The 1910 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1910, to elect the governor of the U.S. state of Oregon. The election matched incumbent Republican Jay Bowerman against Democratic challenger Oswald West. In the election, approximately 118,442 ballots were cast.

After the resignations of George Chamberlain (to take up a Senate seat) and Frank W. Benson (due to illness), then President of the Oregon Senate Jay Bowerman took up the role as Governor for the remainder of the term. Bowerman sought election as governor in his own right on a platform advocating modernization of highways, economies in government administration, and tight control of state land management.

Oswald West, a former agent of State Land Board and then member of the Oregon Railroad Commission, won the Democratic primary on the back of his good reputation on both offices. As an agent of the State Land Board, he helped recover thousands of acres that had been fraudulently obtained with the help of corrupt officials. As an agent of the Railroad Commission, he was popular and had enough public clout to win his party's nomination.

Despite Oregon being a mostly Republican state at the time, Bowerman was defeated by his Democratic opponent after being labeled an opponent of direct government. Bowerman was nominated by the Republican Party in assembly despite the fact that Oregonians had adopted a direct primary law prohibiting party nominating conventions.

Two minor candidates, a Socialist and Prohibitionist, took about twelve percent of the vote between themselves.

Primary election Oregon held primary elections on September 24, 1910.

Republican party Although opposed to the direct primary system, incumbent governor Jay Bowerman won the Republican primary over county judge Grant Dimick.

Candidates Albert Abraham Jay Bowerman, incumbent governor Grant Dimick, Clackamas County judge and former mayor of Oregon City E. Hofer, editor of The Capital Journal

Results

Democratic party Oswald West defeated Jefferson Myers for the Democratic nomination.

Candidates Oswald West, member of Oregon Railroad Commission Jefferson Myers, member of Oregon State Senate

Results

General election Candidates Jay Bowerman, Republican Oswald West, Democratic A. E. Eaton, Prohibition W. S. Richards, Socialist

Results

Results by county Lincoln County voted Democratic for the first time in this election. Curry County also voted Democratic for the first time since 1878. County Oswald WestDemocratic Jay BowermanRepublican W. S. RichardsSocialist A. E. EatonProhibition Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Baker1,70546.96%1,44039.66%2938.07%1935.32%2657.30%3,631Benton1,16254.68%78436.89%582.73%1215.69%37817.79%2,125Clackamas3,02553.15%2,08436.62%3165.55%2664.67%94116.53%5,691Clatsop1,43655.77%91435.50%1756.80%501.94%52220.27%2,575Columbia64734.27%92649.05%22511.92%904.77%-279-14.78%1,888Coos1,34638.26%1,44941.19%57416.32%1494.24%-103-2.93%3,518Crook89948.97%76441.61%1216.59%522.83%1357.35%1,836Curry29457.20%17634.24%326.23%122.33%11822.96%514Douglas1,91344.09%1,86843.05%3969.13%1623.73%451.04%4,339Gilliam36143.55%44053.08%182.17%101.21%-79-9.53%829Grant56246.79%52343.55%907.49%262.16%393.25%1,201Harney51747.52%47543.66%756.89%211.93%423.86%1,088Hood River44939.04%56549.13%645.57%726.26%-116-10.09%1,150Jackson2,55656.51%1,25627.77%47810.57%2335.15%1,30028.74%4,523Josephine82140.70%87743.48%21710.76%1025.06%-56-2.78%2,017Klamath68739.71%79946.18%1649.48%804.62%-112-6.47%1,730Lake36738.55%48450.84%586.09%434.52%-117-12.29%952Lane2,60241.85%2,72543.83%5048.11%3866.21%-123-1.98%6,217Lincoln62049.68%46337.10%13010.42%352.80%15712.58%1,248Linn2,50253.48%1,67535.81%2976.35%2044.36%82717.68%4,678Malheur74144.80%72844.01%905.44%955.74%130.79%1,654Marion3,75150.92%2,79537.94%2974.03%5247.11%95612.98%7,367Morrow31031.03%57457.46%737.31%424.20%-264-26.43%999Multnomah14,79646.77%13,49842.66%1,8855.96%1,4604.61%1,2984.10%31,639Polk1,57753.58%1,08336.80%1485.03%1354.59%49416.79%2,943Sherman29539.39%39352.47%212.80%405.34%-98-13.08%749Tillamook59045.63%49938.59%1249.59%806.19%917.04%1,293Umatilla1,90543.75%2,02246.44%2054.71%2225.10%-117-2.69%4,354Union1,29543.05%1,19739.79%2418.01%2759.14%983.26%3,008Wallowa73145.55%64740.31%1348.35%935.79%845.23%1,605Wasco1,02143.23%1,05844.79%1596.73%1245.25%-37-1.57%2,362Washington1,59640.88%1,85547.52%1834.69%2706.92%-259-6.63%3,904Wheeler24842.32%32154.78%91.54%81.37%-73-12.46%586Yamhill1,52643.89%1,39440.09%1865.35%37110.67%1323.80%3,477Total54,85346.61%48,75141.42%8,0406.83%6,0465.14%6,1025.18%117,690

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Benton Curry Jackson Lincoln Malheur Tillamook

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Gilliam Lake Lane Morrow Wasco

Notes

References