1970 Michigan gubernatorial election
← 1966 November 3, 1970 (1970-11-03) 1974 →
Turnout29.91%
 
Nominee William Milliken Sander Levin
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate James H. Brickley Edward H. McNamara
Popular vote 1,339,047 1,294,638
Percentage 50.4% 48.7%
County results
Milliken:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Levin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

William Milliken
Republican

Governor

William Milliken
Republican

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The 1970 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970. Republican William Milliken won the election, defeating Democratic nominee Sander Levin.

Primaries

The primary elections occurred on August 4, 1970.[1]

Republican primary

Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary, 1970[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Milliken 416,491 77.76
Republican James C. Turner 119,140 22.24
Republican Write-ins 25 0.01
Total votes 535,656 100.00

Democratic primary

Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary, 1970[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sander Levin 304,343 54.10
Democratic Zolton Ferency 167,442 29.76
Democratic George Parris 49,559 8.81
Democratic George Montgomery 41,218 7.33
Democratic Write-ins 17 0.00
Total votes 562,579 100.00

American Independent primary

Michigan gubernatorial American Independent primary, 1970[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
American Independent James L. McCormick 100 82.64
American Independent Write-ins 21 17.36
Total votes 121 100.00

General election

Major party candidates

Major party running mates[1]

Other candidates

Other running mates[1]

Results overview

Michigan gubernatorial election, 1970[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Milliken 1,339,047 50.41
Democratic Sander Levin 1,294,638 48.74
American Independent James L. McCormick 18,006 0.68
Socialist Workers George Bouse 2,220 0.08
Socialist Labor James Horvath 2,144 0.08
Write-ins 107 0.00
Total votes 2,656,162 100.00
Republican hold

Results by county

County results[2]
County William G. Milliken

Republican

Sander Levin

Democratic

Other candidates

Various[a]

Total votes
# % # % # %
Alcona 1,708 57.96% 1,239 42.04% 18 0.61% 2,947
Alger 1,172 39.55% 1,791 60.45% 5 0.17% 2,963
Allegan 12,202 61.09% 7,771 38.91% 178 0.89% 19,973
Alpena 4,884 53.95% 4,169 46.05% 67 0.74% 9,053
Antrim 2,857 60.02% 1,903 39.98% 29 0.61% 4,760
Arenac 1,731 49.71% 1,751 50.29% 5 0.14% 3,482
Baraga 1,211 44.33% 1,521 55.67% 19 0.70% 2,732
Barry 6,514 53.79% 5,596 46.21% 103 0.85% 12,110
Bay 17,591 46.46% 20,275 53.54% 223 0.59% 37,866
Benzie 1,774 59.29% 1,218 40.71% 29 0.97% 2,992
Berrien 25,899 58.59% 18,307 41.41% 504 1.14% 44,206
Branch 5,524 56.17% 4,311 43.83% 65 0.66% 9,835
Calhoun 22,116 52.54% 19,980 47.46% 405 0.96% 42,096
Cass 5,494 51.83% 5,107 48.17% 135 1.27% 10,601
Charlevoix 3,210 55.54% 2,570 44.46% 22 0.38% 5,780
Cheboygan 3,068 53.46% 2,671 46.54% 41 0.71% 5,739
Chippewa 5,021 58.79% 3,519 41.21% 76 0.89% 8,540
Clare 2,537 51.74% 2,366 48.26% 33 0.67% 4,903
Clinton 7,981 55.09% 6,505 44.91% 118 0.81% 14,486
Crawford 1,163 55.94% 916 44.06% 8 0.38% 2,079
Delta 5,030 41.69% 7,036 58.31% 69 0.57% 12,066
Dickinson 4,364 47.46% 4,831 52.54% 41 0.45% 9,195
Eaton 12,215 57.06% 9,191 42.94% 171 0.80% 21,406
Emmet 3,503 56.07% 2,744 43.93% 24 0.38% 6,247
Genesee 54,920 43.21% 72,185 56.79% 1,472 1.16% 127,105
Gladwin 2,164 51.03% 2,077 48.97% 18 0.42% 4,241
Gogebic 3,565 39.98% 5,352 60.02% 36 0.40% 8,917
Grand Traverse 8,713 68.76% 3,959 31.24% 128 1.01% 12,672
Gratiot 5,781 54.88% 4,752 45.12% 49 0.47% 10,533
Hillsdale 5,946 58.39% 4,237 41.61% 112 1.10% 10,183
Houghton 5,954 50.94% 5,735 49.06% 54 0.46% 11,689
Huron 6,971 61.70% 4,327 38.30% 79 0.70% 11,298
Ingham 43,911 56.71% 33,520 43.29% 537 0.69% 77,431
Ionia 7,270 54.23% 6,137 45.77% 70 0.52% 13,407
Iosco 3,227 54.83% 2,658 45.17% 33 0.56% 5,885
Iron 2,681 43.37% 3,500 56.63% 12 0.19% 6,181
Isabella 6,007 56.86% 4,557 43.14% 77 0.73% 10,564
Jackson 23,000 54.89% 18,901 45.11% 290 0.69% 41,901
Kalamazoo 35,430 59.32% 24,292 40.68% 527 0.88% 59,722
Kalkaska 1,065 53.71% 918 46.29% 34 1.71% 1,983
Kent 79,459 60.54% 51,800 39.46% 1,189 0.91% 131,259
Keweenaw 496 50.41% 488 49.59% 3 0.30% 984
Lake 1,043 43.17% 1,373 56.83% 11 0.46% 2,416
Lapeer 6,591 52.84% 5,882 47.16% 107 0.86% 12,473
Leelanau 2,814 68.40% 1,300 31.60% 39 0.95% 4,114
Lenawee 13,406 59.83% 8,999 40.17% 163 0.73% 22,405
Livingston 10,103 59.22% 6,956 40.78% 228 1.34% 17,059
Luce 1,098 58.40% 782 41.60% 10 0.53% 1,880
Mackinac 2,161 58.08% 1,560 41.92% 20 0.54% 3,721
Macomb 82,664 46.55% 94,910 53.45% 2,105 1.19% 177,574
Manistee 3,898 53.08% 3,445 46.92% 38 0.52% 7,343
Marquette 7,508 42.75% 10,056 57.25% 98 0.56% 17,564
Mason 4,129 53.15% 3,640 46.85% 42 0.54% 7,769
Mecosta 3,558 55.66% 2,834 44.34% 52 0.81% 6,392
Menominee 4,050 48.63% 4,279 51.37% 46 0.55% 8,329
Midland 11,542 58.25% 8,271 41.75% 149 0.75% 19,813
Missaukee 1,772 65.12% 949 34.88% 31 1.14% 2,721
Monroe 15,547 51.11% 14,872 48.89% 287 0.94% 30,419
Montcalm 6,352 53.47% 5,527 46.53% 94 0.79% 11,879
Montmorency 1,063 54.35% 893 45.65% 16 0.82% 1,956
Muskegon 23,958 50.56% 23,425 49.44% 615 1.30% 47,383
Newaygo 5,081 55.53% 4,069 44.47% 83 0.91% 9,150
Oakland 157,225 55.46% 126,261 44.54% 2,755 0.97% 283,486
Oceana 2,990 51.53% 2,813 48.47% 34 0.59% 5,803
Ogemaw 2,072 49.96% 2,075 50.04% 10 0.24% 4,147
Ontonagon 1,843 44.37% 2,311 55.63% 12 0.29% 4,154
Osceola 3,031 63.93% 1,710 36.07% 45 0.95% 4,741
Oscoda 829 59.60% 562 40.40% 8 0.58% 1,391
Otsego 1,928 55.64% 1,537 44.36% 17 0.49% 3,465
Ottawa 28,396 66.24% 14,470 33.76% 304 0.71% 42,866
Presque Isle 2,396 50.98% 2,304 49.02% 14 0.30% 4,700
Roscommon 2,337 54.90% 1,920 45.10% 27 0.63% 4,257
Saginaw 32,786 53.16% 28,887 46.84% 704 1.14% 61,673
Sanilac 7,460 64.90% 4,035 35.10% 317 2.76% 11,495
Schoolcraft 1,531 46.37% 1,771 53.63% 126 3.82% 3,302
Shiawassee 9,098 48.24% 9,760 51.76% 80 0.42% 18,858
St. Clair 19,434 53.72% 16,743 46.28% 22 0.06% 36,177
St. Joseph 7,729 60.18% 5,114 39.82% 181 1.41% 12,843
Tuscola 7,545 55.49% 6,052 44.51% 79 0.58% 13,597
Van Buren 8,680 55.30% 7,016 44.70% 169 1.08% 15,696
Washtenaw 37,920 58.78% 26,590 41.22% 711 1.10% 64,510
Wayne 336,185 43.36% 439,223 56.64% 5,773 0.74% 775,408
Wexford 3,629 56.97% 2,741 43.03% 52 0.82% 6,370
Totals 1,338,711 50.84% 1,294,600 49.16% 22,782 0.87% 2,633,311

Notes

  1. ^ Includes American Independent, Socialist Workers, Socialist Labor, and Write-In votes

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Michigan (1973). Michigan manual. 1971/1972 – via HathiTrust.
  2. ^ a b Scammon, Richard M. (1972). America Votes 9: A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. pp. 160–161. ISBN 0-87187-033-9.
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