1936 United States presidential election in Alabama

The 1936 United States presidential election in Alabama took place on November 3, 1936, as part of the nationwide presidential election. Voters chose eleven representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. In Alabama, voters voted for electors individually instead of as a slate, as in the other states.

Since the 1890s, Alabama had been effectively a one-party state ruled by the Democratic Party. Disenfranchisement of almost all African-Americans and a large proportion of poor whites via poll taxes, literacy tests and informal harassment had essentially eliminated opposition parties outside of Unionist Winston County and a few nearby northern hill counties that had been Populist strongholds. The only competitive statewide elections became Democratic Party primaries that were limited by law to white voters. Unlike most other Confederate states, however, soon after black disenfranchisement Alabama's remaining white Republicans made rapid efforts to expel blacks from the state Republican Party. Indeed, under Oscar D. Street, who ironically was appointed state party boss as part of the pro-Taft “black and tan” faction in 1912, the state GOP would permanently turn “lily-white”, with the last black delegates from the state at any Republican National Convention serving in 1920.

The 1920 election, aided by isolationism in Appalachia and the whitening of the state GOP,Heersink and Jenkins, Republican Party Politics and the American South, p. 19 saw the Republicans gain their best presidential vote share in Alabama since 1884, while the GOP even exceed forty percent in the House of Representatives races for the 4th, 7th and 10th congressional districts. However, funding issues meant the Republicans would not emulate their efforts in the rest of the decade.See Nevertheless, a bitter “civil war” over how best to maintain white supremacy after the Democrats nominated urban, anti-Prohibition Catholic Al Smith saw so many Democrats defect to dry, Protestant Republican Herbert Hoover that he came within seven thousand votes of winning the state.

However, the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression meant that this trend towards the GOP would be short-lived. The Depression had extremely severe effects in the South, which had the highest unemployment rate in the nation, and many Southerners blamed this on the North and on Wall Street. Consequently, the South gave Democratic nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt extremely heavy support in 1932 — he became the only presidential candidate to sweep all of Alabama's counties.

For 1936, Roosevelt's campaigning substantially moved away from the South — where almost none of the lower classes could vote — to focus on the working classes of the North and West.Ritchie. Electing FDR p. 186 However, this was clearly not going to affect his majority amongst an electorate who generally associated the Republican Party — even a lily-white Republican Party — with Reconstruction and black rule.Heersink; Jenkins. Republican Party Politics and the American South, pp. 48–50 A poll in late September showed Roosevelt leading Republican nominee and Kansas Governor Alf Landon by four-to-one despite Landon leading the nation as a whole. Another poll two weeks later saw the President's lead falling slightly, but this lead would be maintained in the last poll near the end of October. As it turned out – like all the Literary Digest polls — Roosevelt's strength was severely underestimated, for he actually won 86.38 percent of Alabama's vote to Landon's 12.82 percent, this being the best performance by a presidential candidate in Alabama since the largely uncontested elections of 1832.

Results + General election resultsParty Pledged to Elector Votes Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt W. E. James238,196 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Ralph H. Parker238,195 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Ben Bloodworth238,194 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Charles W. Edwards238,192 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt R. E. Jones238,191 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Francisc J.Ingre238,186 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt B. J. Cowart238,185 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt N. Frank Pridgen238,185 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Reese T. Amis238,131 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Howards H. Sullinger238,090 Democratic Party Franklin D. Roosevelt Tom B. Ware238,075 Republican Party Alf Landon S. B. Adams35,358 Republican Party Alf Landon J. F. Brawner35,340 Republican Party Alf Landon L. A. Carroll35,334 Republican Party Alf Landon Frank Barchard Sr.35,330 Republican Party Alf Landon N. C. Fuller35,328 Republican Party Alf Landon J. D. Bush35,320 Republican Party Alf Landon A. L. Isbell35,320 Republican Party Alf Landon J. M. Pennington35,304 Republican Party Alf Landon A. P. Longshore Jr.35,303 Republican Party Alf Landon H. W. Pond35,297 Republican Party Alf Landon S. E. Wright35,288 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin Frank Barnard719 Communist Party USA Earl Browder A. M. Forman678 Communist Party USA Earl Browder Hugh C. Taylor647 Communist Party USA Earl Browder Harry Gideon646 Communist Party USA Earl Browder D. J. Williams645 Communist Party USA Earl Browder Kery A. McCloud644 Communist Party USA Earl Browder John Smith644 Communist Party USA Earl Browder Charles Otto642 Communist Party USA Earl Browder Jesse G. Owen642 Communist Party USA Earl Browder R. I. Smith642 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin Joseph Suggs617 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin R. M. Hunter613 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin W. T. Ellisor610 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin John C. Orr610 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin J. W. Frankling609 Prohibition Party D. Leigh Colvin W. C. McMahan608 Union Party William Lemke W. O. Broyles551 Union Party William Lemke R. E. Hill550 Union Party William Lemke W. O. Bonham549 Union Party William Lemke L. D. Holstun549 Union Party William Lemke A. W. Holstun549 Union Party William Lemke Rudolph Kern549 Union Party William Lemke C. C. Rolfe549 Union Party William Lemke A. B. Fewell548 Union Party William Lemke Arthur S. Gray548 Union Party William Lemke George Jodan548 Union Party William Lemke J. Jordan548 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas Arlie Barber242 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas Jane Wheeler242 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas George W. Wilson241 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas W. H. Chichester240 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas Mary Denman240 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas Emma Connally239 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas C. G. Hutchisson239 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas W. F. Spencer239 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas W. M. Vaughan239 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas Hugh Barber238 Socialist Party of America Norman Thomas O. H. Brittain238Total votes 275,744

Results by county CountyFranklin D. RooseveltDemocraticAlf LandonRepublicanVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal votes cast # % # % # % # % Autauga 1,525 94.37% 84 5.20% 7 0.43%1,44189.17% 1,616 Baldwin 2,337 78.79% 433 14.60% 196 6.61%1,90464.19% 2,966 Barbour 2,386 97.51% 50 2.04% 11 0.45%2,33695.46% 2,447 Bibb 1,868 90.42% 190 9.20% 8 0.39%1,67881.22% 2,066 Blount 2,788 78.23% 744 20.88% 32 0.90%2,04457.35% 3,564 Bullock 1,188 99.50% 5 0.42% 1 0.08%1,18399.08% 1,194 Butler 2,358 96.32% 83 3.39% 7 0.29%2,27592.93% 2,448 Calhoun 4,322 87.12% 581 11.71% 58 1.17%3,74175.41% 4,961 Chambers 3,626 96.90% 112 2.99% 4 0.11%3,51493.91% 3,742 Cherokee 2,113 84.28% 375 14.96% 19 0.76%1,73869.33% 2,507 Chilton 2,565 63.26% 1,469 36.23% 21 0.52%1,09627.03% 4,055 Choctaw 1,507 95.32% 74 4.68% 0 0.00%1,43390.64% 1,581 Clarke 2,673 97.73% 60 2.19% 2 0.07%2,61395.54% 2,735 Clay 2,138 71.84% 699 23.49% 139 4.67%1,43948.35% 2,976 Cleburne 1,212 68.63% 543 30.75% 11 0.62%66937.88% 1,766 Coffee 3,178 96.16% 110 3.33% 17 0.51%3,06892.83% 3,305 Colbert 3,365 92.75% 251 6.92% 12 0.33%3,11485.83% 3,628 Conecuh 2,195 95.60% 89 3.88% 12 0.52%2,10691.72% 2,296 Coosa 1,346 83.24% 239 14.78% 32 1.98%1,10768.46% 1,617 Covington 4,265 95.93% 167 3.76% 14 0.31%4,09892.17% 4,446 Crenshaw 2,371 95.95% 96 3.89% 4 0.16%2,27592.07% 2,471 Cullman 3,779 68.75% 1,703 30.98% 15 0.27%2,07637.77% 5,497 Dale 2,404 92.50% 193 7.43% 2 0.08%2,21185.07% 2,599 Dallas 3,205 98.37% 49 1.50% 4 0.12%3,15696.87% 3,258 DeKalb 6,122 56.89% 4,617 42.90% 23 0.21%1,50513.98% 10,762 Elmore 3,967 92.47% 175 4.08% 148 3.45%3,79288.39% 4,290 Escambia 2,585 92.72% 193 6.92% 10 0.36%2,39285.80% 2,788 Etowah 5,739 82.24% 1,207 17.30% 32 0.46%4,53264.95% 6,978 Fayette 2,244 74.82% 732 24.41% 23 0.77%1,51250.42% 2,999 Franklin 3,059 61.62% 1,875 37.77% 30 0.60%1,18423.85% 4,964 Geneva 2,652 89.93% 295 10.00% 2 0.07%2,35779.93% 2,949 Greene 861 97.40% 20 2.26% 3 0.34%84195.14% 884 Hale 1,626 98.31% 20 1.21% 8 0.48%1,60697.10% 1,654 Henry 1,925 98.06% 35 1.78% 3 0.15%1,89096.28% 1,963 Houston 3,538 93.52% 230 6.08% 15 0.40%3,30887.44% 3,783 Jackson 3,450 78.71% 926 21.13% 7 0.16%2,52457.59% 4,383 Jefferson 35,980 89.52% 3,810 9.48% 404 1.01%32,17080.04% 40,194 Lamar 2,393 92.25% 195 7.52% 6 0.23%2,19884.73% 2,594 Lauderdale 4,685 91.97% 389 7.64% 20 0.39%4,29684.33% 5,094 Lawrence 2,213 83.10% 444 16.67% 6 0.23%1,76966.43% 2,663 Lee 2,182 95.62% 93 4.08% 7 0.31%2,08991.54% 2,282 Limestone 2,861 95.69% 108 3.61% 21 0.70%2,75392.07% 2,990 Lowndes 1,204 99.01% 10 0.82% 2 0.16%1,19498.19% 1,216 Macon 1,146 96.71% 39 3.29% 0 0.00%1,10793.42% 1,185 Madison 5,662 91.03% 513 8.25% 45 0.72%5,14982.78% 6,220 Marengo 2,287 98.54% 33 1.42% 1 0.04%2,25497.11% 2,321 Marion 2,655 73.96% 892 24.85% 43 1.20%1,76349.11% 3,590 Marshall 4,208 81.68% 925 17.95% 19 0.37%3,28363.72% 5,152 Mobile 11,165 90.78% 1,072 8.72% 62 0.50%10,09382.06% 12,299 Monroe 2,558 98.54% 29 1.12% 9 0.35%2,52997.42% 2,596 Montgomery 12,061 97.80% 223 1.81% 48 0.39%11,83895.99% 12,332 Morgan 5,597 92.39% 432 7.13% 29 0.48%5,16585.26% 6,058 Perry 1,527 98.45% 24 1.55% 0 0.00%1,50396.91% 1,551 Pickens 1,665 93.59% 107 6.01% 7 0.39%1,55887.58% 1,779 Pike 3,100 98.19% 55 1.74% 2 0.06%3,04596.45% 3,157 Randolph 2,766 77.39% 793 22.19% 15 0.42%1,97355.20% 3,574 Russell 2,181 96.68% 66 2.93% 9 0.40%2,11593.75% 2,256 Shelby 2,371 74.54% 777 24.43% 33 1.04%1,59450.11% 3,181 St. Clair 2,399 61.83% 1,465 37.76% 16 0.41%93424.07% 3,880 Sumter 1,369 98.28% 24 1.72% 0 0.00%1,34596.55% 1,393 Talladega 3,751 85.42% 489 11.14% 151 3.44%3,26274.29% 4,391 Tallapoosa 3,625 96.10% 141 3.74% 6 0.16%3,48492.36% 3,772 Tuscaloosa 6,029 94.31% 332 5.19% 32 0.50%5,69789.11% 6,393 Walker 5,697 76.12% 1,699 22.70% 88 1.18%3,99853.42% 7,484 Washington 1,736 95.28% 72 3.95% 14 0.77%1,66491.33% 1,822 Wilcox 1,365 99.13% 11 0.80% 1 0.07%1,35498.33% 1,377 Winston 1,270 46.98% 1,425 52.72% 8 0.30% −155 −5.73% 2,703Totals238,19686.38%35,35812.82%2,1900.79%202,83873.56%275,744

Counties that flipped Democratic to Republican Winston

See also United States presidential elections in Alabama

References