1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Flag of Wisconsin (1913-1981).svg
  1968 November 3, 1970 1974  
  Patrick Lucey.png Jack B. Olson.png
Nominee Patrick J. Lucey Jack B. Olson
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Martin J. Schreiber David O. Martin
Popular vote728,403602,617
Percentage54.24%44.88%

1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Lucey:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Olson:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Warren P. Knowles
Republican

Elected Governor

Patrick J. Lucey
Democratic

The 1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970. Democrat Patrick J. Lucey won the election with 54.23% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent lieutenant governor, Republican Jack B. Olson. [1] Roman R. Blenski unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination. As of 2024, this is the last time the Democratic gubernatorial candidate carried Oconto County.

Contents

This was the first gubernatorial election in Wisconsin where the governor was elected to a four year term on the same ticket as the Lieutenant Governor.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 8, 1970. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Republican party

Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jack B. Olson 203,434 91.43%
Republican Roman Richard Blenski 19,0618.57%
Total votes222,495 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David O. Martin 192,005 100.00%
Total votes192,005 100.00%

Democratic party

Governor

Candidates
  • Edward Ihlenfeldt
  • Patrick J. Lucey, former Lieutenant Governor and nominee for governor in 1966
  • Donald O. Peterson
Results
Democratic gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Patrick J. Lucey 177,584 60.66%
Democratic Donald O. Peterson105,84936.16%
Democratic Edward Ihlenfeldt9,3123.18%
Total votes292,745 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Martin J. Schreiber 128,038 47.22%
Democratic Frank Nikolay 54,37420.05%
Democratic John F. O'Malley36,54413.48%
Democratic Jay G. Sykes35,98413.27%
Democratic Harry Halloway16,1915.97%
Total votes271,131 100.00%

American party

Governor

Candidates
  • Leo James McDonald
Results
American gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
American Leo James McDonald 2,729 100.00%
Total votes2,729 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Theodore G. Kothe
Results
American lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
American Theodore G. Kothe 2,512 100.00%
Total votes2,512 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election [4] [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Patrick J. Lucey 728,403 54.23% +7.41%
Republican Jack B. Olson 602,61744.87%−8.01%
American Leo James McDonald9,0350.67%
Independent Georgia Cozzini 1,2870.10%
Independent Samuel K. Hunt8880.07%
Independent Myrtle Kastner6280.05%
Scattering [lower-alpha 1] 3020.02%
Majority125,7869.36%
Total votes1,343,160 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +15.42%

Results by county

Lucey was the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1855 to win Dunn County.

County [4] [5] Patrick J. Lucey
Democratic
Jack B. Olson
Republican
All Others
Various
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %
Adams 1,56053.12%1,35846.24%190.65%2026.88%2,937
Ashland 3,54166.72%1,70832.18%581.09%1,83334.54%5,307
Barron 5,05249.83%5,04549.76%420.41%70.07%10,139
Bayfield 2,97764.38%1,62335.10%240.52%1,35429.28%4,624
Brown 23,86952.00%21,39546.61%6361.39%2,4745.39%45,900
Buffalo 1,89052.66%1,69347.17%60.17%1975.49%3,589
Burnett 1,99958.42%1,41341.29%100.29%58617.12%3,422
Calumet 4,29550.49%4,17449.07%370.43%1211.42%8,506
Chippewa 7,52360.37%4,86339.03%750.60%2,66021.35%12,461
Clark 5,01753.17%4,34546.05%730.77%6727.12%9,435
Columbia 5,59242.26%7,54257.00%980.74%-1,950-14.74%13,232
Crawford 2,29843.43%2,51747.57%4769.00%-219-4.14%5,291
Dane 49,86855.89%38,07842.68%1,2721.43%11,79013.21%89,218
Dodge 9,51046.81%10,68352.58%1240.61%-1,173-5.77%20,317
Door 3,01441.88%4,15357.70%300.42%-1,139-15.83%7,197
Douglas 10,60870.92%4,25528.45%940.63%6,35342.48%14,957
Dunn 3,96351.03%3,77048.54%330.42%1932.49%7,766
Eau Claire 11,25255.85%8,78743.61%1090.54%2,46512.23%20,148
Florence 69649.89%69549.82%40.29%10.07%1,395
Fond du Lac 12,43448.68%12,87250.39%2370.93%-438-1.71%25,543
Forest 1,72462.04%1,04337.53%120.43%68124.51%2,779
Grant 4,62139.58%6,84658.64%2071.77%-2,225-19.06%11,674
Green 2,89437.59%4,77261.99%320.42%-1,878-24.40%7,698
Green Lake 2,34340.06%3,46159.18%440.75%-1,118-19.12%5,848
Iowa 2,40343.05%3,14156.27%380.68%-738-13.22%5,582
Iron 1,74167.35%83232.19%120.46%90935.16%2,585
Jackson 2,59254.88%2,11744.82%140.30%47510.06%4,723
Jefferson 9,03447.08%10,04752.36%1080.56%-1,013-5.28%19,189
Juneau 2,48346.42%2,82552.81%410.77%-342-6.39%5,349
Kenosha 22,13664.53%11,94434.82%2230.65%10,19229.71%34,303
Kewaunee 3,10052.38%2,79547.23%230.39%3055.15%5,918
La Crosse 11,63946.04%13,33552.75%3051.21%-1,696-6.71%25,279
Lafayette 2,41442.39%3,25557.16%260.46%-841-14.77%5,695
Langlade 3,11055.26%2,48844.21%300.53%62211.05%5,628
Lincoln 3,86050.90%3,66748.36%560.74%1932.55%7,583
Manitowoc 15,97559.24%10,57739.22%4141.54%5,39820.02%26,966
Marathon 17,66555.30%13,90343.52%3761.18%3,76211.78%31,944
Marinette 6,35851.66%5,87147.70%780.63%4873.96%12,307
Marquette 1,20340.67%1,73558.65%200.68%-532-17.99%2,958
Menominee 48573.48%16925.61%60.91%31647.88%660
Milwaukee 196,94163.55%110,43635.64%2,5180.81%86,50527.91%309,895
Monroe 3,69445.31%4,40354.01%550.67%-709-8.70%8,152
Oconto 4,32150.99%4,10148.39%530.63%2202.60%8,475
Oneida 4,40150.69%4,22448.65%580.67%1772.04%8,683
Outagamie 15,85547.37%17,31851.74%2950.88%-1,463-4.37%33,468
Ozaukee 6,83039.78%10,18459.31%1560.91%-3,354-19.53%17,170
Pepin 1,12654.66%92444.85%100.49%2029.81%2,060
Pierce 3,76952.91%3,34446.95%100.14%4255.97%7,123
Polk 4,61652.33%4,18047.39%250.28%4364.94%8,821
Portage 9,58066.02%4,79733.06%1340.92%4,78332.96%14,511
Price 3,13755.38%2,50044.14%270.48%63711.25%5,664
Racine 30,08657.79%21,57341.44%3990.77%8,51316.35%52,058
Richland 2,36839.80%3,44457.88%1382.32%-1,076-18.08%5,950
Rock 20,35851.77%18,68947.53%2750.70%1,6694.24%39,322
Rusk 2,54057.87%1,81941.44%300.68%72116.43%4,389
Sauk 5,60143.85%7,03655.09%1351.06%-1,435-11.24%12,772
Sawyer 1,70349.52%1,71649.90%200.58%-13-0.38%3,439
Shawano 4,69643.59%6,02755.95%490.45%-1,331-12.36%10,772
Sheboygan 17,69751.87%16,07747.12%3441.01%1,6204.75%34,118
St. Croix 5,04552.56%4,53447.24%190.20%5115.32%9,598
Taylor 2,01950.83%1,89647.73%571.44%1233.10%3,972
Trempealeau 4,03855.13%3,26644.59%200.27%77210.54%7,324
Vernon 3,68845.87%4,25152.87%1011.26%-563-7.00%8,040
Vilas 2,18543.62%2,79555.80%290.58%-610-12.18%5,009
Walworth 7,78941.52%10,90358.12%660.35%-3,114-16.60%18,758
Washburn 2,31954.78%1,89644.79%180.43%4239.99%4,233
Washington 9,68649.78%9,63649.53%1340.69%500.26%19,456
Waukesha 32,96946.77%36,82852.25%6890.98%-3,859-5.47%70,486
Waupaca 4,30238.84%6,72660.73%470.42%-2,424-21.89%11,075
Waushara 1,82438.14%2,93361.32%260.54%-1,109-23.19%4,783
Winnebago 17,50746.89%19,28651.66%5401.45%-1,779-4.77%37,333
Wood 10,97554.33%9,08344.97%1410.70%1,8929.37%20,199
Total728,40354.23%602,61744.87%12,1400.90%125,7869.36%1,343,160

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

  1. These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.

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References

  1. Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature (2015). Wisconsin Blue Book 2015-2016. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Administration. pp. 699–701. ISBN   978-0-9752820-7-6.
  2. 1 2 3 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 290.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 3 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 291.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. 1 2 Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1970
  5. 1 2 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 308.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)