1956 Montana gubernatorial election

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1956 Montana gubernatorial election
Flag of Montana (1905-1981).svg
  1952 November 6, 1956 1960  
Turnout83.20%Decrease2.svg2.50 [1]
  J. Hugo Aronson.jpg Arnold Olsen.jpg
Nominee J. Hugo Aronson Arnold Olsen
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote138,878131,488
Percentage51.37%48.63%

1956 Montana gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Aronson:     50–60%     60–70%
Olsen:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election

J. Hugo Aronson
Republican

Elected Governor

J. Hugo Aronson
Republican

The 1956 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1956. Incumbent governor of Montana J. Hugo Aronson, who was first elected Governor in 1952, ran for re-election. He was unopposed in the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where he faced Arnold Olsen, the Attorney General of Montana and the Democratic nominee. Despite the fact that then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower won the state in a landslide that year in the presidential election, Aronson only narrowly defeated Arnold to win his second and final term as governor.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic Party primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Arnold Olsen 55,269 44.94
Democratic John W. Bonner51,30641.72
Democratic Danny O'Neill14,77712.01
Democratic J. M. Nickey1,6391.33
Total votes122,991 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican Primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican J. Hugo Aronson (incumbent) 50,444 100.00
Total votes50,444 100.00

General election

Results

Montana gubernatorial election, 1956 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican J. Hugo Aronson (incumbent) 138,878 51.37% +0.41%
Democratic Arnold Olsen 131,48848.63%-0.41%
Majority7,3902.73%+0.82%
Turnout 270,366
Republican hold Swing

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References

  1. "Montana Voter Turnout". Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary election Held in the State of Montana, June 5, 1956" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  3. "Official Montana General Election Results, November 6, 1956" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2014.