1944 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 7, 1944
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 County results Kelly: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Fry: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1944 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Republican Harry Kelly had defeated Democratic nominee Edward J. Fry with 54.69% of the vote.
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on July 11, 1944.
Republican party
Incumbent governor Harry F. Kelly was renominated without opposition.
Candidates
- Harry F. Kelly, incumbent governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Harry F. Kelly (inc.) | 283,176 | 99.99% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 29 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 283,205 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Edward J. Fry defeated William J. Cody for the Democratic nomination.
Candidates
- Earnest C. Brooks, former member of Michigan Senate[2]
- William J. Cody, Wayne County circuit court commissioner[3]
- Edward J. Fry, former chairman of Michigan Democratic Party[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Edward J. Fry | 71,420 | 45.25% | |
| Democratic | William J. Cody | 61,033 | 38.67% | |
| Democratic | Earnest C. Brooks | 25,373 | 16.08% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 4 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 157,830 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Harry F. Kelly, Republican
- Edward J. Fry, Democratic
Other candidates
- Seth A. Davey, Prohibition
- Forest Odell, Socialist
- Leland Marion, America First
- Theos A. Grove, Socialist Labor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Harry F. Kelly (inc.) | 1,208,859 | 54.69% | +2.09% | |
| Democratic | Edward J. Fry | 989,307 | 44.76% | −1.97% | |
| Prohibition | Seth A. Davey | 5,744 | 0.26% | −0.40% | |
| Socialist | Forest Odell | 2,851 | 0.13% | ||
| America First | Leland Marion | 2,121 | 0.10% | ||
| Socialist Labor | Theos A. Grove | 1,364 | 0.06% | ||
| Majority | 219,552 | 9.93% | |||
| Total votes | 2,210,246 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +4.06% | |||
Results by county
| County[4] | Harry F. Kelly Republican |
Edward J. Fry Democratic |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 1,592 | 73.33% | 566 | 26.07% | 13 | 0.60% | 1,026 | 47.26% | 2,171 |
| Alger | 1,713 | 43.15% | 2,248 | 56.62% | 9 | 0.23% | -535 | -13.48% | 3,970 |
| Allegan | 12,804 | 76.32% | 3,897 | 23.23% | 75 | 0.45% | 8,907 | 53.09% | 16,776 |
| Alpena | 4,956 | 67.70% | 2,352 | 32.13% | 13 | 0.18% | 2,604 | 35.57% | 7,321 |
| Antrim | 2,797 | 72.56% | 1,010 | 26.20% | 48 | 1.25% | 1,787 | 46.36% | 3,855 |
| Arenac | 2,175 | 67.13% | 1,057 | 32.62% | 8 | 0.25% | 1,118 | 34.51% | 3,240 |
| Baraga | 2,074 | 56.02% | 1,620 | 43.76% | 8 | 0.22% | 454 | 12.26% | 3,702 |
| Barry | 7,247 | 72.06% | 2,611 | 25.96% | 199 | 1.98% | 4,636 | 46.10% | 10,057 |
| Bay | 17,831 | 57.55% | 13,077 | 42.21% | 73 | 0.24% | 4,754 | 15.34% | 30,981 |
| Benzie | 2,178 | 69.72% | 927 | 29.67% | 19 | 0.61% | 1,251 | 40.04% | 3,124 |
| Berrien | 26,690 | 65.77% | 13,744 | 33.87% | 145 | 0.36% | 12,946 | 31.90% | 40,579 |
| Branch | 7,631 | 71.52% | 2,974 | 27.88% | 64 | 0.60% | 4,657 | 43.65% | 10,669 |
| Calhoun | 22,770 | 58.87% | 15,637 | 40.43% | 271 | 0.70% | 7,133 | 18.44% | 38,678 |
| Cass | 6,928 | 68.51% | 3,150 | 31.15% | 35 | 0.35% | 3,778 | 37.36% | 10,113 |
| Charlevoix | 3,357 | 66.20% | 1,678 | 33.09% | 36 | 0.71% | 1,679 | 33.11% | 5,071 |
| Cheboygan | 3,111 | 64.60% | 1,671 | 34.70% | 34 | 0.71% | 1,440 | 29.90% | 4,816 |
| Chippewa | 6,057 | 62.96% | 3,522 | 36.61% | 42 | 0.44% | 2,535 | 26.35% | 9,621 |
| Clare | 2,878 | 77.53% | 823 | 22.17% | 11 | 0.30% | 2,055 | 55.36% | 3,712 |
| Clinton | 8,867 | 80.33% | 2,131 | 19.31% | 40 | 0.36% | 6,736 | 61.03% | 11,038 |
| Crawford | 879 | 65.30% | 462 | 34.32% | 5 | 0.37% | 417 | 30.98% | 1,346 |
| Delta | 6,084 | 47.67% | 6,653 | 52.12% | 27 | 0.21% | -569 | -4.46% | 12,764 |
| Dickinson | 5,587 | 48.76% | 5,800 | 50.62% | 72 | 0.63% | -213 | -1.86% | 11,459 |
| Eaton | 10,836 | 71.49% | 4,222 | 27.86% | 99 | 0.65% | 6,614 | 43.64% | 15,157 |
| Emmet | 3,924 | 68.17% | 1,789 | 31.08% | 43 | 0.75% | 2,135 | 37.09% | 5,756 |
| Genesee | 43,064 | 48.28% | 45,770 | 51.32% | 360 | 0.40% | -2,706 | -3.03% | 89,194 |
| Gladwin | 2,585 | 74.91% | 842 | 24.40% | 24 | 0.70% | 1,743 | 50.51% | 3,451 |
| Gogebic | 6,411 | 48.42% | 6,765 | 51.10% | 64 | 0.48% | -354 | -2.67% | 13,240 |
| Grand Traverse | 5,874 | 72.94% | 2,133 | 26.49% | 46 | 0.57% | 3,741 | 46.45% | 8,053 |
| Gratiot | 8,504 | 76.06% | 2,581 | 23.08% | 96 | 0.86% | 5,923 | 52.97% | 11,181 |
| Hillsdale | 9,802 | 78.30% | 2,594 | 20.72% | 122 | 0.97% | 7,208 | 57.58% | 12,518 |
| Houghton | 10,106 | 52.89% | 8,970 | 46.95% | 30 | 0.16% | 1,136 | 5.95% | 19,106 |
| Huron | 9,889 | 83.84% | 1,852 | 15.70% | 54 | 0.46% | 8,037 | 68.14% | 11,795 |
| Ingham | 40,022 | 66.08% | 20,138 | 33.25% | 407 | 0.67% | 19,884 | 32.83% | 60,567 |
| Ionia | 10,065 | 72.93% | 3,606 | 26.13% | 129 | 0.93% | 6,459 | 46.80% | 13,800 |
| Iosco | 2,499 | 72.46% | 943 | 27.34% | 7 | 0.20% | 1,556 | 45.11% | 3,449 |
| Iron | 4,420 | 52.87% | 3,868 | 46.27% | 72 | 0.86% | 552 | 6.60% | 8,360 |
| Isabella | 6,929 | 77.25% | 1,972 | 21.99% | 68 | 0.76% | 4,957 | 55.27% | 8,969 |
| Jackson | 24,995 | 65.06% | 13,245 | 34.47% | 180 | 0.47% | 11,750 | 30.58% | 38,420 |
| Kalamazoo | 27,255 | 65.76% | 13,636 | 32.90% | 556 | 1.34% | 13,619 | 32.86% | 41,447 |
| Kalkaska | 1,064 | 75.89% | 327 | 23.32% | 11 | 0.78% | 737 | 52.57% | 1,402 |
| Kent | 59,246 | 57.45% | 43,386 | 42.07% | 494 | 0.48% | 15,860 | 15.38% | 103,126 |
| Keweenaw | 925 | 52.08% | 842 | 47.41% | 9 | 0.51% | 83 | 4.67% | 1,776 |
| Lake | 1,270 | 65.80% | 653 | 33.83% | 7 | 0.36% | 617 | 31.97% | 1,930 |
| Lapeer | 8,078 | 74.84% | 2,653 | 24.58% | 63 | 0.58% | 5,425 | 50.26% | 10,794 |
| Leelanau | 2,232 | 73.79% | 784 | 25.92% | 9 | 0.30% | 1,448 | 47.87% | 3,025 |
| Lenawee | 17,606 | 75.75% | 5,547 | 23.87% | 89 | 0.38% | 12,059 | 51.88% | 23,242 |
| Livingston | 7,713 | 74.56% | 2,580 | 24.94% | 51 | 0.49% | 5,133 | 49.62% | 10,344 |
| Luce | 1,386 | 70.14% | 583 | 29.50% | 7 | 0.35% | 803 | 40.64% | 1,976 |
| Mackinac | 2,490 | 66.17% | 1,260 | 33.48% | 13 | 0.35% | 1,230 | 32.69% | 3,763 |
| Macomb | 24,225 | 52.58% | 21,542 | 46.75% | 308 | 0.67% | 2,683 | 5.82% | 46,075 |
| Manistee | 4,588 | 62.68% | 2,704 | 36.94% | 28 | 0.38% | 1,884 | 25.74% | 7,320 |
| Marquette | 9,722 | 49.65% | 9,800 | 50.05% | 58 | 0.30% | -78 | -0.40% | 19,580 |
| Mason | 4,895 | 65.16% | 2,586 | 34.42% | 31 | 0.41% | 2,309 | 30.74% | 7,512 |
| Mecosta | 4,455 | 75.53% | 1,383 | 23.45% | 60 | 1.02% | 3,072 | 52.09% | 5,898 |
| Menominee | 5,467 | 57.42% | 3,990 | 41.91% | 64 | 0.67% | 1,477 | 15.51% | 9,521 |
| Midland | 7,578 | 73.03% | 2,742 | 26.42% | 57 | 0.55% | 4,836 | 46.60% | 10,377 |
| Missaukee | 2,069 | 75.51% | 646 | 23.58% | 25 | 0.91% | 1,423 | 51.93% | 2,740 |
| Monroe | 15,133 | 63.80% | 8,508 | 35.87% | 79 | 0.33% | 6,625 | 27.93% | 23,720 |
| Montcalm | 7,969 | 74.27% | 2,665 | 24.84% | 96 | 0.89% | 5,304 | 49.43% | 10,730 |
| Montmorency | 1,091 | 70.71% | 443 | 28.71% | 9 | 0.58% | 648 | 42.00% | 1,543 |
| Muskegon | 19,882 | 51.52% | 18,519 | 47.99% | 191 | 0.49% | 1,363 | 3.53% | 38,592 |
| Newaygo | 5,740 | 77.53% | 1,630 | 22.02% | 34 | 0.46% | 4,110 | 55.51% | 7,404 |
| Oakland | 67,227 | 57.78% | 47,935 | 41.20% | 1,179 | 1.01% | 19,292 | 16.58% | 116,341 |
| Oceana | 3,884 | 72.94% | 1,380 | 25.92% | 61 | 1.15% | 2,504 | 47.02% | 5,325 |
| Ogemaw | 2,431 | 74.30% | 826 | 25.24% | 15 | 0.46% | 1,605 | 49.05% | 3,272 |
| Ontonagon | 2,703 | 54.06% | 2,291 | 45.82% | 6 | 0.12% | 412 | 8.24% | 5,000 |
| Osceola | 4,003 | 77.74% | 1,097 | 21.31% | 49 | 0.95% | 2,906 | 56.44% | 5,149 |
| Oscoda | 672 | 71.95% | 262 | 28.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 410 | 43.90% | 934 |
| Otsego | 1,396 | 64.54% | 756 | 34.95% | 11 | 0.51% | 640 | 29.59% | 2,163 |
| Ottawa | 18,293 | 71.84% | 7,011 | 27.54% | 158 | 0.62% | 11,282 | 44.31% | 25,462 |
| Presque Isle | 2,482 | 57.99% | 1,789 | 41.80% | 9 | 0.21% | 693 | 16.19% | 4,280 |
| Roscommon | 1,374 | 77.54% | 383 | 21.61% | 15 | 0.85% | 991 | 55.93% | 1,772 |
| Saginaw | 30,472 | 60.51% | 19,563 | 38.85% | 321 | 0.64% | 10,909 | 21.66% | 50,356 |
| Sanilac | 9,938 | 82.19% | 2,073 | 17.14% | 81 | 0.67% | 7,865 | 65.04% | 12,092 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,969 | 60.14% | 1,279 | 39.07% | 26 | 0.79% | 690 | 21.08% | 3,274 |
| Shiawassee | 12,366 | 71.77% | 4,789 | 27.79% | 75 | 0.44% | 7,577 | 43.98% | 17,230 |
| St. Clair | 21,237 | 69.10% | 9,373 | 30.50% | 124 | 0.40% | 11,864 | 38.60% | 30,734 |
| St. Joseph | 10,124 | 71.97% | 3,883 | 27.61% | 59 | 0.42% | 6,241 | 44.37% | 14,066 |
| Tuscola | 10,244 | 79.89% | 2,495 | 19.46% | 84 | 0.66% | 7,749 | 60.43% | 12,823 |
| Van Buren | 11,444 | 72.25% | 4,341 | 27.41% | 55 | 0.35% | 7,103 | 44.84% | 15,840 |
| Washtenaw | 27,435 | 67.65% | 12,925 | 31.87% | 194 | 0.48% | 14,510 | 35.78% | 40,554 |
| Wayne | 366,461 | 41.88% | 504,581 | 57.66% | 4,077 | 0.47% | -138,120 | -15.78% | 875,119 |
| Wexford | 4,494 | 68.67% | 1,966 | 30.04% | 84 | 1.28% | 2,528 | 38.63% | 6,544 |
| Total | 1,208,859 | 54.69% | 989,307 | 44.76% | 12,080 | 0.55% | 219,552 | 9.93% | 2,210,246 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
References
- 1 2 Dignan, Herman H. (1945). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, July 11, 1944". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1945-1946. pp. 213–216. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Legislator Details". Library of Michigan. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 "Why I Should Be Nominated". The Saginaw News. Saginaw. July 9, 1944. p. 3. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 Dignan, Herman H. (1945). "Official Canvass of Votes, Election November 7, 1944". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1945-1946. pp. 258–260. Retrieved June 9, 2026.