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. 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
Jack B. Olson, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Eliminated in primary Roman Richard Blenski, former Democratic State senator from the 7th district (1949–1955) and perennial candidate
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
Nominee David O. Martin, State representative from Winnebago County's 3rd district (1961–1971)
Results
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
Results
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
American party
Governor
Candidates Leo James McDonald
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates Theodore G. Kothe
Results
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
Results by county Lucey was the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1855 to win Dunn County. County Patrick J. LuceyDemocratic Jack B. OlsonRepublican All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams1,56053.12%1,35846.24%190.65%2026.88%2,937Ashland3,54166.72%1,70832.18%581.09%1,83334.54%5,307Barron5,05249.83%5,04549.76%420.41%70.07%10,139Bayfield2,97764.38%1,62335.10%240.52%1,35429.28%4,624Brown23,86952.00%21,39546.61%6361.39%2,4745.39%45,900Buffalo1,89052.66%1,69347.17%60.17%1975.49%3,589Burnett1,99958.42%1,41341.29%100.29%58617.12%3,422Calumet4,29550.49%4,17449.07%370.43%1211.42%8,506Chippewa7,52360.37%4,86339.03%750.60%2,66021.35%12,461Clark5,01753.17%4,34546.05%730.77%6727.12%9,435Columbia5,59242.26%7,54257.00%980.74%-1,950-14.74%13,232Crawford2,29843.43%2,51747.57%4769.00%-219-4.14%5,291Dane49,86855.89%38,07842.68%1,2721.43%11,79013.21%89,218Dodge9,51046.81%10,68352.58%1240.61%-1,173-5.77%20,317Door3,01441.88%4,15357.70%300.42%-1,139-15.83%7,197Douglas10,60870.92%4,25528.45%940.63%6,35342.48%14,957Dunn3,96351.03%3,77048.54%330.42%1932.49%7,766Eau Claire11,25255.85%8,78743.61%1090.54%2,46512.23%20,148Florence69649.89%69549.82%40.29%10.07%1,395Fond du Lac12,43448.68%12,87250.39%2370.93%-438-1.71%25,543Forest1,72462.04%1,04337.53%120.43%68124.51%2,779Grant4,62139.58%6,84658.64%2071.77%-2,225-19.06%11,674Green2,89437.59%4,77261.99%320.42%-1,878-24.40%7,698Green Lake2,34340.06%3,46159.18%440.75%-1,118-19.12%5,848Iowa2,40343.05%3,14156.27%380.68%-738-13.22%5,582Iron1,74167.35%83232.19%120.46%90935.16%2,585Jackson2,59254.88%2,11744.82%140.30%47510.06%4,723Jefferson9,03447.08%10,04752.36%1080.56%-1,013-5.28%19,189Juneau2,48346.42%2,82552.81%410.77%-342-6.39%5,349Kenosha22,13664.53%11,94434.82%2230.65%10,19229.71%34,303Kewaunee3,10052.38%2,79547.23%230.39%3055.15%5,918La Crosse11,63946.04%13,33552.75%3051.21%-1,696-6.71%25,279Lafayette2,41442.39%3,25557.16%260.46%-841-14.77%5,695Langlade3,11055.26%2,48844.21%300.53%62211.05%5,628Lincoln3,86050.90%3,66748.36%560.74%1932.55%7,583Manitowoc15,97559.24%10,57739.22%4141.54%5,39820.02%26,966Marathon17,66555.30%13,90343.52%3761.18%3,76211.78%31,944Marinette6,35851.66%5,87147.70%780.63%4873.96%12,307Marquette1,20340.67%1,73558.65%200.68%-532-17.99%2,958Menominee48573.48%16925.61%60.91%31647.88%660Milwaukee196,94163.55%110,43635.64%2,5180.81%86,50527.91%309,895Monroe3,69445.31%4,40354.01%550.67%-709-8.70%8,152Oconto4,32150.99%4,10148.39%530.63%2202.60%8,475Oneida4,40150.69%4,22448.65%580.67%1772.04%8,683Outagamie15,85547.37%17,31851.74%2950.88%-1,463-4.37%33,468Ozaukee6,83039.78%10,18459.31%1560.91%-3,354-19.53%17,170Pepin1,12654.66%92444.85%100.49%2029.81%2,060Pierce3,76952.91%3,34446.95%100.14%4255.97%7,123Polk4,61652.33%4,18047.39%250.28%4364.94%8,821Portage9,58066.02%4,79733.06%1340.92%4,78332.96%14,511Price3,13755.38%2,50044.14%270.48%63711.25%5,664Racine30,08657.79%21,57341.44%3990.77%8,51316.35%52,058Richland2,36839.80%3,44457.88%1382.32%-1,076-18.08%5,950Rock20,35851.77%18,68947.53%2750.70%1,6694.24%39,322Rusk2,54057.87%1,81941.44%300.68%72116.43%4,389Sauk5,60143.85%7,03655.09%1351.06%-1,435-11.24%12,772Sawyer1,70349.52%1,71649.90%200.58%-13-0.38%3,439Shawano4,69643.59%6,02755.95%490.45%-1,331-12.36%10,772Sheboygan17,69751.87%16,07747.12%3441.01%1,6204.75%34,118St. Croix5,04552.56%4,53447.24%190.20%5115.32%9,598Taylor2,01950.83%1,89647.73%571.44%1233.10%3,972Trempealeau4,03855.13%3,26644.59%200.27%77210.54%7,324Vernon3,68845.87%4,25152.87%1011.26%-563-7.00%8,040Vilas2,18543.62%2,79555.80%290.58%-610-12.18%5,009Walworth7,78941.52%10,90358.12%660.35%-3,114-16.60%18,758Washburn2,31954.78%1,89644.79%180.43%4239.99%4,233Washington9,68649.78%9,63649.53%1340.69%500.26%19,456Waukesha32,96946.77%36,82852.25%6890.98%-3,859-5.47%70,486Waupaca4,30238.84%6,72660.73%470.42%-2,424-21.89%11,075Waushara1,82438.14%2,93361.32%260.54%-1,109-23.19%4,783Winnebago17,50746.89%19,28651.66%5401.45%-1,779-4.77%37,333Wood10,97554.33%9,08344.97%1410.70%1,8929.37%20,199Total728,40354.23%602,61744.87%12,1400.90%125,7869.36%1,343,160
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Barron Brown Buffalo Burnett Calumet Dane Dunn Eau Claire Florence Jackson Kewaunee Marinette Oconto Oneida Pepin Pierce Polk Price Racine Rock Sheboygan St. Croix Trempealeau Washburn Washington
Notes
References