1920 Wisconsin lieutenant gubernatorial election

1920 Wisconsin lieutenant gubernatorial election

← 1918 2 November 1920 1922 →

Nominee George Comings Henry Kleist Frank R. Derrick Party Republican Socialist Prohibition Popular vote 440,839 75,457 55,940 Percentage 76.92% 13.17% 9.76%

Lieutenant Governor before election Edward Dithmar Republican Elected Lieutenant Governor George Comings Republican

The 1920 Wisconsin lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on 2 November 1920 in order to elect the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. Republican nominee George Comings defeated Socialist nominee and incumbent member of the Wisconsin Senate Henry Kleist and Prohibition nominee Frank R. Derrick. This election marked the first time since the creation of the office of lieutenant governor that the Democratic party failed to run a candidate.^[1]

Republican primary

The Republican primary election was held on 7 September 1920. Candidate George Comings received a plurality of the votes (45.91%) against incumbent state senator Albert J. Pullen and former state senator and candidate for lieutenant governor in the previous election Charles H. Everett, and was thus elected as the nominee for the general election.^[2][3]

Results

1920 Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George Comings	152,052	45.91%
	Republican	Albert J. Pullen	110,578	33.38%
	Republican	Charles H. Everett	68,592	20.71%
Total votes			331,222	100.00%

General election

On election day, 2 November 1920, Republican nominee George Comings won the election by a margin of 365,382 votes against his foremost opponent Socialist nominee Henry Kleist, thereby retaining Republican control over the office of lieutenant governor. Comings was sworn in as the 24th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin on 3 January 1921.^[4]

Results

Wisconsin lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1920

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George Comings	440,839	76.92
	Socialist	Henry Kleist	75,457	13.17
	Prohibition	Frank R. Derrick	55,940	9.76
		Scattering	904	0.15
Total votes			573,140	100.00
	Republican hold

References

1. "Wisconsin blue book". library.wisc.edu. 1921. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
2. "County Clerk's List of Candidates". The Vilas County News. Eagle River, Wisconsin. 25 August 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
3. "Primary election statistics 1920". library.wisc.edu. 1921. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
4. "1920 Lt. Gubernatorial General Election Results - Wisconsin". uselectionatlas.org. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2025.