1956 Utah gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1956 United States gubernatorial elections.

1956 Utah gubernatorial election

←  1952 November 6, 1956 1960  →

Nominee George Dewey Clyde L. C. Romney J. Bracken Lee Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 127,164 111,297 94,428 Percentage 38.20% 33.43% 28.37%

County results Clyde:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Romney:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60% Lee:     50-60%

Governor before election J. Bracken Lee Republican Elected Governor George Dewey Clyde Republican

The 1956 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Republican nominee George Dewey Clyde defeated Democratic nominee L.C. "Rennie" Romney with 38.20% of the vote. As of 2026, this is the last time an incumbent Governor of Utah lost re-election.

Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 11, 1956. ^[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

• George Dewey Clyde, Director of the Utah Water and Power Board
• J. Bracken Lee, incumbent Governor

Results

Republican primary results ^{[2] [1]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George Dewey Clyde	62,811	53.52%
	Republican	J. Bracken Lee (inc.)	54,544	46.48%
Total votes			117,355	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

• L. C. "Rennie" Romney, Salt Lake City Commissioner
• John S. Boyden

Results

Democratic primary results ^{[2] [1]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	L. C. Romney	40,908	51.98%
	Democratic	John S. Boyden	37,798	48.02%
Total votes			78,706	100.00%

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

• George Dewey Clyde, Republican
• L. C. "Rennie" Romney, Democratic

Other candidates

• J. Bracken Lee, Independent

Results

1956 Utah gubernatorial election ^{[3] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	George Dewey Clyde	127,164	38.20%	−16.88%
	Democratic	L. C. Romney	111,297	33.43%	−11.48%
	Independent	J. Bracken Lee (incumbent)	94,428	28.37%
Total votes			332,889	100.00%
Plurality			15,867	4.77%
	Republican hold		Swing	-5.40%

Results by county

County [3]	George Dewey Clyde Republican		L. C. Romney Demcoratic		J. Bracken Lee Independent		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Beaver	702	31.69%	992	44.79%	521	23.52%	-290	-13.09%	2,215
Box Elder	3,603	42.49%	2,635	31.08%	2,241	26.43%	968	11.42%	8,479
Cache	8,028	57.35%	3,503	25.02%	2,468	17.63%	4,525	32.32%	13,999
Carbon	992	11.10%	4,397	49.21%	3,547	39.69%	-850 [a]	-9.51%	8,936
Daggett	63	32.81%	102	53.13%	27	14.06%	-39	-20.31%	192
Davis	7,527	41.75%	5,919	32.83%	4,583	25.42%	1,608	8.92%	18,029
Duchesne	1,156	42.88%	808	29.97%	732	27.15%	348	12.91%	2,696
Emery	779	29.63%	942	35.83%	908	34.54%	-34 [a]	-1.29%	2,629
Garfield	748	51.09%	456	31.15%	260	17.76%	292	19.95%	1,464
Grand	350	25.75%	260	19.13%	749	55.11%	-399	-29.36%	1,359
Iron	2,086	45.22%	1,255	27.21%	1,272	27.57%	814 [b]	17.65%	4,613
Juab	1,025	40.34%	1,012	39.83%	504	19.83%	13	0.51%	2,541
Kane	748	72.69%	108	10.50%	173	16.81%	575 [b]	55.88%	1,029
Millard	1,645	42.76%	1,173	30.49%	1,029	26.75%	472	12.27%	3,847
Morgan	592	44.05%	461	34.30%	291	21.65%	131	9.75%	1,344
Piute	390	54.32%	194	27.02%	134	18.66%	196	27.30%	718
Rich	433	53.13%	206	25.28%	176	21.60%	227	27.85%	815
Salt Lake	51,199	34.67%	47,593	32.23%	48,872	33.10%	2,327 [b]	1.58%	147,664
San Juan	850	55.52%	469	30.63%	212	13.85%	381	24.89%	1,531
Sanpete	2,807	49.50%	1,713	30.21%	1,151	20.30%	1,094	19.29%	5,671
Sevier	2,185	44.78%	1,103	22.61%	1,591	32.61%	594 [b]	12.17%	4,879
Summit	1,168	40.19%	977	33.62%	761	26.19%	191	6.57%	2,906
Tooele	1,828	30.17%	2,490	41.09%	1,742	28.75%	-662	-10.92%	6,060
Uintah	1,875	51.22%	742	20.27%	1,044	28.52%	831 [b]	22.70%	3,661
Utah	17,115	44.93%	12,868	33.78%	8,107	21.28%	4,247	11.15%	38,090
Wasatch	1,112	42.98%	948	36.64%	527	20.37%	164	6.34%	2,587
Washington	2,436	60.58%	909	22.61%	676	16.81%	1,527	37.98%	4,021
Wayne	319	41.11%	296	38.14%	161	20.75%	23	2.96%	776
Weber	13,403	33.39%	16,766	41.77%	9,969	24.84%	-3,363	-8.38%	40,138
Total	127,164	38.20%	111,297	33.43%	94,428	28.37%	15,867	4.77%	332,889

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Beaver
• Emery

Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent

• Grand

Notes

1. Romney's margin over Lee
2. Clyde's margin over Lee

References

1. Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN   9781568029818 . Retrieved May 15, 2020.
2. Utah State Archives, Abstract of the Returns of the Primary Election held in the State of Utah, Tuesday, September 11, 1956.
3. Utah State Archives, Abstract of the Returns of an Election held in the State of Utah, Tuesday, November 6, 1956.
4. Cook, Rhodes (November 5, 2013). America Votes 30: 2011-2012, Election Returns by State - Rhodes Cook. ISBN   9781452290171 . Retrieved May 15, 2020.