South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1938
Encyclopedia
The 1938 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938 to select the governor
of the state of South Carolina
. Burnet Rhett Maybank, mayor
of Charleston
, won the contested Democratic
primary and defeated Republican Joseph Augustis Tolbert in the general election becoming the 99th governor of South Carolina.
held their primary
for governor on August 30 and it is noted as being the last attempt by former Governor Cole Blease at becoming governor again. Maybank, the mayor of Charleston, had the support of the Lowcountry
and emerged victorious from the runoff on September 13 against Wyndham Manning because the Upstate
failed to coalesce around his candidacy.
against token Republican candidate Joseph Augustis Tolbert. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout
was much lower than the Democratic primary election.
| colspan=5 |Democratic
hold
|-
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
of the state of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Burnet Rhett Maybank, mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, won the contested Democratic
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...
primary and defeated Republican Joseph Augustis Tolbert in the general election becoming the 99th governor of South Carolina.
Democratic primary
The South Carolina Democratic PartySouth Carolina Democratic Party
The South Carolina Democratic Party is the South Carolina affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. The Democratic party thrived during the Second Party System between 1832 and the mid-1850s and was one of the causes of the collapse of the Whig Party....
held their primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for governor on August 30 and it is noted as being the last attempt by former Governor Cole Blease at becoming governor again. Maybank, the mayor of Charleston, had the support of the Lowcountry
South Carolina Low Country
The Lowcountry is a geographic and cultural region located along South Carolina's coast. The region includes the South Carolina Sea Islands...
and emerged victorious from the runoff on September 13 against Wyndham Manning because the Upstate
The Upstate
The Upstate is the region in northwestern South Carolina, United States, also known as The Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerce-rich I-85 corridor in the northwest corner of South Carolina. ...
failed to coalesce around his candidacy.
| Democratic Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic Primary Runoff | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Burnet Rhett Maybank | 163,947 | 52.3 | +17.2 |
| Wyndham Meredith Manning Wyndham Meredith Manning Wyndham Meredith Manning was a South Carolina politician and the scion of a political dynasty in that U.S. state. Manning served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and was appointed Superintendent of the state's prison system by then-Governor Strom Thurmond in 1947, serving in that... |
149,368 | 47.7 | +25.6 |
General election
The general election was held on November 8, 1938 and Burnet Rhett Maybank was elected the next governor of South CarolinaGovernor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
against token Republican candidate Joseph Augustis Tolbert. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was much lower than the Democratic primary election.
| colspan=5 |Democratic
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...
hold
|-
See also
- Governor of South CarolinaGovernor of South CarolinaThe Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
- List of Governors of South Carolina
- South Carolina gubernatorial elections