| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1966 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1966. Incumbent Republican George W. Romney defeated Democratic nominee Zolton Ferency with 60.54% of the vote.
This election marked the first time the governor was elected to a four-year term, following the adoption of new state constitution in 1963.[1]
Primary election
Michigan held primary elections on August 2, 1966.
Republican party
Incumbent governor George W. Romney won renomination for a third term unopposed.
Candidates
- George W. Romney, incumbent governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George W. Romney (inc.) | 423,876 | 99.99% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 21 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 423,897 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic party
Zolton Ferency was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Candidates
- Zolton Ferency, chairman of Michigan Democratic Party
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Zolton Ferency | 373,426 | 99.98% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 59 | 0.02% | |
| Total votes | 373,485 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- George W. Romney & William Milliken, Republican
- Zolton Ferency & John B. Bruff, Democratic
Other candidates
- James Horvath & W. Clifford Bentley, Socialist Labor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George W. Romney (inc.) | 1,490,430 | 60.54% | +4.67% | |
| Democratic | Zolton Ferency | 963,383 | 39.13% | −4.61% | |
| Socialist Labor | James Horvath | 8,017 | 0.33% | +0.27% | |
| Scattering | 79 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 527,047 | 21.41% | |||
| Total votes | 2,461,909 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +9.28% | |||
Results by county
This was the only gubernatorial election between 1930 and 1994 in which Alger County voted Republican.
| County[3] | George W. Romney Republican |
Zolton Ferency Democratic |
James Horvath Socialist Labor |
Scattering Write-in |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 1,559 | 68.80% | 702 | 30.98% | 4 | 0.18% | 1 | 0.04% | 857 | 37.82% | 2,266 |
| Alger | 1,643 | 54.89% | 1,348 | 45.04% | 2 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 295 | 9.86% | 2,993 |
| Allegan | 13,733 | 74.90% | 4,563 | 24.89% | 39 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 9,170 | 50.01% | 18,335 |
| Alpena | 5,958 | 65.05% | 3,192 | 34.85% | 9 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,766 | 30.20% | 9,159 |
| Antrim | 2,910 | 71.85% | 1,137 | 28.07% | 3 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,773 | 43.78% | 4,050 |
| Arenac | 2,040 | 63.10% | 1,185 | 36.65% | 8 | 0.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 855 | 26.45% | 3,233 |
| Baraga | 1,680 | 56.70% | 1,273 | 42.96% | 10 | 0.34% | 0 | 0.00% | 407 | 13.74% | 2,963 |
| Barry | 8,054 | 68.78% | 3,635 | 31.04% | 21 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,419 | 37.74% | 11,710 |
| Bay | 18,659 | 57.19% | 13,920 | 42.66% | 50 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,739 | 14.52% | 32,629 |
| Benzie | 2,133 | 71.92% | 828 | 27.92% | 5 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,305 | 44.00% | 2,966 |
| Berrien | 28,814 | 66.36% | 14,475 | 33.34% | 130 | 0.30% | 2 | 0.00% | 14,339 | 33.02% | 43,421 |
| Branch | 6,571 | 68.55% | 2,997 | 31.26% | 18 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,574 | 37.28% | 9,586 |
| Calhoun | 26,890 | 65.46% | 14,051 | 34.21% | 134 | 0.33% | 1 | 0.00% | 12,839 | 31.26% | 41,076 |
| Cass | 6,637 | 62.11% | 4,008 | 37.51% | 40 | 0.37% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,629 | 24.60% | 10,686 |
| Charlevoix | 3,505 | 66.98% | 1,670 | 31.91% | 58 | 1.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,835 | 35.07% | 5,233 |
| Cheboygan | 3,354 | 62.60% | 2,003 | 37.38% | 1 | 0.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,351 | 25.21% | 5,358 |
| Chippewa | 5,634 | 65.37% | 2,969 | 34.45% | 15 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,665 | 30.92% | 8,618 |
| Clare | 2,882 | 68.16% | 1,337 | 31.62% | 9 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,545 | 36.54% | 4,228 |
| Clinton | 8,198 | 68.18% | 3,813 | 31.71% | 13 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,385 | 36.47% | 12,024 |
| Crawford | 1,119 | 66.13% | 568 | 33.57% | 5 | 0.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 551 | 32.57% | 1,692 |
| Delta | 6,633 | 56.85% | 5,021 | 43.03% | 14 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,612 | 13.82% | 11,668 |
| Dickinson | 5,474 | 58.31% | 3,904 | 41.59% | 9 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,570 | 16.73% | 9,387 |
| Eaton | 12,587 | 69.19% | 5,574 | 30.64% | 31 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,013 | 38.55% | 18,192 |
| Emmet | 4,057 | 69.70% | 1,756 | 30.17% | 8 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,301 | 39.53% | 5,821 |
| Genesee | 68,255 | 56.24% | 52,864 | 43.56% | 239 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 15,391 | 12.68% | 121,358 |
| Gladwin | 2,568 | 68.43% | 1,181 | 31.47% | 3 | 0.08% | 1 | 0.03% | 1,387 | 36.96% | 3,753 |
| Gogebic | 4,932 | 54.97% | 4,020 | 44.81% | 20 | 0.22% | 0 | 0.00% | 912 | 10.16% | 8,972 |
| Grand Traverse | 8,813 | 73.37% | 3,176 | 26.44% | 22 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,637 | 46.93% | 12,011 |
| Gratiot | 7,521 | 72.84% | 2,794 | 27.06% | 11 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,727 | 45.78% | 10,326 |
| Hillsdale | 7,384 | 72.59% | 2,767 | 27.20% | 21 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,617 | 45.39% | 10,172 |
| Houghton | 7,550 | 57.29% | 5,619 | 42.64% | 9 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,931 | 14.65% | 13,178 |
| Huron | 7,945 | 71.23% | 3,192 | 28.62% | 17 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,753 | 42.61% | 11,154 |
| Ingham | 47,298 | 67.50% | 22,611 | 32.27% | 159 | 0.23% | 7 | 0.01% | 24,687 | 35.23% | 70,075 |
| Ionia | 8,140 | 65.78% | 4,214 | 34.05% | 19 | 0.15% | 2 | 0.02% | 3,926 | 31.73% | 12,375 |
| Iosco | 4,031 | 68.86% | 1,818 | 31.06% | 5 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,213 | 37.80% | 5,854 |
| Iron | 3,469 | 51.23% | 3,288 | 48.56% | 14 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 181 | 2.67% | 6,771 |
| Isabella | 6,500 | 68.86% | 2,922 | 30.95% | 18 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,578 | 37.90% | 9,440 |
| Jackson | 27,228 | 68.54% | 12,426 | 31.28% | 69 | 0.17% | 1 | 0.00% | 14,802 | 37.26% | 39,724 |
| Kalamazoo | 39,004 | 72.49% | 14,636 | 27.20% | 162 | 0.30% | 3 | 0.01% | 24,368 | 45.29% | 53,805 |
| Kalkaska | 1,161 | 66.38% | 588 | 33.62% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 573 | 32.76% | 1,749 |
| Kent | 83,524 | 70.21% | 35,230 | 29.61% | 210 | 0.18% | 1 | 0.00% | 48,294 | 40.60% | 118,965 |
| Keweenaw | 582 | 49.24% | 599 | 50.68% | 1 | 0.08% | 0 | 0.00% | -17 | -1.44% | 1,182 |
| Lake | 1,159 | 50.52% | 1,129 | 49.22% | 6 | 0.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 30 | 1.31% | 2,294 |
| Lapeer | 7,695 | 67.14% | 3,753 | 32.75% | 11 | 0.10% | 2 | 0.02% | 3,942 | 34.39% | 11,461 |
| Leelanau | 2,639 | 69.17% | 1,171 | 30.69% | 5 | 0.13% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,468 | 38.48% | 3,815 |
| Lenawee | 15,340 | 71.09% | 6,071 | 28.14% | 165 | 0.76% | 1 | 0.00% | 9,269 | 42.96% | 21,577 |
| Livingston | 10,046 | 71.06% | 4,063 | 28.74% | 29 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,983 | 42.32% | 14,138 |
| Luce | 1,278 | 66.74% | 634 | 33.11% | 3 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 644 | 33.63% | 1,915 |
| Mackinac | 2,666 | 66.42% | 1,341 | 33.41% | 7 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,325 | 33.01% | 4,014 |
| Macomb | 75,419 | 55.65% | 59,643 | 44.01% | 462 | 0.34% | 4 | 0.00% | 15,776 | 11.64% | 135,528 |
| Manistee | 4,505 | 61.59% | 2,803 | 38.32% | 6 | 0.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,702 | 23.27% | 7,314 |
| Marquette | 9,592 | 57.83% | 6,961 | 41.97% | 33 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,631 | 15.86% | 16,586 |
| Mason | 5,101 | 61.58% | 3,177 | 38.36% | 5 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,924 | 23.23% | 8,283 |
| Mecosta | 4,515 | 71.34% | 1,807 | 28.55% | 4 | 0.06% | 3 | 0.05% | 2,708 | 42.79% | 6,329 |
| Menominee | 4,802 | 60.69% | 3,097 | 39.14% | 13 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,705 | 21.55% | 7,912 |
| Midland | 13,732 | 73.86% | 4,805 | 25.84% | 56 | 0.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 8,927 | 48.01% | 18,593 |
| Missaukee | 2,039 | 77.21% | 601 | 22.76% | 1 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,438 | 54.45% | 2,641 |
| Monroe | 18,153 | 60.31% | 11,858 | 39.40% | 87 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.00% | 6,295 | 20.91% | 30,099 |
| Montcalm | 8,088 | 69.89% | 3,465 | 29.94% | 20 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,623 | 39.95% | 11,573 |
| Montmorency | 1,243 | 64.81% | 673 | 35.09% | 2 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 570 | 29.72% | 1,918 |
| Muskegon | 30,031 | 61.96% | 18,288 | 37.73% | 153 | 0.32% | 0 | 0.00% | 11,743 | 24.23% | 48,472 |
| Newaygo | 6,403 | 72.56% | 2,413 | 27.35% | 8 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,990 | 45.22% | 8,824 |
| Oakland | 167,286 | 68.82% | 74,607 | 30.69% | 1,179 | 0.49% | 3 | 0.00% | 92,679 | 38.13% | 243,075 |
| Oceana | 3,970 | 67.86% | 1,872 | 32.00% | 8 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,098 | 35.86% | 5,850 |
| Ogemaw | 2,310 | 64.51% | 1,270 | 35.46% | 1 | 0.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,040 | 29.04% | 3,581 |
| Ontonagon | 2,535 | 56.84% | 1,921 | 43.07% | 4 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 614 | 13.77% | 4,460 |
| Osceola | 3,458 | 74.64% | 1,170 | 25.25% | 4 | 0.09% | 1 | 0.02% | 2,288 | 49.38% | 4,633 |
| Oscoda | 1,017 | 71.82% | 394 | 27.82% | 5 | 0.35% | 0 | 0.00% | 623 | 44.00% | 1,416 |
| Otsego | 1,851 | 61.23% | 1,169 | 38.67% | 3 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 682 | 22.56% | 3,023 |
| Ottawa | 29,283 | 78.78% | 7,819 | 21.04% | 67 | 0.18% | 1 | 0.00% | 21,464 | 57.75% | 37,170 |
| Presque Isle | 2,538 | 58.44% | 1,802 | 41.49% | 2 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.02% | 736 | 16.95% | 4,343 |
| Roscommon | 2,323 | 67.39% | 1,113 | 32.29% | 11 | 0.32% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,210 | 35.10% | 3,447 |
| Saginaw | 36,051 | 62.18% | 21,775 | 37.56% | 149 | 0.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 14,276 | 24.62% | 57,975 |
| Sanilac | 8,791 | 77.56% | 2,537 | 22.38% | 3 | 0.03% | 4 | 0.04% | 6,254 | 55.17% | 11,335 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,975 | 57.93% | 1,431 | 41.98% | 3 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 544 | 15.96% | 3,409 |
| Shiawassee | 10,920 | 62.91% | 6,397 | 36.85% | 42 | 0.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,523 | 26.06% | 17,359 |
| St. Clair | 22,589 | 69.47% | 9,853 | 30.30% | 73 | 0.22% | 0 | 0.00% | 12,736 | 39.17% | 32,515 |
| St. Joseph | 8,805 | 72.48% | 3,323 | 27.35% | 19 | 0.16% | 2 | 0.02% | 5,482 | 45.12% | 12,149 |
| Tuscola | 9,369 | 70.22% | 3,961 | 29.69% | 13 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,408 | 40.53% | 13,343 |
| Van Buren | 10,067 | 68.02% | 4,678 | 31.61% | 54 | 0.36% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,389 | 36.41% | 14,799 |
| Washtenaw | 40,676 | 70.84% | 16,472 | 28.69% | 258 | 0.45% | 13 | 0.02% | 24,204 | 42.15% | 57,419 |
| Wayne | 379,288 | 49.07% | 390,221 | 50.49% | 3,399 | 0.44% | 23 | 0.00% | -10,933 | -1.41% | 772,931 |
| Wexford | 4,253 | 68.23% | 1,971 | 31.62% | 9 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,282 | 36.61% | 6,233 |
| Total | 1,490,430 | 60.54% | 963,383 | 39.13% | 8,017 | 0.33% | 79 | 0.00% | 527,047 | 21.41% | 2,461,909 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
References
- ↑ "MCL - Article V § 21 - Michigan Legislature". www.legislature.mi.gov. Archived from the original on May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- 1 2 Hare, James M. (1967). "Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, August 2, 1966". Michigan Manual 1967-1968. pp. 407–408. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- 1 2 Hare, James M. (1967). "General Election, November 8, 1966". Michigan Manual 1967-1968. pp. 450–451. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
