1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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November 3, 1970
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 County results Lucey: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Olson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970. Democrat Patrick J. Lucey won the election with 54.23% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent lieutenant governor, Republican Jack B. Olson.[1] Roman R. Blenski unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination. As of 2024, this is the last time the Democratic gubernatorial candidate carried Oconto County.
This was the first gubernatorial election in Wisconsin where the governor was elected to a four year term on the same ticket as the Lieutenant Governor.
The primary election was held on September 8, 1970. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.
Republican party
Governor
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Roman Richard Blenski, former Democratic State senator from the 7th district (1949–1955) and perennial candidate
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jack B. Olson | 203,434 | 91.43% | |
| Republican | Roman Richard Blenski | 19,061 | 8.57% | |
| Total votes | 222,495 | 100.00% | ||
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
Nominee
- David O. Martin, State representative from Winnebago County's 3rd district (1961–1971)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David O. Martin | 192,005 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 192,005 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Governor
Candidates
Nominee
- Patrick J. Lucey, former Lieutenant Governor and nominee for governor in 1966
Eliminated in primary
- Edward Ihlenfeldt
- Donald O. Peterson, manager of Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential campaign in Wisconsin[4][5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey | 177,584 | 60.66% | |
| Democratic | Donald O. Peterson | 105,849 | 36.16% | |
| Democratic | Edward Ihlenfeldt | 9,312 | 3.18% | |
| Total votes | 292,745 | 100.00% | ||
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
Nominee
- Martin J. Schreiber, State senator from the 6th district (1963–1971)
Eliminated in primary
- Harry Halloway
- Frank Nikolay, Former Assembly majority leader (1965–1967) from the Clark County district (1959–1967; 1969–1971)
- John F. O'Malley
- Jay G. Sykes
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Martin J. Schreiber | 128,038 | 47.22% | |
| Democratic | Frank Nikolay | 54,374 | 20.05% | |
| Democratic | John F. O'Malley | 36,544 | 13.48% | |
| Democratic | Jay G. Sykes | 35,984 | 13.27% | |
| Democratic | Harry Halloway | 16,191 | 5.97% | |
| Total votes | 271,131 | 100.00% | ||
American party
Governor
Candidates
- Leo James McDonald
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | Leo James McDonald | 2,729 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 2,729 | 100.00% | ||
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
- Theodore G. Kothe
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | Theodore G. Kothe | 2,512 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 2,512 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Patrick J. Lucey & Martin J. Schreiber, Democrat
- Jack B. Olson & David O. Martin, Republican
- Leo James McDonald & Theodore Kothe, American
- Georgia Cozzini & Denis Kitchen, Independent
- Samuel K. Hunt & Peter J. Kohlenberg, Independent
- Myrtle Kastner & Russell Chabot, Independent
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey Martin J. Schreiber |
728,403 | 54.23% | +7.41% | |
| Republican | Jack B. Olson David Martin |
602,617 | 44.87% | −8.01% | |
| American | Leo James McDonald Theodore Kothe |
9,035 | 0.67% | ||
| Independent | Georgia Cozzini Denis Kitchen |
1,287 | 0.10% | ||
| Independent | Samuel K. Hunt Peter J. Kohlenberg |
888 | 0.07% | ||
| Independent | Myrtle Kastner Russell Chabot |
628 | 0.05% | ||
| Scattering[a] | 302 | 0.02% | |||
| Majority | 125,786 | 9.36% | |||
| Total votes | 1,343,160 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | +15.42% | |||
Results by county
Lucey was the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1855 to win Dunn County.
| County[6][7] | Patrick J. Lucey Democratic |
Jack B. Olson Republican |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,560 | 53.12% | 1,358 | 46.24% | 19 | 0.65% | 202 | 6.88% | 2,937 |
| Ashland | 3,541 | 66.72% | 1,708 | 32.18% | 58 | 1.09% | 1,833 | 34.54% | 5,307 |
| Barron | 5,052 | 49.83% | 5,045 | 49.76% | 42 | 0.41% | 7 | 0.07% | 10,139 |
| Bayfield | 2,977 | 64.38% | 1,623 | 35.10% | 24 | 0.52% | 1,354 | 29.28% | 4,624 |
| Brown | 23,869 | 52.00% | 21,395 | 46.61% | 636 | 1.39% | 2,474 | 5.39% | 45,900 |
| Buffalo | 1,890 | 52.66% | 1,693 | 47.17% | 6 | 0.17% | 197 | 5.49% | 3,589 |
| Burnett | 1,999 | 58.42% | 1,413 | 41.29% | 10 | 0.29% | 586 | 17.12% | 3,422 |
| Calumet | 4,295 | 50.49% | 4,174 | 49.07% | 37 | 0.43% | 121 | 1.42% | 8,506 |
| Chippewa | 7,523 | 60.37% | 4,863 | 39.03% | 75 | 0.60% | 2,660 | 21.35% | 12,461 |
| Clark | 5,017 | 53.17% | 4,345 | 46.05% | 73 | 0.77% | 672 | 7.12% | 9,435 |
| Columbia | 5,592 | 42.26% | 7,542 | 57.00% | 98 | 0.74% | -1,950 | -14.74% | 13,232 |
| Crawford | 2,298 | 43.43% | 2,517 | 47.57% | 476 | 9.00% | -219 | -4.14% | 5,291 |
| Dane | 49,868 | 55.89% | 38,078 | 42.68% | 1,272 | 1.43% | 11,790 | 13.21% | 89,218 |
| Dodge | 9,510 | 46.81% | 10,683 | 52.58% | 124 | 0.61% | -1,173 | -5.77% | 20,317 |
| Door | 3,014 | 41.88% | 4,153 | 57.70% | 30 | 0.42% | -1,139 | -15.83% | 7,197 |
| Douglas | 10,608 | 70.92% | 4,255 | 28.45% | 94 | 0.63% | 6,353 | 42.48% | 14,957 |
| Dunn | 3,963 | 51.03% | 3,770 | 48.54% | 33 | 0.42% | 193 | 2.49% | 7,766 |
| Eau Claire | 11,252 | 55.85% | 8,787 | 43.61% | 109 | 0.54% | 2,465 | 12.23% | 20,148 |
| Florence | 696 | 49.89% | 695 | 49.82% | 4 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.07% | 1,395 |
| Fond du Lac | 12,434 | 48.68% | 12,872 | 50.39% | 237 | 0.93% | -438 | -1.71% | 25,543 |
| Forest | 1,724 | 62.04% | 1,043 | 37.53% | 12 | 0.43% | 681 | 24.51% | 2,779 |
| Grant | 4,621 | 39.58% | 6,846 | 58.64% | 207 | 1.77% | -2,225 | -19.06% | 11,674 |
| Green | 2,894 | 37.59% | 4,772 | 61.99% | 32 | 0.42% | -1,878 | -24.40% | 7,698 |
| Green Lake | 2,343 | 40.06% | 3,461 | 59.18% | 44 | 0.75% | -1,118 | -19.12% | 5,848 |
| Iowa | 2,403 | 43.05% | 3,141 | 56.27% | 38 | 0.68% | -738 | -13.22% | 5,582 |
| Iron | 1,741 | 67.35% | 832 | 32.19% | 12 | 0.46% | 909 | 35.16% | 2,585 |
| Jackson | 2,592 | 54.88% | 2,117 | 44.82% | 14 | 0.30% | 475 | 10.06% | 4,723 |
| Jefferson | 9,034 | 47.08% | 10,047 | 52.36% | 108 | 0.56% | -1,013 | -5.28% | 19,189 |
| Juneau | 2,483 | 46.42% | 2,825 | 52.81% | 41 | 0.77% | -342 | -6.39% | 5,349 |
| Kenosha | 22,136 | 64.53% | 11,944 | 34.82% | 223 | 0.65% | 10,192 | 29.71% | 34,303 |
| Kewaunee | 3,100 | 52.38% | 2,795 | 47.23% | 23 | 0.39% | 305 | 5.15% | 5,918 |
| La Crosse | 11,639 | 46.04% | 13,335 | 52.75% | 305 | 1.21% | -1,696 | -6.71% | 25,279 |
| Lafayette | 2,414 | 42.39% | 3,255 | 57.16% | 26 | 0.46% | -841 | -14.77% | 5,695 |
| Langlade | 3,110 | 55.26% | 2,488 | 44.21% | 30 | 0.53% | 622 | 11.05% | 5,628 |
| Lincoln | 3,860 | 50.90% | 3,667 | 48.36% | 56 | 0.74% | 193 | 2.55% | 7,583 |
| Manitowoc | 15,975 | 59.24% | 10,577 | 39.22% | 414 | 1.54% | 5,398 | 20.02% | 26,966 |
| Marathon | 17,665 | 55.30% | 13,903 | 43.52% | 376 | 1.18% | 3,762 | 11.78% | 31,944 |
| Marinette | 6,358 | 51.66% | 5,871 | 47.70% | 78 | 0.63% | 487 | 3.96% | 12,307 |
| Marquette | 1,203 | 40.67% | 1,735 | 58.65% | 20 | 0.68% | -532 | -17.99% | 2,958 |
| Menominee | 485 | 73.48% | 169 | 25.61% | 6 | 0.91% | 316 | 47.88% | 660 |
| Milwaukee | 196,941 | 63.55% | 110,436 | 35.64% | 2,518 | 0.81% | 86,505 | 27.91% | 309,895 |
| Monroe | 3,694 | 45.31% | 4,403 | 54.01% | 55 | 0.67% | -709 | -8.70% | 8,152 |
| Oconto | 4,321 | 50.99% | 4,101 | 48.39% | 53 | 0.63% | 220 | 2.60% | 8,475 |
| Oneida | 4,401 | 50.69% | 4,224 | 48.65% | 58 | 0.67% | 177 | 2.04% | 8,683 |
| Outagamie | 15,855 | 47.37% | 17,318 | 51.74% | 295 | 0.88% | -1,463 | -4.37% | 33,468 |
| Ozaukee | 6,830 | 39.78% | 10,184 | 59.31% | 156 | 0.91% | -3,354 | -19.53% | 17,170 |
| Pepin | 1,126 | 54.66% | 924 | 44.85% | 10 | 0.49% | 202 | 9.81% | 2,060 |
| Pierce | 3,769 | 52.91% | 3,344 | 46.95% | 10 | 0.14% | 425 | 5.97% | 7,123 |
| Polk | 4,616 | 52.33% | 4,180 | 47.39% | 25 | 0.28% | 436 | 4.94% | 8,821 |
| Portage | 9,580 | 66.02% | 4,797 | 33.06% | 134 | 0.92% | 4,783 | 32.96% | 14,511 |
| Price | 3,137 | 55.38% | 2,500 | 44.14% | 27 | 0.48% | 637 | 11.25% | 5,664 |
| Racine | 30,086 | 57.79% | 21,573 | 41.44% | 399 | 0.77% | 8,513 | 16.35% | 52,058 |
| Richland | 2,368 | 39.80% | 3,444 | 57.88% | 138 | 2.32% | -1,076 | -18.08% | 5,950 |
| Rock | 20,358 | 51.77% | 18,689 | 47.53% | 275 | 0.70% | 1,669 | 4.24% | 39,322 |
| Rusk | 2,540 | 57.87% | 1,819 | 41.44% | 30 | 0.68% | 721 | 16.43% | 4,389 |
| Sauk | 5,601 | 43.85% | 7,036 | 55.09% | 135 | 1.06% | -1,435 | -11.24% | 12,772 |
| Sawyer | 1,703 | 49.52% | 1,716 | 49.90% | 20 | 0.58% | -13 | -0.38% | 3,439 |
| Shawano | 4,696 | 43.59% | 6,027 | 55.95% | 49 | 0.45% | -1,331 | -12.36% | 10,772 |
| Sheboygan | 17,697 | 51.87% | 16,077 | 47.12% | 344 | 1.01% | 1,620 | 4.75% | 34,118 |
| St. Croix | 5,045 | 52.56% | 4,534 | 47.24% | 19 | 0.20% | 511 | 5.32% | 9,598 |
| Taylor | 2,019 | 50.83% | 1,896 | 47.73% | 57 | 1.44% | 123 | 3.10% | 3,972 |
| Trempealeau | 4,038 | 55.13% | 3,266 | 44.59% | 20 | 0.27% | 772 | 10.54% | 7,324 |
| Vernon | 3,688 | 45.87% | 4,251 | 52.87% | 101 | 1.26% | -563 | -7.00% | 8,040 |
| Vilas | 2,185 | 43.62% | 2,795 | 55.80% | 29 | 0.58% | -610 | -12.18% | 5,009 |
| Walworth | 7,789 | 41.52% | 10,903 | 58.12% | 66 | 0.35% | -3,114 | -16.60% | 18,758 |
| Washburn | 2,319 | 54.78% | 1,896 | 44.79% | 18 | 0.43% | 423 | 9.99% | 4,233 |
| Washington | 9,686 | 49.78% | 9,636 | 49.53% | 134 | 0.69% | 50 | 0.26% | 19,456 |
| Waukesha | 32,969 | 46.77% | 36,828 | 52.25% | 689 | 0.98% | -3,859 | -5.47% | 70,486 |
| Waupaca | 4,302 | 38.84% | 6,726 | 60.73% | 47 | 0.42% | -2,424 | -21.89% | 11,075 |
| Waushara | 1,824 | 38.14% | 2,933 | 61.32% | 26 | 0.54% | -1,109 | -23.19% | 4,783 |
| Winnebago | 17,507 | 46.89% | 19,286 | 51.66% | 540 | 1.45% | -1,779 | -4.77% | 37,333 |
| Wood | 10,975 | 54.33% | 9,083 | 44.97% | 141 | 0.70% | 1,892 | 9.37% | 20,199 |
| Total | 728,403 | 54.23% | 602,617 | 44.87% | 12,140 | 0.90% | 125,786 | 9.36% | 1,343,160 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Notes
- ↑ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
References
- ↑ Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature (2015). Wisconsin Blue Book 2015-2016. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Administration. pp. 699–701. ISBN 978-0-9752820-7-6.
- 1 2 3 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 290.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - 1 2 3 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 291.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ "Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids". digicoll.library.wisc.edu. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Lucey's Victory in Wisconsin Governor Primary Leaves Democrats Apparently United (Published 1970)". September 10, 1970. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- 1 2 Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1970
- 1 2 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Vote For State Officers By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1971. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 308.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)