1936 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 3, 1936
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 County results Murphy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Fitzgerald: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1936 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1936. Democratic nominee Frank Murphy defeated incumbent Republican Frank Fitzgerald with 51.02% of the vote.
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on September 15, 1936.
Republican party
Incumbent governor Frank Fitzgerald was easily renominated for a second term.
Candidates
- Roscoe Conkling Fitch, publisher from Detroit[1]
- Frank Fitzgerald, incumbent governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Fitzgerald (inc.) | 455,876 | 89.53% | |
| Republican | Roscoe Conkling Fitch | 53,249 | 10.46% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 47 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 509,172 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Frank Murphy defeated George W. Welsh for the Democratic nomination.
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Frank Murphy | 278,967 | 68.12% | |
| Democratic | George W. Welsh | 130,537 | 31.88% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 8 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 409,512 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Frank Murphy, Democratic
- Frank Fitzgerald, Republican
Other candidates
- John Monarch, Socialist
- Simeon P. Martin, Farmer–Labor
- Philip Raymond, Communism
- Clayton O'Donohue, Socialist Labor
- Ray T. Fuller, Commonwealth
- Charles F. Mann, American
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Frank Murphy | 892,774 | 51.02% | +5.19% | |
| Republican | Frank Fitzgerald (inc.) | 843,855 | 48.23% | −4.18% | |
| Socialist | John Monarch | 6,631 | 0.38% | −0.57% | |
| Farmer–Labor | Simeon P. Martin | 3,289 | 0.19% | +0.02% | |
| Communist | Philip Raymond | 2,071 | 0.12% | −0.34% | |
| Socialist Labor | Clayton O'Donohue | 524 | 0.03% | −0.05% | |
| Commonwealth | Ray T. Fuller | 433 | 0.02% | −0.04% | |
| National | Charles F. Mann | 170 | 0.01% | −0.00% | |
| Scattering | 22 | 0.00 | |||
| Majority | 48,919 | 2.80% | |||
| Total votes | 1,749,769 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | +9.36% | |||
Results by county
Marquette County voted Democratic for the first time since 1874 while Schoolcraft County voted Democratic for the first time since 1892. After this election, Saginaw County would not vote Democratic again until 1982 while Mason County would not vote Democratic again until 1986.
| County[3] | Frank Murphy Democratic |
Frank Fitzgerald Republican |
John Monarch Socialist |
Simeon P. Martin Farmer-Labor |
Philip Raymond Communist |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 734 | 32.07% | 1,550 | 67.72% | 4 | 0.17% | 1 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -816 | -35.65% | 2,289 |
| Alger | 2,547 | 61.93% | 1,507 | 36.64% | 8 | 0.19% | 3 | 0.07% | 48 | 1.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,040 | 25.29% | 4,113 |
| Allegan | 4,773 | 31.07% | 10,518 | 68.46% | 23 | 0.15% | 26 | 0.17% | 10 | 0.07% | 14 | 0.09% | -5,745 | -37.39% | 15,364 |
| Alpena | 2,777 | 40.34% | 4,089 | 59.40% | 14 | 0.20% | 1 | 0.01% | 2 | 0.03% | 1 | 0.01% | -1,312 | -19.06% | 6,884 |
| Antrim | 1,730 | 39.15% | 2,677 | 60.58% | 7 | 0.16% | 1 | 0.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.09% | -947 | -21.43% | 4,419 |
| Arenac | 1,417 | 42.73% | 1,881 | 56.72% | 6 | 0.18% | 3 | 0.09% | 4 | 0.12% | 5 | 0.15% | -464 | -13.99% | 3,316 |
| Baraga | 2,008 | 47.58% | 2,176 | 51.56% | 0 | 0.00% | 8 | 0.19% | 28 | 0.66% | 0 | 0.00% | -168 | -3.98% | 4,220 |
| Barry | 3,146 | 35.11% | 5,769 | 64.39% | 23 | 0.26% | 11 | 0.12% | 5 | 0.06% | 6 | 0.07% | -2,623 | -29.27% | 8,960 |
| Bay | 12,501 | 52.66% | 11,153 | 46.99% | 60 | 0.25% | 7 | 0.03% | 8 | 0.03% | 8 | 0.03% | 1,348 | 5.68% | 23,737 |
| Benzie | 1,449 | 41.71% | 2,004 | 57.69% | 12 | 0.35% | 6 | 0.17% | 2 | 0.06% | 1 | 0.03% | -55 | -15.98% | 3,474 |
| Berrien | 17,697 | 49.51% | 17,930 | 50.16% | 85 | 0.24% | 13 | 0.04% | 9 | 0.03% | 9 | 0.03% | -233 | -0.65% | 35,743 |
| Branch | 4,729 | 42.48% | 6,360 | 57.13% | 19 | 0.17% | 4 | 0.04% | 7 | 0.06% | 13 | 0.12% | -1,631 | -14.65% | 11,132 |
| Calhoun | 17,655 | 50.17% | 17,368 | 49.36% | 120 | 0.34% | 9 | 0.03% | 19 | 0.05% | 16 | 0.05% | 287 | 0.82% | 35,187 |
| Cass | 4,565 | 46.62% | 5,200 | 53.10% | 13 | 0.13% | 6 | 0.06% | 3 | 0.03% | 5 | 0.05% | -635 | -6.48% | 9,792 |
| Charlevoix | 2,216 | 39.93% | 3,277 | 59.05% | 51 | 0.92% | 2 | 0.04% | 1 | 0.02% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,061 | -19.12% | 5,550 |
| Cheboygan | 2,780 | 47.85% | 3,000 | 51.64% | 22 | 0.38% | 3 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.02% | 4 | 0.07% | -220 | -3.79% | 5,810 |
| Chippewa | 4,830 | 47.51% | 5,293 | 52.07% | 10 | 0.10% | 8 | 0.08% | 21 | 0.21% | 4 | 0.04% | -463 | -4.55% | 10,166 |
| Clare | 1,219 | 33.66% | 2,373 | 65.53% | 18 | 0.50% | 3 | 0.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 8 | 0.22% | -1,154 | -31.87% | 3,621 |
| Clinton | 3,654 | 38.11% | 5,913 | 61.67% | 13 | 0.14% | 2 | 0.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 6 | 0.06% | -2,259 | -23.56% | 9,588 |
| Crawford | 698 | 48.37% | 733 | 50.80% | 12 | 0.83% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -35 | -2.43% | 1,443 |
| Delta | 8,498 | 63.39% | 4,806 | 35.85% | 57 | 0.43% | 23 | 0.17% | 18 | 0.13% | 4 | 0.03% | 3,692 | 27.54% | 13,406 |
| Dickinson | 7,351 | 59.19% | 4,971 | 40.03% | 51 | 0.41% | 27 | 0.22% | 16 | 0.13% | 3 | 0.02% | 2,380 | 19.16% | 12,419 |
| Eaton | 5,415 | 39.09% | 8,363 | 60.37% | 63 | 0.45% | 9 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.03% | -2,948 | -21.28% | 13,854 |
| Emmet | 2,551 | 40.83% | 3,667 | 58.69% | 23 | 0.37% | 2 | 0.03% | 1 | 0.02% | 4 | 0.06% | -1,116 | -17.86% | 6,248 |
| Genesee | 43,403 | 59.93% | 28,752 | 39.70% | 165 | 0.23% | 44 | 0.06% | 33 | 0.05% | 25 | 0.03% | 14,651 | 20.23% | 72,422 |
| Gladwin | 1,152 | 35.65% | 2,073 | 64.16% | 3 | 0.09% | 2 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.03% | -921 | -28.51% | 3,231 |
| Gogebic | 7,508 | 58.07% | 5,233 | 40.47% | 43 | 0.33% | 87 | 0.67% | 48 | 0.37% | 11 | 0.09% | 2,275 | 17.59% | 12,930 |
| Grand Traverse | 3,229 | 42.34% | 4,375 | 57.36% | 14 | 0.18% | 4 | 0.05% | 3 | 0.04% | 2 | 0.03% | -1,146 | -15.03% | 7,627 |
| Gratiot | 4,499 | 41.08% | 6,407 | 58.50% | 19 | 0.17% | 6 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.01% | 20 | 0.18% | -1,908 | -17.42% | 10,952 |
| Hillsdale | 4,119 | 34.65% | 7,744 | 65.14% | 8 | 0.07% | 6 | 0.05% | 3 | 0.03% | 8 | 0.07% | -3,625 | -30.49% | 11,888 |
| Houghton | 11,072 | 53.13% | 9,683 | 46.47% | 9 | 0.04% | 21 | 0.10% | 53 | 0.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,389 | 6.67% | 20,838 |
| Huron | 3,844 | 36.39% | 6,653 | 62.98% | 39 | 0.37% | 2 | 0.02% | 2 | 0.02% | 24 | 0.23% | -2,809 | -26.59% | 10,564 |
| Ingham | 23,887 | 50.36% | 23,335 | 49.20% | 137 | 0.29% | 24 | 0.05% | 22 | 0.05% | 25 | 0.05% | 552 | 1.16% | 47,430 |
| Ionia | 6,254 | 43.91% | 7,919 | 55.60% | 28 | 0.20% | 34 | 0.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 9 | 0.06% | -1,665 | -11.69% | 14,244 |
| Iosco | 1,257 | 37.15% | 2,117 | 62.56% | 4 | 0.12% | 1 | 0.03% | 4 | 0.12% | 1 | 0.03% | -860 | -25.41% | 3,384 |
| Iron | 4,837 | 54.11% | 4,036 | 45.15% | 10 | 0.11% | 31 | 0.35% | 21 | 0.23% | 5 | 0.06% | 801 | 8.96% | 8,940 |
| Isabella | 3,280 | 39.20% | 5,017 | 59.95% | 20 | 0.24% | 37 | 0.44% | 5 | 0.06% | 9 | 0.11% | -1,737 | -20.76% | 8,368 |
| Jackson | 17,633 | 49.13% | 18,120 | 50.48% | 73 | 0.20% | 16 | 0.04% | 32 | 0.09% | 20 | 0.06% | -487 | -1.36% | 35,894 |
| Kalamazoo | 14,996 | 41.11% | 21,232 | 58.21% | 93 | 0.25% | 12 | 0.03% | 20 | 0.05% | 122 | 0.33% | -6,236 | -17.10% | 36,475 |
| Kalkaska | 660 | 36.71% | 1,124 | 62.51% | 11 | 0.61% | 1 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.11% | -464 | -25.81% | 1,798 |
| Kent | 40,945 | 49.80% | 40,469 | 49.22% | 379 | 0.46% | 258 | 0.31% | 108 | 0.13% | 65 | 0.08% | 476 | 0.58% | 82,224 |
| Keweenaw | 1,027 | 48.79% | 1,058 | 50.26% | 7 | 0.33% | 1 | 0.05% | 12 | 0.57% | 0 | 0.00% | -31 | -1.47% | 2,105 |
| Lake | 1,171 | 48.67% | 1,225 | 50.91% | 6 | 0.25% | 1 | 0.04% | 2 | 0.08% | 1 | 0.04% | -54 | -2.24% | 2,406 |
| Lapeer | 2,805 | 31.21% | 6,151 | 68.44% | 17 | 0.19% | 7 | 0.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 7 | 0.08% | -3,346 | -37.23% | 8,987 |
| Leelanau | 1,330 | 40.71% | 1,924 | 58.89% | 7 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 3 | 0.09% | 3 | 0.09% | -594 | -18.18% | 3,267 |
| Lenawee | 6,797 | 32.68% | 13,945 | 67.04% | 44 | 0.21% | 10 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.02% | -7,148 | -34.36% | 20,801 |
| Livingston | 3,319 | 34.92% | 6,164 | 64.85% | 16 | 0.17% | 3 | 0.03% | 1 | 0.01% | 2 | 0.02% | -2,845 | -29.93% | 9,505 |
| Luce | 1,088 | 44.52% | 1,347 | 55.11% | 3 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 3 | 0.12% | 3 | 0.12% | -259 | -10.60% | 2,444 |
| Mackinac | 2,083 | 49.23% | 2,136 | 50.48% | 10 | 0.24% | 1 | 0.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.02% | -53 | -1.25% | 4,231 |
| Macomb | 14,760 | 52.11% | 13,430 | 47.41% | 75 | 0.26% | 14 | 0.05% | 31 | 0.11% | 17 | 0.06% | 1,330 | 4.70% | 28,327 |
| Manistee | 4,269 | 51.79% | 3,943 | 47.83% | 16 | 0.19% | 10 | 0.12% | 5 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 326 | 3.95% | 8,243 |
| Marquette | 10,695 | 56.20% | 8,235 | 43.27% | 29 | 0.15% | 16 | 0.08% | 50 | 0.26% | 6 | 0.03% | 2,460 | 12.93% | 19,031 |
| Mason | 3,963 | 50.02% | 3,913 | 49.39% | 21 | 0.27% | 4 | 0.05% | 15 | 0.19% | 7 | 0.09% | 50 | 0.63% | 7,923 |
| Mecosta | 2,237 | 36.85% | 3,720 | 61.29% | 9 | 0.15% | 99 | 1.63% | 2 | 0.03% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,483 | -24.43% | 6,070 |
| Menominee | 6,316 | 61.51% | 3,895 | 37.93% | 35 | 0.34% | 9 | 0.09% | 11 | 0.11% | 3 | 0.03% | 2,421 | 23.58% | 10,269 |
| Midland | 2,969 | 38.11% | 4,773 | 61.26% | 26 | 0.33% | 12 | 0.15% | 5 | 0.06% | 6 | 0.08% | -1,804 | -23.15% | 7,791 |
| Missaukee | 1,251 | 40.33% | 1,843 | 59.41% | 6 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.03% | 1 | 0.03% | -592 | -19.08% | 3,102 |
| Monroe | 9,987 | 49.01% | 10,317 | 50.63% | 26 | 0.13% | 11 | 0.05% | 6 | 0.03% | 29 | 0.14% | -330 | -1.62% | 20,376 |
| Montcalm | 4,019 | 39.04% | 5,776 | 56.10% | 38 | 0.37% | 448 | 4.35% | 1 | 0.01% | 13 | 0.13% | -1,757 | -17.07% | 10,295 |
| Montmorency | 740 | 42.85% | 976 | 56.51% | 10 | 0.58% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | -236 | -13.67% | 1,727 |
| Muskegon | 15,637 | 58.52% | 10,827 | 40.52% | 103 | 0.39% | 99 | 0.37% | 44 | 0.16% | 11 | 0.04% | 4,810 | 18.00% | 26,721 |
| Newaygo | 2,674 | 35.74% | 4,718 | 63.07% | 25 | 0.33% | 59 | 0.79% | 4 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.01% | -2,044 | -27.32% | 7,481 |
| Oakland | 33,628 | 46.71% | 37,963 | 52.73% | 226 | 0.31% | 60 | 0.08% | 78 | 0.11% | 41 | 0.06% | -4,335 | -6.02% | 71,996 |
| Oceana | 2,364 | 41.52% | 3,299 | 57.95% | 14 | 0.25% | 9 | 0.16% | 4 | 0.07% | 3 | 0.05% | -935 | -16.42% | 5,693 |
| Ogemaw | 1,472 | 41.95% | 2,020 | 57.57% | 15 | 0.43% | 1 | 0.03% | 1 | 0.03% | 0 | 0.00% | -548 | -15.62% | 3,509 |
| Ontonagon | 2,920 | 54.13% | 2,336 | 43.31% | 9 | 0.17% | 23 | 0.43% | 104 | 1.93% | 2 | 0.04% | 584 | 10.83% | 5,394 |
| Osceola | 1,714 | 32.08% | 3,478 | 65.09% | 11 | 0.21% | 136 | 2.55% | 2 | 0.04% | 2 | 0.04% | -1,764 | -33.02% | 5,343 |
| Oscoda | 392 | 42.20% | 537 | 57.80% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -145 | -15.61% | 929 |
| Otsego | 1,070 | 45.73% | 1,265 | 54.06% | 2 | 0.09% | 1 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.09% | -195 | -8.33% | 2,340 |
| Ottawa | 8,543 | 40.72% | 12,230 | 58.29% | 62 | 0.30% | 122 | 0.58% | 16 | 0.08% | 7 | 0.03% | -3,687 | -17.57% | 20,980 |
| Presque Isle | 2,543 | 56.25% | 1,964 | 43.44% | 7 | 0.15% | 4 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 3 | 0.07% | 579 | 12.81% | 4,521 |
| Roscommon | 572 | 35.79% | 1,014 | 63.45% | 9 | 0.56% | 2 | 0.13% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.06% | -442 | -27.66% | 1,598 |
| Saginaw | 20,718 | 51.85% | 18,953 | 47.44% | 187 | 0.47% | 49 | 0.12% | 16 | 0.04% | 31 | 0.08% | 1,765 | 4.42% | 39,954 |
| Sanilac | 2,427 | 22.63% | 8,273 | 77.14% | 16 | 0.15% | 2 | 0.02% | 2 | 0.02% | 5 | 0.05% | -5,846 | -54.51% | 10,725 |
| Schoolcraft | 2,079 | 56.10% | 1,607 | 43.36% | 14 | 0.38% | 2 | 0.05% | 2 | 0.05% | 2 | 0.05% | 472 | 12.74% | 3,706 |
| Shiawassee | 5,567 | 41.95% | 7,651 | 57.65% | 30 | 0.23% | 16 | 0.12% | 3 | 0.02% | 4 | 0.03% | -2,084 | -15.70% | 13,271 |
| St. Clair | 10,491 | 39.03% | 16,285 | 60.59% | 34 | 0.13% | 24 | 0.09% | 3 | 0.01% | 40 | 0.15% | -5,794 | -21.56% | 26,877 |
| St. Joseph | 4,914 | 36.58% | 8,489 | 63.20% | 17 | 0.13% | 1 | 0.01% | 1 | 0.01% | 10 | 0.07% | -3,575 | -26.62% | 13,432 |
| Tuscola | 2,936 | 28.26% | 7,399 | 71.21% | 22 | 0.21% | 25 | 0.24% | 3 | 0.03% | 5 | 0.05% | -4,463 | -42.95% | 10,390 |
| Van Buren | 5,671 | 35.76% | 10,081 | 63.57% | 47 | 0.30% | 27 | 0.17% | 22 | 0.14% | 11 | 0.07% | -4,410 | -27.81% | 15,859 |
| Washtenaw | 10,904 | 37.51% | 18,012 | 61.97% | 60 | 0.21% | 57 | 0.20% | 18 | 0.06% | 15 | 0.05% | -7,108 | -24.45% | 29,066 |
| Wayne | 359,758 | 59.35% | 240,331 | 39.65% | 3,537 | 0.58% | 1,160 | 0.19% | 1,036 | 0.17% | 366 | 0.06% | 119,427 | 19.70% | 606,188 |
| Wexford | 3,439 | 49.47% | 3,485 | 50.13% | 14 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.06% | 10 | 0.14% | -46 | -0.66% | 6,952 |
| Total | 892,774 | 51.02% | 843,855 | 48.23% | 6,631 | 0.38% | 3,289 | 0.19% | 2,071 | 0.12% | 1,149 | 0.07% | 48,919 | 2.80% | 1,749,769 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
References
- ↑ "To Run For Governor". The Midland Republican. Midland. August 27, 1936. p. 17. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 Case, Leon D. (1937). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, September 15, 1936". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1937-1938. pp. 208–211. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- 1 2 Case, Leon D. (1937). "Official Canvass of Votes, Election November 3, 1936". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1937-1938. pp. 252–254. Retrieved June 8, 2026.