1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election

Last updated

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election
Flag of Oregon.svg
  1954 November 6, 1956 1958  
  Robert D. Holmes.jpg Elmo Smith portrait.jpg
Nominee Robert D. Holmes Elmo Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote369,439361,840
Percentage50.5%49.5%

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election results map by county.svg
County results
Holmes:      50–60%     60–70%
Smith:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Elmo Smith
Republican

Elected Governor

Robert D. Holmes
Democratic

The 1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election took place on November 6, 1956. Democratic state senator Robert D. Holmes narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Elmo Smith to win the election.

Contents

Background

On January 31, 1956, Governor Paul L. Patterson, who was elected in the 1954 gubernatorial election, died in office of a coronary occlusion. [1] Patterson's death elevated Oregon State Senate President Elmo Smith to governor and a special election for November was called to fill the position for the final two years of Patterson's term. [2] The succession law was changed in 1972 so that the Oregon Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the governor. [3] Lew Wallace unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.

Election results

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Robert D. Holmes 369,439 50.52
Republican Elmo Smith (incumbent)361,84049.48
Total votes731,279 100
Democratic gain from Republican

Results by county

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election (by county)
CountyRobert Denison Holmes
Democratic
Elmo Everett Smith
Republican
MarginTotal votes cast [4]
# %# %# %
Baker 3,55450.71%3,45549.29%991.41%7,009
Benton 5,21739.89%7,86260.11%-2,645-20.22%13,079
Clackamas 23,43151.28%22,26448.72%1,1672.55%45,695
Clatsop 7,92861.41%4,98138.59%2,94722.83%12,909
Columbia 6,18563.02%3,62936.98%2,55626.04%9,814
Coos 12,13060.24%8,00539.76%4,12520.49%20,135
Crook 1,84849.93%1,85350.07%-5-0.14%3,701
Curry 2,16250.91%2,08549.09%771.81%4,247
Deschutes 4,44146.33%5,14553.67%-704-7.34%9,586
Douglas 13,51652.62%12,17147.38%1,3455.24%25,687
Gilliam 50538.52%80661.48%-301-22.96%1,311
Grant 1,31342.44%1,78157.56%-468-15.13%3,094
Harney 1,17143.26%1,53656.74%-365-13.48%2,707
Hood River 2,61847.08%2,94352.92%-325-5.84%5,561
Jackson 13,44545.26%16,26154.74%-2,816-9.48%29,706
Jefferson 1,13145.88%1,33454.12%-203-8.24%2,465
Josephine 5,42342.60%7,30857.40%-1,885-14.81%12,731
Klamath 8,95649.81%9,02650.19%-70-0.39%17,982
Lake 1,28544.62%1,59555.38%-310-10.76%2,880
Lane 33,24153.12%29,33546.88%3,9066.24%62,576
Lincoln 5,14952.08%4,73847.92%4114.16%9,887
Linn 11,80751.91%10,93648.09%8713.83%22,743
Malheur 3,01137.51%5,01662.49%-2,005-24.98%8,027
Marion 19,25542.87%25,65557.13%-6,400-14.25%44,910
Morrow 88245.07%1,07554.93%-193-9.86%1,957
Multnomah 129,27353.04%114,44646.96%14,8276.08%243,719
Polk 4,72445.39%5,68354.61%-959-9.21%10,407
Sherman 41538.53%66261.47%-247-22.93%1,077
Tillamook 4,05550.93%3,90749.07%1481.86%7,962
Umatilla 8,37648.88%8,76151.12%-385-2.25%17,137
Union 4,27253.45%3,72046.55%5526.91%7,992
Wallowa 1,75553.17%1,54646.83%2096.33%3,301
Wasco 4,52252.73%4,05347.27%4695.47%8,575
Washington 15,97644.51%19,91755.49%-3,941-10.98%35,893
Wheeler 54046.59%61953.41%-79-6.82%1,159
Yamhill 5,92743.40%7,73156.60%-1,804-13.21%13,658
Total369,43950.52%361,84049.48%7,5991.04%731,279

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Oregon</span> Head of state and of government of the U.S. state of Oregon

The governor of Oregon is the head of government of Oregon and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John I. Cox</span> American politician

John Isaac Cox was an American politician who served as the 29th governor of Tennessee from 1905 to 1907. He was elevated to the position when Governor James B. Frazier resigned, and, as Speaker of the Tennessee Senate, he was the first in the line of succession. He failed to win his party's nomination for a second term, and returned to the state senate, where he remained until 1913. Cox also served as a county judge, city attorney, and local postmaster, and spent two terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1966 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1966 United States Senate elections were elections on November 8, 1966, for the United States Senate which occurred midway through the second term of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. With divisions in the Democratic base over the Vietnam War, and with the traditional mid-term advantage of the party not holding the presidency, the Republicans took three Democratic seats, thereby breaking Democrats' 2/3rds supermajority. Despite Republican gains, the balance remained overwhelmingly in favor of the Democrats, who retained a 64–36 majority. Democrats were further reduced to 63–37, following the death of Robert F. Kennedy in June 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert D. Holmes</span> 28th Governor of Oregon

Robert Denison Holmes was an American politician and journalist from the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of the state of New York, he worked in newspapers and radio before entering politics. Though a Republican early in his career, he served as a Democrat in the Oregon State Senate and as the 28th Governor of Oregon. He was governor from 1957 to 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elmo Smith</span> 27th Governor of Oregon

Elmo Everett Smith was an American Republican politician who served as the 27th Governor of Oregon from 1956 to 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul L. Patterson</span> 26th Governor of Oregon

Paul Linton Patterson was an American Republican politician. A native of Ohio, he served in World War I before becoming an attorney in Oregon. Later he served as President of the Oregon State Senate (1951–1952) and the 26th Governor of Oregon (1952–1956). He was the first Governor of Oregon who was born in the 20th century, as well as the most recent one to die in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albin Walter Norblad Sr.</span> 19th Governor of Oregon

Albin Walter Norblad Sr. was a prominent lawyer who lived in Astoria, Oregon, United States, and the 19th Governor of Oregon from 1929 to 1931. He was a Republican.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 2010, in 37 states and two territories. These elections coincided with the elections for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives as well as other state and local elections. As in most midterm elections, the party controlling the White House lost ground. Democrats took five governorships from the Republicans, while Republicans took 11 governorships from the Democrats. An independent won one governorship previously held by a Republican, while a Republican won one governorship previously held by an independent. Republicans held a majority of governorships for the first time since before the 2006 elections. One state, Louisiana, had no election for governor, but it did feature a special election for lieutenant governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobias Read</span> American politician

Tobias Read is an American politician who is the secretary of state-elect of Oregon. As a member of the Democratic Party he has been serving as the Oregon State Treasurer since 2017. He was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing the 27th district from 2007 to 2017, which comprises parts of Beaverton, southwest Portland, and unincorporated Multnomah and Washington Counties. He served as Speaker Pro Tempore and was formerly the Democratic Majority Whip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant governor (United States)</span> State government official, typically second highest officer after the governor

A lieutenant governor is an official in state governments of 45 out of 50 of the United States. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when they are absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated. In the event a governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor typically becomes governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1930 Oregon gubernatorial election</span>

The 1930 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1930 to elect the governor of the U.S. state of Oregon. The Oregon Republican Party, at the time dominant in Oregon politics, initially nominated George W. Joseph, but the nominee died prior to the general election. Joseph's former law partner Julius Meier entered the race as an independent, and defeated replacement Republican nominee Phil Metschan, Jr., Democrat Edward F. Bailey, and Socialist Albert Streiff to become the first and only Independent politician to be elected Governor of Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Oregon gubernatorial election</span>

The 2014 Oregon gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of Oregon, concurrently with other elections in Oregon and across the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 8, 2016, in 12 states and two territories. The last regular gubernatorial elections for nine of the 12 states took place in 2012. The last gubernatorial elections for New Hampshire, Oregon, and Vermont took place in 2014, as Oregon held a special election due to the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber, while the governors of New Hampshire and Vermont both serve two-year terms. The 2016 gubernatorial elections took place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections, including the presidential election, Senate, and House elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Oregon gubernatorial special election</span>

The 2016 Oregon gubernatorial special election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the Governor of Oregon, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, other gubernatorial elections and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward A. Geary</span> American politician

Edward Andrew Geary was an American politician and farmer from the state of Oregon. He was a Republican who served eight years in the Oregon House of Representatives. In the house, Geary represented a large rural district in southern Oregon. He served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives during the 1955 legislative session. He also served as acting governor of Oregon for several brief periods in the mid-1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 8, 2022, in 36 states and three territories. As most governors serve four-year terms, the last regular gubernatorial elections for all but two of the seats took place in the 2018 U.S. gubernatorial elections. The gubernatorial elections took place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections, as part of the 2022 midterm elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lew Wallace (politician)</span> American politician

Lew Wallace was an American Democratic politician from the state of Oregon. He served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly and was a five-time gubernatorial candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Oregon gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Oregon. Incumbent Kate Brown took office when fellow Democrat John Kitzhaber resigned on February 18, 2015. She won the subsequent 2016 special election a full term in 2018. Due to term limits, she was unable to run again in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon</span>

The 1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon took place on November 8, 1960.

References

  1. "Governors of Oregon: Paul Linton Patterson". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  2. "Governors of Oregon: Elmo Smith". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  3. "Temporary governor eliminated: Measure modifies line of succession". The Bend Bulletin.
  4. 1 2 "OR Governor Race — November 06, 1956". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2011.