1896 Delaware gubernatorial election

The 1896 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1896. Shortly after his victory in the 1894 gubernatorial election, Republican Governor Joshua H. Marvil died. State Senate Speaker William T. Watson, a Democrat, became Governor and a new election for a full four-year term was scheduled in 1896. Though Watson was considered a potential candidate for re-election,[1] the Democratic convention instead nominated Ebe W. Tunnell, the 1894 nominee for Governor; despite his protests that he would decline the nomination,[2] Tunnell ultimately accepted it.[3]

1896 Delaware gubernatorial election

November 3, 1896

Nominee Ebe W. Tunnell John H. Hoffecker John C. Higgins Party Democratic Union Republican Republican Popular vote 15,507 11,014 7,154 Percentage 44.20% 31.40% 20.39%

Governor before election William T. Watson Democratic Elected Governor Ebe W. Tunnell Democratic

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The Republican Party, meanwhile, split in the election and nominated two separate candidates for Governor: the faction of the Republican Party affiliated with wealthy industrialist J. Edward Addicks split off from the main Party and nominated John H. Hoffecker the President of the Smyrna Town Council.[4] The anti-Addicks faction, which held the official Republican banner, nominated former State Representative John C. Higgins.[5] The fragmentation continued throughout the campaign, and despite rumors that the fractions would reunite and nominate a single candidate, they did not do so.[6]

The split ended up destroying the Republican Party's chances of regaining the governorship; Tunnell defeated Hoffecker and Higgins by a wide margin, though he fell far short of a majority. This ended up being the final election that occurred under the 1831 Constitution; the 1897 Constitution was drafted the following year and ratified prior to the 1900 gubernatorial election.