The 1978 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican William Milliken defeated Democrat William B. Fitzgerald to win a third full term as governor.

As of , this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which Wayne County has voted Republican and one of only two such instances since 1928.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 8, 1978.

Republican party Incumbent governor William Milliken was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Candidates William Milliken, incumbent Governor

Results

Democratic party State senator William B. Fitzgerald defeated three other candidates including law professor and perennial candidate Zolton Ferency.

Candidates Zolton Ferency, Michigan State University law professor and Democratic nominee in 1966 William B. Fitzgerald, member of Michigan Senate and former Senate Majority Leader Patrick McCollough, member of Michigan Senate William Ralls, former member of Michigan Public Service Commission

Results

General election

Candidates William Milliken & James H. Brickley, Republican William B. Fitzgerald & Olivia P. Maynard, Democratic

Results

Results by county Despite his defeat, Fitzgerald flipped several counties that had not voted Democratic in a very long time. Before this election, Alcona County had not voted Democratic since 1878, Oscoda County had not since 1888, and Missaukee County had not since 1890. County William MillikenRepublican William B. FitzgeraldDemocratic ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Alcona1,86849.93%1,87049.99%30.08%-2-0.05%3,741Alger1,23735.90%2,20964.10%00.00%-972-28.21%3,446Allegan12,18152.63%10,95847.35%40.02%1,2235.28%23,143Alpena5,50150.21%5,45449.79%00.00%470.43%10,955Antrim3,65657.30%2,72542.70%00.00%93114.59%6,381Arenac2,27248.84%2,37951.14%10.02%-107-2.30%4,652Baraga1,39647.65%1,53452.35%00.00%-138-4.71%2,930Barry8,37754.83%6,88945.09%130.09%1,4889.74%15,279Bay18,76245.02%22,91554.98%00.00%-4,153-9.96%41,677Benzie2,70461.68%1,67638.23%40.09%1,02823.45%4,384Berrien29,57763.92%16,69436.08%30.01%12,88327.84%46,274Branch6,96859.97%4,65140.03%00.00%2,31719.94%11,619Calhoun23,99854.47%20,03845.48%190.04%3,9608.99%44,055Cass7,57260.50%4,94139.48%20.02%2,63121.02%12,515Charlevoix3,88352.22%3,55047.74%30.04%3334.48%7,436Cheboygan3,68850.90%3,55849.10%00.00%1301.79%7,246Chippewa5,48953.95%4,68646.05%00.00%8037.89%10,175Clare3,72948.23%3,99951.73%30.04%-270-3.49%7,731Clinton11,02659.73%7,42040.20%130.07%3,60619.54%18,459Crawford1,83453.08%1,62146.92%00.00%2136.16%3,455Delta5,69343.80%7,30456.19%10.01%-1,611-12.39%12,998Dickinson4,59547.62%5,05352.37%10.01%-458-4.75%9,649Eaton19,01564.17%10,61835.83%00.00%8,39728.34%29,633Emmet4,99559.24%3,43740.76%00.00%1,55818.48%8,432Genesee65,93650.62%64,29249.36%180.01%1,6441.26%130,246Gladwin2,89446.19%3,37153.81%00.00%-477-7.61%6,265Gogebic3,34440.24%4,96659.76%00.00%-1,622-19.52%8,310Grand Traverse11,99066.46%6,04233.49%80.04%5,94832.97%18,040Gratiot7,21560.69%4,67039.28%40.03%2,54521.41%11,889Hillsdale7,37261.79%4,55938.21%00.00%2,81323.58%11,931Houghton6,72954.15%5,69845.85%00.00%1,0318.30%12,427Huron7,44458.19%5,34941.81%00.00%2,09516.38%12,793Ingham68,33469.77%29,35629.97%2560.26%38,97839.80%97,946Ionia8,50053.75%7,31146.23%30.02%1,1897.52%15,814Iosco4,42353.35%3,85846.54%90.11%5656.82%8,290Iron2,56342.36%3,48857.64%00.00%-925-15.29%6,051Isabella9,03059.80%6,05440.09%160.11%2,97619.71%15,100Jackson27,47457.21%20,51342.72%340.07%6,96114.50%48,021Kalamazoo44,82564.88%24,22035.06%420.06%20,60529.82%69,087Kalkaska1,64246.24%1,90653.68%30.08%-264-7.43%3,551Kent85,29257.81%62,15342.13%820.06%23,13915.68%147,527Keweenaw54648.19%58751.81%00.00%-41-3.62%1,133Lake1,14839.53%1,75360.37%30.10%-605-20.83%2,904Lapeer10,85356.97%8,19843.03%00.00%2,65513.94%19,051Leelanau3,88262.80%2,29637.14%40.06%1,58625.66%6,182Lenawee14,78457.45%10,93642.50%140.05%3,84814.95%25,734Livingston19,01167.16%9,29232.82%50.02%9,71934.33%28,308Luce1,16859.38%79940.62%00.00%36918.76%1,967Mackinac2,32853.59%2,01646.41%00.00%3127.18%4,344Macomb119,33456.39%92,24143.59%430.02%27,09312.80%211,618Manistee4,26353.45%3,71246.55%00.00%5516.91%7,975Marquette10,20148.47%10,84751.53%00.00%-646-3.07%21,048Mason5,32356.68%4,06543.29%30.03%1,25813.40%9,391Mecosta6,15156.58%4,72143.42%00.00%1,43013.15%10,872Menominee3,56543.27%4,67456.73%00.00%-1,109-13.46%8,239Midland16,88664.33%9,34635.60%190.07%7,54028.72%26,251Missaukee1,76543.21%2,31356.62%70.17%-548-13.41%4,085Monroe16,93351.80%15,75048.18%70.02%1,1833.62%32,690Montcalm7,78255.78%6,16744.20%30.02%1,61511.58%13,952Montmorency1,47348.37%1,57251.63%00.00%-99-3.25%3,045Muskegon27,96052.65%25,14147.34%30.01%2,8195.31%53,104Newaygo6,06153.15%5,34246.85%00.00%7196.31%11,403Oakland225,87067.66%107,83032.30%1150.03%118,04035.36%333,815Oceana3,71151.09%3,54948.86%30.04%1622.23%7,263Ogemaw2,54541.72%3,54958.18%60.10%-1,004-16.46%6,100Ontonagon1,82841.91%2,53458.09%00.00%-706-16.19%4,362Osceola3,11351.78%2,86347.62%360.30%2504.16%6,012Oscoda61023.41%1,99676.59%00.00%-1,386-53.18%2,606Otsego3,15158.31%2,25341.69%00.00%89816.62%5,404Ottawa32,27160.42%21,13239.56%90.02%11,13920.85%53,412Presque Isle2,78546.76%3,16553.14%60.10%-380-6.38%5,956Roscommon3,60449.98%3,60750.02%00.00%-3-0.04%7,211Saginaw35,49153.02%31,44846.98%40.01%4,0436.04%66,943Sanilac9,09964.44%5,00735.46%150.11%4,09228.98%14,121Schoolcraft1,62948.18%1,75151.79%10.03%-122-3.61%3,381Shiawassee12,59454.60%10,46145.35%110.05%2,1339.25%23,066St. Clair23,28756.90%17,64043.10%00.00%5,64713.80%40,927St. Joseph9,08364.39%5,01335.54%100.07%4,07028.85%14,106Tuscola9,55856.86%7,25243.14%00.00%2,30613.72%16,810Van Buren10,17455.04%8,31144.96%00.00%1,86310.08%18,485Washtenaw57,60170.41%23,80829.10%4030.49%33,79341.31%81,812Wayne339,88450.40%334,24849.57%1880.03%5,6360.84%674,320Wexford4,15750.38%4,08649.52%80.10%710.86%8,251Total1,628,48556.80%1,237,25643.15%1,4710.05%391,22913.64%2,867,212

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Genesee Mackinac Monroe Muskegon Wayne

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alcona Arenac Clare Keweenaw Missaukee Montmorency Ogemaw Oscoda Presque Isle Roscommon

Notes

References