1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
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November 3, 1964
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  John Volpe (1970).jpg Francis X. Bellotti 1960s (cropped).jpg
Nominee John Volpe Francis Bellotti
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,176,4621,153,416
Percentage50.27%49.29%
1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
1964 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election by Municipality.svg
Volpe:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Bellotti:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Governor before election

Endicott Peabody
Democratic

Elected Governor

John Volpe
Republican

The 1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Governor Endicott Peabody ran for re-election, but was defeated by then-Lieutenant Governor Francis X. Bellotti in the Democratic Party primary. Bellotti went on to lose the general election to former Governor John Volpe. [1]

Contents

The race between Volpe and Bellotti was the first time in Massachusetts history that the two major parties backed sons of Italian immigrants for governor. [2]

This was the final election held before the governor's term of office was extended from two to four years.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

Results

1964 Democratic gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Francis X. Bellotti 363,675 49.61%
Democratic Endicott Peabody (incumbent)336,78045.94%
Democratic John J. Droney 27,3573.73%
Democratic Pasquale Caggiano 5,2500.72%
Total votes733,062 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Defeated at convention

Withdrew

Results

Volpe ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

General election

Candidates

Results

Volpe defeated Bellotti by less than 25,000 votes. Volpe's victory came in a year in which Democrats gained seats in the United States House of Representatives and Senate and Lyndon Johnson won the presidential election in a landslide. [5]

1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John A. Volpe 1,176,462 50.27%
Democratic Francis X. Bellotti 1,153,41649.29%
Socialist Labor Francis A. Votano6,2730.27%
Prohibition Guy S. Williams3,7130.16%
Write-inAll others2660.01%

Results by county

CountyJohn Volpe
Republican		Francis Bellotti
Democratic		All OthersMarginTotal votes
#%#%#%#%
Barnstable 24,00767.9%11,22831.8%1160.4%12,77936.1%35,351
Berkshire 36,65057.7%26,47541.7%4230.7%10,17516.0%63,548
Bristol 73,56039.5%111,81860.1%7050.4%-38,258-20.6%186,083
Dukes 1,89459.4%1,28540.3%110.4%60919.1%3,190
Essex 138,33448.9%143,05150.6%1,3550.5%-4,717-1.7%282,740
Franklin 13,30251.9%12,19847.6%1280.5%1,1044.3%25,628
Hampden 83,55447.3%92,20952.2%1,0350.5%-8,655-4.9%176,798
Hampshire 21,82950.2%21,41449.3%1980.4%4150.9%43,441
Middlesex 319,25255.3%255,06144.2%2,6410.5%64,19111.1%576,954
Nantucket 1,11463.6%63536.2%30.2%47927.4%1,752
Norfolk 147,29857.5%108,18042.2%9000.3%39,11815.3%256,378
Plymouth 66,57955.1%53,78544.5%3930.4%12,79410.6%120,757
Suffolk 120,01340.6%174,57159.0%1,2890.4%-54,558-18.4%295,873
Worcester 129,07647.5%141,50652.1%1,0520.4%-12,43025.2%271,634
Totals1,176,46250.3%1,153,41649.3%10,2520.4%12,0461.0%2,340,130

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Massachusetts Election Statistics 1964. p. 438.
  2. ↑ "Democrats Close Ranks Behind Lt. Gov. Bellotti". Hartford Courant. September 12, 1964.
  3. ↑ "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1964". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nominations Due in Massachusetts; Little Excitement Expected at Party Conventions". The New York Times . June 14, 1964. p. 56.
  5. ↑ "Republicans Gain One Governor's Mansion". Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1964.
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