Presidential Elections
September, 2005
In presidential elections, Homestead Valley has consistently voted more heavily for democratic and socialist party candidates than has Mill Valley.
In 1908, democrat William Jennings Bryan received 32 % of the vote in Homestead vs. 23% in Mill Valley. Republican William Howard Taft won.
In 1912, Homestead voted 50% for democrat Woodrow Wilson and 13 % for Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs. Mill Valley voted 49% for Wilson and 1% for Debs. Progressive candidate Teddy Roosevelt got the remaining votes. Incumbent president Taft had been relegated to a write-in candidate by progressives at the California republican convention. Wilson won. In 1916, Homestead went 60% for democrat Woodrow Wilson, vs. 43% in Mill Valley. Wilson was reelected.
In 1920, Homestead went 33% for democrat James M. Cox and 12% for socialist Eugene V. Debs. Mill Valley voted 25% for Cox and 10% for Debs. Republican Warren G. Harding won. In 1924, republican Calvin Coolidge received 40% in Homestead and 55% in Mill Valley. The winner in Homestead was progressive Robert M. La Follette with 52%; democrat John W. Davis received only 8%. Mill Valley voted 55% for Coolidge, 38% for La Follette and 7% for Davis. Coolidge won. In 1928, Homestead went 59% for republican Herbert Hoover and 41% for democrat Al Smith. Mill Valley voted 71% for Hoover and 29% for Smith. Hoover won.
In 1932, Homestead went 69% for democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt and 31% for republican Hoover. Mill Valley voted 51% for Hoover and 49% for Roosevelt. Roosevelt won. In 1936, Homestead voted 71% for Roosevelt vs. 61% in Mill Valley. Roosevelt won.
In 1940, Mill Valley voted 56% for republican Wendell L. Willkie. The Mill Valley Record reported, “Taking sharp issue with Mill Valley was its rural area, as Roosevelt received majorities in Tam Valley, Muir Woods Park, Almonte, Homestead and Alto.” Roosevelt won. In 1944, Mill Valley voted 55% for republican Thomas Dewey while Homestead voted 56% for Roosevelt. Roosevelt won.
If you have comments or questions about this article or other topics
pertaining to the history of Homestead Valley,
please feel free to e-mail Chuck Oldenburg.