1930 Kansas gubernatorial election

The 1930 Kansas gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1930. Harry H. Woodring was elected Governor of Kansas, becoming only the fourth member of the Democratic Party to hold the position in state history. He won with only 34.96% of the vote, with the remainder being split between Republican candidate Frank Haucke and independent write-in candidate John R. Brinkley. Woodring's final margin of victory over Haucke was just 251 votes, or 0.04 percent. The incumbent governor, Republican Clyde M. Reed, did not stand for re-election.[1]

1930 Kansas gubernatorial election

November 4, 1930

Nominee Harry H. Woodring Frank Haucke John R. Brinkley (write-in) Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 217,171 216,920 183,278 Percentage 35.0% 34.9% 29.5%

Results by county Woodring:      30-39%      40-49%      50-59%      60-69% Haucke:      30-39%      40-49%      50-59% Brinkley:      30-39%      40-49%      50-59%

Governor before election Clyde M. Reed Republican Elected Governor Harry H. Woodring Democratic

Campaign and voting controversy

After losing his medical and broadcast licenses, "goat-gland doctor" John R. Brinkley decided to run for governor, a position that would enable him to appoint his own members to the medical board and thus regain his right to practice medicine. He began his candidacy in September 1930, just three days after he lost his medical license. He used his radio station to help his campaign, including recruiting a country music star to campaign for him. He also made use of several other publicity stunts. Brinkley campaigned on a vague program that included public works (a state lake in every county), education (free textbooks for public schoolchildren and increased educational opportunities for African Americans), lower taxes, and old-age pensions.[2]

External image
1930 gubernatorial campaign advertisement, published in the Belleville Telescope. Touting Brinkley's military service during World War I and decrying the loss of his medical license, the advertisement instructs voters explicitly how to vote for the write-in candidate.

Because Brinkley announced his campaign so late, he had to run as a write-in candidate. Three days before the election, the Attorney General of Kansas (a known opponent) announced that the rules surrounding write-in candidates had changed, and that Brinkley's name could only be written in in one specific way for the vote to count (as "J. R. Brinkley").[3] An article published at the time in The Des Moines Register estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 ballots were disqualified in this manner.[2] The successful candidate, Woodring, later admitted he would have lost had all of Brinkley's votes been counted.[4]

Results

Woodring won 39 counties (including Rawlins County by a single vote), Haucke won 38 counties, and Brinkley 28 counties.

Kansas gubernatorial election, 1930

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Harry H. Woodring	217,171	34.96%	+1.76
	Republican	Frank Haucke	216,920	34.92%	–30.68
	Independent	John R. Brinkley (write-in)	183,278	29.50%	+29.50
	Socialist	J. B. Shields	3,866	0.62%	–0.58%
Majority			251	0.04%	N/A
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing	1.76%

See also

• List of third party performances in United States gubernatorial elections

References

1. Kansas 1930
2. Brock, Pope. Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam, Crown Publishing. 2008. ISBN 0-307-33988-2
3. "POLITICAL NOTES: Capric Candidate". Time Magazine. October 17, 1932. Retrieved 2010-06-17. Two years ago Governor Woodring squeezed into office with a majority of 319 votes. John Brinkley, his name not on the ballot, polled close to the leaders with 188,000 votes.
4. Lee, R. Alton (2002). The Bizarre Careers of John R. Brinkley. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 127–129. ISBN 0-8131-2232-5. Retrieved May 6, 2017.