# 1908 Washington gubernatorial election

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The 1908 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1908. Republican nominee Samuel G. Cosgrove defeated Democratic nominee John Pattison with 62.56% of the vote.

## Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 8, 1908. When Washington began using primary elections to nominate candidates, it used a form of ranked-choice voting although the original method was quite different from the modern understanding of RCV. If four or more candidates registered for a party's nomination for a particular office, voters in the primary were to make a first choice and second choice among the candidates. If a candidate received more than 40% of the first choice votes, he was declared the winner. Otherwise, the second choice votes were added to the first choice votes for all candidates and whoever had the highest number of combined votes was declared the winner, even if that was not a majority.

### Democratic party
#### Candidates

* John Pattison, Mayor of Colfax
* A.J. Splawn
* William Blackman
* Jimmie Durkin
* Patrick S. Byrne

#### Results

Democratic primary results, first choice :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Pattison | 4,179 | 32.35% |
| | Democratic | A.J. Splawn | 3,479 | 26.93% |
| | Democratic | Jimmie Durkin | 2,240 | 17.34% |
| | Democratic | William Blackman | 1,907 | 14.76% |
| | Democratic | Patrick S. Byrne | 1,115 | 8.63% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,920 | 100.00% |
Since no candidate received more than 40% of the first choice votes, the second choice votes were counted.
Democratic primary results, combined :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Pattison | 6,268 | 24.30% |
| | Democratic | A.J. Splawn | 6,050 | 23.46% |
| | Democratic | William Blackman | 5,844 | 22.66% |
| | Democratic | Jimmie Durkin | 4,398 | 17.05% |
| | Democratic | Patrick S. Byrne | 3,230 | 12.52% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,790 | 100.00% |

### Republican party
#### Candidates

* Samuel G. Cosgrove, attorney
* Albert E. Mead, incumbent Governor
* Henry McBride, former Governor
* John D. Atkinson
* William M. Ridpath
* Robert B. Brown
* Oscar H. Neil
* J.W. Robinson

#### Results

Republican primary results, first choice :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Henry McBride | 33,509 | 32.85% |
| | Republican | Albert E. Mead (incumbent) | 32.357 | 31.72% |
| | Republican | Samuel G. Cosgrove | 25,519 | 25.02% |
| | Republican | John D. Atkinson | 4,084 | 4.00% |
| | Republican | William M. Ridpath | 3,298 | 3.23% |
| | Republican | J.W. Robinson | 1,488 | 1.46% |
| | Republican | Oscar H. Neil | 1,136 | 1.11% |
| | Republican | Robert B. Brown | 604 | 0.59% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 101,995 | 100.00% |
Since no candidate received more than 40% of the first choice votes, the second choice votes were counted.
Republican primary results, combined :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Samuel G. Cosgrove | 57,667 | 28.30% |
| | Republican | Albert E. Mead (incumbent) | 49,402 | 24.24% |
| | Republican | Henry McBride | 47,594 | 23.35% |
| | Republican | John D. Atkinson | 21,527 | 10.56% |
| | Republican | William M. Ridpath | 10,702 | 5.25% |
| | Republican | Robert B. Brown | 5,973 | 2.93% |
| | Republican | Oscar H. Neil | 5,830 | 2.86% |
| | Republican | J.W. Robinson | 5,108 | 2.51% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 203,803 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

Major party candidates
* Samuel G. Cosgrove, Republican
* John Pattison, Democratic
Other candidates
* George Boomer, Socialist
* Arthur S. Caton, Prohibition

### Results

1908 Washington gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Samuel G. Cosgrove | 110,190 | 62.56% | +11.21% |
| | Democratic | John Pattison | 58,126 | 33.00% | −7.87% |
| | Socialist | George Boomer | 4,311 | 2.45% | −2.68% |
| | Prohibition | Arthur S. Caton | 3,514 | 1.99% | +0.07% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52,064 | 29.56% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 176,141 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | +19.08% | |

### Results by county

| County | Samuel G. Cosgrove Republican | Samuel G. Cosgrove Republican | John Pattison Democratic | John Pattison Democratic | George Boomer Socialist | George Boomer Socialist | Arthur S. Caton Prohibition | Arthur S. Caton Prohibition | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 1,033 | 56.98% | 750 | 41.37% | 0 | 0.00% | 30 | 1.65% | 283 | 15.61% | 1,813 |
| Asotin | 693 | 65.07% | 338 | 31.74% | 12 | 1.13% | 22 | 2.07% | 355 | 33.33% | 1,065 |
| Benton | 913 | 60.54% | 479 | 31.76% | 94 | 6.23% | 22 | 1.46% | 434 | 28.78% | 1,508 |
| Chehalis | 3,422 | 69.54% | 1,186 | 24.10% | 266 | 5.41% | 47 | 0.96% | 2,236 | 45.44% | 4,921 |
| Chelan | 1,776 | 66.57% | 851 | 31.90% | 0 | 0.00% | 41 | 1.54% | 925 | 34.67% | 2,668 |
| Clallam | 987 | 67.70% | 459 | 31.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 12 | 0.82% | 528 | 36.21% | 1,458 |
| Clark | 2,555 | 65.00% | 1,136 | 28.90% | 169 | 4.30% | 71 | 1.81% | 1,419 | 36.10% | 3,931 |
| Columbia | 872 | 56.92% | 632 | 41.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 28 | 1.83% | 240 | 15.67% | 1,532 |
| Cowlitz | 1,619 | 70.15% | 623 | 26.99% | 37 | 1.60% | 29 | 1.26% | 996 | 43.15% | 2,308 |
| Douglas | 2,017 | 56.04% | 1,559 | 43.32% | 0 | 0.00% | 23 | 0.64% | 458 | 12.73% | 3,599 |
| Ferry | 512 | 55.77% | 402 | 43.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.44% | 110 | 11.98% | 918 |
| Franklin | 688 | 58.21% | 470 | 39.76% | 7 | 0.59% | 17 | 1.44% | 218 | 18.44% | 1,182 |
| Garfield | 601 | 61.20% | 354 | 36.05% | 17 | 1.73% | 10 | 1.02% | 247 | 25.15% | 982 |
| Island | 505 | 67.88% | 157 | 21.10% | 67 | 9.01% | 15 | 2.02% | 348 | 46.77% | 744 |
| Jefferson | 885 | 67.87% | 392 | 30.06% | 19 | 1.46% | 8 | 0.61% | 493 | 37.81% | 1,304 |
| King | 23,632 | 61.95% | 13,939 | 36.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 574 | 1.50% | 9,693 | 25.41% | 38,145 |
| Kitsap | 1,987 | 64.33% | 751 | 24.31% | 297 | 9.61% | 54 | 1.75% | 1,236 | 40.01% | 3,089 |
| Kittitas | 1,772 | 62.73% | 1,002 | 35.47% | 0 | 0.00% | 51 | 1.81% | 770 | 27.26% | 2,825 |
| Klickitat | 1,328 | 69.42% | 549 | 28.70% | 0 | 0.00% | 36 | 1.88% | 779 | 40.72% | 1,913 |
| Lewis | 3,214 | 63.59% | 1,472 | 29.13% | 298 | 5.90% | 70 | 1.39% | 1,742 | 34.47% | 5,054 |
| Lincoln | 2,107 | 58.28% | 1,453 | 40.19% | 21 | 0.58% | 34 | 0.94% | 654 | 18.09% | 3,615 |
| Mason | 587 | 63.67% | 322 | 34.92% | 0 | 0.00% | 13 | 1.41% | 265 | 28.74% | 922 |
| Okanogan | 1,530 | 57.98% | 1,028 | 38.95% | 68 | 2.58% | 13 | 0.49% | 502 | 19.02% | 2,639 |
| Pacific | 1,470 | 70.13% | 537 | 25.62% | 80 | 3.82% | 9 | 0.43% | 933 | 44.51% | 2,096 |
| Pierce | 11,586 | 67.10% | 4,701 | 27.23% | 649 | 3.76% | 331 | 1.92% | 6,885 | 39.87% | 17,267 |
| San Juan | 621 | 74.11% | 143 | 17.06% | 72 | 8.59% | 2 | 0.24% | 478 | 57.04% | 838 |
| Skagit | 3,110 | 63.97% | 1,367 | 28.12% | 321 | 6.60% | 64 | 1.32% | 1,743 | 35.85% | 4,862 |
| Skamania | 350 | 73.53% | 119 | 25.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 7 | 1.47% | 231 | 48.53% | 476 |
| Snohomish | 5,913 | 60.45% | 2,700 | 27.60% | 573 | 5.86% | 595 | 6.08% | 3,213 | 32.85% | 9,781 |
| Spokane | 11,700 | 59.82% | 6,869 | 35.12% | 597 | 3.05% | 393 | 2.01% | 4,831 | 24.70% | 19,559 |
| Stevens | 2,613 | 57.48% | 1,554 | 34.18% | 292 | 6.42% | 87 | 1.91% | 1,059 | 23.30% | 4,546 |
| Thurston | 2,001 | 64.22% | 985 | 31.61% | 0 | 0.00% | 130 | 4.17% | 1,016 | 32.61% | 3,116 |
| Wahkiakum | 495 | 78.95% | 132 | 21.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 363 | 57.89% | 627 |
| Walla Walla | 2,670 | 57.85% | 1,881 | 40.76% | 30 | 0.65% | 34 | 0.74% | 789 | 17.10% | 4,615 |
| Whatcom | 5,341 | 66.88% | 2,273 | 28.46% | 164 | 2.05% | 208 | 2.60% | 3,068 | 38.42% | 7,986 |
| Whitman | 3,053 | 49.34% | 2,946 | 47.61% | 0 | 0.00% | 189 | 3.05% | 107 | 1.73% | 6,188 |
| Yakima | 4,032 | 66.66% | 1,615 | 26.70% | 161 | 2.66% | 241 | 3.98% | 2,417 | 39.96% | 6,049 |
| Totals | 110,190 | 62.56% | 58,126 | 33.00% | 4,311 | 2.45% | 3,514 | 1.99% | 52,064 | 29.56% | 176,141 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Adams
* Columbia
* Douglas
* Ferry
* Franklin
* Garfield
* Lincoln
* Okanogan
* Spokane
* Stevens
* Walla Walla
* Whitman