| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1976 United States presidential election in Michigan was held on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election.
Michigan was won by the incumbent President Gerald Ford, who won his home state with 51.83% of the vote, a victory margin of 5.39 points over Carter, thereby carrying its 21 electoral votes. This result made Michigan about 7.5% more Republican than the nation at large. However, he narrowly lost the general election to Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. This is currently the only time since 1948 that a Democrat won the presidency without winning Michigan, although Democrats won the popular vote without the state in 2016. Carter also became the first Democrat to win the White House without carrying Macomb County since Woodrow Wilson in 1916. The state would not vote for a losing candidate again until 2000, and for the loser of the popular vote until 2004.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the final occasion of only four where Michigan and Pennsylvania voted for different presidential candidates ever since the Democrats and Republicans became the two major parties in U.S. politics.[2][a] This is also the last time that Michigan voted more Republican than Texas, Oklahoma, or Florida; and that the Democratic candidate lost Michigan but won neighboring Ohio.
Primary election
Democratic party
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jimmy Carter | 307,559 | 43.40% | |
| Democratic | Mo Udall | 305,134 | 43.06% | |
| Democratic | George Wallace | 49,204 | 6.94% | |
| Democratic | Henry M. Jackson | 10,332 | 1.46% | |
| Democratic | Ellen McCormack | 7,623 | 1.07% | |
| Democratic | Sargent Shriver | 5,738 | 0.81% | |
| Democratic | Fred R. Harris | 4,081 | 0.58% | |
| Democratic | Uncommitted | 15,853 | 2.24% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 3,142 | 0.44% | |
| Total votes | 708,666 | 100.00% | ||
Republican party
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gerald Ford (inc.) | 690,180 | 64.94% | |
| Republican | Ronald Reagan | 364,052 | 34.25% | |
| Republican | Uncommitted | 8,473 | 0.80% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 109 | 0.01% | |
| Total votes | 1,062,814 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gerald Ford (inc.) | 1,893,742 | 51.83% | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Carter | 1,696,714 | 46.44% | |
| Independent | Eugene McCarthy | 47,905 | 1.31% | |
| Libertarian | Roger MacBride | 5,406 | 0.15% | |
| People's | Margaret Wright | 3,504 | 0.10% | |
| Socialist Workers | Peter Camejo | 1,804 | 0.05% | |
| U.S. Labor | Lyndon LaRouche | 1,366 | 0.04% | |
| Socialist Labor | Julius Levin | 1,148 | 0.03% | |
| Write-ins | Scattering | 2,160 | 0.06% | |
| Total votes | 3,653,749 | 100.00% | ||
Results by county
| County[4] | Gerald Ford Republican |
Jimmy Carter Democratic |
Eugene McCarthy Independent |
All Others Various |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 2,328 | 52.87% | 2,038 | 46.29% | 31 | 0.70% | 6 | 0.14% | 290 | 6.58% | 4,403 |
| Alger | 1,722 | 41.38% | 2,379 | 57.17% | 47 | 1.13% | 13 | 0.31% | -657 | -15.79% | 4,161 |
| Allegan | 19,330 | 65.59% | 9,794 | 33.23% | 266 | 0.90% | 81 | 0.27% | 9,536 | 32.36% | 29,471 |
| Alpena | 6,380 | 49.59% | 6,310 | 49.04% | 145 | 1.13% | 31 | 0.24% | 70 | 0.55% | 12,866 |
| Antrim | 4,369 | 58.11% | 3,032 | 40.33% | 92 | 1.22% | 25 | 0.33% | 1,337 | 17.78% | 7,518 |
| Arenac | 2,687 | 49.55% | 2,695 | 49.70% | 28 | 0.52% | 13 | 0.24% | -8 | -0.15% | 5,423 |
| Baraga | 1,788 | 49.47% | 1,778 | 49.20% | 33 | 0.91% | 15 | 0.42% | 10 | 0.27% | 3,614 |
| Barry | 11,178 | 60.79% | 6,967 | 37.89% | 172 | 0.94% | 71 | 0.39% | 4,211 | 22.90% | 18,388 |
| Bay | 23,174 | 46.64% | 25,958 | 52.24% | 423 | 0.85% | 134 | 0.27% | -2,784 | -5.60% | 49,689 |
| Benzie | 3,085 | 61.23% | 1,891 | 37.53% | 53 | 1.05% | 9 | 0.18% | 1,194 | 23.70% | 5,038 |
| Berrien | 40,835 | 61.13% | 25,163 | 37.67% | 569 | 0.85% | 231 | 0.35% | 15,672 | 23.46% | 66,798 |
| Branch | 8,251 | 55.74% | 6,301 | 42.57% | 160 | 1.08% | 90 | 0.61% | 1,950 | 13.17% | 14,802 |
| Calhoun | 30,390 | 53.77% | 25,229 | 44.64% | 683 | 1.21% | 218 | 0.39% | 5,161 | 9.13% | 56,520 |
| Cass | 9,893 | 55.15% | 7,843 | 43.72% | 138 | 0.77% | 65 | 0.36% | 2,050 | 11.43% | 17,939 |
| Charlevoix | 5,145 | 55.57% | 3,953 | 42.70% | 117 | 1.26% | 43 | 0.46% | 1,192 | 12.87% | 9,258 |
| Cheboygan | 4,894 | 55.13% | 3,880 | 43.70% | 81 | 0.91% | 23 | 0.26% | 1,014 | 11.43% | 8,878 |
| Chippewa | 7,025 | 53.32% | 6,022 | 45.71% | 99 | 0.75% | 29 | 0.22% | 1,003 | 7.61% | 13,175 |
| Clare | 4,879 | 53.46% | 4,153 | 45.51% | 68 | 0.75% | 26 | 0.28% | 726 | 7.95% | 9,126 |
| Clinton | 13,475 | 63.11% | 7,549 | 35.35% | 231 | 1.08% | 98 | 0.46% | 5,926 | 27.76% | 21,353 |
| Crawford | 2,359 | 54.82% | 1,889 | 43.90% | 46 | 1.07% | 9 | 0.21% | 470 | 10.92% | 4,303 |
| Delta | 7,809 | 45.85% | 9,027 | 53.00% | 155 | 0.91% | 42 | 0.25% | -1,218 | -7.15% | 17,033 |
| Dickinson | 5,922 | 48.63% | 6,134 | 50.37% | 97 | 0.80% | 24 | 0.20% | -212 | -1.74% | 12,177 |
| Eaton | 22,120 | 63.65% | 12,083 | 34.77% | 430 | 1.24% | 117 | 0.34% | 10,037 | 28.88% | 34,750 |
| Emmet | 5,910 | 58.49% | 4,013 | 39.72% | 129 | 1.28% | 52 | 0.51% | 1,897 | 18.77% | 10,104 |
| Genesee | 80,004 | 46.67% | 88,967 | 51.89% | 1,790 | 1.04% | 677 | 0.39% | -8,963 | -5.22% | 171,438 |
| Gladwin | 3,794 | 50.14% | 3,719 | 49.15% | 34 | 0.45% | 20 | 0.26% | 75 | 0.99% | 7,567 |
| Gogebic | 3,953 | 38.04% | 6,341 | 61.02% | 74 | 0.71% | 24 | 0.23% | -2,388 | -22.98% | 10,392 |
| Grand Traverse | 13,505 | 63.85% | 7,263 | 34.34% | 295 | 1.39% | 87 | 0.41% | 6,242 | 29.51% | 21,150 |
| Gratiot | 9,526 | 63.01% | 5,429 | 35.91% | 108 | 0.71% | 55 | 0.36% | 4,097 | 27.10% | 15,118 |
| Hillsdale | 9,307 | 62.23% | 5,427 | 36.29% | 139 | 0.93% | 82 | 0.55% | 3,880 | 25.94% | 14,955 |
| Houghton | 8,049 | 51.60% | 7,352 | 47.13% | 145 | 0.93% | 54 | 0.35% | 697 | 4.47% | 15,600 |
| Huron | 9,297 | 61.26% | 5,721 | 37.70% | 118 | 0.78% | 40 | 0.26% | 3,576 | 23.56% | 15,176 |
| Ingham | 66,729 | 55.92% | 47,890 | 40.13% | 3,636 | 3.05% | 1,072 | 0.90% | 18,839 | 15.79% | 119,327 |
| Ionia | 11,737 | 62.46% | 6,820 | 36.29% | 187 | 1.00% | 47 | 0.25% | 4,917 | 26.17% | 18,791 |
| Iosco | 5,500 | 52.39% | 4,875 | 46.44% | 74 | 0.70% | 49 | 0.47% | 625 | 5.95% | 10,498 |
| Iron | 3,224 | 41.77% | 4,401 | 57.02% | 68 | 0.88% | 25 | 0.32% | -1,177 | -15.25% | 7,718 |
| Isabella | 10,577 | 57.66% | 7,281 | 39.69% | 360 | 1.96% | 127 | 0.69% | 3,296 | 17.97% | 18,345 |
| Jackson | 32,873 | 56.23% | 24,726 | 42.30% | 614 | 1.05% | 244 | 0.42% | 8,147 | 13.93% | 58,457 |
| Kalamazoo | 51,462 | 59.09% | 33,411 | 38.37% | 1,858 | 2.13% | 354 | 0.41% | 18,051 | 20.72% | 87,085 |
| Kalkaska | 2,280 | 53.13% | 1,957 | 45.61% | 40 | 0.93% | 14 | 0.33% | 323 | 7.52% | 4,291 |
| Kent | 126,805 | 67.22% | 59,000 | 31.28% | 2,161 | 1.15% | 667 | 0.35% | 67,805 | 35.94% | 188,633 |
| Keweenaw | 606 | 47.68% | 658 | 51.77% | 6 | 0.47% | 1 | 0.08% | -52 | -4.09% | 1,271 |
| Lake | 1,598 | 41.96% | 2,179 | 57.22% | 23 | 0.60% | 8 | 0.21% | -581 | -15.26% | 3,808 |
| Lapeer | 12,349 | 55.59% | 9,503 | 42.78% | 248 | 1.12% | 115 | 0.52% | 2,846 | 12.81% | 22,215 |
| Leelanau | 4,240 | 62.33% | 2,437 | 35.82% | 96 | 1.41% | 30 | 0.44% | 1,803 | 26.51% | 6,803 |
| Lenawee | 18,397 | 55.02% | 14,610 | 43.70% | 343 | 1.03% | 85 | 0.25% | 3,787 | 11.32% | 33,435 |
| Livingston | 19,437 | 59.83% | 12,415 | 38.22% | 479 | 1.47% | 155 | 0.48% | 7,022 | 21.61% | 32,486 |
| Luce | 1,379 | 55.27% | 1,099 | 44.05% | 12 | 0.48% | 5 | 0.20% | 280 | 11.22% | 2,495 |
| Mackinac | 3,107 | 55.22% | 2,452 | 43.58% | 53 | 0.94% | 15 | 0.27% | 655 | 11.64% | 5,627 |
| Macomb | 132,499 | 51.24% | 121,176 | 46.86% | 3,898 | 1.51% | 1,030 | 0.40% | 11,323 | 4.38% | 258,603 |
| Manistee | 5,532 | 54.59% | 4,479 | 44.20% | 96 | 0.95% | 27 | 0.27% | 1,053 | 10.39% | 10,134 |
| Marquette | 12,984 | 49.34% | 12,837 | 48.78% | 393 | 1.49% | 101 | 0.38% | 147 | 0.56% | 26,315 |
| Mason | 6,812 | 59.15% | 4,541 | 39.43% | 124 | 1.08% | 39 | 0.34% | 2,271 | 19.72% | 11,516 |
| Mecosta | 7,287 | 59.63% | 4,725 | 38.66% | 166 | 1.36% | 43 | 0.35% | 2,562 | 20.97% | 12,221 |
| Menominee | 5,633 | 49.60% | 5,596 | 49.27% | 96 | 0.85% | 32 | 0.28% | 37 | 0.33% | 11,357 |
| Midland | 17,631 | 58.57% | 11,959 | 39.73% | 358 | 1.19% | 153 | 0.51% | 5,672 | 18.84% | 30,101 |
| Missaukee | 2,943 | 62.87% | 1,688 | 36.06% | 30 | 0.64% | 20 | 0.43% | 1,255 | 26.81% | 4,681 |
| Monroe | 20,676 | 46.36% | 23,290 | 52.22% | 486 | 1.09% | 145 | 0.33% | -2,614 | -5.86% | 44,597 |
| Montcalm | 10,439 | 60.36% | 6,684 | 38.65% | 131 | 0.76% | 40 | 0.23% | 3,755 | 21.71% | 17,294 |
| Montmorency | 1,882 | 52.03% | 1,684 | 46.56% | 37 | 1.02% | 14 | 0.39% | 198 | 5.47% | 3,617 |
| Muskegon | 35,548 | 56.06% | 27,013 | 42.60% | 627 | 0.99% | 219 | 0.35% | 8,535 | 13.46% | 63,407 |
| Newaygo | 8,258 | 58.78% | 5,622 | 40.01% | 129 | 0.92% | 41 | 0.29% | 2,636 | 18.77% | 14,050 |
| Oakland | 244,271 | 58.69% | 164,266 | 39.47% | 5,924 | 1.42% | 1,744 | 0.42% | 80,005 | 19.22% | 416,205 |
| Oceana | 5,236 | 59.51% | 3,427 | 38.95% | 93 | 1.06% | 42 | 0.48% | 1,809 | 20.56% | 8,798 |
| Ogemaw | 3,212 | 47.07% | 3,545 | 51.95% | 53 | 0.78% | 14 | 0.21% | -333 | -4.88% | 6,824 |
| Ontonagon | 2,462 | 43.91% | 3,104 | 55.36% | 31 | 0.55% | 10 | 0.18% | -642 | -11.45% | 5,607 |
| Osceola | 4,467 | 62.23% | 2,603 | 36.26% | 59 | 0.82% | 49 | 0.68% | 1,864 | 25.97% | 7,178 |
| Oscoda | 1,541 | 57.56% | 1,108 | 41.39% | 24 | 0.90% | 4 | 0.15% | 433 | 16.17% | 2,677 |
| Otsego | 3,155 | 53.01% | 2,724 | 45.77% | 56 | 0.94% | 17 | 0.29% | 431 | 7.24% | 5,952 |
| Ottawa | 49,196 | 74.12% | 16,381 | 24.68% | 624 | 0.94% | 169 | 0.25% | 32,815 | 49.44% | 66,370 |
| Presque Isle | 3,545 | 51.02% | 3,334 | 47.99% | 53 | 0.76% | 16 | 0.23% | 211 | 3.03% | 6,948 |
| Roscommon | 4,608 | 54.85% | 3,691 | 43.94% | 84 | 1.00% | 18 | 0.21% | 917 | 10.91% | 8,401 |
| Saginaw | 46,765 | 55.63% | 36,280 | 43.15% | 764 | 0.91% | 262 | 0.31% | 10,485 | 12.48% | 84,071 |
| Sanilac | 10,597 | 62.87% | 6,042 | 35.84% | 165 | 0.98% | 52 | 0.31% | 4,555 | 27.03% | 16,856 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,933 | 46.53% | 2,158 | 51.95% | 49 | 1.18% | 14 | 0.34% | -225 | -5.42% | 4,154 |
| Shiawassee | 15,113 | 54.52% | 12,202 | 44.02% | 291 | 1.05% | 115 | 0.41% | 2,911 | 10.50% | 27,721 |
| St. Clair | 26,311 | 52.74% | 22,734 | 45.57% | 636 | 1.27% | 208 | 0.42% | 3,577 | 7.17% | 49,889 |
| St. Joseph | 11,784 | 61.07% | 7,306 | 37.86% | 148 | 0.77% | 57 | 0.30% | 4,478 | 23.21% | 19,295 |
| Tuscola | 12,059 | 59.86% | 7,932 | 39.38% | 108 | 0.54% | 45 | 0.22% | 4,127 | 20.48% | 20,144 |
| Van Buren | 13,615 | 56.02% | 10,366 | 42.65% | 255 | 1.05% | 66 | 0.27% | 3,249 | 13.37% | 24,302 |
| Washtenaw | 56,807 | 50.86% | 50,917 | 45.59% | 2,965 | 2.65% | 1,000 | 0.90% | 5,890 | 5.27% | 111,689 |
| Wayne | 348,588 | 38.18% | 548,767 | 60.11% | 11,594 | 1.27% | 4,041 | 0.44% | -200,179 | -21.93% | 912,990 |
| Wexford | 5,670 | 54.96% | 4,519 | 43.80% | 104 | 1.01% | 24 | 0.23% | 1,151 | 11.16% | 10,317 |
| Totals | 1,893,742 | 51.83% | 1,696,714 | 46.44% | 47,905 | 1.31% | 15,388 | 0.42% | 197,028 | 5.39% | 3,653,749 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
By congressional district
Ford won 14 out of the state's 19 congressional districts, including 6 which elected Democrats.[5]
| District | Ford | Carter | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 9.4% | 90.6% | John Conyers |
| 2nd | 54.6% | 45.4% | Marvin L. Esch |
| Carl Pursell | |||
| 3rd | 59.9% | 40.1% | Garry E. Brown |
| 4th | 59.2% | 40.8% | J. Edward Hutchinson |
| David Stockman | |||
| 5th | 67.8% | 32.2% | Richard Vander Veen |
| Harold S. Sawyer | |||
| 6th | 58.6% | 41.3% | Bob Carr |
| 7th | 47.7% | 52.3% | Donald Riegle |
| Dale Kildee | |||
| 8th | 55.5% | 44.5% | J. Bob Traxler |
| 9th | 64.1% | 35.9% | Guy Vander Jagt |
| 10th | 58.9% | 41.1% | Al Cederberg |
| 11th | 51.2% | 48.8% | Philip Ruppe |
| 12th | 54.3% | 45.7% | James G. O'Hara |
| David Bonior | |||
| 13th | 11.4% | 88.6% | Charles Diggs |
| 14th | 51.4% | 48.6% | Lucien Nedzi |
| 15th | 47.2% | 52.8% | William D. Ford |
| 16th | 44.7% | 55.3% | John Dingell |
| 17th | 50.2% | 49.8% | William M. Brodhead |
| 18th | 53.9% | 46.1% | James J. Blanchard |
| 19th | 63.2% | 36.8% | William Broomfield |
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ "SOS - General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics".
- ↑ Brownstein, Ronald (September 16, 2024). "Why these three states are the most consistent tipping point in American politics". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- 1 2 Michigan Department of State (1976). Official Canvass of Votes. Michigan Department of Management and Budget. pp. 3–7. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- 1 2 Michigan Department of State (1976). Official Canvass of Votes. Michigan Department of Management and Budget. pp. 46–47. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- ↑ "1976 United States Presidential Election, Results by Congressional District". November 2, 1976. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
