1920 New Mexico gubernatorial election explained

The 1920 New Mexico gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1920.

Incumbent Republican Governor Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo was defeated for renomination. Republican candidate Merritt C. Mechem defeated Democratic nominee Richard H. Hanna with 51.26% of the vote. Otero County and Union County both backed a Republican gubernatorial candidate for the first time, but would not do so again until 1950 and 1938, respectively. This was also the last gubernatorial election until 1950 in which Grant County voted for a Republican.

General election

Candidates

• Richard H. Hanna, Democratic, former Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court^[1]
• Merritt C. Mechem, Republican, district judge^[2]

Results by county

County	Merritt C. Mechem Republican		Richard H. Hanna Democratic		W. E. McGrath Farmer-Labor		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%
	Bernalillo		4,154		41.98%		5,687		57.47%		55		0.56%		-1,533		-15.49%		9,896
	Chaves		1,587		40.98%		2,256		58.25%		30		0.77%		-669		-17.27%		3,873
	Colfax		3,164		51.51%		2,932		47.73%		47		0.77%		232		3.78%		6,143
	Curry		786		24.55%		2,270		70.92%		145		4.53%		-1,484		-46.36%		3,201
	De Baca		380		34.70%		710		64.84%		5		0.46%		-330		-30.14%		1,095
	Doña Ana		2,531		63.77%		1,426		35.93%		12		0.30%		1,105		27.84%		3,969
	Eddy		875		33.31%		1,723		65.59%		29		1.10%		-848		-32.28%		2,627
	Grant		2,243		53.76%		1,902		45.59%		27		0.65%		341		8.17%		4,172
	Guadalupe		1,531		53.98%		1,284		45.28%		21		0.74%		247		8.71%		2,836
	Hidalgo		428		42.67%		571		56.93%		4		0.40%		-143		-14.26%		1,003
	Lea		161		15.88%		830		81.85%		23		2.27%		-669		-65.98%		1,014
	Lincoln		1,476		55.34%		1,168		43.79%		23		0.86%		308		11.55%		2,667
	Luna		852		45.20%		1,007		53.42%		26		1.38%		-155		-8.22%		1,885
	McKinley		1,411		54.90%		1,136		44.20%		23		0.89%		275		10.70%		2,570
	Mora		2,262		48.37%		2,388		51.07%		26		0.56%		-126		-2.69%		4,676
	Otero		1,207		50.40%		1,134		47.35%		54		2.25%		73		3.05%		2,395
	Quay		1,172		37.73%		1,865		60.05%		69		2.22%		-693		-22.31%		3,106
	Rio Arriba		3,910		64.85%		2,119		35.15%		0		0.00%		1,791		29.71%		6,029
	Roosevelt		471		25.99%		1,280		70.64%		61		3.37%		-809		-44.65%		1,812
	San Juan		899		48.65%		931		50.38%		18		0.97%		-32		-1.73%		1,848
	San Miguel		5,105		57.34%		3,798		42.66%		0		0.00%		1,307		14.68%		8,903
	Sandoval		1,129		53.20%		993		46.80%		0		0.00%		136		6.41%		2,122
	Santa Fe		3,365		58.88%		2,332		40.80%		18		0.31%		1,033		18.08%		5,715
	Sierra		878		57.54%		635		41.61%		13		0.85%		243		15.92%		1,526
	Socorro		3,216		63.66%		1,807		35.77%		29		0.57%		1,409		27.89%		5,052
	Taos		2,457		63.10%		1,431		36.75%		6		0.15%		1,026		26.35%		3,894
	Torrance		1,605		54.74%		1,290		44.00%		37		1.26%		315		10.74%		2,932
	Union		2,799		51.81%		2,428		44.95%		175		3.24%		371		6.87%		5,402
	Valencia		2,372		62.06%		1,422		37.21%		28		0.73%		950		24.86%		3,822
Total	54,426	51.26%	50,755	47.80%	1,004	0.95%	3,671	3.46%	106,185

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Grant
• Otero
• Sierra
• Union

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Bernalillo
• Mora

Bibliography

• Book: Glashan, Roy R. . American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . Meckler Books . 1979 . 0-930466-17-9 .
• Book: . Guide to U.S. Elections . II . Washington, D.C. . CQ Press . 2005 . 9781568029818 . .
• Book: Issued by Manuel Martinez, Secretary of State . 1921 . The New Mexico Blue Book or State Official Register 1921 . Santa Fe, N.M. . Santa Fe New Mexican Publishing Corporation . .

Notes and References

1. News: . National Life Insurance Company of the Southwest . Albuquerque morning journal . Albuquerque, N.M. . March 7, 1920 . 7 . 2 January 2021 .
2. News: . Republicans select Mechem . The Clovis news . Clovis, N.M. . September 9, 1920 . 1 . 2 January 2021.