1968 United States presidential election in Maine

1968 United States presidential election in Maine
Humphrey 50-60% 70-80%	Nixon 50-60% 60-70%
President before election; Lyndon Johnson ; Democratic	Elected President; Richard Nixon ; Republican

Last updated November 16, 2023

The 1968 United States presidential election in Maine took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all fifty states and D.C. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Maine was won by incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey by twelve percentage points over Republican challenger and former Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Humphrey received 55.30% of the vote in Maine, which equated to 217,312 total votes to Nixon's 43.07% and 169,254 total votes. Despite Nixon squeaking by Humphrey nationwide, the Vice President's decisive victory in Maine made the state about thirteen percentage points more Democratic than the nation as a whole in 1968. Humphrey's win was almost certainly due to the popularity^[1] and consequent "favorite son" status in Maine of his running mate Edmund Muskie.^[2]

Alabama Governor George Wallace received 6,370 votes on the American Independent ticket with 1.62% of the vote. Despite his significant impact on the election as a whole, Wallace did not have a serious impact in Maine. Indeed, upstate Aroostook County was Wallace's weakest in the nation outside of the District of Columbia where he was not on the ballot.^[3]

This election made Nixon the first Republican to ever win the presidency without carrying Maine. It would also prove to be the last time that a Democratic presidential nominee would carry the state until Bill Clinton in 1992, and the last time that a Democrat would win an absolute majority of the popular vote in the state until Clinton also did so in 1996. Humphrey was also the first losing Democrat to carry the state since Lewis Cass in 1848. The state swung heavily towards Richard Nixon in 1972, awarding him over 61 percent of the vote, which no presidential candidate of either party has surpassed since.

This is also the last time, as of the 2020 presidential election, that a Democrat received over 70% of the vote in any Maine county, which Humphrey did in Androscoggin County.

Maine was one of two states (the other being Washington) that supported Humphrey over Nixon in this election and Nixon over John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election.

Results

1968 United States presidential election in Maine^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic	Hubert Humphrey	217,312	55.30%	4
	Republican	Richard Nixon	169,254	43.07%	0
	American Independent	George Wallace	6,370	1.62%	0
Totals			392,936	100.00%	4

Results by county

County	Hubert Horatio Humphrey Democratic		Richard Milhous Nixon Republican		George Corley Wallace American Independent		Total votes cast
County	#	%	#	%	#	%	Total votes cast
Androscoggin	26,820	71.04%	10,390	27.52%	542	1.44%	37,752
Aroostook	15,044	51.46%	13,919	47.61%	273	0.93%	29,236
Cumberland	44,697	57.27%	32,275	41.35%	1,076	1.38%	78,048
Franklin	4,307	50.10%	4,127	48.01%	162	1.88%	8,596
Hancock	4,979	35.10%	8,929	62.95%	277	1.95%	14,185
Kennebec	21,752	56.81%	16,009	41.81%	531	1.39%	38,292
Knox	5,119	42.95%	6,585	55.25%	214	1.80%	11,918
Lincoln	3,380	36.50%	5,659	61.11%	222	2.40%	9,261
Oxford	10,870	56.39%	8,030	41.66%	375	1.95%	19,275
Penobscot	24,327	54.06%	20,011	44.47%	661	1.47%	44,999
Piscataquis	3,561	51.47%	3,199	46.24%	158	2.28%	6,918
Sagadahoc	5,553	56.16%	4,126	41.73%	209	2.11%	9,888
Somerset	8,312	54.13%	6,720	43.76%	324	2.11%	15,356
Waldo	3,525	41.08%	4,821	56.19%	234	2.73%	8,580
Washington	6,249	52.16%	5,523	46.10%	208	1.74%	11,980
York	28,817	59.23%	18,931	38.91%	904	1.86%	48,652
Totals	217,312	55.30%	169,254	43.07%	6,370	1.62%	392,936

Notes

↑ Although he was born in California and he served as a U.S. Senator from California, in 1968 Richard Nixon's official state of residence was New York, because he moved there to practice law after his defeat in the 1962 California gubernatorial election. During his first term as president, Nixon re-established his residency in California. Consequently, most reliable reference books list Nixon's home state as New York in the 1968 election and his home state as California in the 1972 (and 1960) election.

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The 1968 United States presidential election in New Mexico took place on November 5, 1968. All fifty states and The District of Columbia, were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. State voters chose four electors to represent them in the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in New York took place on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Voters chose 43 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in Massachusetts took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and D.C. Voters chose 14 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in Vermont took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election which was held throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the nationwide presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in New Jersey took place on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Voters chose 17 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in New Hampshire took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in Texas was held on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. The state chose 25 electors to represent them in the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1968 United States presidential election in Tennessee took place on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Tennessee voters chose 11 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

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References

↑ Nelson, Michael; Resilient America: Electing Nixon in 1968, Channeling Dissent, and Dividing Government (American Presidential Elections), pp. 174, 179 ISBN 0700619631
↑ Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, p. 94 ISBN 0786422173
↑ "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Maine". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
↑ "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Maine". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved August 25, 2008.

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[1] Although he was born in California and he served as a U.S. Senator from California, in 1968 Richard Nixon's official state of residence was New York, because he moved there to practice law after his defeat in the 1962 California gubernatorial election. During his first term as president, Nixon re-established his residency in California. Consequently, most reliable reference books list Nixon's home state as New York in the 1968 election and his home state as California in the 1972 (and 1960) election.

[2] Nelson, Michael; Resilient America: Electing Nixon in 1968, Channeling Dissent, and Dividing Government (American Presidential Elections), pp. 174, 179 ISBN 0700619631

[3] Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, p. 94 ISBN 0786422173

[Atlas-4] "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Maine". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 14, 2017.

[5] "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Maine". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved August 25, 2008.

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