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1960 United States presidential election in Mississippi

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Main article: 1960 United States presidential election
1960 United States presidential election in Mississippi
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
 
Nominee Harry F. Byrd
(by unpledged electors) 		John F. Kennedy Richard Nixon
Party Southern Democrat Democratic Republican
Home state Virginia Massachusetts California
Running mate Strom Thurmond Lyndon B. Johnson Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
Electoral vote 8 0 0
Popular vote 116,248 108,362 73,561
Percentage 38.99% 36.34% 24.67%
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The 1960 United States presidential election in Mississippi took place on November 8, 1960, as part of the 1960 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. This was the last election in which Mississippi had eight electoral votes: the Great Migration of Black Americans caused the state to lose congressional districts for the third time in four censuses before the next election.

The election saw the only case of a state being carried by a slate of unpledged electors. Mississippi voted narrowly for this slate, who voted unanimously for long-time Virginia Senator and political machine director Harry Flood Byrd, over the national Democratic nominee, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. Republican nominee and outgoing Vice President Richard Nixon, from California, came in third, with his percentage of the vote practically unchanged from what outgoing President Dwight D. Eisenhower recorded in 1956.

Governor Ross Barnett, a segregationist, was faced with a severe dilemma upon becoming governor at the beginning of the year owing to the rigid opposition of Mississippi’s limited and almost exclusively White electorate[1] to the active Civil Rights Movement. Pressured by the "Citizens' Council" who wished to unite the South behind a White-supremacist Democratic candidate,[2] Governor Barnett repeated James P. Coleman’s strategy from 1956 and nominated two sets of Democratic Party electors for the presidential ballot.[3] The first slate was pledged to Kennedy, while the other was not pledged to any candidate. The aim of placing unpledged electors on the ballot was to gain leverage from either major party in a close election,[3] with the possibility of the House of Representatives electing a candidate more favourable to opponents of Brown v. Board of Education than either national major party nominee.[4]

Because the civil rights movement’s supporters regarded Kennedy’s record as poor on this issue, Senators John C. Stennis and James Eastland supported his candidacy, although state-level politicians were not at all supportive.[5] The state’s media saw a vigorous debate between the loyalist and unpledged Democrats in the week before the election.[6] Outside heavily French-settled Hancock County, which has greater cultural ties with Louisiana than with most of the rest of Mississippi, Kennedy’s Catholic faith was also considered suspect.[7]

Campaign

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Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
The Philadelphia Inquirer[8] Tilt I (Flip) October 3, 1960
Knoxville News Sentinel[9] Tossup October 23, 1960
Daily News[10] Likely D October 28, 1960
The Daily Item[11] Tilt D November 4, 1960
The Clarion-Ledger[12] Tilt D November 7, 1960
Hattiesburg American[13] Lean D November 7, 1960

Results

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[14]

1960 United States presidential election in Mississippi[15]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Unpledged Electors — 116,248 38.99% 8
Democratic John F. Kennedy 108,362 36.34% 0
Republican Richard Nixon 73,561 24.67% 0
Totals 298,171 100.00% 8

Results by county

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County Unpledged Electors
Democratic 		John F. Kennedy
Democratic 		Richard Nixon
Republican 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adams 2,526 48.53% 1,452 27.90% 1,227 23.57% 1,074 20.63% 5,205
Alcorn 601 13.43% 3,054 68.25% 820 18.32% 2,234[a] 49.93% 4,475
Amite 1,655 72.72% 338 14.85% 283 12.43% 1,317 57.87% 2,276
Attala 1,281 39.20% 1,337 40.91% 650 19.89% -56 -1.71% 3,268
Benton 348 31.90% 568 52.06% 175 16.04% -220 -20.16% 1,091
Bolivar 1,638 43.46% 1,119 29.69% 1,012 26.85% 519 13.77% 3,769
Calhoun 1,299 53.09% 765 31.26% 383 15.65% 534 21.83% 2,447
Carroll 840 57.07% 425 28.87% 207 14.06% 415 28.20% 1,472
Chickasaw 1,362 53.66% 791 31.17% 385 15.17% 571 22.49% 2,538
Choctaw 584 35.48% 817 49.64% 245 14.88% -233 -14.16% 1,646
Claiborne 651 62.84% 205 19.79% 180 17.37% 446 43.05% 1,036
Clarke 1,478 44.68% 1,244 37.61% 586 17.71% 234 7.07% 3,308
Clay 1,295 54.60% 626 26.39% 451 19.01% 669 28.21% 2,372
Coahoma 1,385 35.82% 1,386 35.84% 1,096 28.34% -1 -0.02% 3,867
Copiah 1,957 54.15% 896 24.79% 761 21.06% 1,061 29.36% 3,614
Covington 985 44.81% 842 38.31% 371 16.88% 143 6.50% 2,198
DeSoto 734 35.25% 795 38.18% 553 26.56% -61 -2.93% 2,082
Forrest 3,152 36.52% 2,068 23.96% 3,412 39.53% 260[b] 3.01% 8,632
Franklin 1,115 66.37% 441 26.25% 124 7.38% 674 40.12% 1,680
George 917 44.28% 844 40.75% 310 14.97% 73 3.53% 2,071
Greene 781 49.49% 550 34.85% 247 15.65% 231 14.64% 1,578
Grenada 1,132 48.31% 529 22.58% 682 29.11% 450[b] 19.20% 2,343
Hancock 502 14.97% 2,132 63.58% 719 21.44% 1,413[a] 42.14% 3,353
Harrison 2,621 15.64% 8,961 53.47% 5,177 30.89% 3,784[a] 22.58% 16,759
Hinds 12,094 41.72% 5,811 20.05% 11,083 38.23% 1,011[b] 3.49% 28,988
Holmes 1,484 57.81% 628 24.46% 455 17.72% 856 33.35% 2,567
Humphreys 732 51.48% 459 32.28% 231 16.24% 273 19.20% 1,422
Issaquena 181 42.79% 178 42.08% 64 15.13% 3 0.71% 423
Itawamba 653 23.57% 1,752 63.23% 366 13.21% -1,099 -39.66% 2,771
Jackson 1,908 20.80% 5,000 54.50% 2,266 24.70% 2,734[a] 29.80% 9,174
Jasper 926 38.03% 1,147 47.10% 362 14.87% -221 -9.07% 2,435
Jefferson 728 66.54% 229 20.93% 137 12.52% 499 45.61% 1,094
Jefferson Davis 988 57.34% 510 29.60% 225 13.06% 478 27.74% 1,723
Jones 2,928 27.81% 4,871 46.27% 2,729 25.92% -1,943 -18.46% 10,528
Kemper 587 34.31% 931 54.41% 193 11.28% -344 -20.10% 1,711
Lafayette 909 31.11% 1,308 44.76% 705 24.13% -399 -13.65% 2,922
Lamar 1,046 44.83% 651 27.90% 636 27.26% 395 16.93% 2,333
Lauderdale 4,154 38.66% 3,755 34.95% 2,836 26.39% 399 3.71% 10,745
Lawrence 923 55.91% 469 28.41% 259 15.69% 454 27.50% 1,651
Leake 2,011 61.88% 953 29.32% 286 8.80% 1,058 32.56% 3,250
Lee 1,438 21.65% 3,653 55.01% 1,550 23.34% 2,103[a] 31.67% 6,641
Leflore 2,112 45.51% 1,212 26.12% 1,317 28.38% 795[b] 17.13% 4,641
Lincoln 2,185 44.73% 1,449 29.66% 1,251 25.61% 736 15.07% 4,885
Lowndes 1,430 30.56% 1,240 26.50% 2,010 42.95% 580[b] 12.39% 4,680
Madison 1,583 55.33% 753 26.32% 525 18.35% 830 29.01% 2,861
Marion 1,265 41.54% 1,082 35.53% 698 22.92% 183 6.01% 3,045
Marshall 700 39.22% 681 38.15% 404 22.63% 19 1.07% 1,785
Monroe 1,559 32.08% 1,901 39.12% 1,400 28.81% -342 -7.04% 4,860
Montgomery 761 38.65% 623 31.64% 585 29.71% 138 7.01% 1,969
Neshoba 1,716 41.49% 1,840 44.49% 580 14.02% -124 -3.00% 4,136
Newton 1,956 57.94% 912 27.01% 508 15.05% 1,044 30.93% 3,376
Noxubee 870 58.43% 277 18.60% 342 22.97% 528[b] 35.46% 1,489
Oktibbeha 1,672 48.95% 915 26.79% 829 24.27% 757 22.16% 3,416
Panola 1,404 48.61% 841 29.12% 643 22.26% 563 19.49% 2,888
Pearl River 1,556 44.67% 1,276 36.64% 651 18.69% 280 8.03% 3,483
Perry 556 41.37% 514 38.24% 274 20.39% 42 3.13% 1,344
Pike 2,632 49.13% 1,258 23.48% 1,467 27.38% 1,165[b] 21.75% 5,357
Pontotoc 792 29.29% 1,584 58.58% 328 12.13% -792 -29.29% 2,704
Prentiss 468 15.68% 1,777 59.53% 740 24.79% 1,037[a] 34.74% 2,985
Quitman 674 43.32% 583 37.47% 299 19.22% 91 5.85% 1,556
Rankin 3,114 65.12% 850 17.77% 818 17.11% 2,264 47.35% 4,782
Scott 1,841 53.02% 1,024 29.49% 607 17.48% 817 23.53% 3,472
Sharkey 431 42.80% 263 26.12% 313 31.08% 118[b] 11.72% 1,007
Simpson 1,568 48.88% 1,034 32.23% 606 18.89% 534 16.65% 3,208
Smith 1,025 34.79% 1,568 53.22% 353 11.98% -543 -18.43% 2,946
Stone 818 56.96% 343 23.89% 275 19.15% 475 33.07% 1,436
Sunflower 1,241 35.96% 1,033 29.93% 1,177 34.11% 64[b] 1.85% 3,451
Tallahatchie 1,421 54.72% 830 31.96% 346 13.32% 591 22.76% 2,597
Tate 845 47.69% 686 38.71% 241 13.60% 159 8.98% 1,772
Tippah 467 16.15% 1,939 67.05% 486 16.80% 1,453[a] 50.25% 2,892
Tishomingo 669 27.56% 1,222 50.35% 536 22.08% -553 -22.79% 2,427
Tunica 240 26.76% 323 36.01% 334 37.24% -11[a] -1.23% 897
Union 689 20.91% 2,001 60.73% 605 18.36% -1,312 -39.82% 3,295
Walthall 1,082 50.58% 747 34.92% 310 14.49% 335 15.66% 2,139
Warren 2,021 30.68% 2,289 34.75% 2,277 34.57% 12[a] 0.18% 6,587
Washington 1,258 18.90% 3,105 46.66% 2,292 34.44% 813[a] 12.22% 6,655
Wayne 1,036 46.39% 707 31.66% 490 21.94% 329 14.73% 2,233
Webster 1,174 57.95% 553 27.30% 299 14.76% 621 30.65% 2,026
Wilkinson 832 68.09% 216 17.68% 174 14.24% 616 50.41% 1,222
Winston 1,505 50.74% 1,056 35.60% 405 13.65% 449 15.14% 2,966
Yalobusha 704 36.99% 650 34.16% 549 28.85% 54 2.83% 1,903
Yazoo 1,847 55.30% 715 21.41% 778 23.29% 1,069[b] 32.01% 3,340
Totals 116,248 38.99% 108,362 36.34% 73,561 24.67% 7,886 2.65% 298,171

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Unpledged

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Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Counties that flipped from Republican to Unpledged

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Counties that flipped from Unpledged to Democratic

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Analysis

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In the coastal counties, Kennedy improved considerably upon what Adlai Stevenson II achieved in 1956, but except for those counties around the cities of Natchez and Vicksburg, Kennedy otherwise showed a major decline from the Democratic result in 1956.[7] Kennedy held up best in the poor White upcountry counties that had historically been much more anti-Catholic than the Black Belt,[16] suggesting that voters throughout the state had become more suspicious of the Democrats’ civil rights policies. Since the Republican percentage of the vote essentially failed to change – Nixon lost Hancock to Kennedy and Adams and Warren to the unpledged slate but picked up Tunica and Lowndes Counties – the unpledged slate took almost all of Kennedy’s lost votes and thus shaded him for the state overall.

Despite Kennedy’s statewide defeat being only the second for a national Democrat in Mississippi since Reconstruction, this remains the last election when the coastal, French-influenced counties of Harrison and Jackson have voted for a Democratic presidential nominee.[17] The following landlocked counties have also never voted Democratic since: Choctaw, Jones and Smith.[17] Warren County would not vote Democratic again until Barack Obama won it in 2012.[18]

Electoral slates

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Unpledged electors
State Democratic Party 		John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
National Democratic Party 		Richard Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
Republican Party
Henry Harris
George Payne Cossar
Charles L. Sullivan
Clay B. Tucker
Earl Evans Jr.
Bob Buntin
D. M. Nelson
Lawrence Y. Foote 		Frank K. Hughes
David E. Guyton
Will M. Whittington
Frank E. Shanahan Jr.
Martin V. B. Miller
Edward H. Stevens
Curtis H. Mullen
Lovie Gore 		John M. Kaye
Ralph O. White
J. H. Snyder
J. J. Newman
George W. Shaw
C. E. Tolar
Noel Womack Jr.
J. B. Snyder

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j In this county where the unpledged slate did finish third behind both Kennedy and Nixon, margin given is Kennedy vote minus Nixon vote and percentage margin Kennedy percentage minus Nixon percentage.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j In this county where Kennedy ran third behind both Nixon and the unpledged slate, margin given is Nixon vote minus unpledged vote and percentage margin Nixon percentage minus unpledged percentage.

References

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  1. ^ See Bullock, Charles S.; Gaddie, Ronald Keith. The Triumph of Voting Rights in the South. pp. 31–33. ISBN 0806185309.
  2. ^ McMillen, Neil R. The Citizens' Council: Organized Resistance to the Second Reconstruction, 1954-64. p. 333. ISBN 0252064410.
  3. ^ a b Crespino, Joseph. In Search of Another Country: Mississippi and the Conservative Counterrevolution. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0691122091.
  4. ^ Hills, Charles M. (October 11, 1960). "Barnett's Colonels Hear Elector Plan". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. pp. 1, 6.
  5. ^ Bolton, Charles C. William F. Winter and the New Mississippi: A Biography. p. 113. ISBN 1617037877.
  6. ^ "Loyalist, Unpledged Slug Away on Television". Enterprise-Journal. McComb, Mississippi. November 3, 1960. p. 7.
  7. ^ a b Menendez, Albert J. The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election: An Analysis of the Kennedy Victory over Anti-Catholic Prejudice. pp. 132–133. ISBN 0786484934.
  8. ^ Hoffman, Fred S. (October 3, 1960). "How Election Looks Today". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia. pp. 1, 3.
  9. ^ "Populous States Are Key: Both Parties Claim Enough Votes To Win". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. October 23, 1960. p. A-4.
  10. ^ Lewis, Ted (October 28, 1960). "Campaign Circus". Daily News. Jersey City, New Jersey. p. 4C.
  11. ^ "Poll of Editors Predicts Victory for Nixon-Lodge: Republican Ticket Seen Winning in 28 States and Democrats in 19". The Daily Item. November 4, 1960. p. 3.
  12. ^ Hoffman, Fred S. (November 7, 1960). "AP Poll Puts Jack Ahead in Electors". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. pp. 1–2.
  13. ^ Gould, Geoffrey (November 7, 1960). "Final Survey Shows Race a Tossup to the Finish". Hattiesburg American. Hattiesburg, Mississippi. p. 16.
  14. ^ Mississippi official and statistical register 1960-64. Jackson, MS: Secretary of State of Mississippi. 1965. pp. 393–395.
  15. ^ Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; 1960 Presidential General Election Results – Mississippi
  16. ^ Phillips, Kevin P. (1969). The Emerging Republican Majority. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. pp. 220, 234–237. ISBN 0870000586.
  17. ^ a b Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  18. ^ "Warren County, Mississippi Votes". The Political Graveyard.
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