1923 Chinese Presidential Election

The bribery election

5 October 1923 · The Chinese Republic's first elections

The capital was under control of the Zhili Clique after the Zhili–Anhui War. In 1922 the Zhili warlords Wu Peifu and Cao Kun restored the "old" parliament elected in 1912.

The 'bribery election': Cao Kun openly bought parliamentarians' votes at a going rate of 5,000 silver dollars. Recorded here as history, not a legitimate contest.

President before

Gao Lingwei (acting)

Nonpartisan

Elected President

Cao Kun

Zhili clique

Winning share

83.0%

Turnout

—

The result

Sort by

Cao Kun

Zhili clique · 480 votes

83.04%

Sun Yat-sen

Kuomintang · 33 votes

5.71%

Tang Jiyao

Yunnan clique · 20 votes

3.46%

Cen Chunxuan

Kuomintang · 8 votes

1.38%

Duan Qirui

Anhui clique · 7 votes

1.21%

Wu Peifu

Zhili clique · 5 votes

0.87%

Other candidates

25 votes

4.33%


Cao Kun	Zhili clique	480	83.04%
Sun Yat-sen	Kuomintang	33	5.71%
Tang Jiyao	Yunnan clique	20	3.46%
Cen Chunxuan	Kuomintang	8	1.38%
Duan Qirui	Anhui clique	7	1.21%
Wu Peifu	Zhili clique	5	0.87%
Other candidates	—	25	4.33%