1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

←  1958 November 8, 1960 1962  →

Nominee Gaylord A. Nelson Philip G. Kuehn Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 890,868 837,123 Percentage 51.55% 48.44%

County results Nelson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Kuehn:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election Gaylord A. Nelson Democratic Elected Governor Gaylord A. Nelson Democratic

The 1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1960. Democrat Gaylord A. Nelson won the election with 51.5% of the vote, retaining his position as Governor of Wisconsin.

The results were almost exactly the opposite of the simultaneous presidential election, with Nelson's margin of victory being about half a point narrower than that of Richard Nixon.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 13, 1960. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Democratic party

Candidates

• Gaylord A. Nelson, incumbent governor

Results

Democratic primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Gaylord A. Nelson (incumbent)	258,141	100.00%
Total votes			258,141	100.00%

Republican party

Candidates

• Philip G. Kuehn, former chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party (1955-1958)

Results

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Philip G. Kuehn	286,398	100.00%
Total votes			286,398	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Gaylord A. Nelson, Democrat
• Philip G. Kuehn, Republican

Results

1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election ^{[2] [3]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Gaylord A. Nelson (incumbent)	890,868	51.55%	−2.04%
	Republican	Philip G. Kuehn	837,123	48.44%	+2.16%
		Scattering [a]	18	0.00%
Majority			53,745	3.11%
Total votes			1,728,009	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing	-4.20%

Results by county

Nelson was the first Democrat since William R. Taylor in 1873 to win Pierce County. Vernon County would not vote for Democratic again until 2002.

County [2] [3]	Gaylord A. Nelson Democratic		Philip G. Kuehn Republican		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	1,752	48.73%	1,842	51.24%	-90	-2.50%	3,595 [b]
Ashland	4,816	60.49%	3,145	39.51%	1,671	20.99%	7,961
Barron	7,463	49.94%	7,481	50.06%	-18	-0.12%	14,944
Bayfield	3,659	61.06%	2,333	38.94%	1,326	22.13%	5,992
Brown	26,542	50.47%	26,044	49.53%	498	0.95%	52,586
Buffalo	3,086	50.64%	3,008	49.36%	78	1.28%	6,094
Burnett	2,668	60.43%	1,747	39.57%	921	20.86%	4,415
Calumet	4,125	43.51%	5,356	56.49%	-1,231	-12.98%	9,481
Chippewa	10,485	56.24%	8,157	43.76%	2,328	12.49%	18,642
Clark	6,581	48.94%	6,867	51.06%	-286	-2.13%	13,448
Columbia	7,431	44.01%	9,452	55.99%	-2,021	-11.97%	16,883
Crawford	3,705	52.59%	3,340	47.41%	365	5.18%	7,045
Dane	56,601	61.53%	35,387	38.47%	21,214	23.06%	91,989 [b]
Dodge	10,997	40.05%	16,459	59.95%	-5,462	-19.89%	27,456
Door	3,679	39.48%	5,639	60.52%	-1,960	-21.03%	9,318
Douglas	14,661	69.72%	6,368	30.28%	8,293	39.44%	21,029
Dunn	5,383	48.62%	5,688	51.38%	-305	-2.75%	11,071
Eau Claire	13,250	51.82%	12,317	48.18%	933	3.65%	25,567
Florence	959	54.52%	800	45.48%	159	9.04%	1,759
Fond du Lac	13,378	40.47%	19,677	59.53%	-6,299	-19.06%	33,055
Forest	1,934	55.21%	1,569	44.79%	365	10.42%	3,503
Grant	7,985	42.68%	10,725	57.32%	-2,740	-14.64%	18,710
Green	4,224	36.36%	7,393	63.64%	-3,169	-27.28%	11,617
Green Lake	2,677	33.71%	5,263	66.28%	-2,586	-32.57%	7,941 [b]
Iowa	3,758	43.33%	4,915	56.67%	-1,157	-13.34%	8,673
Iron	2,830	72.18%	1,091	27.82%	1,739	44.35%	3,921
Jackson	3,324	49.92%	3,334	50.08%	-10	-0.15%	6,658
Jefferson	10,146	44.25%	12,781	55.75%	-2,635	-11.49%	22,927
Juneau	3,407	42.03%	4,700	57.97%	-1,293	-15.95%	8,107
Kenosha	25,992	60.34%	17,087	39.66%	8,905	20.67%	43,079
Kewaunee	4,250	51.99%	3,925	48.01%	325	3.98%	8,175
La Crosse	16,081	49.34%	16,510	50.66%	-429	-1.32%	32,591
Lafayette	3,913	46.63%	4,478	53.37%	-565	-6.73%	8,391
Langlade	4,383	51.61%	4,109	48.39%	274	3.23%	8,492
Lincoln	4,387	43.19%	5,770	56.81%	-1,383	-13.62%	10,157
Manitowoc	17,910	54.74%	14,811	45.26%	3,099	9.47%	32,721
Marathon	19,502	48.74%	20,510	51.26%	-1,008	-2.52%	40,012
Marinette	7,323	46.92%	8,286	53.08%	-963	-6.17%	15,609
Marquette	1,331	31.83%	2,851	68.17%	-1,520	-36.35%	4,182
Milwaukee	263,410	59.08%	182,413	40.91%	80,997	18.17%	445,836 [c]
Monroe	5,819	45.76%	6,897	54.24%	-1,078	-8.48%	12,716
Oconto	5,162	45.90%	6,084	54.10%	-922	-8.20%	11,246
Oneida	5,400	50.79%	5,232	49.21%	168	1.58%	10,632
Outagamie	17,459	42.11%	23,999	57.89%	-6,540	-15.78%	41,458
Ozaukee	7,486	42.26%	10,229	57.74%	-2,743	-15.48%	17,715
Pepin	1,754	53.97%	1,495	46.00%	259	7.97%	3,250 [b]
Pierce	5,125	52.54%	4,629	47.46%	496	5.09%	9,754
Polk	6,850	60.08%	4,551	39.92%	2,299	20.16%	11,401
Portage	10,836	64.18%	6,048	35.82%	4,788	28.36%	16,884
Price	3,445	49.61%	3,498	50.37%	-53	-0.76%	6,944 [b]
Racine	34,289	56.69%	26,195	43.31%	8,094	13.38%	60,484
Richland	3,425	41.75%	4,779	58.25%	-1,354	-16.50%	8,204
Rock	20,890	42.81%	27,911	57.19%	-7,021	-14.39%	48,801
Rusk	3,908	56.98%	2,951	43.02%	957	13.95%	6,859
Sauk	7,386	43.52%	9,584	56.48%	-2,198	-12.95%	16,970
Sawyer	2,417	48.89%	2,527	51.11%	-110	-2.22%	4,944
Shawano	5,352	36.91%	9,150	63.09%	-3,798	-26.19%	14,502
Sheboygan	20,102	49.62%	20,412	50.38%	-310	-0.77%	40,514
St. Croix	7,728	58.40%	5,506	41.60%	2,222	16.79%	13,234
Taylor	3,954	54.78%	3,264	45.22%	690	9.56%	7,218
Trempealeau	5,686	54.80%	4,690	45.20%	996	9.60%	10,376
Vernon	5,978	50.87%	5,774	49.13%	204	1.74%	11,752
Vilas	1,989	36.82%	3,413	63.18%	-1,424	-26.36%	5,402
Walworth	8,218	33.87%	16,045	66.13%	-7,827	-32.26%	24,263
Washburn	2,591	50.52%	2,538	49.48%	53	1.03%	5,129
Washington	8,151	40.89%	11,782	59.11%	-3,631	-18.22%	19,933
Waukesha	31,281	45.43%	37,577	54.57%	-6,296	-9.14%	68,858
Waupaca	5,291	31.31%	11,607	68.69%	-6,316	-37.38%	16,898
Waushara	2,035	29.99%	4,751	70.01%	-2,716	-40.02%	6,786
Winnebago	19,210	41.52%	27,053	58.48%	-7,843	-16.95%	46,263
Wood	11,663	46.68%	13,324	53.32%	-1,661	-6.65%	24,987
Total	890,868	51.55%	837,123	48.44%	53,745	3.11%	1,728,009

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Brown
• Buffalo
• Crawford
• Kewaunee
• Pepin
• Pierce
• Washburn

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Adams
• Barron
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• La Crosse
• Lincoln
• Marathon
• Price
• Sheboygan
• Vilas

Notes

1. These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
2. Includes 1 Scattering vote
3. Includes 13 Scattering votes

References

1. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1962). "Vote For State Officers, Wisconsin Primary Election". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 787.
2. Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1960
3. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1962). "Vote For State Officers By Counties, Wisconsin General Election, November 8, 1960". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 863.