# 1895 Utah gubernatorial election

Elections in Utah :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1896
1897
1899
1901 sp
1903
1905
1908
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1950
1952
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1895
1896
1898
1900
AL sp
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
2nd sp
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2017
3rd sp
2018
2020
2022
2023
2nd sp
2024 :
State government
General elections
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1895
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2010 sp
2012
2016
2020
2024
Attorney General elections
1996
2020
2024
Auditor elections
2024
Treasurer elections
2022 sp
2024
State Senate elections
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2004
Amendment 3
2018
Proposition 4
2020
Amendment A :
Salt Lake City
Mayoral elections
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Salt Lake County
Mayoral elections
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 1895 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1895. It was the first gubernatorial election in the state of Utah and it was held before it became a state on the 4th of January, 1896, to set up the machinery for the new state. Republican Heber Manning Wells defeated Democratic nominee John Thomas Caine with 50.32% of the vote. Wells' first term was to run for five years, until the next general election in 1900. Populist Henry W. Lawrence also ran, but only won 4.95% of the vote.

## Background

The Utah Territory had been granted statehood after a constitutional convention was held between March 4, 1895, to May 8, 1895. The territory had applied for statehood multiple times before, but the practice of polygamy among the Mormon population was one of the main reasons the federal government refused the proposals. In 1890, the LDS church banned the practice of polygamy in a new manifesto, paving the way for statehood. In 1892, Utah's non-voting representative Joseph L. Rawlins worked with Republicans and Democrats in congress to pass the Enabling Act, signed by the President Grover Cleveland in 1894, which allowed for the state to organize another constitutional convention for statehood the following year. After a constitution was approved by Utah's delegates, statewide elections were held in November in preparation for statehood on January 4, 1896.
Heber Manning Wells, a delegate to the Utah constitutional convention, and a previous tax collector and city recorder, ran for the Republican nomination against the party's chair Charles Crane and former territorial governor Arthur L. Thomas, and won. The Ogden Daily Standard reported that Crane was "defeated by those whom he trusted; by those in whom he believed; by those whom he had honored;..." As for Thomas, the Standard stated that he "...laid on the slaughter blocks and [got] completely annihilated. In fact he was not even considered as a possible candidate." John Thomas Caine, a former congressman who was instrumental in guiding Utah towards statehood, while also protecting the rights of polygamous Mormons, won the Democratic nomination.
The race centered on both men's personality, with Wells being seen as young, intelligent, progressive, and able to bring a fresh face for the new state, but was criticized for being inexperienced and attached to allegations about state Republican financial issues. Caine was seen as experienced, but being from the now old territory era, and being of older age, hurt him. The Salt Lake Tribune (in favor of Wells) and the Salt Lake Herald-Republican (in favor of Caine) both engaged in mud slinging against each other, and both believed it would either be a Republican or Democratic year before election day. Ultimately, it would be a Republican year, with Wells winning against Caine with 50.32% of the vote against his 44.73%, and Republicans taking control of the state legislature.

## General election
### Candidates

* Heber Manning Wells, Republican
* John Thomas Caine, Democratic

### Results

1895 Utah gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Heber Manning Wells | 20,833 | 50.32% |
| | Democratic | John Thomas Caine | 18,519 | 44.73% |
| | Populist | Henry W. Lawrence | 2,051 | 4.95% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,314 | 5.59% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41.631 | 19,75% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | |

## Aftermath

Wells's first term would be dominated by setting up the new state's foundations and systems. In the legislature's first session, which lasted 90 days, 60 bills were sent to Wells to sign, many dealing with the basic organization of state courts and offices, election reform (including the secret ballot), and codification of laws. Wells also wanted railroad regulation, but his proposal was rejected. In 1897, he would also establish the state's first laws dealing with irrigation and water rights.