1946 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 5, 1946
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 County results Sigler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Van Wagoner: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1946 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1946. Republican nominee Kim Sigler defeated Democratic nominee Murray Van Wagoner with 60.28% of the vote.
This was one of only two gubernatorial elections since 1928 in which Wayne County voted Republican.[a]
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on June 18, 1946.
Republican party
Kim Sigler won the Republican nomination from a crowded field.
Candidates
- Vernon J. Brown, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
- Edward Jeffries, mayor of Detroit
- Raymond J. Kelly, attorney from Detroit[1]
- Kim Sigler, attorney from Battle Creek
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kim Sigler | 170,779 | 37.82% | |
| Republican | Vernon J. Brown | 123,029 | 27.25% | |
| Republican | Raymond J. Kelly | 92,770 | 20.55% | |
| Republican | Edward Jeffries | 64,936 | 14.38% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 14 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 451,528 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Former governor Murray Van Wagoner easily secured the Democratic nomination.
Candidates
- William J. Cody, candidate for Democratic nomination in 1944
- Murray Van Wagoner, former governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Murray Van Wagoner | 98,103 | 72.63% | |
| Democratic | William J. Cody | 36,965 | 27.37% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 7 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 135,075 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Kim Sigler, Republican
- Murray Van Wagoner, Democratic
Other candidates
- Gordon Phillips, Prohibition
- James Sim, Socialist Labor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kim Sigler | 1,003,878 | 60.28% | +5.58% | |
| Democratic | Murray Van Wagoner | 644,540 | 38.70% | −6.06% | |
| Prohibition | Gordon Phillips | 11,974 | 0.72% | +0.46% | |
| Socialist Labor | James Sim | 5,071 | 0.30% | +0.30% | |
| Scattering | 12 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 359,338 | 21.58% | |||
| Total votes | 1,665,475 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +11.64% | |||
Results by county
| County[3] | Kim Sigler Republican |
Murray Van Wagoner Democratic |
Gordon Phillips Prohibition |
James Sim Socialist Labor |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 1,618 | 70.93% | 651 | 28.54% | 12 | 0.53% | 0 | 0.00% | 967 | 42.39% | 2,281 |
| Alger | 1,678 | 45.87% | 1,976 | 54.02% | 4 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | -298 | -8.15% | 3,658 |
| Allegan | 9,840 | 73.55% | 3,406 | 25.46% | 119 | 0.89% | 14 | 0.10% | 6,434 | 48.09% | 13,379 |
| Alpena | 3,977 | 67.46% | 1,910 | 32.40% | 7 | 0.12% | 1 | 0.02% | 2,067 | 35.06% | 5,895 |
| Antrim | 2,179 | 70.77% | 863 | 28.03% | 32 | 1.04% | 5 | 0.16% | 1,316 | 42.74% | 3,079 |
| Arenac | 1,930 | 65.87% | 983 | 33.55% | 11 | 0.38% | 6 | 0.20% | 947 | 32.32% | 2,930 |
| Baraga | 2,081 | 55.27% | 1,675 | 44.49% | 6 | 0.16% | 3 | 0.08% | 406 | 10.78% | 3,765 |
| Barry | 5,951 | 75.42% | 1,668 | 21.14% | 264 | 3.35% | 7 | 0.09% | 4,283 | 54.28% | 7,890 |
| Bay | 12,185 | 58.32% | 8,550 | 40.92% | 95 | 0.45% | 65 | 0.31% | 3,635 | 17.40% | 20,895 |
| Benzie | 1,777 | 71.80% | 650 | 26.26% | 35 | 1.41% | 12 | 0.48% | 1,127 | 45.54% | 2,475[b] |
| Berrien | 19,883 | 68.55% | 8,872 | 30.59% | 183 | 0.63% | 65 | 0.22% | 11,011 | 37.97% | 29,003 |
| Branch | 6,135 | 71.33% | 2,330 | 27.09% | 132 | 1.53% | 4 | 0.05% | 3,805 | 44.24% | 8,601 |
| Calhoun | 19,605 | 70.84% | 7,853 | 28.38% | 158 | 0.57% | 59 | 0.21% | 11,752 | 42.46% | 27,675 |
| Cass | 5,833 | 67.33% | 2,767 | 31.94% | 50 | 0.58% | 13 | 0.15% | 3,066 | 35.39% | 8,663 |
| Charlevoix | 2,559 | 68.46% | 1,130 | 30.23% | 45 | 1.20% | 4 | 0.11% | 1,429 | 38.23% | 3,738 |
| Cheboygan | 2,459 | 62.06% | 1,486 | 37.51% | 12 | 0.30% | 5 | 0.13% | 973 | 24.56% | 3,962 |
| Chippewa | 4,630 | 62.37% | 2,723 | 36.68% | 61 | 0.82% | 9 | 0.12% | 1,907 | 25.69% | 7,423 |
| Clare | 2,269 | 79.22% | 572 | 19.97% | 20 | 0.70% | 3 | 0.10% | 1,697 | 59.25% | 2,864 |
| Clinton | 6,424 | 71.04% | 2,535 | 28.03% | 76 | 0.84% | 8 | 0.09% | 3,889 | 43.01% | 9,043 |
| Crawford | 819 | 65.21% | 428 | 34.08% | 1 | 0.08% | 8 | 0.64% | 391 | 31.13% | 1,256 |
| Delta | 4,402 | 43.39% | 5,681 | 55.99% | 50 | 0.49% | 13 | 0.13% | -1,279 | -12.61% | 10,146 |
| Dickinson | 5,111 | 46.90% | 5,680 | 52.12% | 88 | 0.81% | 18 | 0.17% | -569 | -5.22% | 10,897 |
| Eaton | 8,291 | 68.63% | 3,533 | 29.25% | 238 | 1.97% | 18 | 0.15% | 4,758 | 39.39% | 12,080 |
| Emmet | 2,936 | 65.56% | 1,510 | 33.72% | 27 | 0.60% | 5 | 0.11% | 1,426 | 31.84% | 4,478 |
| Genesee | 35,808 | 54.09% | 29,634 | 44.77% | 501 | 0.76% | 255 | 0.39% | 6,174 | 9.33% | 66,198 |
| Gladwin | 1,844 | 72.68% | 670 | 26.41% | 23 | 0.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,174 | 46.28% | 2,537 |
| Gogebic | 5,531 | 45.87% | 6,446 | 53.46% | 73 | 0.61% | 8 | 0.07% | -915 | -7.59% | 12,058 |
| Grand Traverse | 4,244 | 72.60% | 1,554 | 26.58% | 38 | 0.65% | 10 | 0.17% | 2,690 | 46.01% | 5,846 |
| Gratiot | 6,085 | 73.99% | 1,973 | 23.99% | 162 | 1.97% | 4 | 0.05% | 4,112 | 50.00% | 8,224 |
| Hillsdale | 6,820 | 73.12% | 2,299 | 24.65% | 198 | 2.12% | 9 | 0.10% | 4,521 | 48.47% | 9,327[b] |
| Houghton | 9,069 | 53.96% | 7,695 | 45.78% | 40 | 0.24% | 3 | 0.02% | 1,374 | 8.18% | 16,807 |
| Huron | 7,264 | 80.59% | 1,643 | 18.23% | 100 | 1.11% | 7 | 0.08% | 5,621 | 62.36% | 9,014 |
| Ingham | 28,118 | 58.86% | 18,919 | 39.61% | 612 | 1.28% | 110 | 0.23% | 9,199 | 19.26% | 47,767[c] |
| Ionia | 7,760 | 68.81% | 3,272 | 29.01% | 232 | 2.06% | 13 | 0.12% | 4,488 | 39.80% | 11,277 |
| Iosco | 2,260 | 71.63% | 881 | 27.92% | 11 | 0.35% | 3 | 0.10% | 1,379 | 43.71% | 3,155 |
| Iron | 3,861 | 50.06% | 3,781 | 49.03% | 56 | 0.73% | 14 | 0.18% | 80 | 1.04% | 7,712 |
| Isabella | 5,204 | 76.20% | 1,538 | 22.52% | 83 | 1.22% | 4 | 0.06% | 3,666 | 53.68% | 6,829 |
| Jackson | 19,734 | 70.23% | 8,058 | 28.68% | 256 | 0.91% | 52 | 0.19% | 11,676 | 41.55% | 28,101[b] |
| Kalamazoo | 20,688 | 66.52% | 9,891 | 31.80% | 430 | 1.38% | 91 | 0.29% | 10,797 | 34.72% | 31,100 |
| Kalkaska | 798 | 70.18% | 306 | 26.91% | 32 | 2.81% | 1 | 0.09% | 492 | 43.27% | 1,137 |
| Kent | 45,544 | 64.40% | 24,415 | 34.52% | 652 | 0.92% | 112 | 0.16% | 21,129 | 29.88% | 70,723 |
| Keweenaw | 856 | 52.74% | 764 | 47.07% | 1 | 0.06% | 2 | 0.12% | 92 | 5.67% | 1,623 |
| Lake | 1,121 | 65.75% | 577 | 33.84% | 6 | 0.35% | 1 | 0.06% | 544 | 31.91% | 1,705 |
| Lapeer | 6,391 | 75.29% | 1,998 | 23.54% | 93 | 1.10% | 7 | 0.08% | 4,393 | 51.75% | 8,489 |
| Leelanau | 1,777 | 71.65% | 694 | 27.98% | 7 | 0.28% | 2 | 0.08% | 1,083 | 43.67% | 2,480 |
| Lenawee | 13,788 | 73.85% | 4,630 | 24.80% | 240 | 1.29% | 12 | 0.06% | 9,158 | 49.05% | 18,670 |
| Livingston | 6,341 | 71.45% | 2,438 | 27.47% | 92 | 1.04% | 4 | 0.05% | 3,903 | 43.98% | 8,875 |
| Luce | 1,065 | 73.45% | 375 | 25.86% | 10 | 0.69% | 0 | 0.00% | 690 | 47.59% | 1,450 |
| Mackinac | 1,874 | 65.09% | 993 | 34.49% | 11 | 0.38% | 1 | 0.03% | 881 | 30.60% | 2,879 |
| Macomb | 19,387 | 58.81% | 13,199 | 40.04% | 216 | 0.66% | 162 | 0.49% | 6,188 | 18.77% | 32,964 |
| Manistee | 3,931 | 58.47% | 2,749 | 40.89% | 34 | 0.51% | 9 | 0.13% | 1,182 | 17.58% | 6,723 |
| Marquette | 9,202 | 52.67% | 8,200 | 46.93% | 58 | 0.33% | 11 | 0.06% | 1,002 | 5.74% | 17,471 |
| Mason | 4,053 | 65.50% | 2,061 | 33.31% | 56 | 0.90% | 18 | 0.29% | 1,992 | 32.19% | 6,188 |
| Mecosta | 3,385 | 74.64% | 1,081 | 23.84% | 66 | 1.46% | 3 | 0.07% | 2,304 | 50.80% | 4,535 |
| Menominee | 4,005 | 53.91% | 3,367 | 45.32% | 47 | 0.63% | 10 | 0.13% | 638 | 8.59% | 7,429 |
| Midland | 5,473 | 71.65% | 2,041 | 26.72% | 119 | 1.56% | 6 | 0.08% | 3,432 | 44.93% | 7,639 |
| Missaukee | 1,916 | 76.33% | 575 | 22.91% | 16 | 0.64% | 2 | 0.08% | 1,341 | 53.43% | 2,510[b] |
| Monroe | 11,266 | 62.24% | 6,684 | 36.93% | 120 | 0.66% | 30 | 0.17% | 4,582 | 25.31% | 18,100 |
| Montcalm | 5,867 | 73.10% | 2,045 | 25.48% | 101 | 1.26% | 13 | 0.16% | 3,822 | 47.62% | 8,026 |
| Montmorency | 916 | 53.32% | 783 | 45.58% | 13 | 0.76% | 6 | 0.35% | 133 | 7.74% | 1,718 |
| Muskegon | 15,603 | 58.39% | 10,881 | 40.72% | 171 | 0.64% | 68 | 0.25% | 4,722 | 17.67% | 26,723 |
| Newaygo | 4,003 | 75.43% | 1,226 | 23.10% | 69 | 1.30% | 9 | 0.17% | 2,777 | 52.33% | 5,307 |
| Oakland | 55,123 | 64.70% | 29,220 | 34.30% | 438 | 0.51% | 416 | 0.49% | 25,903 | 30.40% | 85,197 |
| Oceana | 2,738 | 67.46% | 1,214 | 29.91% | 100 | 2.46% | 7 | 0.17% | 1,524 | 37.55% | 4,059 |
| Ogemaw | 1,947 | 74.63% | 638 | 24.45% | 21 | 0.80% | 3 | 0.11% | 1,309 | 50.17% | 2,609 |
| Ontonagon | 2,509 | 51.18% | 2,381 | 48.57% | 12 | 0.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 128 | 2.61% | 4,902 |
| Osceola | 3,205 | 78.52% | 822 | 20.14% | 52 | 1.27% | 3 | 0.07% | 2,383 | 58.38% | 4,082 |
| Oscoda | 585 | 64.86% | 308 | 34.15% | 8 | 0.89% | 1 | 0.11% | 277 | 30.71% | 902 |
| Otsego | 1,399 | 64.50% | 754 | 34.76% | 16 | 0.74% | 0 | 0.00% | 645 | 29.74% | 2,169 |
| Ottawa | 14,400 | 71.28% | 5,611 | 27.77% | 154 | 0.76% | 38 | 0.19% | 8,789 | 43.50% | 20,203 |
| Presque Isle | 2,116 | 62.22% | 1,277 | 37.55% | 5 | 0.15% | 3 | 0.09% | 839 | 24.67% | 3,401 |
| Roscommon | 1,494 | 74.37% | 499 | 24.84% | 10 | 0.50% | 6 | 0.30% | 995 | 49.53% | 2,009 |
| Saginaw | 21,731 | 63.54% | 12,074 | 35.31% | 313 | 0.92% | 81 | 0.24% | 9,657 | 28.24% | 34,199 |
| Sanilac | 7,444 | 80.22% | 1,577 | 17.00% | 250 | 2.69% | 8 | 0.09% | 5,867 | 63.23% | 9,279 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,607 | 56.45% | 1,231 | 43.24% | 7 | 0.25% | 2 | 0.07% | 376 | 13.21% | 2,847 |
| Shiawassee | 8,669 | 69.71% | 3,564 | 28.66% | 191 | 1.54% | 11 | 0.09% | 5,105 | 41.05% | 12,435 |
| St. Clair | 16,731 | 75.62% | 5,002 | 22.61% | 354 | 1.60% | 39 | 0.18% | 11,729 | 53.01% | 22,126 |
| St. Joseph | 7,549 | 67.91% | 3,301 | 29.69% | 265 | 2.38% | 2 | 0.02% | 4,248 | 38.21% | 11,117 |
| Tuscola | 6,897 | 74.98% | 2,115 | 22.99% | 181 | 1.97% | 5 | 0.05% | 4,782 | 51.99% | 9,198 |
| Van Buren | 9,341 | 74.38% | 3,106 | 24.73% | 84 | 0.67% | 27 | 0.22% | 6,235 | 49.65% | 12,558 |
| Washtenaw | 22,438 | 72.35% | 8,285 | 26.71% | 210 | 0.68% | 80 | 0.26% | 14,153 | 45.64% | 31,013 |
| Wayne | 344,573 | 53.01% | 300,091 | 46.16% | 2,473 | 0.38% | 2,919 | 0.45% | 44,482 | 6.84% | 650,056 |
| Wexford | 3,958 | 69.17% | 1,702 | 29.74% | 59 | 1.03% | 3 | 0.05% | 2,256 | 39.43% | 5,722 |
| Total | 1,003,878 | 60.28% | 644,540 | 38.70% | 11,974 | 0.72% | 5,071 | 0.30% | 359,338 | 21.58% | 1,665,475 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Notes
References
- ↑ "Raymond Kelly For Governor". The Oxford Leader. Vol. LXV, no. 12. Oxford. May 31, 1946. p. 8. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 Alger Jr., Frederick M. (1947). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, June 18, 1946". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1947-1948. pp. 210–213. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 Alger Jr., Frederick M. (1947). "Official Canvass of Votes, Election November 5, 1946". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1947-1948. pp. 254–256. Retrieved June 9, 2026.