| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1948 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1948. Democratic nominee G. Mennen Williams defeated incumbent Republican Kim Sigler with 53.41% of the vote.
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on September 14, 1948.
Republican party
Incumbent governor Kim Sigler was renominated without opposition.
Candidates
- Kim Sigler, incumbent governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kim Sigler (inc.) | 430,721 | 99.94% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 244 | 0.06% | |
| Total votes | 430,965 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
G. Mennen Williams won the Democratic nomination in a competitive three-way race.
Candidates
- Burnett J. Abbott, businessman from Albion[2]
- Victor E. Bucknell, attorney from Kalamazoo
- G. Mennen Williams, attorney and member of Michigan Liquor Control Commission
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | G. Mennen Williams | 109,988 | 38.58% | |
| Democratic | Victor E. Bucknell | 101,814 | 35.71% | |
| Democratic | Burnett J. Abbott | 73,302 | 25.71% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 9 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | 285,113 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- G. Mennen Williams, Democratic
- Kim Sigler, Republican
Other candidates
- Gordon Phillips, Prohibition
- Emanuel Seidler, Socialist
- Arthur Chenoweth, Socialist Labor
- Howard Lerner, Socialist Workers
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | G. Mennen Williams | 1,128,664 | 53.41% | +14.71% | |
| Republican | Kim Sigler (inc.) | 964,810 | 45.66% | −14.62% | |
| Prohibition | Gordon Phillips | 15,249 | 0.72% | +0.00% | |
| Socialist | Emanuel Seidler | 2,115 | 0.10% | ||
| Socialist Labor | Arthur Chenoweth | 1,405 | 0.07% | −0.24% | |
| Socialist Workers | Howard Lerner | 870 | 0.04% | ||
| Scattering | 9 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 163,854 | 7.75% | |||
| Total votes | 2,113,122 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | +29.33% | |||
Results by county
After this election, Kent County would not vote Democratic again until 1986.
| County[3] | G. Mennen Williams Democratic |
Kim Sigler Republican |
Gordon Phillips Prohibition |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 702 | 32.68% | 1,425 | 66.34% | 18 | 0.84% | 3 | 0.14% | -723 | -33.66% | 2,148 |
| Alger | 2,089 | 54.51% | 1,711 | 44.65% | 27 | 0.70% | 5 | 0.13% | 378 | 9.86% | 3,832 |
| Allegan | 5,091 | 33.52% | 9,812 | 64.60% | 264 | 1.74% | 21 | 0.14% | -4,721 | -31.08% | 15,188 |
| Alpena | 2,903 | 40.84% | 4,164 | 58.57% | 36 | 0.51% | 6 | 0.08% | -1,261 | -17.74% | 7,109 |
| Antrim | 1,297 | 34.23% | 2,416 | 63.76% | 70 | 1.85% | 6 | 0.16% | -1,119 | -29.53% | 3,789 |
| Arenac | 1,228 | 41.13% | 1,742 | 58.34% | 12 | 0.40% | 4 | 0.13% | -514 | -17.21% | 2,986 |
| Baraga | 1,950 | 52.83% | 1,730 | 46.87% | 10 | 0.27% | 1 | 0.03% | 220 | 5.96% | 3,691 |
| Barry | 3,128 | 35.75% | 5,318 | 60.78% | 293 | 3.35% | 11 | 0.13% | -2,190 | -25.03% | 8,750 |
| Bay | 15,027 | 53.98% | 12,586 | 45.21% | 173 | 0.62% | 50 | 0.18% | 2,441 | 8.77% | 27,836 |
| Benzie | 1,059 | 34.89% | 1,948 | 64.18% | 22 | 0.72% | 6 | 0.20% | -889 | -29.29% | 3,035 |
| Berrien | 14,566 | 39.88% | 21,672 | 59.34% | 195 | 0.53% | 90 | 0.25% | -7,106 | -19.46% | 36,523 |
| Branch | 3,692 | 36.85% | 6,056 | 60.45% | 260 | 2.60% | 10 | 0.10% | -2,364 | -23.60% | 10,018 |
| Calhoun | 17,182 | 47.62% | 18,410 | 51.02% | 435 | 1.21% | 55 | 0.15% | -1,228 | -3.40% | 36,082 |
| Cass | 3,248 | 35.99% | 5,666 | 62.79% | 83 | 0.92% | 27 | 0.30% | -2,418 | -26.80% | 9,024 |
| Charlevoix | 2,046 | 42.88% | 2,656 | 55.66% | 63 | 1.32% | 7 | 0.15% | -610 | -12.78% | 4,772 |
| Cheboygan | 1,809 | 35.88% | 3,198 | 63.43% | 23 | 0.46% | 12 | 0.24% | -1,389 | -27.55% | 5,042 |
| Chippewa | 3,741 | 42.58% | 4,856 | 55.27% | 177 | 2.01% | 12 | 0.14% | -1,115 | -12.69% | 8,786 |
| Clare | 1,128 | 30.26% | 2,563 | 68.75% | 35 | 0.94% | 2 | 0.05% | -1,435 | -38.49% | 3,728 |
| Clinton | 3,223 | 31.85% | 6,783 | 67.04% | 102 | 1.01% | 10 | 0.10% | -3,560 | -35.18% | 10,118 |
| Crawford | 513 | 38.48% | 819 | 61.44% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.08% | -306 | -22.96% | 1,333 |
| Delta | 7,393 | 59.60% | 4,967 | 40.04% | 34 | 0.27% | 10 | 0.08% | 2,426 | 19.56% | 12,404 |
| Dickinson | 6,669 | 60.62% | 4,221 | 38.37% | 91 | 0.83% | 20 | 0.18% | 2,448 | 22.25% | 11,001 |
| Eaton | 5,408 | 40.44% | 7,654 | 57.24% | 298 | 2.23% | 12 | 0.09% | -2,246 | -16.80% | 13,372 |
| Emmet | 2,399 | 42.72% | 3,161 | 56.30% | 50 | 0.89% | 5 | 0.09% | -762 | -13.57% | 5,615 |
| Genesee | 54,223 | 63.38% | 30,456 | 35.60% | 740 | 0.87% | 129 | 0.15% | 23,767 | 27.78% | 85,548 |
| Gladwin | 944 | 30.77% | 2,096 | 68.32% | 22 | 0.72% | 6 | 0.20% | -1,152 | -37.55% | 3,068 |
| Gogebic | 7,281 | 58.78% | 5,037 | 40.66% | 56 | 0.45% | 13 | 0.10% | 2,244 | 18.12% | 12,387 |
| Grand Traverse | 2,633 | 33.22% | 5,223 | 65.89% | 62 | 0.78% | 9 | 0.11% | -2,590 | -32.67% | 7,927 |
| Gratiot | 2,939 | 29.25% | 6,857 | 68.25% | 245 | 2.44% | 6 | 0.06% | -3,918 | -39.00% | 10,047 |
| Hillsdale | 3,677 | 34.59% | 6,622 | 62.29% | 327 | 3.08% | 5 | 0.05% | -2,945 | -27.70% | 10,631 |
| Houghton | 7,817 | 46.78% | 8,838 | 52.89% | 46 | 0.28% | 9 | 0.05% | -1,021 | -6.11% | 16,710 |
| Huron | 3,186 | 30.01% | 7,367 | 69.39% | 60 | 0.57% | 4 | 0.04% | -4,181 | -39.38% | 10,617 |
| Ingham | 25,094 | 45.45% | 29,224 | 52.92% | 823 | 1.49% | 77 | 0.14% | -4,130 | -7.48% | 55,218 |
| Ionia | 5,626 | 44.38% | 6,786 | 53.53% | 256 | 2.02% | 10 | 0.08% | -1,160 | -9.15% | 12,678 |
| Iosco | 1,203 | 32.13% | 2,518 | 67.25% | 22 | 0.59% | 1 | 0.03% | -1,315 | -35.12% | 3,744 |
| Iron | 3,948 | 50.02% | 3,835 | 48.59% | 97 | 1.23% | 13 | 0.16% | 113 | 1.43% | 7,893 |
| Isabella | 2,615 | 32.04% | 5,427 | 66.50% | 113 | 1.38% | 6 | 0.07% | -2,812 | -34.46% | 8,161 |
| Jackson | 17,426 | 48.72% | 17,847 | 49.90% | 466 | 1.30% | 25 | 0.07% | -421 | -1.18% | 35,764 |
| Kalamazoo | 18,071 | 43.90% | 22,342 | 54.28% | 657 | 1.60% | 91 | 0.22% | -4,271 | -10.38% | 41,161 |
| Kalkaska | 457 | 36.39% | 776 | 61.78% | 18 | 1.43% | 5 | 0.40% | -319 | -25.40% | 1,256 |
| Kent | 50,812 | 41.50% | 46,736 | 47.37% | 975 | 0.99% | 148 | 0.15% | 4,076 | 4.13% | 98,671 |
| Keweenaw | 798 | 52.81% | 703 | 46.53% | 6 | 0.40% | 4 | 0.26% | 95 | 6.29% | 1,511 |
| Lake | 821 | 35.95% | 1,452 | 63.57% | 9 | 0.39% | 2 | 0.09% | -631 | -27.63% | 2,284 |
| Lapeer | 5,095 | 38.49% | 7,976 | 60.25% | 151 | 1.14% | 16 | 0.12% | -2,881 | -21.76% | 13,238 |
| Leelanau | 843 | 30.04% | 1,951 | 69.53% | 10 | 0.36% | 2 | 0.07% | -1,108 | -39.49% | 2,806 |
| Lenawee | 6,646 | 31.84% | 13,962 | 66.89% | 249 | 1.19% | 17 | 0.08% | -7,316 | -35.05% | 20,874 |
| Livingston | 3,324 | 32.34% | 6,837 | 66.53% | 107 | 1.04% | 9 | 0.09% | -3,513 | -34.18% | 10,277 |
| Luce | 573 | 31.52% | 1,230 | 67.66% | 14 | 0.77% | 1 | 0.06% | -657 | -36.14% | 1,818 |
| Mackinac | 1,258 | 37.54% | 2,076 | 61.95% | 11 | 0.33% | 6 | 0.18% | -818 | -24.41% | 3,351 |
| Macomb | 27,612 | 59.36% | 18,652 | 40.10% | 154 | 0.33% | 101 | 0.22% | 8,960 | 19.26% | 46,519 |
| Manistee | 3,766 | 51.75% | 3,469 | 47.67% | 36 | 0.49% | 6 | 0.08% | 297 | 4.08% | 7,277 |
| Marquette | 9,847 | 52.79% | 8,675 | 46.51% | 114 | 0.61% | 16 | 0.09% | 1,172 | 6.28% | 18,652 |
| Mason | 3,556 | 48.43% | 3,703 | 50.43% | 68 | 0.93% | 16 | 0.22% | -147 | -2.00% | 7,343 |
| Mecosta | 1,835 | 33.64% | 3,496 | 64.09% | 123 | 2.25% | 1 | 0.02% | -1,661 | -30.45% | 5,455 |
| Menominee | 4,970 | 52.10% | 4,490 | 47.07% | 70 | 0.73% | 9 | 0.09% | 480 | 5.03% | 9,539 |
| Midland | 3,771 | 40.08% | 5,513 | 58.59% | 119 | 1.26% | 6 | 0.06% | -1,742 | -18.51% | 9,409 |
| Missaukee | 747 | 30.04% | 1,703 | 68.48% | 36 | 1.45% | 1 | 0.04% | -956 | -38.44% | 2,487 |
| Monroe | 10,974 | 49.64% | 10,978 | 49.66% | 125 | 0.57% | 31 | 0.14% | -4 | -0.02% | 22,108 |
| Montcalm | 3,446 | 37.24% | 5,656 | 61.13% | 142 | 1.53% | 9 | 0.10% | -2,210 | -23.88% | 9,253 |
| Montmorency | 686 | 42.79% | 882 | 55.02% | 32 | 2.00% | 3 | 0.19% | -196 | -12.23% | 1,603 |
| Muskegon | 23,898 | 61.36% | 14,663 | 37.65% | 310 | 0.80% | 74 | 0.19% | 9,235 | 23.71% | 38,945 |
| Newaygo | 2,323 | 35.77% | 4,092 | 63.00% | 65 | 1.00% | 15 | 0.23% | -1,769 | -27.24% | 6,495 |
| Oakland | 58,268 | 49.21% | 59,371 | 50.14% | 529 | 0.45% | 233 | 0.20% | -1,103 | -0.93% | 118,401 |
| Oceana | 1,839 | 38.05% | 2,804 | 58.02% | 185 | 3.83% | 5 | 0.10% | -965 | -19.97% | 4,833 |
| Ogemaw | 1,085 | 34.88% | 1,972 | 63.39% | 52 | 1.67% | 2 | 0.06% | -887 | -28.51% | 3,111 |
| Ontonagon | 2,473 | 50.16% | 2,435 | 49.39% | 14 | 0.28% | 8 | 0.16% | 38 | 0.77% | 4,930 |
| Osceola | 1,386 | 30.61% | 3,012 | 66.52% | 125 | 2.76% | 5 | 0.11% | -1,626 | -35.91% | 4,528 |
| Oscoda | 322 | 29.95% | 747 | 69.49% | 4 | 0.37% | 2 | 0.19% | -425 | -39.53% | 1,075 |
| Otsego | 911 | 40.36% | 1,324 | 58.66% | 19 | 0.84% | 3 | 0.13% | -413 | -18.30% | 2,257 |
| Ottawa | 11,190 | 44.92% | 13,456 | 54.01% | 249 | 1.00% | 17 | 0.07% | -2,266 | -9.10% | 24,912 |
| Presque Isle | 1,703 | 42.03% | 2,341 | 57.77% | 7 | 0.17% | 1 | 0.02% | -638 | -15.75% | 4,052 |
| Roscommon | 760 | 27.87% | 1,955 | 71.69% | 10 | 0.37% | 2 | 0.07% | -1,195 | -43.82% | 2,727 |
| Saginaw | 21,803 | 48.80% | 22,315 | 49.94% | 402 | 0.90% | 161 | 0.36% | -512 | -1.15% | 44,681 |
| Sanilac | 2,449 | 23.33% | 7,779 | 74.12% | 258 | 2.46% | 9 | 0.09% | -5,330 | -50.79% | 10,495 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,565 | 46.94% | 1,733 | 51.98% | 25 | 0.75% | 11 | 0.33% | -168 | -5.04% | 3,334 |
| Shiawassee | 6,483 | 41.21% | 9,010 | 57.27% | 224 | 1.42% | 15 | 0.10% | -2,527 | -16.06% | 15,732 |
| St. Clair | 13,643 | 47.82% | 14,483 | 50.76% | 371 | 1.30% | 34 | 0.12% | -840 | -2.94% | 28,531 |
| St. Joseph | 4,419 | 35.68% | 7,667 | 61.91% | 288 | 2.33% | 10 | 0.08% | -3,248 | -26.23% | 12,384 |
| Tuscola | 3,152 | 28.73% | 7,620 | 69.44% | 187 | 1.70% | 14 | 0.13% | -4,468 | -40.72% | 10,973 |
| Van Buren | 4,120 | 29.85% | 9,538 | 69.10% | 117 | 0.85% | 28 | 0.20% | -5,418 | -39.25% | 13,803 |
| Washtenaw | 15,674 | 40.21% | 23,021 | 59.05% | 222 | 0.57% | 68 | 0.17% | -7,347 | -18.85% | 38,985 |
| Wayne | 540,105 | 63.71% | 303,078 | 35.75% | 2,137 | 0.25% | 2,477 | 0.29% | 237,027 | 27.96% | 847,797 |
| Wexford | 3,082 | 46.18% | 3,469 | 51.98% | 117 | 1.75% | 6 | 0.09% | -387 | -5.80% | 6,674 |
| Total | 1,128,664 | 53.41% | 964,810 | 45.66% | 15,249 | 0.72% | 4,399 | 0.21% | 163,854 | 7.75% | 2,113,122 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
References
- 1 2 Alger Jr., Frederick M. (1949). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, September 14, 1948". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1949-1950. pp. 184–187. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Burnett J. Abbott For Governor". Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood. September 10, 1948. p. 5. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Alger Jr., Frederick M. (1949). "Official Canvass of Votes, Election November 2, 1948". Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1949-1950. pp. 235–237. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
