The 1960 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 8, 1960, as part of the nationwide presidential election. This was the first presidential election that Alaska participated in. Voters chose three representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Alaska was narrowly won by incumbent Vice-president Richard Nixon (R-California) with 50.9% of the popular vote against U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) with 49.1%; a 1.8% margin.Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1960 Prior to the election, The New York Times declared Kennedy the favorite in the state.
Interior Department Chief Legal Officer (Solicitor) Ted Stevens managed Nixon's campaign in the state, being key to Nixon's narrow victory in what was then a solidly Democratic stateChinn, Ronald E. “The 1968 Election in Alaska.” The Western Political Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 3, 1969, pp. 456–61. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/446336. Accessed 7 Apr. 2023. which hadn't elected a Republican to state-wide office since James Wickersham was elected at-large Territorial Delegate in 1930. Stevens would become a U.S. Senator 8 years later.
This is the only time a Democrat was elected without carrying Bethel. Kennedy's 49.06% vote share remains the second best of any Democrat in a presidential election in the state, after Lyndon B. Johnson's landslide victory in the following election.
Results 1960 United States presidential election in AlaskaPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican Richard Nixon 30,953 50.94% 3 Democratic John F. Kennedy 29,809 49.06% 0 Totals 60,762 100.00% 3
Electors With statehood, Alaska was given three votes in the Electoral College. This has continued to be the case to the present day. Alaska's electors in 1960 were:
Charles D. Jones, of Nome Milton D. Snodgrass, of Palmer Sylvia Ringstad, of Fairbanks1960 Alaska Electoral Dinner Invitation
See also United States presidential elections in Alaska 1960 United States Senate election in Alaska
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