1972 Utah gubernatorial election

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1972 Utah gubernatorial election
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November 7, 1972
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  Calvin L. Rampton.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Cal Rampton Nicholas L. Strike
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote331,998144,449
Percentage69.68%30.32%
1972 Utah gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Rampton:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Strike:      50–60%
Governor before election

Cal Rampton
Democratic

Elected Governor

Cal Rampton
Democratic

The 1972 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic incumbent Cal Rampton defeated Republican nominee Nicholas L. Strike with 69.68% of the vote. Rampton's victory was despite incumbent Republican president Richard Nixon winning the state with over 67% of the vote in the concurrent presidential election. [1] The election made Rampton the first governor to serve three terms. [2]

Contents

Rampton's vote share is the highest ever achieved by a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Utah. It remained the highest share by a gubernatorial candidate from any party in the state until 1996. Rampton flipped Kane County, which had previously never voted Democratic for governor (though it had voted Democratic for president in 1916), but Strike managed to simultaneously flip Uintah County, preventing a statewide sweep by Rampton.

Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 12, 1972.

Democratic primary

Incumbent governor Cal Rampton was renominated without opposition. [3]

Republican primary

Nicholas L. Strike, a former Navy officer and President of the Utah Manufacturer's Association from 1968 to 1969, was nominated without opposition. [3]

Campaign

It is suggested that Rampton, as a moderate Democrat, was acceptable enough to Utah's Republican Party that in both the 1968 and 1972 elections, they put forward only token candidates. [4] By October 1972, Rampton was seen as very likely to win, with his election appearing "assured" according to The New York Times . [5]

General election

Candidates

Results

1972 Utah gubernatorial election [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Cal Rampton (incumbent) 331,998 69.68% +0.97%
Republican Nicholas L. Strike144,44930.32%−0.97%
Total votes476,447 100.00%
Majority 187,54939.36%
Democratic hold Swing +1.94%

Results by county

County [6] [7] Cal Rampton
Demcoratic		Nicholas L. Strike
Republican		MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%
Beaver 1,36565.78%71034.22%65531.57%2,075
Box Elder 8,23364.28%4,57535.72%3,65828.56%12,808
Cache 13,30662.04%8,14137.96%5,16524.08%21,447
Carbon 5,78977.32%1,69822.68%4,09154.64%7,487
Daggett 16458.36%11741.64%4716.73%281
Davis 28,76870.48%12,04829.52%16,72040.96%40,816
Duchesne 1,77957.55%1,31242.45%46715.11%3,091
Emery 1,76368.92%79531.08%96837.84%2,558
Garfield 82551.69%77148.31%543.38%1,596
Grand 1,57661.78%97538.22%60123.56%2,551
Iron 4,29064.43%2,36835.57%1,92228.87%6,658
Juab 1,55864.12%87235.88%68628.23%2,430
Kane 80356.11%62843.89%17512.23%1,431
Millard 2,31860.74%1,49839.26%82021.49%3,816
Morgan 1,30063.82%73736.18%56327.64%2,037
Piute 35960.85%23139.15%12821.69%590
Rich 40853.19%35946.81%496.39%767
Salt Lake 154,19773.48%55,64526.52%98,55246.96%209,842
San Juan 1,52459.84%1,02340.16%50119.67%2,547
Sanpete 3,62064.10%2,02735.90%1,59328.21%5,647
Sevier 3,05971.91%1,19528.09%1,86443.82%4,254
Summit 2,00963.64%1,14836.36%86127.27%3,157
Tooele 6,76978.51%1,85321.49%4,91657.02%8,622
Uintah 2,35248.15%2,53351.85%-181-3.71%4,885
Utah 38,62865.61%20,24334.39%18,38531.23%58,871
Wasatch 1,85363.39%1,07036.61%78326.79%2,923
Washington 3,85158.19%2,76741.81%1,08416.38%6,618
Wayne 51662.09%31537.91%20124.19%831
Weber 39,01669.91%16,79530.09%22,22139.81%55,811
Total331,99869.68%144,44930.32%187,54939.36%476,447

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

  1. ↑ "1972 Presidential General Election Results – Utah". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Calvin L. Rampton". Utah State Capitol . Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1973). America Votes 10: A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics. Wasington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. p. 371. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  4. ↑ "RAMPTON, CALVIN L." Utah History Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  5. ↑ Warren Weaver Jr. (October 15, 1972). "THE 1972 CAMPAIGN". The New York Times . Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Abstract of the Returns of the General Election Held in the State of Utah - November 7, 1972" (PDF). Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1973). America Votes 10: A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics. Wasington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. p. 369. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
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