1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

The 1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940. Primary elections were held on September 17, 1940.

1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1938 November 5, 1940 1942 →
 
Nominee Julius P. Heil Orland Steen Loomis Francis E. McGovern
Party Republican Progressive Democratic
Popular vote 558,678 546,436 264,985
Percentage 40.67% 39.78% 19.29%

County results
Heil:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Loomis:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
McGovern:      30–40%

Governor before election

Julius P. Heil
Republican

Elected Governor

Julius P. Heil
Republican

Incumbent Republican Governor Julius P. Heil defeated Progressive nominee Orland Steen Loomis and Democratic nominee Francis E. McGovern with 40.67% of the vote.

Primary election

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Republican party

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Candidates

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  • Julius P. Heil, incumbent Governor
  • James K. Robinson, dentist,[1] unsuccessful candidate for Progressive nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1936

Results

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Republican primary results[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Julius P. Heil (incumbent) 249,269 67.98%
Republican James K. Robinson 117,385 32.02%
Total votes 366,654 100.00%

Progressive party

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Candidates

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Results

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Progressive primary results[2][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Orland Steen Loomis 50,699 33.05%
Progressive Harold E. Stafford 41,311 26.93%
Progressive Philip E. Nelson 24,485 15.96%
Progressive Paul Alfonsi 22,531 14.69%
Progressive Henry Gunderson 14,372 9.37%
Total votes 153,398 100.00%

Democratic party

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Francis E. McGovern 54,025 38.91%
Democratic William R. Callahan 44,868 32.31%
Democratic Raymond J. Cannon 30,560 22.01%
Democratic Gerhard A. Hagedorn 9,407 6.77%
Total votes 138,860 100.00%

Other party nominations

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General election

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Results

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1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Julius P. Heil (incumbent) 558,678 40.67% −14.72%
Progressive Orland S. Loomis 546,436 39.78% +3.77%
Democratic Francis E. McGovern 264,985 19.29% +11.30%
Communist[a] Fred Basset Blair 2,340 0.17%
Socialist Labor[b] Louis Fisher 1,158 0.08% −0.06%
Scattering[c] 157 0.01%
Plurality 12,242 0.89%
Total votes 1,373,754 100.00%
Republican hold Swing -18.50%

Results by county

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Barron County, Buffalo County, Grant County, Monroe County, Sauk County, Trempealeau County, and Vernon County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1892, while Juneau County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1890.

County[9][10] Julius P. Heil
Republican
Orland S. Loomis
Progressive
Francis E. McGovern
Democratic
All Others
Various
Margin[d] Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Adams 1,231 34.54% 2,112 59.26% 211 5.92% 10 0.28% -881 -24.72% 3,564
Ashland 3,120 34.46% 4,340 47.93% 1,537 16.98% 57 0.63% -1,220 -13.47% 9,054
Barron 5,422 39.47% 7,216 52.53% 1,071 7.80% 29 0.21% -1,794 -13.06% 13,738
Bayfield 2,198 31.51% 3,833 54.95% 906 12.99% 38 0.54% -1,635 -23.44% 6,975
Brown 13,536 40.08% 8,910 26.38% 11,305 33.47% 25 0.07% 2,231[e] 6.61% 33,776
Buffalo 2,803 44.65% 3,077 49.01% 393 6.26% 5 0.08% -274 -4.36% 6,278
Burnett 1,756 36.46% 2,451 50.89% 587 12.19% 22 0.46% -695 -14.43% 4,816
Calumet 4,156 54.94% 2,051 27.12% 1,350 17.85% 7 0.09% 2,105 27.83% 7,564
Chippewa 6,979 44.88% 6,889 44.31% 1,659 10.67% 22 0.14% 90 0.58% 15,549
Clark 6,977 49.93% 5,735 41.04% 1,203 8.61% 59 0.42% 1,242 8.89% 13,974
Columbia 5,907 38.93% 7,709 50.80% 1,548 10.20% 11 0.07% -1,802 -11.87% 15,175
Crawford 3,712 46.64% 2,431 30.55% 1,813 22.78% 2 0.03% 1,281 16.10% 7,958
Dane 15,863 25.14% 42,136 66.78% 5,012 7.94% 84 0.13% -26,273 -41.64% 63,095
Dodge 10,712 45.75% 8,079 34.50% 4,599 19.64% 25 0.11% 2,633 11.24% 23,415
Door 4,384 55.66% 2,596 32.96% 853 10.83% 43 0.55% 1,788 22.70% 7,876
Douglas 6,359 29.70% 10,418 48.66% 4,490 20.97% 141 0.66% -4,059 -18.96% 21,408
Dunn 5,047 45.35% 5,185 46.59% 882 7.93% 14 0.13% -138 -1.24% 11,128
Eau Claire 8,095 42.03% 9,224 47.90% 1,922 9.98% 17 0.09% -1,129 -5.86% 19,258
Florence 749 40.46% 677 36.57% 411 22.20% 14 0.76% 72 3.89% 1,851
Fond du Lac 13,212 48.48% 8,535 31.32% 5,435 19.94% 73 0.27% 4,677 17.16% 27,255
Forest 1,267 29.72% 1,366 32.04% 1,617 37.93% 13 0.30% -251[f] -5.89% 4,263
Grant 7,664 42.50% 8,046 44.62% 2,298 12.74% 26 0.14% -382 -2.12% 18,034
Green 4,786 47.37% 4,264 42.20% 1,044 10.33% 10 0.10% 522 5.17% 10,104
Green Lake 4,071 56.86% 1,591 22.22% 1,487 20.77% 11 0.15% 2,480 34.64% 7,160
Iowa 3,834 42.82% 4,092 45.70% 1,019 11.38% 9 0.10% -258 -2.88% 8,954
Iron 1,512 30.91% 2,671 54.60% 687 14.04% 22 0.45% -1,159 -23.69% 4,892
Jackson 2,675 35.92% 4,294 57.66% 474 6.36% 4 0.05% -1,619 -21.74% 7,447
Jefferson 8,105 46.00% 5,576 31.65% 3,923 22.26% 16 0.09% 2,529 14.35% 17,620
Juneau 2,615 30.11% 5,632 64.85% 434 5.00% 4 0.05% -3,017 -34.74% 8,685
Kenosha 10,355 35.63% 10,631 36.58% 8,013 27.57% 60 0.21% -276 -0.95% 29,059
Kewaunee 3,331 48.95% 1,560 22.92% 1,886 27.71% 28 0.41% 1,445[e] 21.23% 6,805
La Crosse 11,504 43.95% 10,277 39.26% 4,375 16.72% 18 0.07% 1,227 4.69% 26,174
Lafayette 4,065 44.29% 3,330 36.28% 1,778 19.37% 5 0.05% 735 8.01% 9,178
Langlade 3,627 38.76% 2,710 28.96% 2,996 32.02% 25 0.27% 631[e] 6.74% 9,358
Lincoln 4,352 44.01% 4,441 44.91% 1,060 10.72% 36 0.36% -89 -0.90% 9,889
Manitowoc 10,266 40.11% 9,832 38.41% 5,477 21.40% 22 0.09% 434 1.70% 25,597
Marathon 12,769 44.22% 9,872 34.19% 6,164 21.35% 71 0.25% 2,897 10.03% 28,876
Marinette 7,433 49.91% 2,921 19.61% 4,508 30.27% 32 0.21% 2,925[e] 19.64% 14,894
Marquette 2,541 60.72% 1,128 26.95% 510 12.19% 6 0.14% 1,413 33.76% 4,185
Milwaukee 115,732 33.35% 147,826 42.59% 82,036 23.64% 1,462 0.42% -32,094 -9.25% 347,056
Monroe 4,539 36.08% 7,134 56.71% 889 7.07% 17 0.14% -2,595 -20.63% 12,579
Oconto 5,104 45.48% 2,739 24.41% 3,364 29.98% 15 0.13% 1,740[e] 15.51% 11,222
Oneida 2,938 33.45% 3,658 41.65% 2,157 24.56% 29 0.33% -720 -8.20% 8,782
Outagamie 15,637 52.96% 7,421 25.13% 6,406 21.70% 61 0.21% 8,216 27.83% 29,525
Ozaukee 3,641 43.33% 2,908 34.61% 1,838 21.88% 15 0.18% 733 8.72% 8,402
Pepin 1,787 54.02% 1,137 34.37% 376 11.37% 8 0.24% 650 19.65% 3,308
Pierce 4,355 46.64% 4,160 44.55% 811 8.69% 11 0.12% 195 2.09% 9,337
Polk 4,044 37.29% 5,805 53.53% 975 8.99% 21 0.19% -1,761 -16.24% 10,845
Portage 4,736 30.84% 5,445 35.46% 5,161 33.61% 13 0.08% -709 -4.62% 15,355
Price 3,558 46.25% 2,616 34.00% 1,392 18.09% 127 1.65% 942 12.24% 7,693
Racine 16,754 39.65% 15,583 36.88% 9,795 23.18% 126 0.30% 1,171 2.77% 42,258
Richland 4,720 53.24% 3,041 34.30% 1,089 12.28% 15 0.17% 1,679 18.94% 8,865
Rock 18,482 50.39% 11,661 31.79% 6,451 17.59% 84 0.23% 6,821 18.60% 36,678
Rusk 3,221 46.89% 2,333 33.96% 1,288 18.75% 27 0.39% 888 12.93% 6,869
Sauk 6,535 42.36% 7,385 47.87% 1,492 9.67% 15 0.10% -850 -5.51% 15,427
Sawyer 2,218 45.71% 1,540 31.74% 1,085 22.36% 9 0.19% 678 13.97% 4,852
Shawano 6,745 49.92% 4,757 35.21% 1,987 14.71% 22 0.16% 1,988 14.71% 13,511
Sheboygan 14,141 44.24% 6,955 21.76% 10,732 33.58% 135 0.42% 3,409[e] 10.67% 31,963
St. Croix 4,871 43.77% 4,484 40.29% 1,756 15.78% 17 0.15% 387 3.48% 11,128
Taylor 3,068 41.03% 2,712 36.27% 1,668 22.31% 30 0.40% 356 4.76% 7,478
Trempealeau 3,852 39.52% 4,611 47.31% 1,277 13.10% 6 0.06% -759 -7.79% 9,746
Vernon 5,352 44.15% 5,833 48.12% 926 7.64% 12 0.10% -481 -3.97% 12,123
Vilas 1,870 41.12% 1,213 26.67% 1,427 31.38% 38 0.84% 443[e] 9.74% 4,548
Walworth 10,980 64.88% 3,245 19.18% 2,688 15.88% 10 0.06% 7,735 45.71% 16,923
Washburn 1,903 34.77% 3,033 55.42% 525 9.59% 12 0.22% -1,130 -20.65% 5,473
Washington 6,767 51.37% 3,951 29.99% 2,445 18.56% 11 0.08% 2,816 21.38% 13,174
Waukesha 15,344 51.88% 9,668 32.69% 4,532 15.32% 33 0.11% 5,676 19.19% 29,577
Waupaca 8,371 53.53% 5,813 37.17% 1,423 9.10% 31 0.20% 2,558 16.36% 15,638
Waushara 4,179 63.44% 1,759 26.70% 628 9.53% 21 0.32% 2,420 36.74% 6,587
Winnebago 17,013 49.67% 9,751 28.47% 7,413 21.64% 73 0.21% 7,262 21.20% 34,250
Wood 7,231 40.85% 8,421 47.57% 2,016 11.39% 33 0.19% -1,190 -6.72% 17,701
Total 558,678 40.67% 546,436 39.78% 264,985 19.29% 3,655 0.27% 12,242 0.89% 1,373,754

Counties that flipped from Progressive to Republican

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Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive

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Counties that flipped from Progressive to Democratic

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Independent Communist"
  2. ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"
  3. ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
  4. ^ All margins are Heil over Loomis unless otherwise noted
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Heil's margin over McGovern
  6. ^ McGovern's margin over Loomis

References

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  1. ^ "Governor Renounces Third Term; While Seeking His Second". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. August 1, 1940. p. 19. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1942). "Primary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1942. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 578.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ "WI Governor, 1940 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "Chippewa Falls Attorney To Speak at Meeting Wednesday". Madison Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. February 12, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "WI Governor, 1940 - PRG Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Once More". Leader-Telegram. Eau Claire, Wisconsin. August 9, 1940. p. 14. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "Rubin Fails To Enter Race For Governor". The Sheboygan Press. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. August 6, 1940. p. 8. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "WI Governor, 1940 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers - Election of State Officers - November 5, 1940
  10. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1942). "Summary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1942. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 666.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Bibliography

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