1972 United States presidential election in California

Last updated

1972 United States presidential election in California
Flag of California.svg
  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  
Turnout82.13% (of registered voters) Decrease2.svg 3.62 pp
64.52% (of eligible voters) Increase2.svg 2.18 pp [1]
  Richard Nixon presidential portrait (1).jpg George McGovern (D-SD) (3x4-1).jpg
Nominee Richard Nixon George McGovern
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California South Dakota
Running mate Spiro Agnew Sargent Shriver
Electoral vote450
Popular vote4,602,0963,475,847
Percentage55.00%41.54%

California Presidential Election Results 1972.svg
County Results

President before election

Richard Nixon
Republican

Elected President

Richard Nixon
Republican

The 1972 United States presidential election in California took place on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 United States presidential election. State voters chose 45 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

California voted for the Republican incumbent, Richard Nixon, over the Democratic challenger, South Dakota Senator George McGovern. Nixon took 55.00% of the vote to McGovern's 41.54%, a margin of 13.46%.

Nixon had previously won California against John F. Kennedy in 1960 and then against Hubert Humphrey in 1968. This was the first presidential election in which California had the most electoral college votes as a result of the 1970 census, a status it has maintained ever since.

Primaries

Democratic

1972 California Democratic Party presidential primary
Flag of California.svg
 1968June 6, 19721976 
  George McGovern (D-SD) (3x4-1).jpg Hubert Humphrey in New York, 1968 (3x4 crop).jpg George Wallace (D-AL) (3x4).jpg
Candidate George McGovern Hubert Humphrey George Wallace
Home state South Dakota Minnesota Alabama
Popular vote1,550,6521,375,064268,551
Percentage43.50%38.58%7.53%

California Democratic Presidential Primary Election Results by County, 1972.svg
County Results

George McGovern would defeat previous Democratic nominee, Hubert Humphrey, by just under 200,000 votes. [2]

Democratic Primary June 6, 1972
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic George McGovern 1,550,652 43.50%
Democratic Hubert Humphrey 1,375,06438.58%
Democratic George Wallace 268,5517.53%
Democratic Shirley Chisholm 157,4354.42%
Democratic Edmund Muskie 72,7012.04%
Democratic Sam Yorty 50,7451.42%
Democratic Eugene McCarthy 34,2030.96%
Democratic Henry M. Jackson 28,9010.81%
Democratic John Lindsay 26,2460.74%
Democratic Others200.00%
Total votes3,564,518 100

Republican

Richard Nixon would easily win the California Republican Primary by a wide margin over his only state challenger. [3]

Republican Primary June 6, 1972
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Richard Nixon (incumbent) 2,058,825 90.14%
Republican John M. Ashbrook 224,9229.85%
Republican Others1750.01%
Total votes2,283,922 100

Results

1972 United States presidential election in California [4]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Republican Richard Nixon (incumbent)4,602,09655.00%45
Democratic George McGovern 3,475,84741.54%0
American Independent John G. Schmitz 232,5542.78%0
Peace and Freedom Benjamin Spock 55,1670.66%0
Libertarian John Hospers (write-in)9800.01%0
Socialist Workers Linda Jenness (write-in)5740.01%0
Communist Gus Hall (write-in)3730.00%0
Socialist Labor Louis Fisher (write-in)1970.00%0
Prohibition Party E. Harold Munn (write-in)530.00%0
Universal Party Gabriel Green (write-in)210.00%0
Invalid or blank votes
Totals8,367,862100.00%45
Voter turnout

Results by county

CountyRichard Nixon
Republican
George McGovern
Democratic
John G. Schmitz
American Independent
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %# %
Alameda 201,86242.84%259,25455.02%6,9301.47%3,1490.67%-57,392-12.18%471,195
Alpine 36663.54%19533.85%71.22%81.39%17129.69%576
Amador 3,53353.40%2,70540.89%3405.14%380.57%82812.51%6,616
Butte 28,81957.61%18,40136.78%2,4684.93%3400.68%10,41820.83%50,028
Calaveras 4,11960.76%2,26833.46%3044.48%881.30%1,85127.30%6,779
Colusa 2,71557.56%1,81038.37%1673.54%250.53%90519.19%4,717
Contra Costa 139,04454.13%111,71843.49%4,7011.83%1,4210.55%27,32610.64%256,884
Del Norte 2,92751.82%2,15638.17%5159.12%500.89%77113.65%5,648
El Dorado 11,33054.20%8,65441.40%7943.80%1270.61%2,67612.80%20,905
Fresno 79,05150.44%72,68246.38%3,9272.51%1,0590.68%6,3694.06%156,719
Glenn 4,56959.01%2,68134.62%4585.92%350.45%1,88824.39%7,743
Humboldt 22,34548.83%21,13246.18%1,8964.14%3900.85%1,2132.65%45,763
Imperial 14,17862.05%7,98234.93%6072.66%820.36%6,19627.12%22,849
Inyo 4,87368.07%2,00628.02%2403.35%400.56%2,86740.05%7,159
Kern 71,68660.14%41,93735.18%5,1124.29%4580.38%29,47924.96%119,193
Kings 10,50956.52%7,27439.12%7423.99%700.38%3,23517.40%18,595
Lake 6,47755.12%4,71540.13%5094.33%490.42%1,76214.99%11,750
Lassen 3,61850.80%3,13444.00%3204.49%500.70%4846.80%7,122
Los Angeles 1,549,71754.75%1,189,97742.04%71,9782.54%18,6980.66%359,74012.71%2,830,370
Madera 7,83552.61%6,58044.18%4282.87%490.33%1,2558.43%14,892
Marin 54,12352.10%47,41445.64%1,3261.28%1,0200.98%6,7096.46%103,883
Mariposa 2,12256.15%1,48739.35%1413.73%290.77%63516.80%3,779
Mendocino 11,12851.01%9,43543.25%1,0504.81%2010.92%1,6937.76%21,814
Merced 17,73754.33%13,91442.62%8362.56%1610.49%3,82311.71%32,648
Modoc 2,08558.49%1,27135.65%1885.27%210.59%81422.84%3,565
Mono 1,87266.88%82829.58%782.79%210.75%1,04437.30%2,799
Monterey 47,00457.04%32,54539.49%2,2742.76%5850.71%14,45917.55%82,408
Napa 23,40359.61%14,52937.01%1,1412.91%1880.48%8,87422.60%39,261
Nevada 8,00454.68%5,69338.89%8685.93%730.50%2,31115.79%14,638
Orange 448,29168.27%176,84726.93%28,6344.36%2,8810.44%271,44441.34%656,653
Placer 18,59750.34%16,91145.77%1,2513.39%1860.50%1,6864.57%36,945
Plumas 2,95246.42%3,05748.07%3185.00%330.52%-105-1.65%6,360
Riverside 108,12058.00%71,59138.41%5,8433.13%8500.46%36,52919.59%186,404
Sacramento 141,21849.00%137,28747.63%7,8412.72%1,8750.65%3,9311.37%288,221
San Benito 3,96157.56%2,58237.52%3084.48%300.44%1,37920.04%6,881
San Bernardino 144,68959.73%85,98635.49%10,3424.27%1,2390.51%58,70324.24%242,256
San Diego 371,62761.82%206,45534.34%20,1883.36%2,8670.48%165,17227.48%601,137
San Francisco 127,46141.82%170,88256.07%3,7021.21%2,7250.89%-43,421-14.25%304,770
San Joaquin 61,64655.30%44,06239.53%5,0274.51%7340.66%17,58415.77%111,469
San Luis Obispo 28,56655.98%20,77940.72%1,1562.27%5321.04%7,78715.26%51,033
San Mateo 135,37752.82%109,74542.82%4,0791.59%7,0962.77%25,63210.00%256,297
Santa Barbara 67,07555.19%50,60941.64%3,1032.55%7540.62%16,46613.55%121,541
Santa Clara 237,33451.90%208,50645.60%8,2361.80%3,2170.70%28,8286.30%457,293
Santa Cruz 34,79949.88%32,33646.35%1,9312.77%6930.99%2,4633.53%69,759
Shasta 16,61846.68%17,21448.35%1,5954.48%1760.49%-596-1.67%35,603
Sierra 62947.51%65849.70%272.04%100.76%-29-2.19%1,324
Siskiyou 7,56351.46%6,43443.78%6214.23%780.53%1,1297.68%14,696
Solano 31,31454.02%24,76642.73%1,6162.79%2690.46%6,54811.29%57,965
Sonoma 57,69754.72%43,74641.49%3,1923.03%7990.76%13,95113.23%105,434
Stanislaus 39,52151.41%35,00545.54%1,9432.53%3980.52%4,5165.87%76,867
Sutter 10,22462.45%5,40933.04%6473.95%920.56%4,81529.41%16,372
Tehama 6,05448.73%5,17541.65%1,1619.34%340.27%8797.08%12,424
Trinity 1,86850.75%1,62144.04%1694.59%230.62%2476.71%3,681
Tulare 36,04859.93%21,77536.20%2,0763.45%2510.42%14,27323.73%60,150
Tuolumne 5,89454.29%4,59642.34%2992.75%670.62%1,29811.95%10,856
Ventura 95,31063.20%49,30732.70%5,5863.70%6020.40%46,00330.50%150,805
Yolo 17,96942.04%23,69455.44%8001.87%2750.64%-5,725-13.40%42,738
Yuba 6,62356.95%4,43538.13%5184.45%540.46%2,18818.82%11,630
Total4,602,09655.00%3,475,84741.54%232,5542.78%57,3650.69%1,126,24913.46%8,367,862

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 1968. Republican nominee, former vice president Richard Nixon, defeated both the Democratic nominee, incumbent vice president Hubert Humphrey, and the American Independent Party nominee, former Alabama governor George Wallace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon defeated Democratic Senator George McGovern in a landslide victory. With 60.7% of the popular vote, Richard Nixon won the largest share of the popular vote for the Republican Party in any presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1972 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, with the 33 seats of Class 2 contested in regular elections. They coincided with the landslide re-election of Republican President Richard Nixon. Despite Nixon's landslide victory, Democrats increased their majority by two seats. The Democrats picked up open seats in Kentucky and South Dakota, and defeated four incumbent senators: Gordon Allott of Colorado, J. Caleb Boggs of Delaware, Jack Miller of Iowa, and Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. The Republicans picked up open seats in New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, and defeated one incumbent, William B. Spong Jr. of Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral history of Richard Nixon</span> List of political elections featuring Richard Nixon as a candidate

Richard Nixon served as the 37th president of the United States from 1969 to 1974. He previously served as the 36th vice president of the United States from 1953 to 1961, and as a United States senator from 1950 to 1953 and United States representative from 1947 to 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in Massachusetts</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in Massachusetts took place on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in South Dakota</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in South Dakota took place on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 United States presidential election in California</span>

The 1960 United States presidential election in California took place on November 8, 1960, as part of the 1960 United States presidential election. State voters chose 32 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral history of Eugene McCarthy</span>

Electoral history of Eugene McCarthy, United States Senator (1959–1971) and Representative (1949–1959) from Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in North Carolina</span>

The 1968 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 5, 1968, and was part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Whereas in the Deep South, Black Belt whites had deserted the national Democratic Party in 1948, in North Carolina, where they had historically been an economically liberalizing influence on the state Democratic Party, the white landowners of the Black Belt had stayed exceedingly loyal to the party until after the Voting Rights Act. This allowed North Carolina to be, along with Arkansas, the only state to vote for Democrats in all four presidential elections between 1952 and 1964. Indeed, the state had not voted Republican since anti-Catholic fervor lead it to support Herbert Hoover over Al Smith in 1928; and other than that the state had not voted Republican once in the century since the Reconstruction era election of 1872. Nonetheless, in 1964 Republican Barry Goldwater may have won a small majority of white voters, although he was beaten by virtually universal support for incumbent President Lyndon Johnson by a black vote estimated at 175 thousand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in New Mexico</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in New Mexico took place on November 7, 1972. This was the fifteenth Presidential Election which New Mexico participated in. All fifty states plus the District of Columbia, were part of this presidential election. State voters chose four electors to represent them in the Electoral College, who voted for the President and Vice President. South Dakota Senator George McGovern was nominated to run against Nixon, and was defeated in one of the most lopsided elections in United States history. McGovern lost every state except Massachusetts to Nixon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in New York</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in Massachusetts</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in Vermont</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in Vermont took place on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in Vermont</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in New Hampshire</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in Florida</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in Florida was held on November 7, 1972, as part of the concurrent United States presidential election. Florida voters chose seventeen electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon won the state over the Democratic nominee, South Dakota Senator George McGovern, by a landslide margin of 44.11% and over one million votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election in Oklahoma</span>

The 1972 United States presidential election in Oklahoma was held on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in Florida</span>

The 1968 United States presidential election in Florida was held on November 5, 1968. Florida voters chose fourteen electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in Kentucky</span>

The 1968 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Kentucky voters chose 9 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in Nebraska</span>

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

References

  1. "Historical Voter Registration and Participation in Statewide General Elections 1910-2018" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  2. "Our Campaigns - CA US President - D Primary Race - Jun 06, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  3. "Our Campaigns - CA US President - R Primary Race - Jun 06, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  4. "1972 Presidential General Election Results - California". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved August 25, 2008.