1896 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election

The 1896 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1896, and featured Populist and Democratic fusion nominee James E. Harris defeating his major rival, Republican nominee Orlando Tefft.^[1] Other candidates who received two percent of the vote or less included Gold Democratic nominee Owen F. Biglin, Prohibition nominee Lucius O. Jones, Socialist Labor nominee Fred Herman, and National Silver nominee Oscar Kent.^[1] Incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Robert E. Moore did not seek reelection.

With the victory of Populist/Democratic fusion candidate James E. Harris, this election became the first Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election in which a candidate affiliated with a party other than the Republican Party won the office of lieutenant governor. The success of the Populist/Democratic fusion candidates was helped in part by the popularity of William Jennings Bryan, a Nebraskan running for president on the Populist/Democratic ticket.

General election

Candidates

Owen F. Biglin, Nebraska Gold Democratic candidate, former candidate for Holt County Treasurer from O'Neill, Nebraska^[2]^[3]^[4]
James E. Harris, Populist/Democratic fusion candidate, farmer, preacher, and former member of the Nebraska Senate from 1893 to 1895 from Talmage, Nebraska^[5]^[6]^[7]
Fred Herman, Socialist Labor Party candidate from Lincoln, Nebraska^[2]
Lucius Orville Jones, Prohibition Party candidate, businessman, banker, and prominent member of the Methodist church from Lincoln, Nebraska^[2]^[8]^[9]
Oscar Kent, National Silver Party candidate, from Kenesaw, Nebraska^[2]^[10]
Orlando Tefft, Republican candidate, businessman, banker, and member of the Nebraska Senate since 1893 and previously from 1879 to 1883 from Avoca, Nebraska^[5]^[11]^[12]

Results

Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1896^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Populist	James E. Harris	111,729	51.71
	Republican	Orlando Tefft	95,757	44.32
	National Democratic	Owen F. Biglin	4,431	2.05
	Prohibition	Lucius O. Jones	2,458	1.14
	Socialist Labor	Fred Herman	875	0.40
	Silver	Oscar Kent	810	0.37
Total votes			216,060	100.00
	Populist gain from Republican

References

^ ^a ^b ^c State of Nebraska (1899). 1899-1900 Nebraska Blue Book (PDF). State Journal Co. pp. 234–235. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "State Ticket". Lincoln Evening Call. November 2, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ "Biglin's Financiering: If He Hadn't Been Nominated for Treasurer Would He Have Paid It?". The O'Neill Sun. October 24, 1895. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2023. On April 29, 1884, Owen F. Biglin was appointed...
^ "Populist Ticket". Atkinson Plain Dealer. October 2, 1895. p. 8. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ ^a ^b State of Nebraska (2021), 2020-21 Nebraska Blue Book (PDF), p. 317-178, retrieved June 11, 2023
^ "The New State Officers". Beatrice Daily Express. December 2, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ "The State Ticket". Omaha World-Herald. September 21, 1896. p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ "L. O. Jones, 82, Long Methodist Official, Dead". Lincoln Star. May 30, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ "L. O. Jones, 81, Churchman, Dead". Nebraska State Journal. May 31, 1940. p. 13. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ "National Party Names a Ticket". Minden Gazette. August 13, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
^ J. Sterling Morton and Albert Watkins (1905). Illustrated History of Nebraska: A History of Nebraska from the Earliest Explorations of the Trans-Mississippi Region, with Steel Engravings, Photogravures, Copper Plates, Maps, and Tables. Vol. 1. p. 758. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ "Orlando Gets It". The Evening News. July 2, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2023.