1950 Michigan gubernatorial election

The 1950 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1950. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Harry Kelly with 49.76% of the vote. With a margin of only 0.06%, this is the closest gubernatorial election in Michigan's history.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on September 12, 1950.

Democratic party Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated without opposition.

Candidates G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor

Results

Republican party Former governor Harry F. Kelly won the Republican nomination over secretary of state Frederick M. Alger Jr. and former lieutenant governor Eugene C. Keyes.

Candidates Frederick M. Alger Jr., Michigan Secretary of State Albert J. Engel, representative from Michigan's 9th congressional district Harry F. Kelly, former governor Eugene C. Keyes, former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Thomas S. Leith, mayor of Brighton

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates G. Mennen Williams, Democratic Harry Kelly, Republican Other candidates Perry Hayden, Prohibition Theos A. Grove, Socialist Labor Howard Lerner, Socialist Workers

Results

Results by county County G. Mennen WilliamsDemocratic Harry F. KellyRepublican Perry HaydenProhibition All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona63531.47%1,35967.34%221.09%20.10%-724-35.88%2,018Alger2,02957.35%1,50042.40%90.25%00.00%52914.95%3,538Allegan4,11929.43%9,74069.58%1310.94%80.06%-5,621-40.16%13,998Alpena2,61736.53%4,52063.09%250.35%20.03%-1,903-26.56%7,164Antrim99528.96%2,40569.99%361.05%00.00%-1,410-41.04%3,436Arenac1,15036.81%1,96062.74%120.38%20.06%-810-25.93%3,124Baraga2,03055.39%1,63344.56%10.03%10.03%39710.83%3,665Barry2,82733.85%5,35564.12%1651.98%50.06%-2,528-30.27%8,352Bay11,71746.70%13,30653.03%620.25%60.02%1,5896.33%25,091Benzie95832.91%1,88464.72%672.30%20.07%-926-31.81%2,911Berrien12,31538.74%19,37460.94%910.29%100.03%-7,059-22.21%31,790Branch3,33438.06%5,30660.57%1181.35%20.02%-1,972-22.51%8,760Calhoun13,88946.00%16,07153.22%2180.72%170.06%-2,182-7.23%30,195Cass3,23036.84%5,48762.58%450.51%60.07%-2,257-25.74%8,768Charlevoix1,86340.01%2,76559.39%280.60%00.00%-902-19.37%4,656Cheboygan1,98538.22%3,18861.38%200.39%10.02%-1,203-23.16%5,194Chippewa4,49847.82%4,86951.76%330.35%60.06%-371-3.94%9,406Clare1,07332.84%2,16466.24%300.92%00.00%-1,091-33.39%3,267Clinton2,53128.11%6,41871.29%530.59%10.01%-3,887-43.17%9,003Crawford58340.97%83858.89%20.14%00.00%-255-17.92%1,423Delta6,56354.99%5,34944.82%210.18%20.02%1,21410.17%11,935Dickinson6,35959.42%4,31440.31%230.21%60.06%2,04519.11%10,702Eaton4,76438.10%7,57460.58%1651.32%00.00%-2,810-22.47%12,503Emmet2,48639.60%3,74859.70%420.67%20.03%-1,262-20.10%6,278Genesee40,43253.39%34,96346.16%2850.38%550.07%5,4697.22%75,735Gladwin86830.93%1,90667.93%311.10%10.04%-1,038-36.99%2,806Gogebic6,62256.24%5,12543.52%170.14%110.09%1,49712.71%11,775Grand Traverse2,59732.77%5,29566.82%270.34%50.06%-2,698-34.05%7,924Gratiot2,77030.82%6,05867.39%1591.77%20.02%-3,288-36.58%8,989Hillsdale3,14332.61%6,17364.04%3193.31%40.04%-3,030-31.43%9,639Houghton6,98547.95%7,56351.92%140.10%60.04%-578-3.97%14,568Huron2,69226.56%7,38672.87%540.53%40.04%-4,694-46.31%10,136Ingham21,26642.12%28,72556.89%4750.94%270.05%-7,459-14.77%50,493Ionia4,46439.22%6,77159.49%1441.27%20.02%-2,307-20.27%11,381Iosco1,16932.87%2,36366.45%240.67%00.00%-1,194-33.58%3,556Iron4,49357.62%3,27241.96%290.37%40.05%1,22115.66%7,798Isabella2,68035.55%4,79463.59%640.85%10.01%-2,114-28.04%7,539Jackson12,62640.78%18,02058.20%2950.95%220.07%-5,394-17.42%30,963Kalamazoo14,39740.05%21,22059.03%3160.88%130.04%-6,823-18.98%35,946Kalkaska62642.33%84557.13%80.54%00.00%-219-14.81%1,479Kent35,98941.57%50,17457.95%3690.43%510.06%-14,185-16.38%86,583Keweenaw75754.11%64045.75%20.14%00.00%1178.36%1,399Lake97044.68%1,18554.58%120.55%40.18%-215-9.90%2,171Lapeer3,66037.02%6,15762.27%640.65%60.06%-2,497-25.26%9,887Leelanau1,08335.96%1,92363.84%60.20%00.00%-840-27.89%3,012Lenawee6,21633.47%12,07365.00%2781.50%70.04%-5,857-31.53%18,574Livingston3,03633.00%6,07766.06%860.93%00.00%-3,041-33.06%9,199Luce66737.79%1,09662.10%20.11%00.00%-429-24.31%1,765Mackinac1,50341.31%2,13058.55%50.14%00.00%-627-17.23%3,638Macomb23,58256.00%18,40743.71%530.13%650.15%5,17512.29%42,107Manistee3,15547.35%3,48452.29%180.27%60.09%-329-4.94%6,663Marquette8,85850.95%8,50248.90%210.12%40.02%3562.05%17,385Mason3,12943.69%3,97855.54%490.68%60.08%-849-11.85%7,162Mecosta1,62632.39%3,32766.27%661.31%10.02%-1,701-33.88%5,020Menominee4,20147.79%4,57152.00%170.19%10.01%-370-4.21%8,790Midland3,77138.46%5,94860.67%810.83%40.04%-2,177-22.21%9,804Missaukee75627.77%1,94671.49%200.73%00.00%-1,190-43.72%2,722Monroe8,99448.09%9,60051.33%840.45%260.14%-606-3.24%18,704Montcalm3,46335.60%6,19263.65%700.72%30.03%-2,729-28.05%9,728Montmorency64340.85%91257.94%191.21%00.00%-269-17.09%1,574Muskegon16,80652.98%14,77346.57%1030.32%390.12%2,0336.41%31,721Newaygo2,05232.51%4,21166.72%470.74%10.02%-2,159-34.21%6,311Oakland47,56945.67%56,08553.85%4150.40%850.08%-8,516-8.18%104,154Oceana1,72437.32%2,79860.58%952.06%20.04%-1,704-23.25%4,619Ogemaw1,11635.79%1,97963.47%180.58%50.16%-863-27.68%3,118Ontonagon2,45552.51%2,21747.42%10.02%20.04%2385.09%4,675Osceola1,03624.60%3,07673.03%982.33%20.05%-2,040-48.43%4,212Oscoda33532.37%69767.34%30.29%00.00%-362-34.98%1,035Otsego89037.47%1,48062.32%50.21%00.00%-590-24.84%2,375Ottawa8,11533.14%16,17966.06%1810.74%150.06%-8,064-32.93%24,490Presque Isle1,72441.70%2,39157.84%180.44%10.02%-667-16.13%4,134Roscommon69129.81%1,61669.72%80.35%30.13%-925-39.91%2,318Saginaw17,02342.09%23,09357.10%2960.73%320.08%-6,070-15.01%40,444Sanilac2,59423.99%8,12475.13%900.83%50.05%-5,530-51.14%10,813Schoolcraft1,50646.87%1,69852.85%40.12%50.16%-192-5.98%3,213Shiawassee5,27638.87%8,15260.06%1421.05%20.01%-2,876-21.19%13,572St. Clair10,19537.98%16,56961.72%780.29%30.01%-6,374-23.74%26,845St. Joseph3,37430.12%7,69668.71%1301.16%10.01%-4,322-38.59%11,201Tuscola2,79627.44%7,22070.86%1701.67%30.03%-4,424-43.42%10,189Van Buren4,46234.12%8,55265.39%530.41%110.08%-4,090-31.27%13,078Washtenaw14,35540.60%20,82158.89%1530.43%260.07%-6,466-18.29%35,355Wayne448,29661.29%280,77238.39%1,3180.18%1,0560.14%167,52422.90%731,442Wexford2,32337.01%3,87161.67%831.32%00.00%-1,548-24.66%6,277Total935,15249.76%933,99849.70%8,5110.45%1,7210.09%1,1540.06%1,879,382

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Bay Kent Manistee Menominee

References