All Taiwan elections

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

Cao KunZhili clique48083.04%
Sun Yat-senKuomintang335.71%
Tang JiyaoYunnan clique203.46%
Cen ChunxuanKuomintang81.38%
Duan QiruiAnhui clique71.21%
Wu PeifuZhili clique50.87%
Other candidates254.33%