1972 Montana gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1972 United States gubernatorial elections.

1972 Montana gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →
Turnout	84.60%1.80 [1]
Nominee Thomas Lee Judge Ed Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 172,523 146,231 Percentage 54.12% 45.88%
County results Anderson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Smith:      50-60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Governor before election Forrest H. Anderson Democratic Elected Governor Thomas Lee Judge Democratic

The 1972 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Governor of Montana Forrest H. Anderson, who was first elected in 1968, declined to seek re-election. Thomas Lee Judge, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana, won a competitive Democratic primary, and moved on to the general election, where he faced Ed Smith, a rancher and the Republican nominee. Although then-President Richard Nixon won the state in a landslide in that year's presidential election, Judge managed to handily defeat Smith, winning his first of two terms as governor.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Thomas Lee Judge, Lieutenant Governor of Montana
• Dick Dzivi, Majority Leader of the Montana Senate
• Eva Levengood Shunkwiler
• Dallas E. Howard
• David E. Burnham

Results

Democratic Party primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Thomas Lee Judge	75,917	59.87
	Democratic	Dick Dzivi	38,639	30.47
	Democratic	Eva Levengood Shunkwiler	5,707	4.50
	Democratic	Dallas E. Howard	4,255	3.36
	Democratic	David E. Burnham	2,276	1.80
Total votes			126,794	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Ed Smith, rancher
• Frank Dunkle, former Director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, former State Senator
• Tom A. Selstad, businessman
• Warren McMillan

Results

Republican Primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ed Smith	39,552	40.65
	Republican	Frank Dunkle	37,375	38.41
	Republican	Tom A. Selstad	18,046	18.55
	Republican	Warren McMillan	2,331	2.40
Total votes			97,304	100.00

General election

Results

Montana gubernatorial election, 1972 ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Thomas Lee Judge	172,523	54.12%	+7.58%
	Republican	Ed Smith	146,231	45.88%	+4.01%
Majority			26,292	8.25%	−3.99%
Turnout			318,754
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. "Montana Voter Turnout". Montana Secretary of State. February 22, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
2. "Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election Held in the State of Montana and of the Vote Cast at the Separate Election for Ratification or Rejection of the Proposed Constitution, June 6, 1972" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
3. "Report of the Official Canvass of the Votes Cast at the General Election Held in the State of Montana, November 7, 1972". Montana Secretary of State. 1970. Retrieved July 5, 2014.