1958 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 4, 1958
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| Turnout | 36.29% | ||||||||||||||||
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 County results Williams: 50–60% 60–70% Bagwell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1958 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1958. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Paul D. Bagwell with 53% of the vote.
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on August 5, 1958.
Democratic party
Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated for a sixth consecutive term. This was the first time more votes were cast in the Democratic primary than in the Republican primary.
Candidates
- William L. Johnson, Democratic nominee for Michigan State Treasurer in 1952
- G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | G. Mennen Williams (inc.) | 385,864 | 84.47% | |
| Democratic | William L. Johnson | 65,614 | 14.53% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 2 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 451,480 | 100.00% | ||
Republican party
Paul D. Bagwell won the Republican nomination without opposition.
Candidates
- Paul D. Bagwell, professor at Michigan State University and Republican nominee for Auditor General in 1956.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul D. Bagwell | 260,494 | 99.99% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 25 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 260,519 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- G. Mennen Williams, Democratic
- Paul Douglas Bagwell, Republican
Other candidates
- Ralph Muncy, Socialist Labor
- Rollin M. Severance, Prohibition
- Frank Lovell, Socialist Workers
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | G. Mennen Williams (inc.) | 1,225,533 | 53.00% | −1.65% | |
| Republican | Paul D. Bagwell | 1,078,089 | 46.63% | +1.49% | |
| Socialist Labor | Ralph Muncy | 3,983 | 0.17% | ||
| Prohibition | Rollin M. Severance | 3,622 | 0.16% | −0.06% | |
| Socialist Workers | Frank Lovell | 957 | 0.04% | ||
| Majority | 147,444 | 6.38% | |||
| Total votes | 2,312,184 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | -3.14% | |||
Results by county
| County[3] | G. Mennen Williams Democratic |
Paul D. Bagwell Republican |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 842 | 36.22% | 1,478 | 63.57% | 5 | 0.22% | -636 | -27.35% | 2,325 |
| Alger | 2,059 | 62.66% | 1,243 | 36.91% | 14 | 0.43% | 846 | 25.75% | 3,286 |
| Allegan | 5,059 | 31.74% | 10,837 | 67.99% | 42 | 0.26% | -5,778 | -36.25% | 15,938 |
| Alpena | 3,194 | 40.09% | 4,766 | 59.82% | 7 | 0.09% | -1,572 | -19.73% | 7,967 |
| Antrim | 1,452 | 35.38% | 2,642 | 64.38% | 10 | 0.24% | -1,190 | -29.00% | 4,104 |
| Arenac | 1,522 | 45.10% | 1,844 | 54.64% | 9 | 0.27% | -322 | -9.54% | 3,375 |
| Baraga | 1,835 | 55.56% | 1,464 | 44.32% | 4 | 0.12% | 371 | 11.23% | 3,303 |
| Barry | 3,764 | 37.36% | 6,265 | 62.19% | 45 | 0.45% | -2,501 | -24.83% | 10,074 |
| Bay | 15,759 | 52.35% | 14,266 | 47.39% | 79 | 0.26% | 1,493 | 4.96% | 30,104 |
| Benzie | 1,218 | 40.41% | 1,784 | 59.19% | 12 | 0.40% | -566 | -18.78% | 3,014 |
| Berrien | 17,851 | 44.42% | 22,140 | 55.09% | 195 | 0.49% | -4,289 | -10.67% | 40,186 |
| Branch | 3,716 | 39.10% | 5,728 | 60.27% | 60 | 0.63% | -2,012 | -21.17% | 9,504 |
| Calhoun | 16,826 | 45.70% | 19,821 | 53.84% | 168 | 0.46% | -2,995 | -8.14% | 36,815 |
| Cass | 4,772 | 46.68% | 5,394 | 52.77% | 56 | 0.55% | -622 | -6.08% | 10,222 |
| Charlevoix | 2,376 | 43.98% | 2,999 | 55.51% | 28 | 0.52% | -623 | -11.53% | 5,403 |
| Cheboygan | 2,578 | 46.43% | 2,964 | 53.39% | 10 | 0.18% | -386 | -6.95% | 5,552 |
| Chippewa | 4,634 | 52.24% | 4,217 | 47.54% | 19 | 0.21% | 417 | 4.70% | 8,870 |
| Clare | 1,245 | 32.20% | 2,603 | 67.33% | 18 | 0.47% | -1,358 | -35.13% | 3,866 |
| Clinton | 3,966 | 34.76% | 7,424 | 65.06% | 21 | 0.18% | -3,458 | -30.30% | 11,411 |
| Crawford | 759 | 43.62% | 977 | 56.15% | 4 | 0.23% | -218 | -12.53% | 1,740 |
| Delta | 6,497 | 57.95% | 4,683 | 41.77% | 31 | 0.28% | 1,814 | 16.18% | 11,211 |
| Dickinson | 5,523 | 58.32% | 3,934 | 41.54% | 13 | 0.14% | 1,589 | 16.78% | 9,470 |
| Eaton | 6,440 | 40.45% | 9,401 | 59.05% | 79 | 0.50% | -2,691 | -18.60% | 15,950 |
| Emmet | 2,209 | 40.11% | 3,282 | 59.59% | 17 | 0.31% | -1,073 | -19.48% | 5,508 |
| Genesee | 53,339 | 51.49% | 49,812 | 48.08% | 449 | 0.43% | 3,527 | 3.40% | 103,600 |
| Gladwin | 1,364 | 37.43% | 2,271 | 62.32% | 9 | 0.25% | -907 | -24.89% | 3,644 |
| Gogebic | 6,237 | 55.97% | 4,847 | 43.50% | 59 | 0.53% | 1,390 | 12.47% | 11,143 |
| Grand Traverse | 3,704 | 37.47% | 6,160 | 62.31% | 22 | 0.22% | -2,456 | -24.84% | 9,886 |
| Gratiot | 3,174 | 32.28% | 6,624 | 67.36% | 36 | 0.37% | -3,450 | -35.08% | 9,834 |
| Hillsdale | 3,321 | 32.18% | 6,896 | 66.82% | 103 | 1.00% | -3,575 | -34.64% | 10,320 |
| Houghton | 7,596 | 56.67% | 5,773 | 43.07% | 35 | 0.26% | 1,823 | 13.60% | 13,404 |
| Huron | 3,740 | 31.12% | 8,246 | 68.62% | 31 | 0.26% | -4,506 | -37.50% | 12,017 |
| Ingham | 27,915 | 43.26% | 36,441 | 56.48% | 167 | 0.26% | -8,529 | -13.22% | 64,520 |
| Ionia | 5,197 | 41.06% | 7,405 | 58.51% | 55 | 0.43% | -2,208 | -17.44% | 12,657 |
| Iosco | 1,803 | 38.95% | 2,821 | 60.94% | 5 | 0.11% | -1,018 | -21.99% | 4,629 |
| Iron | 5,128 | 60.69% | 3,302 | 39.08% | 20 | 0.24% | 1,826 | 21.61% | 8,450 |
| Isabella | 3,437 | 38.14% | 5,551 | 61.60% | 24 | 0.27% | -2,114 | -23.46% | 9,012 |
| Jackson | 15,727 | 40.19% | 23,261 | 59.45% | 140 | 0.36% | -7,534 | -19.25% | 39,128 |
| Kalamazoo | 16,004 | 37.20% | 26,763 | 62.22% | 249 | 0.58% | -10,759 | -25.01% | 43,016 |
| Kalkaska | 751 | 42.03% | 1,029 | 57.58% | 7 | 0.39% | -278 | -15.56% | 1,787 |
| Kent | 45,096 | 41.32% | 63,637 | 58.31% | 405 | 0.37% | -18,541 | -16.99% | 109,138 |
| Keweenaw | 759 | 60.53% | 494 | 39.39% | 1 | 0.08% | 265 | 21.13% | 1,254 |
| Lake | 1,235 | 51.87% | 1,140 | 47.88% | 6 | 0.25% | 95 | 3.99% | 2,381 |
| Lapeer | 4,300 | 37.29% | 7,198 | 62.42% | 33 | 0.29% | -2,898 | -25.13% | 11,531 |
| Leelanau | 1,547 | 40.41% | 2,278 | 59.51% | 3 | 0.08% | -731 | -19.10% | 3,828 |
| Lenawee | 7,317 | 34.54% | 13,780 | 65.05% | 86 | 0.41% | -6,463 | -30.51% | 21,183 |
| Livingston | 4,034 | 35.01% | 7,439 | 64.57% | 48 | 0.42% | -3,405 | -29.55% | 11,521 |
| Luce | 949 | 44.39% | 1,188 | 55.57% | 1 | 0.05% | -239 | -11.18% | 2,138 |
| Mackinac | 1,920 | 46.49% | 2,201 | 53.29% | 9 | 0.22% | -281 | -6.80% | 4,130 |
| Macomb | 61,601 | 64.17% | 34,095 | 35.52% | 304 | 0.32% | 27,506 | 28.65% | 96,000 |
| Manistee | 3,435 | 47.90% | 3,721 | 51.89% | 15 | 0.21% | -286 | -3.99% | 7,171 |
| Marquette | 10,502 | 57.85% | 7,603 | 41.88% | 48 | 0.26% | 2,899 | 15.97% | 18,153 |
| Mason | 3,764 | 45.11% | 4,562 | 54.67% | 18 | 0.22% | -798 | -9.56% | 8,344 |
| Mecosta | 2,321 | 38.72% | 3,648 | 60.85% | 26 | 0.43% | -1,327 | -22.14% | 5,995 |
| Menominee | 4,862 | 54.23% | 4,085 | 45.57% | 18 | 0.20% | 777 | 8.67% | 8,965 |
| Midland | 5,126 | 35.16% | 9,417 | 64.60% | 34 | 0.23% | -4,291 | -29.44% | 14,577 |
| Missaukee | 802 | 28.99% | 1,948 | 70.43% | 16 | 0.58% | -1,146 | -41.43% | 2,766 |
| Monroe | 13,389 | 53.81% | 11,407 | 45.84% | 86 | 0.35% | 1,982 | 7.97% | 24,882 |
| Montcalm | 4,290 | 38.78% | 6,728 | 60.82% | 45 | 0.41% | -2,438 | -22.04% | 11,063 |
| Montmorency | 817 | 40.35% | 1,205 | 59.51% | 3 | 0.15% | -388 | -19.16% | 2,025 |
| Muskegon | 24,307 | 54.21% | 20,372 | 45.43% | 160 | 0.36% | 3,935 | 8.78% | 44,839 |
| Newaygo | 3,003 | 36.73% | 5,147 | 62.96% | 25 | 0.31% | -2,144 | -26.23% | 8,175 |
| Oakland | 93,621 | 47.92% | 101,104 | 51.75% | 633 | 0.32% | -7,483 | -3.83% | 195,358 |
| Oceana | 2,360 | 43.57% | 3,038 | 56.09% | 18 | 0.33% | -678 | -12.52% | 5,416 |
| Ogemaw | 1,319 | 40.46% | 1,932 | 59.26% | 9 | 0.28% | -613 | -18.80% | 3,260 |
| Ontonagon | 2,406 | 54.13% | 2,037 | 45.83% | 2 | 0.04% | 369 | 8.30% | 4,445 |
| Osceola | 1,250 | 28.56% | 3,105 | 70.96% | 21 | 0.48% | -1,855 | -42.39% | 4,376 |
| Oscoda | 458 | 35.89% | 816 | 63.95% | 2 | 0.16% | -358 | -28.06% | 1,276 |
| Otsego | 1,263 | 45.71% | 1,497 | 54.18% | 3 | 0.11% | -234 | -8.47% | 2,763 |
| Ottawa | 9,983 | 31.83% | 21,265 | 67.81% | 111 | 0.35% | -11,282 | -35.98% | 31,359 |
| Presque Isle | 2,069 | 48.80% | 2,166 | 51.08% | 5 | 0.12% | -97 | -2.29% | 4,240 |
| Roscommon | 900 | 33.14% | 1,812 | 66.72% | 4 | 0.15% | -912 | -33.58% | 2,716 |
| Saginaw | 23,787 | 45.09% | 28,558 | 54.14% | 406 | 0.77% | -4,771 | -9.04% | 52,751 |
| Sanilac | 3,148 | 27.99% | 8,075 | 71.80% | 24 | 0.21% | -4,927 | -43.81% | 11,247 |
| Schoolcraft | 2,028 | 53.33% | 1,768 | 46.49% | 7 | 0.18% | 260 | 6.84% | 3,803 |
| Shiawassee | 6,958 | 42.33% | 9,403 | 57.21% | 76 | 0.46% | -2,445 | -14.87% | 16,437 |
| St. Clair | 13,046 | 40.14% | 19,355 | 59.55% | 103 | 0.32% | -6,309 | -19.41% | 32,504 |
| St. Joseph | 4,045 | 33.94% | 7,803 | 65.47% | 71 | 0.60% | -3,758 | -31.53% | 11,919 |
| Tuscola | 3,998 | 31.94% | 8,460 | 67.58% | 60 | 0.48% | -4,462 | -35.64% | 12,518 |
| Van Buren | 5,253 | 38.36% | 8,349 | 60.97% | 91 | 0.66% | -3,096 | -22.61% | 13,693 |
| Washtenaw | 17,818 | 41.51% | 24,953 | 58.14% | 149 | 0.35% | -7,135 | -16.62% | 42,920 |
| Wayne | 547,044 | 67.02% | 266,233 | 32.62% | 2,978 | 0.36% | 280,811 | 34.40% | 816,255 |
| Wexford | 2,873 | 43.18% | 3,739 | 56.19% | 42 | 0.63% | -866 | -13.01% | 6,654 |
| Total | 1,225,533 | 53.00% | 1,078,089 | 46.63% | 8,562 | 0.37% | 147,444 | 6.38% | 2,312,184 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
References
- 1 2 Hare, James M. (1959). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, August 5, 1958". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1959-1960. pp. 403–404. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Paul D. Bagwell Papers" (PDF). Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- 1 2 Hare, James M. (1959). "Official Canvass of Votes, General Election, November 4, 1958". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1959-1960. pp. 432–433. Retrieved June 11, 2026.