Prohibition Party presidential election results
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Prohibition Party presidential election results are listed chronologically below.
The Prohibition Party
has run a candidate for the presidency of the United States every election year since 1872. Although national prohibition was introduced in 1920 with broad public support, the Prohibition Party never received over about a quarter of a million votes. This may be because the powerful Anti-Saloon League
and Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), among others, chose to remain non-partisan. Their strategy was to support whichever major party (Democrat
or Republican
) candidate took a position most favorable to the interests of the temperance movement
.
Year Presidential Candidate Votes Received
These statistics are reported votes. At various times and places some precincts have reportedly not recorded votes cast for minor parties
The Prohibition Party
Prohibition Party
The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement...
has run a candidate for the presidency of the United States every election year since 1872. Although national prohibition was introduced in 1920 with broad public support, the Prohibition Party never received over about a quarter of a million votes. This may be because the powerful Anti-Saloon League
Anti-Saloon League
The Anti-Saloon League was the leading organization lobbying for prohibition in the United States in the early 20th century. It was a key component of the Progressive Era, and was strongest in the South and rural North, drawing heavy support from pietistic Protestant ministers and their...
and Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), among others, chose to remain non-partisan. Their strategy was to support whichever major party (Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
or Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) candidate took a position most favorable to the interests of the temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
.
Year Presidential Candidate Votes Received
- 1872 James BlackJames Black (prohibitionist)James Black became a leader of the temperance movement in the United States after having a bad experience with alcohol intoxication, if not alcohol poisoning....
5,607 - 1876 Green Clay SmithGreen Clay SmithGreen Clay Smith was a U.S. soldier and politician. He served as a major general during the Civil War, was a congressman from Kentucky and was the Territorial Governor of Montana from 1866 to 1869. He also ran for President of the United States on the Prohibition ticket in 1876...
9,737 - 1880 Neal Dow 10,305
- 1884 John P. St. John 150,369
- 1888 Clinton B. FiskClinton B. FiskClinton Bowen Fisk , for whom Fisk University is named, was a senior officer during Reconstruction in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. He endowed Fisk University with $30,000...
249,506 - 1892 John BidwellJohn BidwellJohn Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist...
264,133 - 1896 Joshua LeveringJoshua LeveringJoshua Levering was a prominent Baptist leader . He was president of the trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention, co-founder of the American Baptist Educational Society, and co-founder of the Layman's...
132,007 - 1900 John C. Wooley 298, 914
- 1904 Silas C. SwallowSilas C. SwallowSilas Comfort Swallow was a United States Methodist preacher and prohibitionist politician.-Namesake:He was presumably named after Methodist preacher Silas Comfort , a courageous anti-slavery member of the Genesee, Oneida and Missouri Conferences. While serving in St...
258,536 - 1908 Eugene W. ChafinEugene W. ChafinEugene Wilder Chafin was an United States politician from the Prohibition Party. Chafin was born in East Troy, Wisconsin and worked as a lawyer at Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1876 to 1900...
253,840 - 1912 Eugene W. ChafinEugene W. ChafinEugene Wilder Chafin was an United States politician from the Prohibition Party. Chafin was born in East Troy, Wisconsin and worked as a lawyer at Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1876 to 1900...
206,275 - 1916 J. Frank Hanly 220,506
- 1920 Aaron S. WatkinsAaron S. WatkinsAaron S. Watkins , born in Ohio, was president of Asbury College in Kentucky. Before his ordination as a Methodist minister, he practiced law with his brother. He was the grandfather of Prohibition candidate for Vice President of the United States, W...
189,408 - 1924 Herman P. FarisHerman P. FarisHerman Preston Faris was a committed proponent of the temperance movement. He served for many years as treasurer of the Prohibition National Committee, and he was twice the Prohibition Party candidate for governor of Missouri. Faris was the party's candidate for President of the United States in...
57,520 - 1928 William F. VarneyWilliam F. VarneyWilliam Frederick Varney was an American politician.-Life:He was the son of Rev. F. W. Varney ....
20,106 - 1932 D. Leigh ColvinD. Leigh ColvinDavid Leigh Colvin was an American politician and member of the Prohibition Party and the Law Preservation Party....
37,847 - 1940 Roger BabsonRoger BabsonRoger Ward Babson , remembered today largely for founding Babson College in Massachusetts, was an entrepreneur and business theorist in the first half of the 20th century...
57,812 - 1944 Claude A. WatsonClaude A. WatsonClaude A. Watson was a lawyer, businessman, and minister from Hermon , who was nationally active in the temperance movement...
74,758 - 1948 Claude A. WatsonClaude A. WatsonClaude A. Watson was a lawyer, businessman, and minister from Hermon , who was nationally active in the temperance movement...
103,900 - 1952 Stuart HamblenStuart HamblenStuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
72,949 - 1956 Enoch A. HoltwickEnoch A. HoltwickEnoch Arden Holtwick, was an American educator with a long record of actively supporting the temperance movement. He was the Prohibition Party candidate for Illinois State Treasurer in 1936; its candidate for U.S...
41,937 - 1960 Rutherford C. Decker 46,203
- 1964 E. Harold MunnE. Harold MunnEarle Harold Munn , also known as E. Harold Munn, was a United States politician and a longtime leader of Prohibition Party, for which he was Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominee.-Biography:...
32,267 - 1968 E. Harold MunnE. Harold MunnEarle Harold Munn , also known as E. Harold Munn, was a United States politician and a longtime leader of Prohibition Party, for which he was Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominee.-Biography:...
15,123 - 1972 E. Harold MunnE. Harold MunnEarle Harold Munn , also known as E. Harold Munn, was a United States politician and a longtime leader of Prohibition Party, for which he was Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominee.-Biography:...
13,444 - 1976 Ben BubarBen BubarBenjamin Calvin Bubar, Jr. , better known as Ben Bubar, was an ordained minister who actively supported the temperance movement...
15,961 - 1980 Ben BubarBen BubarBenjamin Calvin Bubar, Jr. , better known as Ben Bubar, was an ordained minister who actively supported the temperance movement...
7,237 - 1984 Earl F. Dodge 4,204
- 1988 Earl F. Dodge 8,004
- 1992 Earl F. Dodge 935
- 1996 Earl F. Dodge 1,294
- 2000 Earl F. Dodge 208
- 2004 Gene AmondsonGene AmondsonGene Amondson, was a landscape painter, woodcarver, Christian minister and prohibition activist who was the 2004 US presidential candidate for one faction of the Prohibition Party and the nominee of the unified party in 2008.Amondson was known for his anti-Alcohol activism and reenactments of...
1,896 - 2008 Gene AmondsonGene AmondsonGene Amondson, was a landscape painter, woodcarver, Christian minister and prohibition activist who was the 2004 US presidential candidate for one faction of the Prohibition Party and the nominee of the unified party in 2008.Amondson was known for his anti-Alcohol activism and reenactments of...
643
These statistics are reported votes. At various times and places some precincts have reportedly not recorded votes cast for minor parties