The 1904 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1904. Republican nominee Edward C. Stokes defeated Democratic nominee Charles C. Black with 53.50% of the vote.

Republican nomination

Candidates

Convention

At the state party convention in Trenton on September 20, no opponent emerged to Senator Edward Stokes, and he was nominated enthusiastically without opposition.[1]

Democratic nomination

Candidates

Not nominated

  • Alvah A. Clark, former U.S. Representative from Somerville[2]
  • James van Cleef, mayor of New Brunswick[2]
  • Johnston Cornish, State Senator for Warren County[2]
  • David S. Crater, Monmouth County Surrogate[2]

Convention

Various county parties promoted their favorite sons for the nomination, though the front-runner from the start was Charles C. Black, the candidate of Hudson County. Black had the support of Senator James Smith Jr., Robert Davis, and Allan McDermott. Black, a member of the State Tax Board, was also seen as a leading representative of the Democratic campaign for an equal tax.[2][4]

Ultimately, only two favorite son candidates were nominated against Black: Frank S. Katzenbach of Mercer County and Thomas M. Ferrell of Gloucester. They were soundly defeated at the party convention on September 15 in Trenton.[3]

1904 Democratic state convention[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles C. Black 945 88.32%
Democratic Thomas M. Ferrell 75 7.01%
Democratic Frank S. Katzenbach 50 4.67%
Total votes 1,070 100.00%

General election

Candidates

  • Charles C. Black, member of the State Tax Board (Democratic)
  • George P. Herrschaft (Socialist Labor)
  • George A. Honnecker (Populist)
  • Henry R. Kearns (Socialist)
  • James Parker (Prohibition)
  • Edward C. Stokes, former State Senator for Cumberland County and candidate for U.S. Senator in 1902 (Republican)

Results

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1904[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Edward C. Stokes 231,363 53.50% Increase 2.62
Democratic Charles C. Black 179,719 41.56% Decrease 4.58
Socialist Henry R. Kearns 8,858 2.05% Increase 1.08
Prohibition James Parker 6,687 1.55% Increase 0.06
Populist George A. Honnecker 3,285 0.76% N/A
Socialist Labor George P. Herrschaft 2,526 0.58% Increase 0.05
Majority
Total votes 432,438 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

References

  1. "STOKES ON EQUAL TAX". Passaic Daily News. September 21, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Perth Amboy Evening News 06 Aug 1904, page 1". Perth Amboy Evening News. August 6, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Democratic State Convention". Gloucester County Democrat. September 22, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  4. "Black Slated for Governor, 'Tis Said". The Courier-News. June 25, 1904. p. 8. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  5. Kalb, Deborah (December 24, 2015). Guide to U.S. Elections. CQ Press. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved January 25, 2016.