1920 South Dakota gubernatorial election

1920 South Dakota gubernatorial election

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1922 →
 
Nominee William H. McMaster Mark P. Bates William W. Howes
Party Republican Nonpartisan League Democratic
Popular vote 103,592 48,426 31,870
Percentage 56.33% 26.12% 17.33%

County results
McMaster:      40–50%      50–60%
     60–70%      70–80%
Bates:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor of South Dakota before election

Peter Norbeck
Republican

Elected Governor of South Dakota

William H. McMaster
Republican

The 1920 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1920. Incumbent Republican Governor Peter Norbeck declined to run for re-election, instead choosing to run for the U.S. Senate. Lieutenant Governor William H. McMaster won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where he faced Nonpartisan League candidate Mark P. Bates and former State Senator William W. Howes, the Democratic nominee. The election was largely a replay of the 1918 election, with McMaster winning a large victory, Bates coming in second, and Howes coming in a distant third.