The 1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election took place on November 6, 1956. Democratic state senator Robert D. Holmes narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Elmo Smith to win the election.

Background On January 31, 1956, Governor Paul L. Patterson, who was elected in the 1954 gubernatorial election, died in office of a coronary occlusion. Patterson's death elevated Oregon State Senate President Elmo Smith to governor and a special election for November was called to fill the position for the final two years of Patterson's term. The succession law was changed in 1972 so that the Oregon Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the governor. Primary election Oregon held primary elections on May 18, 1956. Republican party

Candidates Earl L. Dickson Elmo Smith, incumbent governor

Results

Democratic party Lew Wallace sought the Democratic nomination for a fourth time, but narrowly lost to Robert D. Holmes. Candidates Robert D. Holmes, member of Oregon State Senate Lew Wallace, Democratic nominee for governor in 1942 and 1948

Results

General election Results

Results by county Clackamas County, Douglas County, and Tillamook County voted Democratic for the first time since 1922. By voting for Smith, Jefferson County backed the losing candidate for the first time since its establishment in 1914. County Robert D. HolmesDemocratic Elmo SmithRepublican Margin Total votes cast # % # % # %Baker3,55450.71%3,45549.29%991.41%7,009Benton5,21739.89%7,86260.11%-2,645-20.22%13,079Clackamas 23,431 51.28% 22,264 48.72% 1,167 2.55% 45,695Clatsop 7,928 61.41% 4,981 38.59% 2,947 22.83% 12,909Columbia 6,185 63.02% 3,629 36.98% 2,556 26.04% 9,814Coos 12,130 60.24% 8,005 39.76% 4,125 20.49% 20,135Crook 1,848 49.93% 1,853 50.07% -5 -0.14% 3,701Curry 2,162 50.91% 2,085 49.09% 77 1.81% 4,247Deschutes 4,441 46.33% 5,145 53.67% -704 -7.34% 9,586Douglas 13,516 52.62% 12,171 47.38% 1,345 5.24% 25,687Gilliam 505 38.52% 806 61.48% -301 -22.96% 1,311Grant 1,313 42.44% 1,781 57.56% -468 -15.13% 3,094Harney 1,171 43.26% 1,536 56.74% -365 -13.48% 2,707Hood River 2,618 47.08% 2,943 52.92% -325 -5.84% 5,561Jackson 13,445 45.26% 16,261 54.74% -2,816 -9.48% 29,706Jefferson 1,131 45.88% 1,334 54.12% -203 -8.24% 2,465Josephine 5,423 42.60% 7,308 57.40% -1,885 -14.81% 12,731Klamath 8,956 49.81% 9,026 50.19% -70 -0.39% 17,982Lake 1,285 44.62% 1,595 55.38% -310 -10.76% 2,880Lane 33,241 53.12% 29,335 46.88% 3,906 6.24% 62,576Lincoln 5,149 52.08% 4,738 47.92% 411 4.16% 9,887Linn 11,807 51.91% 10,936 48.09% 871 3.83% 22,743Malheur 3,011 37.51% 5,016 62.49% -2,005 -24.98% 8,027Marion 19,255 42.87% 25,655 57.13% -6,400 -14.25% 44,910Morrow 882 45.07% 1,075 54.93% -193 -9.86% 1,957Multnomah 129,273 53.04% 114,446 46.96% 14,827 6.08% 243,719Polk 4,724 45.39% 5,683 54.61% -959 -9.21% 10,407Sherman 415 38.53% 662 61.47% -247 -22.93% 1,077Tillamook 4,055 50.93% 3,907 49.07% 148 1.86% 7,962Umatilla 8,376 48.88% 8,761 51.12% -385 -2.25% 17,137Union 4,272 53.45% 3,720 46.55% 552 6.91% 7,992Wallowa 1,755 53.17% 1,546 46.83% 209 6.33% 3,301Wasco 4,522 52.73% 4,053 47.27% 469 5.47% 8,575Washington 15,976 44.51% 19,917 55.49% -3,941 -10.98% 35,893Wheeler 540 46.59% 619 53.41% -79 -6.82% 1,159Yamhill 5,927 43.40% 7,731 56.60% -1,804 -13.21% 13,658Total369,43950.52%361,84049.48%7,5991.04%731,279

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Clackamas Clatsop Curry Douglas Lane Lincoln Linn Multnomah Tillamook Wallowa

References