Wisconsin gubernatorial elections

Wisconsin gubernatorial elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November every four years on even, non-presidential election years since 1970. Between 1884 and 1970, gubernatorial elections were held on every even-numbered year. Prior to 1882, gubernatorial elections were held on every odd-numbered year.

The Wisconsin gubernatorial election selects the Governor of Wisconsin and Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin who will take office for a four-year term beginning the first Monday of the first January following the election. The election operates under first-past-the-post rules with no runoff. Prior to 1970, the lieutenant gubernatorial election was a separate election on the same ballot.

The first Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held May 8, 1848, concurrent with a referendum to ratify the Wisconsin Constitution. Since then, there have been 74 regular Wisconsin gubernatorial elections and one special recall election.

Fifty-five elections have been won by Republican candidates. Seventeen elections were won by Democratic candidates. Three were won by Wisconsin Progressives. One was won by a Whig.

Incumbents have been re-elected 35 times and have been defeated 14 times.

List of election results

Percentages are approximate:

Year Elected Defeated 1848 Democratic 19,875 56% 14,621 41% Charles Durkee 1,134 3% 1849 Democratic 16,649 52% 14,621 36% Warren Chase 3,761 12% 1851 Whig 22,319 51% 21,812 49%1853William A. Barstow Democratic 30,405 55% Edward D. Holton 21,886 39% Henry S. Baird 3,304 6% 1855 Coles Bashford Republican 36,198 50% William A. Barstow (inc) 36,355 50% 1857 Alexander Randall Republican 44,693 50% James B. Cross 44,239 49% 1859 Alexander Randall (inc) Republican 59,999 53% Harrison Carroll Hobart 52,539 47% 1861 Louis P. Harvey Republican 53,777 54% Benjamin Ferguson 45,456 46% 1863 James T. Lewis Republican 72,717 60% Henry L. Palmer 49,053 40% 1865 Lucius Fairchild Republican 58,332 55% Harrison Carroll Hobart 48,330 45% 1867 Lucius Fairchild (inc) Republican 73,637 52% John J. Tallmadge 68,873 48% 1869 Lucius Fairchild (inc) Republican 69,502 53% Charles D. Robinson 61,239 47% 1871 Cadwallader C. Washburn Republican 78,301 53% James R. Doolittle 68,910 47% 1873 William Robert Taylor Democratic 81,599 55% Cadwallader C. Washburn (inc) 66,224 45% 1875 Harrison Ludington Republican 85,155 50% William Robert Taylor (inc) 84,314 50% 1877 William E. Smith Republican 78,759 44% James A. Mallory 70,486 40% Edward P. Allis 26,216 15% Collin M. Campbell 2,176 1% 1879 William E. Smith (inc) Republican 100,535 53% James Graham Jenkins 75,030 40% Reuben May 12,996 7% 1881 Jeremiah M. Rusk Republican 81,754 48% Nicholas D. Fratt 69,797 41% Theodore D. Kanouse 13,225 8% Edward P. Allis 7,002 4% 1884 Jeremiah M. Rusk (inc) Republican 163,214 51% Nicholas D. Fratt 143,945 45% Samuel D. Hastings 8,545 3% William L. Utley 4,274 1% 1886 Jeremiah M. Rusk (inc) Republican 133,247 47% Gilbert M. Woodward 114,529 40% John Cochrane 21,467 7% John Myers Olin 17,089 6% 1888 William D. Hoard Republican 175,696 49% James Morgan 155,423 44% E. G. Durant 14,373 4% D. Frank Powell 9,196 3% 1890 George Wilbur Peck Democratic 160,388 52% William D. Hoard (inc) 132,068 43% Charles Alexander 11,246 4% Reuben May 5,447 2% 1892 George Wilbur Peck (inc) Democratic 178,095 48% John Coit Spooner 170,497 46% Thomas C. Richmond 13,185 4% Cyrus M. Butt 9,638 3% 1894 William H. Upham Republican 196,150 52% George Wilbur Peck (inc) 142,250 38% D. Frank Powell 25,604 7% John F. Cleghorn 11,240 3% 1896 Edward Scofield Republican 264,981 60% Willis C. Silverthorn 169,257 38% Joshua H. Berkey 8,140 2% Christ Tuttrop 1,306 0% Robert Henderson 407 0% 1898 Edward Scofield (inc) Republican 173,137 53% Hiram Wilson Sawyer 135,353 41% Albinus A. Worsley 8,518 3% Eugene W. Chafin 8,078 2% Howard Tuttle 2,544 1% Henry Riese 1,473 0% Robert M. La Follette 112 0% 1900 Robert M. La Follette Republican 264,419 60% Louis G. Bomrich 160,674 36% J. Burritt Smith 9,707 2% Howard Tuttle 6,590 1% Frank R. Wilke 509 0% 1902 Robert M. La Follette (inc) Republican 193,417 53% David Stuart Rose 145,818 40% Emil Seidel 15,970 4% Edwin W. Drake 9,647 3% Henry E. D. Puck 791 0% 1904 Robert M. La Follette (inc) Republican 227,253 51% George Wilbur Peck 173,301 39% William A. Arnold 24,857 6% Edward Scofield 12,136 3% William H. Clark 8,764 2% Charles M. Minkley 249 0% 1906 James O. Davidson (inc) Republican 183,558 57% John A. Aylward 103,311 32% Winfield R. Gaylord 24,437 8% Ephraim L. Eaton 8,211 3% Ole T. Rosaas 455 0% 1908 James O. Davidson (inc) Republican 242,935 54% John A. Aylward 165,977 37% Harvey D. Brown 28,583 6% Winfred D. Cox 11,760 3% Herman Bottema 393 0% 1910 Francis E. McGovern Republican 161,619 51% Adolph H. Schmitz 110,442 35% William A. Jacobs 39,547 12% Byron E. Van Keuren 7,450 2% Fred G. Kremer 430 0% 1912 Francis E. McGovern (inc) Republican 179,360 46% John C. Karel 167,316 42% Carl D. Thompson 34,468 9% Charles L. Hill 9,433 2% William H. Curtis 3,253 1% 1914 Emanuel L. Philipp Republican 140,787 43% John C. Karel 119,509 37% John J. Blaine 32,560 10% Oscar Ameringer 25,917 8% David W. Emerson 6,279 2% John Vierthaler 352 0% 1916 Emanuel L. Philipp (inc) Republican 229,889 53% Burt Williams 164,555 38% Rae Weaver 30,649 7% George McKerrow 9,193 2% 1918 Emanuel L. Philipp (inc) Republican 155,799 47% Henry A. Moehlenpah 112,576 34% Emil Seidel 57,523 17% William C. Dean 5,296 2% 1920 John J. Blaine Republican 366,247 53% Robert Bruce McCoy 247,746 36% William Coleman 71,126 10% Henry H. Tubbs 6,047 1% 1922 John J. Blaine (inc) Republican 367,929 76% Arthur A. Bentley 51,061 11% Louis A. Arnold 39,570 8% M. L. Welles 21,438 4% Arthur A. Dietrich 1,444 0% 1924 John J. Blaine (inc) Republican 412,255 52% Martin L. Lueck 317,550 40% William F. Quick 45,268 6% Adolph R. Bucknam 11,516 1% Severi Alanne 4,107 0% Farrand K. Shuttleworth 4,079 0% Jose Snover 1,452 0% 1926 Fred R. Zimmerman Republican 350,927 63% Charles B. Perry 76,507 14% Virgil H. Cady 72,627 13% Herman O. Kent 40,293 7% David W. Emerson 7,333 1% Alex Gorden 4,593 1% 1928 Walter J. Kohler Sr. Republican 547,738 55% Albert G. Schmedeman 394,368 40% Otto R. Hauser 36,924 4% Adolph R. Bucknam 6,477 1% Joseph Ehrhardt 1,938 0% Alvar J. Hayes 1,420 0% 1930 Philip La Follette Republican 392,958 65% Charles E. Hammersley 170,020 28% Frank Metcalfe 25,607 4% Alfred B. Taynton 14,818 2% Fred Basset Blair 2,998 0% 1932 Albert G. Schmedeman Democratic 590,114 52% Walter J. Kohler Sr. 470,805 42% Frank Metcalfe 56,965 5% William C. Dean 3,148 0% Fred Basset Blair 2,926 0% Joseph Ehrhardt 398 0% 1934 Philip La Follette Progressive 373,093 39% Albert G. Schmedeman (inc) 359,467 38% Howard Greene 172,980 18% George A. Nelson 44,589 5% Morris Childs 2,454 0% Thomas W. North 857 0% Joseph Ehrhardt 332 0% 1936 Philip La Follette (inc) Progressive 573,724 46% Alexander Wiley 363,973 29% Arthur W. Lueck 268,530 22% Joseph F. Walsh 27,934 2% Joseph Ehrhardt 1,738 0% August F. Fehlandt 1,008 0% 1938 Julius P. Heil Republican 543,675 55% Philip La Follette (inc) 353,381 36% Harry W. Bolens 78,446 8% Frank W. Smith 4,564 0% John Schleier Jr. 1,459 0% 1940 Julius P. Heil (inc) Republican 558,678 41% Orland Steen Loomis 546,436 40% Francis E. McGovern 264,985 19% Fred Basset Blair 2,340 0% Louis Fisher 1,158 0% 1942 Orland Steen Loomis Progressive 397,664 50% Julius P. Heil (inc) 291,945 36% William C. Sullivan 98,153 12% Frank Zeidler 11,295 1% Fred Basset Blair 1,092 0% Georgia Cozzini 480 0% 1944 Walter Samuel Goodland (inc) Republican 697,740 53% Daniel Hoan 536,357 41% Alexander O. Benz 76,028 6% George A. Nelson 9,183 1% Georgia Cozzini 1,122 0% 1946 Walter Samuel Goodland (inc) Republican 621,970 60% Daniel Hoan 406,499 39% Walter H. Uphoff 8,996 1% Sigmund G. Eisenscher 1,857 0% Jerry R. Kenyon 959 0% 1948 Oscar Rennebohm (inc) Republican 684,839 54% Carl W. Thompson 558,497 44% Henry J. Berquist 12,928 1% Walter H. Uphoff 9,149 1% James E. Boulton 356 0% Georgia Cozzini 328 0% 1950 Walter J. Kohler Jr. Republican 605,649 53% Carl W. Thompson 525,319 46% M. Michael Essin 3,735 0% William O. Hart 3,384 0% 1952 Walter J. Kohler Jr. (inc) Republican 1,009,171 62% William Proxmire 601,844 37% M. Michael Essin 3,706 0% 1954 Walter J. Kohler Jr. (inc) Republican 596,158 51% William Proxmire 560,747 48% Arthur Wepfer 1,722 0% 1956 Vernon W. Thomson Republican 808,273 52% William Proxmire 749,421 48% 1958 Gaylord Nelson Democratic 644,296 54% 556,391 46% Wayne Leverenz 1,485 0% 1960 Gaylord Nelson (inc) Democratic 890,868 52% Phillip G. Kuehn 837,123 48% 1962 John W. Reynolds Jr. Democratic 637,491 50% Phillip G. Kuehn 625,536 49% Adolf Wiggert 2,477 0% 1964 Warren P. Knowles Republican 856,779 51% John W. Reynolds Jr. (inc) 837,901 49% 1966 Warren P. Knowles (inc) Republican 626,041 54% Patrick Lucey 539,258 46% Adolf Wiggert 4,745 0% 1968 Warren P. Knowles (inc) Republican 893,463 53% Bronson La Follette 791,100 47% Adolf Wiggert 3,225 0% Robert Wilkinson 1,813 0% 1970 Patrick Lucey Democratic 728,403 54% Jack B. Olson 602,617 45% Leo James McDonald 9,035 1% Georgia Cozzini 1,287 0% Samuel K. Hunt 888 0% Myrtle Kastner 628 0% 1974 Patrick Lucey (inc) Democratic 628,639 53% William Dyke 497,189 42% William H. Upham 33,528 3% Crazy Jim 12,107 1% William Hart 5,113 0% Fred Basset Blair 3,617 0% Georgia Cozzini 1,492 0% 1978 Lee S. Dreyfus Republican 816,056 54% Martin J. Schreiber (inc) 673,813 45% Eugene R. Zimmerman 6,355 0% John C. Doherty 2,183 0% Adrienne Kaplan 1,548 0% Henry A. Ochsner 849 0% 1982 Tony Earl Democratic 896,872 57% Terry Kohler 662,738 42% Larry Smiley 9,734 1% James Wickstrom 7,721 0% Peter Seidman 3,025 0% 1986 Tommy Thompson Republican 805,090 53% Tony Earl (inc) 705,578 46% Kathryn A. Christensen 10,323 1% Darold E. Wall 3,913 0% Sanford Knapp 1,668 0% 1990 Tommy Thompson (inc) Republican 802,321 58% Thomas A. Loftus 576,280 42% 1994 Tommy Thompson (inc) Republican 1,051,326 67% Charles Chvala 482,850 31% David S. Harmon 11,639 1% Edward J. Frami 9,188 1% Michael J. Mangan 8,150 1% 1998 Tommy Thompson (inc) Republican 1,047,716 60% Ed Garvey 679,553 39% Jim Mueller 11,071 1% Edward J. Frami 10,269 1% Michael J. Mangan 4,985 0% A-Ja-mu Muhammad 1,604 0% Jeffrey L. Smith 14 0% 2002 Jim Doyle Democratic 800,515 45% Scott McCallum (inc) 734,779 41% Ed Thompson 185,455 10% Jim Young 44,111 2% Alan D. Eisenberg 2,847 0% Ty A. Bollerud 2,637 0% Michael J. Mangan 1,710 0% Aneb Jah Rasta Sensa-Utcha Nefer-I 929 0% 2006 Jim Doyle (inc) Democratic 1,139,115 53% Mark Andrew Green 979,427 45% Nelson Eisman 40,709 2% 2010 Scott Walker Republican 1,128,941 52% Tom Barrett 1,004,303 46% Jim Langer 10,608 0% James James 8,273 0% 2012^ Scott Walker (inc) Republican 1,335,585 53% Tom Barrett 1,164,480 46% Hari Trivedi 14,463 1% 2014 Scott Walker (inc) Republican 1,259,706 52% Mary Burke 1,122,913 47% Robert Burke 18,720 1% Dennis Fehr 7,530 1% 2018 Tony Evers Democratic 1,324,307 50% Scott Walker (inc) 1,295,080 48% Phil Anderson 20,255 1% Maggie Turnbull 18,884 1% Michael White 11,087 0% Arnie Enz 2,745 0% 2022 Tony Evers (inc) Democratic 1,358,774 51% Tim Michels 1,268,535 47% Joan Ellis Beglinger 27,198 1%

^ Recall election

References http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/WI/ofc/gov1950s.html 2005-2006 Wisconsin Bluebook