The 1964 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Republican George W. Romney defeated Democratic nominee Neil O. Staebler with 55.87% of the vote.

This was the first election in which the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on a joint ticket. Previously, both offices were elected separately. This also marked the last time the governor was elected to a two-year term, as in 1963 a new state constitution had been adopted, extending the term length to four years, effective with the next election.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on September 1, 1964.

Republican party Incumbent governor George W. Romney easily won renomination.

Candidates George W. Romney, incumbent governor George N. Higgins, former member of Michigan Senate

Results

Democratic party United States Representative Neil Staebler won the Democratic nomination unopposed.

Candidates Neil Staebler, representative from Michigan's at-large congressional district

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates George W. Romney & William Milliken, Republican Neil Staebler & Robert A. Derengoski, Democratic

Other candidates Frank Lovell & Harriet Talan, Socialist Workers Albert B. Cleage Jr. & James Jackson, Freedom Now James C. Horvath & W. Clifford Bentley, Socialist Labor

Results

Results by county Delta County and Dickinson County voted Republican for the first time since 1930. County George W. RomneyRepublican Neil StaeblerDemocratic All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Alcona1,79964.81%97535.12%20.07%82429.68%2,776Alger1,73246.98%1,95052.89%50.14%-218-5.91%3,687Allegan16,15970.54%6,70629.27%420.18%9,45341.27%22,907Alpena7,00962.18%4,26037.79%40.04%2,74924.39%11,273Antrim3,32068.91%1,49531.03%30.06%1,82537.88%4,818Arenac2,28859.93%1,52739.99%30.08%76119.93%3,818Baraga1,77748.30%1,88751.29%150.41%-110-2.99%3,679Barry9,06667.07%4,42332.72%290.21%4,64334.35%13,518Bay22,15753.79%18,89245.86%1420.34%3,2657.93%41,191Benzie2,46068.05%1,15331.89%20.06%1,30736.15%3,615Berrien33,53357.00%25,07942.63%2170.37%8,45414.37%58,829Branch8,14063.27%4,68336.40%420.33%3,45726.87%12,865Calhoun32,26762.53%19,17537.16%1640.32%13,09225.37%51,606Cass7,46251.61%6,94848.05%490.34%5143.55%14,459Charlevoix4,09664.97%2,20434.96%40.06%1,89230.01%6,304Cheboygan3,89961.33%2,45538.62%30.05%1,44422.72%6,357Chippewa6,34661.24%3,99538.55%220.21%2,35122.69%10,363Clare3,39466.19%1,72533.64%90.18%1,66932.55%5,128Clinton9,30563.39%5,36436.54%110.07%3,94126.85%14,680Crawford1,32862.20%80737.80%00.00%52124.40%2,135Delta7,42252.44%6,70547.38%260.18%7175.07%14,153Dickinson5,67251.54%5,31948.33%150.14%3533.21%11,006Eaton13,84164.92%7,45034.94%290.14%6,39129.98%21,320Emmet4,42464.72%2,40035.11%120.18%2,02429.61%6,836Genesee77,23452.64%69,06947.08%4130.28%8,1655.57%146,716Gladwin3,06066.58%1,53533.40%10.02%1,52533.18%4,596Gogebic5,04645.47%6,01654.21%350.32%-970-8.74%11,097Grand Traverse9,56570.26%4,01829.52%30.22%5,54740.75%13,613Gratiot8,74369.01%3,91230.88%150.12%4,83138.13%12,670Hillsdale8,85068.47%4,05331.36%230.18%4,79737.11%12,926Houghton7,72152.94%6,85647.01%80.05%8655.93%14,585Huron8,79365.70%4,57334.17%170.13%4,22031.53%13,383Ingham53,86262.27%32,47937.55%1600.18%21,38324.72%86,501Ionia10,12563.11%5,89336.73%250.16%4,23226.38%16,043Iosco4,56765.77%2,37534.20%20.03%2,19231.57%6,944Iron3,96148.10%4,26851.83%60.07%-307-3.73%8,235Isabella7,69566.40%3,88433.51%100.09%3,81132.88%11,589Jackson30,24662.17%18,29137.59%1160.24%11,95524.57%48,653Kalamazoo46,97069.88%19,95329.69%2910.43%27,01740.20%67,214Kalkaska1,36866.54%68233.17%60.29%68633.37%2,056Kent99,52865.68%51,66934.10%3440.23%47,85931.58%151,541Keweenaw58849.12%60850.79%10.08%-20-1.67%1,197Lake1,24646.88%1,40953.01%30.11%-163-6.13%2,658Lapeer9,66866.69%4,81833.24%100.07%4,85033.46%14,496Leelanau3,04169.46%1,32730.31%100.23%1,71439.15%4,378Lenawee18,19765.05%9,68234.61%950.34%8,51530.44%27,974Livingston11,02367.63%5,23232.10%450.28%5,79135.53%16,300Luce1,47463.98%83036.02%00.00%64427.95%2,304Mackinac2,97763.71%1,69436.25%20.04%1,28327.46%4,673Macomb91,22852.49%81,95547.16%6040.35%9,2735.34%173,787Manistee4,77757.33%3,55042.60%60.07%1,22714.72%8,333Marquette10,98754.10%9,27545.67%470.23%1,7128.43%20,309Mason5,81359.90%3,88640.04%60.06%1,92719.86%9,705Mecosta5,22869.26%2,31530.67%50.07%2,91338.59%7,548Menominee5,62153.97%4,77045.80%240.23%8518.17%10,415Midland15,31971.28%6,13128.53%420.20%9,18842.75%21,492Missaukee2,30676.54%70623.43%10.03%1,60053.10%3,013Monroe20,38854.40%16,95945.25%1340.36%3,4299.15%37,481Montcalm9,41167.13%4,59332.76%160.11%4,81834.37%14,020Montmorency1,40363.95%79036.01%10.05%61327.94%2,194Muskegon34,00958.32%23,64640.55%6551.12%10,36317.77%58,310Newaygo7,09968.92%3,19030.97%120.12%3,90937.95%10,301Oakland190,65364.43%103,97735.14%1,2640.43%86,67629.29%295,894Oceana4,28264.84%2,31435.04%80.12%1,96829.80%6,604Ogemaw2,61059.52%1,77240.41%30.07%83819.11%4,385Ontonagon2,72053.87%2,32446.03%50.10%3967.84%5,049Osceola3,97271.25%1,59428.59%90.16%2,37842.65%5,575Oscoda1,17369.33%51630.50%30.18%65738.83%1,692Otsego2,04459.54%1,38840.43%10.03%65619.11%3,433Ottawa32,93174.23%11,31725.51%1180.27%21,61448.72%44,366Presque Isle2,84054.24%2,39345.70%30.06%4478.54%5,236Roscommon2,64565.89%1,36634.03%30.07%1,27931.86%4,014Saginaw40,87455.98%31,88343.67%2600.36%8,99112.31%73,017Sanilac10,24574.80%3,44425.15%70.05%6,80149.66%13,696Schoolcraft2,08952.67%1,87347.23%40.10%2165.45%3,966Shiawassee12,84260.60%8,25738.96%930.44%4,58521.64%21,192St. Clair26,79465.47%14,02634.27%1080.26%12,76831.20%40,928St. Joseph10,92866.72%5,42533.12%250.15%5,50333.60%16,378Tuscola10,96966.24%5,58233.71%80.05%5,38732.53%16,559Van Buren12,10163.25%6,94436.30%870.45%5,15726.95%19,132Washtenaw45,89467.99%21,31231.57%3000.44%24,58236.41%67,506Wayne483,01244.91%586,59154.54%5,9200.55%-103,579-9.63%1,075,523Wexford4,70463.71%2,67536.23%50.07%2,02927.48%7,384Total1,764,35555.87%1,381,44243.74%12,3050.39%382,91312.12%3,158,102

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Bay Delta Dickinson Genesee Macomb Marquette

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Gogebic Keweenaw

References