1962 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1956 November 6, 1962 1968 →

Nominee George McGovern Joseph H. Bottum Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 127,458 126,861 Percentage 50.12% 49.88%

County results McGovern:      50–60%      60–70% Bottum:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Joseph H. Bottum Republican Elected U.S. Senator George McGovern Democratic

Elections in South Dakota
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2016 U.S. Senate elections 1889 1891 1894 1897 1901 1903 1903 sp 1907 1909 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1938 sp 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 U.S. House elections 1889 1890 1891 AL sp 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 AL sp 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 AL sp 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
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Ballot measures 2006 Amendment C 2008 Measure 9 Measure 10 2020 Amendment A Measure 26
v t e

The 1962 United States Senate election in South Dakota took place on November 6, 1962. Incumbent Republican Senator Francis H. Case ran for re-election to a third term. He won the Republican primary against Attorney General A. C. Miller, but shortly after the primary, died. The Republican State Central Committee named Lieutenant Governor Joseph H. Bottum as Case's replacement on the ballot, and Governor Archie Gubbrud appointed Bottum to fill the vacancy caused by Case's death.^[1] In the general election, Bottum was opposed by Democratic nominee George McGovern, the Director of Food for Peace and the former U.S. Congressman from South Dakota's 1st congressional district. The contest between Bottum and McGovern was quite close, with McGovern narrowly defeating him for election by just 597 votes, making him the first Democrat to win a Senate election in South Dakota since William J. Bulow's win in 1936.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Former Lieutenant Governor John F. Lindley announced that he would run for the U.S. Senate, but dropped out of the race when former Congressman George McGovern, who briefly served in the Kennedy administration as Director of Food for Peace, announced that he would run.^[2] McGovern was the only Democratic candidate to file for the race, and the primary election did not appear on the ballot.^[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Francis H. Case, incumbent U.S. senator
• A. C. Miller, South Dakota Attorney General^[3]

Results

Several weeks after winning the Republican primary, Senator Case died in office. The Republican Party of South Dakota named Lieutenant Governor Joseph H. Bottum as Case's replacement on the ballot, and Governor Gubbrud appointed him as Case's successor.^[1]

General election

Results