1944 Utah gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1944 United States gubernatorial elections.

1944 Utah gubernatorial election

←  1940 November 7, 1944 1948  →

Nominee Herbert B. Maw J. Bracken Lee Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 123,907 122,851 Percentage 50.21% 49.79%

County results Maw:     50–60% Lee:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election Herbert B. Maw Democratic Elected Governor Herbert B. Maw Democratic

The 1944 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Democrat Herbert B. Maw defeated Republican nominee J. Bracken Lee with 50.21% of the vote. This is the closest gubernatorial election in Utah to date.

Primary election

Primary elections were held on July 11, 1944. No runoffs were required in the gubernatorial primaries.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Stanley N. Child
• Herbert B. Maw, incumbent governor

Results

Democratic primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Herbert B. Maw (inc.)	25,774	62.79%
	Democratic	Stanley N. Child	15,274	37.21%
Total votes			41,048	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• J. Bracken Lee, Mayor of Price
• Reed E. Vetterli

Results

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	J. Bracken Lee	23,677	65.46%
	Republican	Reed E. Vetterli	12,493	34.54%
Total votes			36,170	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Herbert B. Maw, Democratic
• J. Bracken Lee, Republican

Results

1944 Utah gubernatorial election ^{[2] [3]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Herbert B. Maw (incumbent)	123,907	50.21%	−1.86%
	Republican	J. Bracken Lee	122,851	49.79%	+2.09%
Total votes			246,758	100.00%
Majority			1,056	0.43%
	Democratic hold		Swing	-3.95%

Results by county

County [2]	Herbert B. Maw Demcoratic		J. Bracken Lee Republican		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Beaver	924	44.25%	1,164	55.75%	-240	-11.49%	2,088
Box Elder	3,537	49.21%	3,651	50.79%	-114	-1.59%	7,188
Cache	5,589	47.11%	6,274	52.89%	-685	-5.77%	11,863
Carbon	3,284	42.78%	4,392	57.22%	-1,108	-14.43%	7,676
Daggett	93	54.07%	79	45.93%	14	8.14%	172
Davis	4,306	48.96%	4,489	51.04%	-183	-2.08%	8,795
Duchesne	1,548	56.31%	1,201	43.69%	347	12.62%	2,749
Emery	1,030	43.30%	1,349	56.70%	-319	-13.41%	2,379
Garfield	493	34.96%	917	65.04%	-424	-30.07%	1,410
Grand	292	35.92%	521	64.08%	-229	-28.17%	813
Iron	1,505	41.51%	2,121	58.49%	-616	-16.99%	3,626
Juab	1,269	47.58%	1,398	52.42%	-129	-4.84%	2,667
Kane	246	27.73%	641	72.27%	-395	-44.53%	887
Millard	1,749	46.42%	2,019	53.58%	-270	-7.17%	3,768
Morgan	510	42.36%	694	57.64%	-184	-15.28%	1,204
Piute	272	37.11%	461	62.89%	-189	-25.78%	733
Rich	352	44.61%	437	55.39%	-85	-10.77%	789
Salt Lake	58,315	55.46%	46,828	44.54%	11,487	10.93%	105,143
San Juan	410	46.91%	464	53.09%	-54	-6.18%	874
Sanpete	3,179	51.04%	3,049	48.96%	130	2.09%	6,228
Sevier	1,686	38.04%	2,746	61.96%	-1,060	-23.92%	4,432
Summit	1,444	44.96%	1,768	55.04%	-324	-10.09%	3,212
Tooele	2,296	50.66%	2,236	49.34%	60	1.32%	4,532
Uintah	1,560	52.12%	1,433	47.88%	127	4.24%	2,993
Utah	11,505	45.28%	13,906	54.72%	-2,401	-9.45%	25,411
Wasatch	1,121	48.53%	1,189	51.47%	-68	-2.94%	2,310
Washington	1,633	50.02%	1,632	49.98%	1	0.03%	3,265
Wayne	406	54.06%	345	45.94%	61	8.12%	751
Weber	13,353	46.36%	15,447	53.64%	-2,094	-7.27%	28,800
Total	123,907	50.21%	122,851	49.79%	1,056	0.43%	246,758

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Duchesne
• Sanpete
• Uintah
• Washington
• Wayne

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Carbon
• Emery
• Juab
• Utah
• Weber

References

1. Utah State Archives, Abstract of the Returns of the Primary Election held in the State of Utah, Tuesday, July 11, 1944 for United States Senator, for Representatives in the Seventy-Ninth Congress of the United States, for State Officers, and District Officers in Districts comprising more than one County.
2. Utah State Archives, Abstract of the Returns of an Election held in the State of Utah, Tuesday, November 7, 1944 A.D.
3. Kalb, Deborah (December 24, 2015). Guide to U.S. Elections. ISBN   9781483380353 . Retrieved May 18, 2020.