1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1958 November 8, 1960 1962 →
 
Nominee Gaylord A. Nelson Philip G. Kuehn
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 890,868 837,123
Percentage 51.55% 48.44%

County results
Nelson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Kuehn:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

Gaylord A. Nelson
Democratic

Elected Governor

Gaylord A. Nelson
Democratic

The 1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1960. Democrat Gaylord A. Nelson won the election with 51.5% of the vote, retaining his position as Governor of Wisconsin.

The results were almost exactly the opposite of the simultaneous presidential election, with Nelson's margin of victory being about half a point narrower than that of Richard Nixon.

Primary election

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The primary election was held on September 13, 1960. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Democratic party

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gaylord A. Nelson (incumbent) 258,141 100.00%
Total votes 258,141 100.00%

Republican party

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Candidates

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  • Philip G. Kuehn, former chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party (1955-1958)

Results

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Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Philip G. Kuehn 286,398 100.00%
Total votes 286,398 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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  • Gaylord A. Nelson, Democrat
  • Philip G. Kuehn, Republican

Results

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1960 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gaylord A. Nelson (incumbent) 890,868 51.55% −2.04%
Republican Philip G. Kuehn 837,123 48.44% +2.16%
Scattering[a] 18 0.00%
Majority 53,745 3.11%
Total votes 1,728,009 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing -4.20%

Results by county

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Nelson was the first Democrat since William R. Taylor in 1873 to win Pierce County. Vernon County would not vote for Democratic again until 2002.

County[2][3] Gaylord A. Nelson
Democratic
Philip G. Kuehn
Republican
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # %
Adams 1,752 48.73% 1,842 51.24% -90 -2.50% 3,595[b]
Ashland 4,816 60.49% 3,145 39.51% 1,671 20.99% 7,961
Barron 7,463 49.94% 7,481 50.06% -18 -0.12% 14,944
Bayfield 3,659 61.06% 2,333 38.94% 1,326 22.13% 5,992
Brown 26,542 50.47% 26,044 49.53% 498 0.95% 52,586
Buffalo 3,086 50.64% 3,008 49.36% 78 1.28% 6,094
Burnett 2,668 60.43% 1,747 39.57% 921 20.86% 4,415
Calumet 4,125 43.51% 5,356 56.49% -1,231 -12.98% 9,481
Chippewa 10,485 56.24% 8,157 43.76% 2,328 12.49% 18,642
Clark 6,581 48.94% 6,867 51.06% -286 -2.13% 13,448
Columbia 7,431 44.01% 9,452 55.99% -2,021 -11.97% 16,883
Crawford 3,705 52.59% 3,340 47.41% 365 5.18% 7,045
Dane 56,601 61.53% 35,387 38.47% 21,214 23.06% 91,989[b]
Dodge 10,997 40.05% 16,459 59.95% -5,462 -19.89% 27,456
Door 3,679 39.48% 5,639 60.52% -1,960 -21.03% 9,318
Douglas 14,661 69.72% 6,368 30.28% 8,293 39.44% 21,029
Dunn 5,383 48.62% 5,688 51.38% -305 -2.75% 11,071
Eau Claire 13,250 51.82% 12,317 48.18% 933 3.65% 25,567
Florence 959 54.52% 800 45.48% 159 9.04% 1,759
Fond du Lac 13,378 40.47% 19,677 59.53% -6,299 -19.06% 33,055
Forest 1,934 55.21% 1,569 44.79% 365 10.42% 3,503
Grant 7,985 42.68% 10,725 57.32% -2,740 -14.64% 18,710
Green 4,224 36.36% 7,393 63.64% -3,169 -27.28% 11,617
Green Lake 2,677 33.71% 5,263 66.28% -2,586 -32.57% 7,941[b]
Iowa 3,758 43.33% 4,915 56.67% -1,157 -13.34% 8,673
Iron 2,830 72.18% 1,091 27.82% 1,739 44.35% 3,921
Jackson 3,324 49.92% 3,334 50.08% -10 -0.15% 6,658
Jefferson 10,146 44.25% 12,781 55.75% -2,635 -11.49% 22,927
Juneau 3,407 42.03% 4,700 57.97% -1,293 -15.95% 8,107
Kenosha 25,992 60.34% 17,087 39.66% 8,905 20.67% 43,079
Kewaunee 4,250 51.99% 3,925 48.01% 325 3.98% 8,175
La Crosse 16,081 49.34% 16,510 50.66% -429 -1.32% 32,591
Lafayette 3,913 46.63% 4,478 53.37% -565 -6.73% 8,391
Langlade 4,383 51.61% 4,109 48.39% 274 3.23% 8,492
Lincoln 4,387 43.19% 5,770 56.81% -1,383 -13.62% 10,157
Manitowoc 17,910 54.74% 14,811 45.26% 3,099 9.47% 32,721
Marathon 19,502 48.74% 20,510 51.26% -1,008 -2.52% 40,012
Marinette 7,323 46.92% 8,286 53.08% -963 -6.17% 15,609
Marquette 1,331 31.83% 2,851 68.17% -1,520 -36.35% 4,182
Milwaukee 263,410 59.08% 182,413 40.91% 80,997 18.17% 445,836[c]
Monroe 5,819 45.76% 6,897 54.24% -1,078 -8.48% 12,716
Oconto 5,162 45.90% 6,084 54.10% -922 -8.20% 11,246
Oneida 5,400 50.79% 5,232 49.21% 168 1.58% 10,632
Outagamie 17,459 42.11% 23,999 57.89% -6,540 -15.78% 41,458
Ozaukee 7,486 42.26% 10,229 57.74% -2,743 -15.48% 17,715
Pepin 1,754 53.97% 1,495 46.00% 259 7.97% 3,250[b]
Pierce 5,125 52.54% 4,629 47.46% 496 5.09% 9,754
Polk 6,850 60.08% 4,551 39.92% 2,299 20.16% 11,401
Portage 10,836 64.18% 6,048 35.82% 4,788 28.36% 16,884
Price 3,445 49.61% 3,498 50.37% -53 -0.76% 6,944[b]
Racine 34,289 56.69% 26,195 43.31% 8,094 13.38% 60,484
Richland 3,425 41.75% 4,779 58.25% -1,354 -16.50% 8,204
Rock 20,890 42.81% 27,911 57.19% -7,021 -14.39% 48,801
Rusk 3,908 56.98% 2,951 43.02% 957 13.95% 6,859
Sauk 7,386 43.52% 9,584 56.48% -2,198 -12.95% 16,970
Sawyer 2,417 48.89% 2,527 51.11% -110 -2.22% 4,944
Shawano 5,352 36.91% 9,150 63.09% -3,798 -26.19% 14,502
Sheboygan 20,102 49.62% 20,412 50.38% -310 -0.77% 40,514
St. Croix 7,728 58.40% 5,506 41.60% 2,222 16.79% 13,234
Taylor 3,954 54.78% 3,264 45.22% 690 9.56% 7,218
Trempealeau 5,686 54.80% 4,690 45.20% 996 9.60% 10,376
Vernon 5,978 50.87% 5,774 49.13% 204 1.74% 11,752
Vilas 1,989 36.82% 3,413 63.18% -1,424 -26.36% 5,402
Walworth 8,218 33.87% 16,045 66.13% -7,827 -32.26% 24,263
Washburn 2,591 50.52% 2,538 49.48% 53 1.03% 5,129
Washington 8,151 40.89% 11,782 59.11% -3,631 -18.22% 19,933
Waukesha 31,281 45.43% 37,577 54.57% -6,296 -9.14% 68,858
Waupaca 5,291 31.31% 11,607 68.69% -6,316 -37.38% 16,898
Waushara 2,035 29.99% 4,751 70.01% -2,716 -40.02% 6,786
Winnebago 19,210 41.52% 27,053 58.48% -7,843 -16.95% 46,263
Wood 11,663 46.68% 13,324 53.32% -1,661 -6.65% 24,987
Total 890,868 51.55% 837,123 48.44% 53,745 3.11% 1,728,009

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Notes

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  1. ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
  2. ^ a b c d e Includes 1 Scattering vote
  3. ^ Includes 13 Scattering votes

References

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  1. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1962). "Vote For State Officers, Wisconsin Primary Election". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 787.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1960
  3. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1962). "Vote For State Officers By Counties, Wisconsin General Election, November 8, 1960". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 863.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)