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.
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County results Lucey: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Olson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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
- Roman Richard Blenski, former member of Wisconsin Senate (1949-1955) and Wisconsin State Assembly (1945-1947)
- Jack B. Olson, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jack B. Olson | 203,434 | 91.43% | |
Republican | Roman Richard Blenski | 19,061 | 8.57% | |
Total votes | 222,495 | 100.00% |
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
- David O. Martin, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David O. Martin | 192,005 | 100.00% | |
Total votes | 192,005 | 100.00% |
Democratic party
Governor
Candidates
- Edward Ihlenfeldt
- Patrick J. Lucey, former Lieutenant Governor and nominee for governor in 1966
- Donald O. Peterson
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey | 177,584 | 60.66% | |
Democratic | Donald O. Peterson | 105,849 | 36.16% | |
Democratic | Edward Ihlenfeldt | 9,312 | 3.18% | |
Total votes | 292,745 | 100.00% |
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
- Harry Halloway
- Frank Nikolay, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- John F. O'Malley
- Martin J. Schreiber, member of Wisconsin State Senate
- Jay G. Sykes
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Martin J. Schreiber | 128,038 | 47.22% | |
Democratic | Frank Nikolay | 54,374 | 20.05% | |
Democratic | John F. O'Malley | 36,544 | 13.48% | |
Democratic | Jay G. Sykes | 35,984 | 13.27% | |
Democratic | Harry Halloway | 16,191 | 5.97% | |
Total votes | 271,131 | 100.00% |
American party
Governor
Candidates
- Leo James McDonald
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
- Theodore G. Kothe
Results
General election
Candidates
- Patrick J. Lucey & Martin J. Schreiber, Democrat
- Jack B. Olson & David O. Martin, Republican
- Leo James McDonald & Theodore Kothe, American
- Georgia Cozzini & Denis Kitchen, Independent
- Samuel K. Hunt & Peter J. Kohlenberg, Independent
- Myrtle Kastner & Russell Chabot, Independent
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey | 728,403 | 54.23% | +7.41% | |
Republican | Jack B. Olson | 602,617 | 44.87% | −8.01% | |
American | Leo James McDonald | 9,035 | 0.67% | ||
Independent | Georgia Cozzini | 1,287 | 0.10% | ||
Independent | Samuel K. Hunt | 888 | 0.07% | ||
Independent | Myrtle Kastner | 628 | 0.05% | ||
Scattering[lower-alpha 1] | 302 | 0.02% | |||
Majority | 125,786 | 9.36% | |||
Total votes | 1,343,160 | 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 |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
Adams | 1,560 | 53.12% | 1,358 | 46.24% | 19 | 0.65% | 202 | 6.88% | 2,937 |
Ashland | 3,541 | 66.72% | 1,708 | 32.18% | 58 | 1.09% | 1,833 | 34.54% | 5,307 |
Barron | 5,052 | 49.83% | 5,045 | 49.76% | 42 | 0.41% | 7 | 0.07% | 10,139 |
Bayfield | 2,977 | 64.38% | 1,623 | 35.10% | 24 | 0.52% | 1,354 | 29.28% | 4,624 |
Brown | 23,869 | 52.00% | 21,395 | 46.61% | 636 | 1.39% | 2,474 | 5.39% | 45,900 |
Buffalo | 1,890 | 52.66% | 1,693 | 47.17% | 6 | 0.17% | 197 | 5.49% | 3,589 |
Burnett | 1,999 | 58.42% | 1,413 | 41.29% | 10 | 0.29% | 586 | 17.12% | 3,422 |
Calumet | 4,295 | 50.49% | 4,174 | 49.07% | 37 | 0.43% | 121 | 1.42% | 8,506 |
Chippewa | 7,523 | 60.37% | 4,863 | 39.03% | 75 | 0.60% | 2,660 | 21.35% | 12,461 |
Clark | 5,017 | 53.17% | 4,345 | 46.05% | 73 | 0.77% | 672 | 7.12% | 9,435 |
Columbia | 5,592 | 42.26% | 7,542 | 57.00% | 98 | 0.74% | -1,950 | -14.74% | 13,232 |
Crawford | 2,298 | 43.43% | 2,517 | 47.57% | 476 | 9.00% | -219 | -4.14% | 5,291 |
Dane | 49,868 | 55.89% | 38,078 | 42.68% | 1,272 | 1.43% | 11,790 | 13.21% | 89,218 |
Dodge | 9,510 | 46.81% | 10,683 | 52.58% | 124 | 0.61% | -1,173 | -5.77% | 20,317 |
Door | 3,014 | 41.88% | 4,153 | 57.70% | 30 | 0.42% | -1,139 | -15.83% | 7,197 |
Douglas | 10,608 | 70.92% | 4,255 | 28.45% | 94 | 0.63% | 6,353 | 42.48% | 14,957 |
Dunn | 3,963 | 51.03% | 3,770 | 48.54% | 33 | 0.42% | 193 | 2.49% | 7,766 |
Eau Claire | 11,252 | 55.85% | 8,787 | 43.61% | 109 | 0.54% | 2,465 | 12.23% | 20,148 |
Florence | 696 | 49.89% | 695 | 49.82% | 4 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.07% | 1,395 |
Fond du Lac | 12,434 | 48.68% | 12,872 | 50.39% | 237 | 0.93% | -438 | -1.71% | 25,543 |
Forest | 1,724 | 62.04% | 1,043 | 37.53% | 12 | 0.43% | 681 | 24.51% | 2,779 |
Grant | 4,621 | 39.58% | 6,846 | 58.64% | 207 | 1.77% | -2,225 | -19.06% | 11,674 |
Green | 2,894 | 37.59% | 4,772 | 61.99% | 32 | 0.42% | -1,878 | -24.40% | 7,698 |
Green Lake | 2,343 | 40.06% | 3,461 | 59.18% | 44 | 0.75% | -1,118 | -19.12% | 5,848 |
Iowa | 2,403 | 43.05% | 3,141 | 56.27% | 38 | 0.68% | -738 | -13.22% | 5,582 |
Iron | 1,741 | 67.35% | 832 | 32.19% | 12 | 0.46% | 909 | 35.16% | 2,585 |
Jackson | 2,592 | 54.88% | 2,117 | 44.82% | 14 | 0.30% | 475 | 10.06% | 4,723 |
Jefferson | 9,034 | 47.08% | 10,047 | 52.36% | 108 | 0.56% | -1,013 | -5.28% | 19,189 |
Juneau | 2,483 | 46.42% | 2,825 | 52.81% | 41 | 0.77% | -342 | -6.39% | 5,349 |
Kenosha | 22,136 | 64.53% | 11,944 | 34.82% | 223 | 0.65% | 10,192 | 29.71% | 34,303 |
Kewaunee | 3,100 | 52.38% | 2,795 | 47.23% | 23 | 0.39% | 305 | 5.15% | 5,918 |
La Crosse | 11,639 | 46.04% | 13,335 | 52.75% | 305 | 1.21% | -1,696 | -6.71% | 25,279 |
Lafayette | 2,414 | 42.39% | 3,255 | 57.16% | 26 | 0.46% | -841 | -14.77% | 5,695 |
Langlade | 3,110 | 55.26% | 2,488 | 44.21% | 30 | 0.53% | 622 | 11.05% | 5,628 |
Lincoln | 3,860 | 50.90% | 3,667 | 48.36% | 56 | 0.74% | 193 | 2.55% | 7,583 |
Manitowoc | 15,975 | 59.24% | 10,577 | 39.22% | 414 | 1.54% | 5,398 | 20.02% | 26,966 |
Marathon | 17,665 | 55.30% | 13,903 | 43.52% | 376 | 1.18% | 3,762 | 11.78% | 31,944 |
Marinette | 6,358 | 51.66% | 5,871 | 47.70% | 78 | 0.63% | 487 | 3.96% | 12,307 |
Marquette | 1,203 | 40.67% | 1,735 | 58.65% | 20 | 0.68% | -532 | -17.99% | 2,958 |
Menominee | 485 | 73.48% | 169 | 25.61% | 6 | 0.91% | 316 | 47.88% | 660 |
Milwaukee | 196,941 | 63.55% | 110,436 | 35.64% | 2,518 | 0.81% | 86,505 | 27.91% | 309,895 |
Monroe | 3,694 | 45.31% | 4,403 | 54.01% | 55 | 0.67% | -709 | -8.70% | 8,152 |
Oconto | 4,321 | 50.99% | 4,101 | 48.39% | 53 | 0.63% | 220 | 2.60% | 8,475 |
Oneida | 4,401 | 50.69% | 4,224 | 48.65% | 58 | 0.67% | 177 | 2.04% | 8,683 |
Outagamie | 15,855 | 47.37% | 17,318 | 51.74% | 295 | 0.88% | -1,463 | -4.37% | 33,468 |
Ozaukee | 6,830 | 39.78% | 10,184 | 59.31% | 156 | 0.91% | -3,354 | -19.53% | 17,170 |
Pepin | 1,126 | 54.66% | 924 | 44.85% | 10 | 0.49% | 202 | 9.81% | 2,060 |
Pierce | 3,769 | 52.91% | 3,344 | 46.95% | 10 | 0.14% | 425 | 5.97% | 7,123 |
Polk | 4,616 | 52.33% | 4,180 | 47.39% | 25 | 0.28% | 436 | 4.94% | 8,821 |
Portage | 9,580 | 66.02% | 4,797 | 33.06% | 134 | 0.92% | 4,783 | 32.96% | 14,511 |
Price | 3,137 | 55.38% | 2,500 | 44.14% | 27 | 0.48% | 637 | 11.25% | 5,664 |
Racine | 30,086 | 57.79% | 21,573 | 41.44% | 399 | 0.77% | 8,513 | 16.35% | 52,058 |
Richland | 2,368 | 39.80% | 3,444 | 57.88% | 138 | 2.32% | -1,076 | -18.08% | 5,950 |
Rock | 20,358 | 51.77% | 18,689 | 47.53% | 275 | 0.70% | 1,669 | 4.24% | 39,322 |
Rusk | 2,540 | 57.87% | 1,819 | 41.44% | 30 | 0.68% | 721 | 16.43% | 4,389 |
Sauk | 5,601 | 43.85% | 7,036 | 55.09% | 135 | 1.06% | -1,435 | -11.24% | 12,772 |
Sawyer | 1,703 | 49.52% | 1,716 | 49.90% | 20 | 0.58% | -13 | -0.38% | 3,439 |
Shawano | 4,696 | 43.59% | 6,027 | 55.95% | 49 | 0.45% | -1,331 | -12.36% | 10,772 |
Sheboygan | 17,697 | 51.87% | 16,077 | 47.12% | 344 | 1.01% | 1,620 | 4.75% | 34,118 |
St. Croix | 5,045 | 52.56% | 4,534 | 47.24% | 19 | 0.20% | 511 | 5.32% | 9,598 |
Taylor | 2,019 | 50.83% | 1,896 | 47.73% | 57 | 1.44% | 123 | 3.10% | 3,972 |
Trempealeau | 4,038 | 55.13% | 3,266 | 44.59% | 20 | 0.27% | 772 | 10.54% | 7,324 |
Vernon | 3,688 | 45.87% | 4,251 | 52.87% | 101 | 1.26% | -563 | -7.00% | 8,040 |
Vilas | 2,185 | 43.62% | 2,795 | 55.80% | 29 | 0.58% | -610 | -12.18% | 5,009 |
Walworth | 7,789 | 41.52% | 10,903 | 58.12% | 66 | 0.35% | -3,114 | -16.60% | 18,758 |
Washburn | 2,319 | 54.78% | 1,896 | 44.79% | 18 | 0.43% | 423 | 9.99% | 4,233 |
Washington | 9,686 | 49.78% | 9,636 | 49.53% | 134 | 0.69% | 50 | 0.26% | 19,456 |
Waukesha | 32,969 | 46.77% | 36,828 | 52.25% | 689 | 0.98% | -3,859 | -5.47% | 70,486 |
Waupaca | 4,302 | 38.84% | 6,726 | 60.73% | 47 | 0.42% | -2,424 | -21.89% | 11,075 |
Waushara | 1,824 | 38.14% | 2,933 | 61.32% | 26 | 0.54% | -1,109 | -23.19% | 4,783 |
Winnebago | 17,507 | 46.89% | 19,286 | 51.66% | 540 | 1.45% | -1,779 | -4.77% | 37,333 |
Wood | 10,975 | 54.33% | 9,083 | 44.97% | 141 | 0.70% | 1,892 | 9.37% | 20,199 |
Total | 728,403 | 54.23% | 602,617 | 44.87% | 12,140 | 0.90% | 125,786 | 9.36% | 1,343,160 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Notes
References
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