1934 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 6, 1934
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 County results Fitzgerald: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lacy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1934 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934. Republican nominee Frank Fitzgerald defeated Democratic nominee Arthur J. Lacy with 52.41% of the vote.
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on September 11, 1934.
Democratic party
Incumbent governor William Comstock sought reelection but was defeated in the primary election by Arthur J. Lacy.
Candidates
- William Comstock, incumbent governor
- Arthur J. Lacy, former mayor of Clare
- John K. Stack Jr., Michigan Auditor General
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Arthur J. Lacy | 121,363 | 45.82% | |
| Democratic | William Comstock (inc.) | 111,314 | 42.03% | |
| Democratic | John K. Stack Jr. | 32,135 | 12.13% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 39 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 264,851 | 100.00% | ||
Republican party
Secretary of State Frank Fitzgerald defeated former governor Alex J. Groesbeck for the Republican nomination.
Candidates
- Orla A. Bailey, candidate for Republican nomination in 1932
- Frank Fitzgerald, Secretary of State of Michigan
- Alex J. Groesbeck, former governor
- John W. Smith, former mayor of Detroit
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Fitzgerald | 315,827 | 63.74% | |
| Republican | Alex J. Groesbeck | 151,544 | 30.58% | |
| Republican | John W. Smith | 18,734 | 3.78% | |
| Republican | Orla A. Bailey | 9,361 | 1.89% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 22 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 495,488 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Frank Fitzgerald, Republican
- Arthur J. Lacy, Democratic
Other candidates
- Arthur E. Larsen, Socialist
- John Anderson, Communism
- Donald D. Alderdyce, Farmer–Labor
- Robert Fraser, Socialist Labor
- Lincoln E. Buell, Commonwealth
- Robert R. Pointer, People's Progressive
- Ann L. Medow, National
- Edward N. Lee, American
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Fitzgerald | 659,743 | 52.41% | +9.29% | |
| Democratic | Arthur J. Lacy | 577,044 | 45.84% | −9.09% | |
| Socialist | Arthur E. Larsen | 12,002 | 0.95% | −0.29% | |
| Communist | John Anderson | 5,734 | 0.46% | −0.03% | |
| Farmer–Labor | Donald D. Alderdyce | 2,105 | 0.17% | ||
| Socialist Labor | Robert Fraser | 1,040 | 0.08% | ||
| Commonwealth | Lincoln E. Buell | 800 | 0.06% | ||
| People's Progressive | Robert R. Pointer | 198 | 0.02% | ||
| National | Ann L. Medow | 164 | 0.01% | ||
| American | Edward N. Lee | 95 | 0.01% | ||
| Majority | 82,699 | 6.57% | |||
| Total votes | 1,258,925 | 100.00 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | +18.37% | |||
Results by county
Gogebic County voted Democratic for the time first time ever while Iron County voted Democratic for the first time 1890.
| County[2] | Frank Fitzgerald Republican |
Arthur J. Lacy Democratic |
Arthur E. Larsen Socialist |
John Anderson Communist |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 1,165 | 59.87% | 757 | 38.90% | 23 | 1.18% | 1 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 408 | 20.97% | 1,946 |
| Alger | 1,613 | 44.18% | 1,934 | 52.97% | 19 | 0.52% | 81 | 2.22% | 4 | 0.11% | -321 | -8.79% | 3,651 |
| Allegan | 8,415 | 70.41% | 3,420 | 28.61% | 75 | 0.63% | 10 | 0.08% | 32 | 0.27% | 4,995 | 41.79% | 11,952 |
| Alpena | 3,407 | 61.43% | 2,072 | 37.36% | 59 | 1.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 8 | 0.14% | 1,335 | 24.07% | 5,546 |
| Antrim | 2,258 | 59.86% | 1,434 | 38.02% | 73 | 1.94% | 2 | 0.05% | 5 | 0.13% | 824 | 21.85% | 3,772 |
| Arenac | 1,816 | 59.60% | 1,199 | 39.35% | 18 | 0.59% | 12 | 0.39% | 2 | 0.07% | 617 | 20.25% | 3,047 |
| Baraga | 2,132 | 53.77% | 1,756 | 44.29% | 10 | 0.25% | 65 | 1.64% | 2 | 0.05% | 376 | 9.48% | 3,965 |
| Barry | 5,032 | 64.83% | 2,632 | 33.91% | 71 | 0.91% | 3 | 0.04% | 24 | 0.31% | 2,400 | 30.92% | 7,762 |
| Bay | 9,579 | 49.27% | 9,629 | 49.53% | 212 | 1.09% | 2 | 0.01% | 19 | 0.10% | -50 | -0.26% | 19,441 |
| Benzie | 1,674 | 53.91% | 1,385 | 44.61% | 34 | 1.10% | 6 | 0.19% | 6 | 0.19% | 289 | 9.31% | 3,105 |
| Berrien | 13,778 | 51.52% | 12,744 | 47.66% | 151 | 0.56% | 18 | 0.07% | 50 | 0.19% | 1,034 | 3.87% | 26,741 |
| Branch | 5,420 | 63.15% | 3,093 | 36.04% | 47 | 0.55% | 1 | 0.01% | 22 | 0.26% | 2,327 | 27.11% | 8,583 |
| Calhoun | 12,840 | 56.33% | 9,568 | 41.97% | 321 | 1.41% | 25 | 0.11% | 41 | 0.18% | 3,272 | 14.35% | 22,795 |
| Cass | 4,723 | 54.46% | 3,877 | 44.70% | 39 | 0.45% | 11 | 0.13% | 23 | 0.27% | 846 | 9.75% | 8,673 |
| Charlevoix | 2,714 | 59.57% | 1,678 | 36.83% | 144 | 3.16% | 3 | 0.07% | 17 | 0.37% | 1,036 | 22.74% | 4,556 |
| Cheboygan | 2,647 | 51.22% | 2,461 | 47.62% | 51 | 0.99% | 5 | 0.10% | 4 | 0.08% | 186 | 3.60% | 5,168 |
| Chippewa | 4,853 | 58.63% | 3,343 | 40.38% | 21 | 0.25% | 50 | 0.60% | 11 | 0.13% | 1,510 | 18.24% | 8,278 |
| Clare | 2,135 | 65.75% | 1,088 | 33.51% | 19 | 0.59% | 3 | 0.09% | 2 | 0.06% | 1,047 | 32.25% | 3,247 |
| Clinton | 4,623 | 60.56% | 2,981 | 39.05% | 22 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.01% | 7 | 0.09% | 1,642 | 21.51% | 7,634 |
| Crawford | 563 | 50.45% | 508 | 45.52% | 44 | 3.94% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.09% | 55 | 4.93% | 1,116 |
| Delta | 4,899 | 42.50% | 6,429 | 55.77% | 113 | 0.98% | 27 | 0.23% | 60 | 0.52% | -1,530 | -13.27% | 11,528 |
| Dickinson | 3,759 | 35.87% | 6,577 | 62.76% | 103 | 0.98% | 35 | 0.33% | 6 | 0.06% | -2,818 | -26.89% | 10,480 |
| Eaton | 7,140 | 63.34% | 3,888 | 34.49% | 223 | 1.98% | 1 | 0.01% | 20 | 0.18% | 3,252 | 28.85% | 11,272 |
| Emmet | 3,080 | 55.56% | 2,384 | 43.00% | 74 | 1.33% | 1 | 0.02% | 5 | 0.09% | 696 | 12.55% | 5,544 |
| Genesee | 22,242 | 49.94% | 21,740 | 48.81% | 350 | 0.79% | 90 | 0.20% | 116 | 0.26% | 502 | 1.13% | 44,538 |
| Gladwin | 1,727 | 61.07% | 1,075 | 38.01% | 9 | 0.32% | 14 | 0.50% | 3 | 0.11% | 652 | 23.06% | 2,828 |
| Gogebic | 4,572 | 43.41% | 5,703 | 54.14% | 46 | 0.44% | 187 | 1.78% | 25 | 0.24% | -1,131 | -10.74% | 10,533 |
| Grand Traverse | 3,393 | 56.37% | 2,592 | 43.06% | 25 | 0.42% | 4 | 0.07% | 5 | 0.08% | 801 | 13.31% | 6,019 |
| Gratiot | 5,174 | 58.99% | 3,473 | 39.60% | 68 | 0.78% | 7 | 0.08% | 49 | 0.56% | 1,701 | 19.39% | 8,771 |
| Hillsdale | 6,246 | 61.65% | 3,835 | 37.85% | 29 | 0.29% | 12 | 0.12% | 10 | 0.10% | 2,411 | 23.80% | 10,132 |
| Houghton | 9,581 | 50.48% | 9,147 | 48.19% | 36 | 0.19% | 204 | 1.07% | 12 | 0.06% | 434 | 2.29% | 18,980 |
| Huron | 5,703 | 61.55% | 3,343 | 36.08% | 199 | 2.15% | 7 | 0.08% | 14 | 0.15% | 2,360 | 25.47% | 9,266 |
| Ingham | 19,451 | 56.90% | 14,325 | 41.91% | 299 | 0.87% | 34 | 0.10% | 74 | 0.22% | 5,126 | 15.00% | 34,183 |
| Ionia | 6,507 | 53.42% | 5,546 | 45.53% | 73 | 0.60% | 3 | 0.02% | 51 | 0.42% | 961 | 7.89% | 12,180 |
| Iosco | 2,083 | 61.41% | 1,284 | 37.85% | 12 | 0.35% | 4 | 0.12% | 9 | 0.27% | 799 | 23.56% | 3,392 |
| Iron | 3,744 | 48.12% | 3,934 | 50.56% | 18 | 0.23% | 71 | 0.91% | 14 | 0.18% | -190 | -2.44% | 7,781 |
| Isabella | 4,294 | 58.21% | 2,988 | 40.50% | 33 | 0.45% | 8 | 0.11% | 54 | 0.73% | 1,306 | 17.70% | 7,377 |
| Jackson | 15,116 | 55.17% | 11,972 | 43.70% | 120 | 0.44% | 70 | 0.26% | 120 | 0.44% | 3,144 | 11.48% | 27,398 |
| Kalamazoo | 15,803 | 63.20% | 8,554 | 34.21% | 424 | 1.70% | 41 | 0.16% | 181 | 0.72% | 7,249 | 28.99% | 25,003 |
| Kalkaska | 861 | 59.58% | 541 | 37.44% | 40 | 2.77% | 1 | 0.07% | 2 | 0.14% | 320 | 22.15% | 1,445 |
| Kent | 32,813 | 52.80% | 28,456 | 45.79% | 455 | 0.73% | 203 | 0.33% | 222 | 0.36% | 4,357 | 7.01% | 62,149 |
| Keweenaw | 1,054 | 52.46% | 932 | 46.39% | 5 | 0.25% | 17 | 0.85% | 1 | 0.05% | 122 | 6.07% | 2,009 |
| Lake | 1,192 | 50.62% | 1,143 | 48.54% | 9 | 0.38% | 5 | 0.21% | 6 | 0.25% | 49 | 2.08% | 2,355 |
| Lapeer | 4,737 | 69.06% | 2,083 | 30.37% | 29 | 0.42% | 2 | 0.03% | 8 | 0.12% | 2,654 | 38.69% | 6,859 |
| Leelanau | 1,738 | 57.82% | 1,248 | 41.52% | 5 | 0.17% | 10 | 0.33% | 5 | 0.17% | 490 | 16.30% | 3,006 |
| Lenawee | 9,893 | 59.59% | 6,548 | 39.44% | 60 | 0.36% | 15 | 0.09% | 86 | 0.52% | 3,345 | 20.15% | 16,602 |
| Livingston | 5,080 | 59.86% | 3,322 | 39.14% | 70 | 0.82% | 3 | 0.04% | 12 | 0.14% | 1,758 | 20.71% | 8,487 |
| Luce | 1,266 | 58.64% | 871 | 40.34% | 7 | 0.32% | 9 | 0.42% | 6 | 0.28% | 395 | 18.30% | 2,159 |
| Mackinac | 2,125 | 52.69% | 1,882 | 46.67% | 22 | 0.55% | 1 | 0.02% | 3 | 0.07% | 243 | 6.03% | 4,033 |
| Macomb | 10,114 | 48.08% | 10,525 | 50.04% | 233 | 1.11% | 92 | 0.44% | 71 | 0.34% | -411 | -1.95% | 21,035 |
| Manistee | 3,582 | 50.64% | 3,371 | 47.66% | 89 | 1.26% | 20 | 0.28% | 11 | 0.16% | 211 | 2.98% | 7,073 |
| Marquette | 7,978 | 49.36% | 7,976 | 49.35% | 50 | 0.31% | 144 | 0.89% | 15 | 0.09% | 2 | 0.01% | 16,163 |
| Mason | 3,311 | 50.29% | 3,152 | 47.87% | 72 | 1.09% | 32 | 0.49% | 17 | 0.26% | 159 | 2.41% | 6,584 |
| Mecosta | 3,545 | 60.74% | 1,928 | 33.04% | 33 | 0.57% | 3 | 0.05% | 327 | 5.60% | 1,617 | 27.71% | 5,836 |
| Menominee | 3,787 | 44.30% | 4,617 | 54.01% | 124 | 1.45% | 10 | 0.12% | 10 | 0.12% | -830 | -9.71% | 8,548 |
| Midland | 3,455 | 61.63% | 2,069 | 36.91% | 40 | 0.71% | 4 | 0.07% | 38 | 0.68% | 1,386 | 24.72% | 5,606 |
| Missaukee | 1,714 | 63.11% | 982 | 36.16% | 14 | 0.52% | 1 | 0.04% | 5 | 0.18% | 732 | 26.95% | 2,716 |
| Monroe | 7,945 | 48.08% | 8,425 | 50.98% | 39 | 0.24% | 17 | 0.10% | 100 | 0.61% | -480 | -2.90% | 16,526 |
| Montcalm | 5,697 | 59.12% | 3,322 | 34.47% | 118 | 1.22% | 8 | 0.08% | 491 | 5.10% | 2,375 | 24.65% | 9,636 |
| Montmorency | 994 | 60.65% | 626 | 38.19% | 10 | 0.61% | 6 | 0.37% | 3 | 0.18% | 368 | 22.45% | 1,639 |
| Muskegon | 9,852 | 52.66% | 8,556 | 45.74% | 117 | 0.63% | 78 | 0.42% | 104 | 0.56% | 1,296 | 6.93% | 18,707 |
| Newaygo | 3,897 | 64.07% | 1,976 | 32.49% | 23 | 0.38% | 11 | 0.18% | 175 | 2.88% | 1,921 | 31.59% | 6,082 |
| Oakland | 23,954 | 53.65% | 19,943 | 44.67% | 487 | 1.09% | 135 | 0.30% | 127 | 0.28% | 4,011 | 8.98% | 44,646 |
| Oceana | 2,969 | 63.08% | 1,686 | 35.82% | 33 | 0.70% | 11 | 0.23% | 8 | 0.17% | 1,283 | 27.26% | 4,707 |
| Ogemaw | 1,683 | 58.72% | 1,158 | 40.40% | 8 | 0.28% | 2 | 0.07% | 15 | 0.52% | 525 | 18.32% | 2,866 |
| Ontonagon | 2,383 | 49.42% | 2,186 | 45.33% | 17 | 0.35% | 220 | 4.56% | 16 | 0.33% | 197 | 4.09% | 4,822 |
| Osceola | 3,407 | 64.72% | 1,825 | 34.67% | 22 | 0.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 10 | 0.19% | 1,582 | 30.05% | 5,264 |
| Oscoda | 441 | 59.04% | 300 | 40.16% | 5 | 0.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.13% | 141 | 18.88% | 747 |
| Otsego | 1,098 | 51.00% | 1,025 | 47.61% | 30 | 1.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 73 | 3.39% | 2,153 |
| Ottawa | 10,224 | 59.48% | 6,679 | 38.86% | 250 | 1.45% | 15 | 0.09% | 20 | 0.12% | 3,545 | 20.62% | 17,188 |
| Presque Isle | 1,845 | 47.93% | 1,990 | 51.70% | 10 | 0.26% | 1 | 0.03% | 3 | 0.08% | -145 | -3.77% | 3,849 |
| Roscommon | 993 | 64.27% | 537 | 34.76% | 15 | 0.97% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 456 | 29.51% | 1,545 |
| Saginaw | 16,722 | 52.71% | 14,520 | 45.77% | 272 | 0.86% | 33 | 0.10% | 180 | 0.57% | 2,202 | 6.94% | 31,727 |
| Sanilac | 5,788 | 70.19% | 2,354 | 28.55% | 93 | 1.13% | 0 | 0.00% | 11 | 0.13% | 3,434 | 41.64% | 8,246 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,640 | 50.87% | 1,544 | 47.89% | 36 | 1.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.12% | 96 | 2.98% | 3,224 |
| Shiawassee | 6,096 | 55.77% | 4,587 | 41.97% | 71 | 0.65% | 2 | 0.02% | 174 | 1.59% | 1,509 | 13.81% | 10,930 |
| St. Clair | 11,493 | 55.02% | 9,106 | 43.59% | 252 | 1.21% | 14 | 0.07% | 23 | 0.11% | 2,387 | 11.43% | 20,888 |
| St. Joseph | 6,437 | 62.98% | 3,675 | 35.96% | 91 | 0.89% | 4 | 0.04% | 13 | 0.13% | 2,762 | 27.03% | 10,220 |
| Tuscola | 6,223 | 68.21% | 2,851 | 31.25% | 35 | 0.38% | 4 | 0.04% | 10 | 0.11% | 3,372 | 36.96% | 9,123 |
| Van Buren | 8,734 | 62.73% | 5,039 | 36.19% | 100 | 0.72% | 18 | 0.13% | 33 | 0.24% | 3,695 | 26.54% | 13,924 |
| Washtenaw | 12,555 | 60.70% | 7,800 | 37.71% | 244 | 1.18% | 44 | 0.21% | 41 | 0.20% | 4,755 | 22.99% | 20,684 |
| Wayne | 169,242 | 45.39% | 194,830 | 52.25% | 4,521 | 1.21% | 3,415 | 0.92% | 873 | 0.23% | -25,588 | -6.86% | 372,881 |
| Wexford | 3,285 | 56.13% | 2,510 | 42.88% | 39 | 0.67% | 5 | 0.09% | 14 | 0.24% | 775 | 13.24% | 5,853 |
| Total | 659,743 | 52.41% | 577,044 | 45.84% | 12,002 | 0.95% | 5,734 | 0.46% | 4,402 | 0.35% | 82,699 | 6.57% | 1,258,925 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Alpena
- Arenac
- Baraga
- Berrien
- Branch
- Calhoun
- Cass
- Cheboygan
- Clare
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Eaton
- Genesee
- Gladwin
- Grand Traverse
- Gratiot
- Ingham
- Ionia
- Isabella
- Jackson
- Kent
- Lake
- Lenawee
- Livingston
- Mackinac
- Manistee
- Mason
- Midland
- Montcalm
- Montmorency
- Muskegon
- Oakland
- Oceana
- Otsego
- Roscommon
- Saginaw
- Shiawassee
- St. Joseph
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
References
- 1 2 Atwood, Orville E. (1935). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, September 11, 1934". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1935-1936. pp. 204–207. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- 1 2 Atwood, Orville E. (1935). "Official Canvass of Votes, Election November 6, 1934". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1935-1936. pp. 247–249. Retrieved June 8, 2026.