1946 United States Senate elections in California

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1946 United States Senate election in California
Flag of California (1924-1953).png
  1940 November 5, 1946 1952  
  William F. Knowland headshot.jpg Will Rogers, Jr.JPG
Nominee William F. Knowland Will Rogers Jr.
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,428,0671,167,161
Percentage54.10%44.22%

1946 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
County results
Knowland:     40–50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%
Rogers:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election

William F. Knowland
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

William F. Knowland
Republican

The two 1946 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 5, 1946.

Contents

After incumbent Republican Senator Hiram Johnson died in office in August 1945, Governor Earl Warren appointed U.S. Army Major and former State Senator William F. Knowland to finish Johnson's term until a successor could be duly elected. Knowland won both the special election to complete Johnson's term, and the regularly-scheduled 1946 election, over former U.S. Representative Will Rogers Jr., both held on November 5.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1946 Republican U.S. Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican William F. Knowland (inc.) 514,667 64.80%
Democratic Will Rogers Jr. (cross-filing)203,43625.61%
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson (cross-filing)76,1519.59%
Total votes794,254 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1946 Democratic U.S. Senate primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Will Rogers Jr. 501,634 47.45%
Democratic Ellis Patterson 286,81227.13%
Republican William F. Knowland (inc.) (cross-filing)226,18221.40%
Democratic Wayne McFarland17,7741.68%
Democratic John S. Crowder17,1561.62%
Democratic Adam C. Derkum7,5780.72%
Total votes1,057,136 100.00

General election

Results

General election results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican William F. Knowland (inc.) 1,428,067 54.10%
Democratic Will Rogers Jr. 1,167,16144.22%
Prohibition Douglas Corrigan 42,6831.62%
Socialist Labor Herbert Steiner (write-in)1560.01%
Write-inAll others1,3980.05%
Total votes2,639,465 100.00%

Special election

In a simultaneous special election for the remainder of Johnson's term, Knowland won easily. Notably, no candidates were listed on the ballot. Each vote was a write-in, making Knowland technically the first ever write-in candidate elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1954, Strom Thurmond became the first candidate to win a Senate election by write-in where another candidate was actually listed on the ballot.

Results

1946 U.S. Senate special election in California [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Write-in William F. Knowland (inc.) 425,273 74.31%
Write-in Will Rogers Jr. 90,72315.85%
Write-in George H. McLain 17,8833.13%
Write-in Ellis E. Patterson 3,8890.68%
Write-in Douglas Corrigan 2,4640.43%
Write-inVic Paulsen1,6160.28%
Write-inMoody Staten1,4940.26%
Write-inHartley F. Peart1,3830.24%
Write-inGeorge C. Highley1,2680.22%
Write-inJames Moran9180.16%
Write-inBen Rinaldo7650.13%
Write-inAubrey D. Lewis5190.09%
Write-in Frank Merriam 5070.09%
Write-inAll others23,6194.13%
Total votes572,321 100.00%

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  2. "Our Campaigns - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  3. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  4. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Special". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.