 75.30 |
| | Populist | James A. Grimison | 844 | 24.70 |

## Prohibition primary
### Candidates

Frank E. Linch ran unopposed for the Prohibition Party nomination. He was a businessman and insurance agent from Lincoln, Nebraska, and a prominent Methodist who was involved in religious and charitable organizations.

### Results

Prohibition primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Prohibition | Frank E. Linch | 715 | 100.0 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

Melville R. Hopewell, the incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor from Tekamah, Nebraska, ran unopposed for the Republican Party nomination.

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Melville R. Hopewell (incumbent) | 48,032 | 100.0 |

## Socialist primary
### Candidates

* Thomas Jorgenson from Florence, Nebraska
* W. C. Rodgers from Wahoo, Nebraska

### Results

Socialist primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Socialist | Thomas Jorgenson | 245 | 60.0 |
| | Socialist | W. C. Rodgers | 164 | 40.0 |

## General election

The result of the general election was extremely close, the separation between Melville Hopewell and Erasmus O. Garrett being only 230 votes. In the gubernatorial race, Democratic candidate Ashton Shallenberger defeated Republican incumbent George L. Sheldon by a few thousand votes, leading many to think that the same would happen in the race for lieutenant governor. In fact, some newspapers called the election for Garrett after most of the results had come in. However, the election took weeks to resolve. When the election had been declared for Hopewell, Garrett initially stated he would ask the Nebraska Legislature for a recount. However, Garrett later decided not to request a recount and to concede the election to Hopewell. He wrote an open letter explaining his decision and thanking his supporters, saying that some thought enough errors could be discovered to give him the victory, but he would not challenge the result.

### Results

Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1908 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Melville R. Hopewell (incumbent) | 127,805 | 48.35 |
| | Democratic | Erasmus O. Garrett | 127,575 | 48.26 |
| | Prohibition | Frank E. Linch | 5,469 | 2.07 |
| | Socialist | Thomas Jorgenson | 3,484 | 1.32 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 264,333 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
* ↑ While the 1909 Senate Journal of the Legislature of the State of Nebraska gives Hopewell's total as 127,805, several newspaper sources list his total as 127,705.
* ↑ Cross-endorsed by the People's Independent (Populist) Party.
* ↑ While the 1909 Senate Journal of the Legislature of the State of Nebraska gives Garrett's total as 127,575, several newspaper sources list his total as 127,503.