1944 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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November 7, 1944 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 County results Goodland: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hoan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1944 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1944. Primary elections were held on August 15, 1944.
Incumbent Republican Governor Walter Samuel Goodland defeated Democratic nominee Daniel Hoan with 52.84% of the vote.
Progressive primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Alexander O. Benz, president of the Aid Association for Lutherans[1]
Eliminated in primary
- Ralph F. Amoth
- John H. Kaiser, Progressive candidate for Secretary of State in 1942
- Leo E. Vaudreuil, former Deputy Attorney General of Wisconsin[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Alexander O. Benz | 9,448 | 33.13% | |
| Progressive | Leo E. Vaudreuil | 9,207 | 32.28% | |
| Progressive | Ralph F. Amoth | 5,691 | 19.95% | |
| Progressive | John H. Kaiser | 4,174 | 14.64% | |
| Total votes | 28,520 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Walter S. Goodland, incumbent lieutenant governor and acting governor
Eliminated in primary
- Roland E. Kannenberg, former State Senator[5]
- Delbert J. Kenny, businessman[6]
- Milton T. Murray, State Senator and unsuccessful candidate for Republican nomination for governor in 1942
- Christian J. Otjen, lawyer and soldier[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Walter S. Goodland (inc.) | 147,378 | 47.15% | |
| Republican | Delbert J. Kenny | 79,492 | 25.43% | |
| Republican | Milton T. Murray | 41,244 | 13.19% | |
| Republican | Christian J. Otjen | 29,004 | 9.28% | |
| Republican | Roland E. Kannenberg | 15,470 | 4.95% | |
| Total votes | 312,588 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Candidates
Nominee
- Daniel Hoan, former mayor of Milwaukee
Eliminated in primary
- John N. Zimmermann, purchasing agent[9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel W. Hoan | 67,632 | 63.23% | |
| Democratic | John N. Zimmermann | 39,333 | 36.77% | |
| Total votes | 106,965 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Walter Samuel Goodland, Democratic
- Daniel Hoan, Republican
- Alexander O. Benz, Progressive
Other candidates
- Georgia Cozzini, Socialist Labor, candidate for governor in 1942
- George A. Nelson, Socialist, candidate for governor in 1934
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Walter S. Goodland (incumbent) | 697,740 | 52.84% | +16.39% | |
| Democratic | Daniel W. Hoan | 536,357 | 40.62% | +28.36% | |
| Progressive | Alexander O. Benz | 76,028 | 5.76% | −43.89% | |
| Socialist | George A. Nelson | 9,183 | 0.70% | −0.71% | |
| Socialist Labor[a] | Georgia Cozzini | 1,122 | 0.08% | +0.02% | |
| Scattering | 53 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 161,383 | 12.22% | |||
| Total votes | 1,320,483 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +25.42% | |||
Results by county
| County[11][12] | Walter S. Goodland Republican | Daniel W. Hoan Democratic | Alexander O. Benz Progressive | All Others Various | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,769 | 61.62% | 871 | 30.34% | 207 | 7.21% | 24 | 0.84% | 898 | 31.28% | 2,871 |
| Ashland | 3,638 | 47.66% | 3,281 | 42.98% | 684 | 8.96% | 31 | 0.41% | 357 | 4.68% | 7,634 |
| Barron | 6,838 | 56.92% | 2,854 | 23.76% | 2,238 | 18.63% | 84 | 0.70% | 3,984 | 33.16% | 12,014 |
| Bayfield | 2,778 | 49.10% | 2,309 | 40.81% | 531 | 9.38% | 40 | 0.71% | 469 | 8.29% | 5,658 |
| Brown | 16,034 | 46.98% | 16,039 | 47.00% | 1,989 | 5.83% | 66 | 0.19% | -5 | -0.01% | 34,128 |
| Buffalo | 3,524 | 70.83% | 1,006 | 20.22% | 395 | 7.94% | 50 | 1.01% | 2,518 | 50.61% | 4,975 |
| Burnett | 2,123 | 55.42% | 1,168 | 30.49% | 493 | 12.87% | 47 | 1.23% | 955 | 24.93% | 3,831 |
| Calumet | 5,047 | 67.46% | 1,800 | 24.06% | 616 | 8.23% | 19 | 0.25% | 3,247 | 43.40% | 7,482 |
| Chippewa | 7,760 | 56.38% | 4,321 | 31.39% | 1,590 | 11.55% | 93 | 0.68% | 3,439 | 24.99% | 13,764 |
| Clark | 6,990 | 57.91% | 3,088 | 25.58% | 1,935 | 16.03% | 58 | 0.48% | 3,902 | 32.33% | 12,071 |
| Columbia | 9,451 | 68.45% | 3,846 | 27.85% | 478 | 3.46% | 33 | 0.24% | 5,605 | 40.59% | 13,808 |
| Crawford | 4,488 | 63.48% | 2,455 | 34.72% | 109 | 1.54% | 18 | 0.25% | 2,033 | 28.76% | 7,070 |
| Dane | 33,742 | 56.78% | 21,357 | 35.94% | 4,099 | 6.90% | 226 | 0.38% | 12,385 | 20.84% | 59,424 |
| Dodge | 14,136 | 64.58% | 6,132 | 28.01% | 1,566 | 7.15% | 55 | 0.25% | 8,004 | 36.57% | 21,889 |
| Door | 5,598 | 70.34% | 1,902 | 23.90% | 438 | 5.50% | 20 | 0.25% | 3,696 | 46.44% | 7,958 |
| Douglas | 7,874 | 39.86% | 9,035 | 45.73% | 2,697 | 13.65% | 150 | 0.76% | -1,161 | -5.88% | 19,756 |
| Dunn | 6,083 | 65.00% | 2,219 | 23.71% | 1,015 | 10.85% | 41 | 0.44% | 3,864 | 41.29% | 9,358 |
| Eau Claire | 10,553 | 59.12% | 5,411 | 30.31% | 1,814 | 10.16% | 72 | 0.40% | 5,142 | 28.81% | 17,850 |
| Florence | 792 | 51.13% | 685 | 44.22% | 55 | 3.55% | 17 | 1.10% | 107 | 6.91% | 1,549 |
| Fond du Lac | 16,432 | 62.86% | 8,111 | 31.03% | 1,514 | 5.79% | 85 | 0.33% | 8,321 | 31.83% | 26,142 |
| Forest | 1,268 | 34.53% | 2,302 | 62.69% | 96 | 2.61% | 6 | 0.16% | -1,034 | -28.16% | 3,672 |
| Grant | 11,853 | 75.06% | 3,570 | 22.61% | 324 | 2.05% | 44 | 0.28% | 8,283 | 52.45% | 15,791 |
| Green | 7,065 | 75.31% | 2,045 | 21.80% | 249 | 2.65% | 22 | 0.23% | 5,020 | 53.51% | 9,381 |
| Green Lake | 4,802 | 72.11% | 1,581 | 23.74% | 259 | 3.89% | 17 | 0.26% | 3,221 | 48.37% | 6,659 |
| Iowa | 6,015 | 73.64% | 1,911 | 23.40% | 221 | 2.71% | 21 | 0.26% | 4,104 | 50.24% | 8,168 |
| Iron | 1,314 | 34.62% | 2,322 | 61.17% | 142 | 3.74% | 18 | 0.47% | -1,008 | -26.55% | 3,796 |
| Jackson | 3,542 | 61.16% | 1,243 | 21.46% | 989 | 17.08% | 17 | 0.29% | 2,299 | 39.70% | 5,791 |
| Jefferson | 10,882 | 63.53% | 5,308 | 30.99% | 894 | 5.22% | 44 | 0.26% | 5,574 | 32.54% | 17,128 |
| Juneau | 4,811 | 65.64% | 1,905 | 25.99% | 592 | 8.08% | 21 | 0.29% | 2,906 | 39.65% | 7,329 |
| Kenosha | 11,543 | 37.70% | 17,487 | 57.11% | 1,335 | 4.36% | 255 | 0.83% | -5,944 | -19.41% | 30,620 |
| Kewaunee | 3,673 | 56.39% | 2,252 | 34.58% | 564 | 8.66% | 24 | 0.37% | 1,421 | 21.82% | 6,513 |
| La Crosse | 14,531 | 59.04% | 8,086 | 32.85% | 1,953 | 7.93% | 44 | 0.18% | 6,445 | 26.18% | 24,614 |
| Lafayette | 5,559 | 68.89% | 2,356 | 29.20% | 142 | 1.76% | 12 | 0.15% | 3,203 | 39.70% | 8,069 |
| Langlade | 3,853 | 47.39% | 3,854 | 47.40% | 394 | 4.85% | 30 | 0.37% | -1 | -0.01% | 8,131 |
| Lincoln | 5,304 | 62.40% | 2,180 | 25.65% | 936 | 11.01% | 80 | 0.94% | 3,124 | 36.75% | 8,500 |
| Manitowoc | 12,456 | 47.86% | 10,940 | 42.04% | 2,524 | 9.70% | 104 | 0.40% | 1,516 | 5.83% | 26,024 |
| Marathon | 15,538 | 53.60% | 10,328 | 35.63% | 2,864 | 9.88% | 259 | 0.89% | 5,210 | 17.97% | 28,989 |
| Marinette | 7,419 | 56.13% | 5,433 | 41.10% | 323 | 2.44% | 43 | 0.33% | 1,986 | 15.02% | 13,218 |
| Marquette | 2,902 | 76.51% | 720 | 18.98% | 166 | 4.38% | 5 | 0.13% | 2,182 | 57.53% | 3,793 |
| Milwaukee | 140,914 | 39.42% | 201,343 | 56.33% | 9,730 | 2.72% | 5,462 | 1.53% | -60,429 | -16.91% | 357,449 |
| Monroe | 7,940 | 70.71% | 2,602 | 23.17% | 622 | 5.54% | 65 | 0.58% | 5,338 | 47.54% | 11,229 |
| Oconto | 5,879 | 57.28% | 3,746 | 36.50% | 596 | 5.81% | 43 | 0.42% | 2,133 | 20.78% | 10,264 |
| Oneida | 3,636 | 50.90% | 3,231 | 45.23% | 226 | 3.16% | 50 | 0.70% | 405 | 5.67% | 7,143 |
| Outagamie | 13,947 | 49.60% | 6,943 | 24.69% | 7,151 | 25.43% | 80 | 0.28% | 6,796[b] | 24.17% | 28,121 |
| Ozaukee | 5,677 | 62.23% | 3,016 | 33.06% | 382 | 4.19% | 48 | 0.53% | 2,661 | 29.17% | 9,123 |
| Pepin | 2,101 | 75.85% | 511 | 18.45% | 138 | 4.98% | 20 | 0.72% | 1,590 | 57.40% | 2,770 |
| Pierce | 5,578 | 72.76% | 1,654 | 21.58% | 396 | 5.17% | 38 | 0.50% | 3,924 | 51.19% | 7,666 |
| Polk | 5,537 | 58.84% | 2,286 | 24.29% | 1,310 | 13.92% | 277 | 2.94% | 3,251 | 34.55% | 9,410 |
| Portage | 6,066 | 43.80% | 7,382 | 53.30% | 333 | 2.40% | 68 | 0.49% | -1,316 | -9.50% | 13,849 |
| Price | 3,205 | 48.25% | 2,925 | 44.03% | 455 | 6.85% | 58 | 0.87% | 280 | 4.21% | 6,643 |
| Racine | 17,679 | 39.72% | 25,746 | 57.84% | 897 | 2.02% | 192 | 0.43% | -8,067 | -18.12% | 44,514 |
| Richland | 5,862 | 73.48% | 1,962 | 24.59% | 116 | 1.45% | 38 | 0.48% | 3,900 | 48.88% | 7,978 |
| Rock | 21,175 | 60.57% | 12,794 | 36.60% | 918 | 2.63% | 70 | 0.20% | 8,381 | 23.98% | 34,957 |
| Rusk | 3,456 | 55.38% | 2,495 | 39.98% | 267 | 4.28% | 23 | 0.37% | 961 | 15.40% | 6,241 |
| Sauk | 10,851 | 71.64% | 3,724 | 24.59% | 490 | 3.24% | 81 | 0.53% | 7,127 | 47.06% | 15,146 |
| Sawyer | 2,359 | 56.07% | 1,504 | 35.75% | 311 | 7.39% | 33 | 0.78% | 855 | 20.32% | 4,207 |
| Shawano | 8,277 | 65.37% | 2,939 | 23.21% | 1,395 | 11.02% | 50 | 0.39% | 5,338 | 42.16% | 12,661 |
| Sheboygan | 14,981 | 47.67% | 14,190 | 45.15% | 1,755 | 5.58% | 502 | 1.60% | 791 | 2.52% | 31,428 |
| St. Croix | 6,744 | 65.90% | 3,014 | 29.45% | 428 | 4.18% | 48 | 0.47% | 3,730 | 36.45% | 10,234 |
| Taylor | 3,330 | 51.40% | 2,536 | 39.14% | 417 | 6.44% | 196 | 3.03% | 794 | 12.25% | 6,479 |
| Trempealeau | 5,244 | 62.71% | 1,957 | 23.40% | 1,139 | 13.62% | 22 | 0.26% | 3,287 | 39.31% | 8,362 |
| Vernon | 7,067 | 66.15% | 2,950 | 27.61% | 642 | 6.01% | 24 | 0.22% | 4,117 | 38.54% | 10,683 |
| Vilas | 1,822 | 45.19% | 2,090 | 51.84% | 105 | 2.60% | 15 | 0.37% | -268 | -6.65% | 4,032 |
| Walworth | 12,240 | 74.33% | 3,817 | 23.18% | 362 | 2.20% | 47 | 0.29% | 8,423 | 51.15% | 16,466 |
| Washburn | 2,316 | 54.19% | 1,515 | 35.45% | 413 | 9.66% | 30 | 0.70% | 801 | 18.74% | 4,274 |
| Washington | 8,695 | 68.07% | 3,420 | 26.77% | 635 | 4.97% | 24 | 0.19% | 5,275 | 41.29% | 12,774 |
| Waukesha | 19,112 | 61.34% | 11,014 | 35.35% | 872 | 2.80% | 162 | 0.52% | 8,098 | 25.99% | 31,160 |
| Waupaca | 11,104 | 72.64% | 2,700 | 17.66% | 1,443 | 9.44% | 40 | 0.26% | 8,404 | 54.97% | 15,287 |
| Waushara | 4,755 | 79.10% | 972 | 16.17% | 260 | 4.33% | 24 | 0.40% | 3,783 | 62.93% | 6,011 |
| Winnebago | 19,893 | 61.56% | 10,601 | 32.80% | 1,651 | 5.11% | 172 | 0.53% | 9,292 | 28.75% | 32,317 |
| Wood | 10,318 | 63.74% | 5,065 | 31.29% | 743 | 4.59% | 61 | 0.38% | 5,253 | 32.45% | 16,187 |
| Total | 697,740 | 52.84% | 536,357 | 40.62% | 76,028 | 5.76% | 10,358 | 0.78% | 161,383 | 12.22% | 1,320,483 |
Counties that flipped from Progressive to Republican
- Adams
- Ashland
- Barron
- Bayfield
- Buffalo
- Burnett
- Chippewa
- Clark
- Columbia
- Dane
- Dodge
- Door
- Dunn
- Eau Claire
- Grant
- Green
- Iowa
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Juneau
- La Crosse
- Lincoln
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Monroe
- Oconto
- Oneida
- Ozaukee
- Pierce
- Polk
- Richland
- Rock
- Rusk
- Sauk
- St. Croix
- Taylor
- Trempealeau
- Vernon
- Washburn
- Waukesha
- Waupaca
- Wooda
Counties that flipped from Progressive to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Notes
- ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"
- ^ Goodland's margin over Benz
References
- ^ "Benz To Seek Nomination". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. May 2, 1944. p. 16. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ "Vaudreuil For Governor, But No Statement". Kenosha Evening News. Kenosha, Wisconsin. May 25, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ a b c Wisconsin Blue Book 1946, p. 590.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1944 – PRG Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "Former State Senator Kannenberg Dies". Wausau Daily Herald. November 17, 1983. p. 6. Retrieved July 30, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Only One Candidate Has All The Qualifications". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. August 14, 1944. p. 2. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ "Col. C. J. Otjen, Milwaukee Civic Leader And Soldier, Dies". The Sheboygan Press. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. July 17, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1944 – R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "CIO Actionists Face Wisconsin Test Today". Evening Star. Washington, D.C. August 15, 1944. p. A-3. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1944 – D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1944
- ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1946). "Summary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1946. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 664.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Bibliography
- Gubernatorial Elections, 1787–1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
- Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1946). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1946. State of Wisconsin.