Who won South Dakota in the 1896 presidential election?

Bryan (Democratic) carried South Dakota in 1896, winning its 4 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did South Dakota have in 1896?

South Dakota cast 4 electoral votes in the 1896 presidential election.

Did South Dakota vote for the national winner in 1896?

No. South Dakota backed Bryan, while William McKinley won the presidency nationally.

Progressive EraSD · 4 EV

1896

South Dakota: Bryan carries 4 EV.

South Dakota cast its 4 electoral votes for Bryan (Democratic). National winner: William McKinley (Republican) — South Dakota voted against the national winner this cycle.

What happened in South Dakota, 1896

In 1896, South Dakota awarded its 4 electoral votes to Bryan of the Democratic party. The presidency went elsewhere: William McKinley (Republican) won nationally, while South Dakota had backed a different ticket.

The result flipped South Dakota away from the Republican it had supported in 1892. The region divided — Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana joined South Dakota for the Democratic ticket, while North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa did not. Over its 34 recorded presidential cycles, South Dakota has backed the Republican party more than any other — 29 times in all. The vote fell within the Progressive Era — Trust-busting, suffrage, and World War I.

Nationally, William McKinley finished with 271 of the 447 electoral votes to William Jennings Bryan's 176. William McKinley led the national popular vote with 51.02% of the ballots cast.

The 1896 national map

South Dakota full history →