1934 South Carolina gubernatorial election

1934 South Carolina gubernatorial primary runoff
	County results; Johnston: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% ; Blease: 50-60% 60-70%
Governor before election; Ibra Charles Blackwood; Democratic	Elected Governor ; Olin D. Johnston; Democratic

The 1934 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934, to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Olin D. Johnston won the contested Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election becoming the 98th governor of South Carolina.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Cole L. Blease, former Governor (1911–15) and United States Senator (1925–31)
Kemper Cooke
Olin D. Johnston, former State Representative from Spartanburg and candidate for Governor in 1930
Wyndham Meredith Manning, State Representative from Stateburg and son of former Governor Richard Irvine Manning III
L.B. Owens
Thomas B. Pearce
James O. Sheppard
C.E. Sloan

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor in the summer of 1934 and it attracted many politicians because of the change in 1926 to the South Carolina constitution providing for a four-year term. Johnston emerged victorious from the runoff against former Governor Cole Blease and ran without opposition on account of South Carolina's effective status as a one-party state.

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Olin D. Johnston	104,799	36.5
Coleman Livingston Blease	85,795	29.8
Wyndham Meredith Manning	55,767	19.4
Thomas B. Pearce	26,328	9.2
Kemper Cooke	7,390	2.6
L.B. Owens	4,186	1.4
James O. Sheppard	2,482	0.9
C.E. Sloan	683	0.2

Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Olin D. Johnston	157,673	56.2	+19.7
Coleman Livingston Blease	122,876	43.8	+14.0

General election

The general election was held on November 6, 1934, and Olin D. Johnston was elected the next governor of South Carolina without opposition. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout was much lower than the Democratic primary election.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1934
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Olin D. Johnston	22,873	100.0	0.0
Majority			22,873	100.0	0.0
Turnout			22,873
	Democratic hold

65+% won by Johnston

References

Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876–1962. pp. 40–41.
"Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, South Carolina: 1935, p. 3.

External links

SCIway Biography of Olin Dewitt Talmadge Johnston

Preceded by 1930	South Carolina gubernatorial elections	Succeeded by 1938