Question

Which statement explains why Arizona and New Mexico are not included in the election results in 1908? A. They were territories and thus did not have eligible voters. B. Their votes were counted too late to be in the final total. C. They were still part of Mexico. D. Their votes were counted with California’s.

Short answer

A. They were territories and thus did not have eligible voters.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Historical Context of 1908

In 1908, both Arizona and New Mexico were not yet states in the United States. They were territories at that time.

Analyze the Options

Look at each given statement: A. They were territories and thus did not have eligible voters. B. Their votes were counted too late to be in the final total. C. They were still part of Mexico. D. Their votes were counted with California's.

Verify Each Statement

Verify the accuracy of each statement: A. Correct - As territories, Arizona and New Mexico did not have eligible voters in presidential elections. B. Incorrect - There is no historical evidence that their votes were counted too late. C. Incorrect - By 1908, Arizona and New Mexico were part of the United States, not Mexico. D. Incorrect - Their votes were not counted with California's.

Conclusion

Since Arizona and New Mexico were territories in 1908 and did not have eligible voters, option A is correct.

Key concepts

Arizona and New Mexico territories

Before becoming states, Arizona and New Mexico were known as territories. A territory is a region under the jurisdiction of the federal government but not part of any state.
Territories have different legal and political statuses compared to states. They were often governed by appointed officials rather than elected representatives.
The reasons for the delay in statehood for Arizona and New Mexico included disputes over territorial boundaries and debates in Congress.
Being a territory often meant limited rights for residents, including not having the right to vote in presidential elections. This specific issue came to light during the 1908 U.S. election when their votes were not counted since they were not full-fledged states yet.

1908 U.S. election

The 1908 United States presidential election was a significant event in American history. The main candidates were William Howard Taft, representing the Republican Party, and William Jennings Bryan from the Democratic Party.

Taft won the election, succeeding Theodore Roosevelt as President. However, not all regions of the U.S. participated equally in this election.
An important detail is that Arizona and New Mexico were territories and not allowed to vote in the presidential election. Hence, their results are not included in the 1908 presidential election tally. This highlights the difference in political rights between states and territories at that time.

territorial voting rights

Territorial voting rights refer to the limitations placed on residents of U.S. territories regarding their ability to participate in federal elections.
Before achieving statehood, territories like Arizona and New Mexico were subject to certain federal restrictions. Residents could vote in local elections but not in federal ones, such as presidential elections. This restriction was based on the territories' status and lack of full representation in Congress.

This lack of voting rights was a significant issue for the residents and often contributed to the push for statehood, as seen in the cases of Arizona and New Mexico. They became states in 1912, granting their residents full voting rights in future federal elections.