1954 Michigan gubernatorial election

The 1954 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Donald S. Leonard with 55.61% of the vote.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 3, 1954.

Democratic party Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated for a fourth consecutive term without opposition.

Candidates G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor

Results

Republican party Donald S. Leonard, who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary in the previous election, secured the Republican primary from a crowded field.

Candidates D. Hale Brake, Michigan State Treasurer Owen J. Cleary, Michigan Secretary of State Eugene C. Keyes, former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Donald S. Leonard, former Chief of the Detroit Police Department and former Michigan State Police commissioner

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates G. Mennen Williams, Democratic Donald S. Leonard, Republican

Other candidates E. Harold Munn, Prohibition Theos A. Grove, Socialist Labor Frank Lovell, Socialist Workers

Results

Results by county After this election, Cheboygan County, Ingham County, and Manistee County would not vote Democratic again until 1982. County G. Mennen WilliamsDemocratic Donald S. LeonardRepublican All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Alcona95841.58%1,33657.99%100.43%-378-16.41%2,304Alger2,29064.36%1,25635.30%120.34%1,03429.06%3,558Allegan5,53234.83%10,30864.91%410.26%-4,776-30.07%15,881Alpena3,47147.49%3,82752.36%110.15%-356-4.87%7,309Antrim1,49739.21%2,30560.37%160.42%-808-21.16%3,818Arenac1,70548.44%1,80851.36%70.20%-103-2.93%3,520Baraga2,09059.89%1,39640.00%40.11%69419.89%3,490Barry3,55237.93%5,75661.46%570.61%-2,204-23.53%9,365Bay15,70254.81%12,87244.93%720.25%2,8309.88%28,646Benzie1,13739.70%1,69059.01%371.29%-553-19.31%2,864Berrien17,47245.10%21,21254.76%530.14%-3,740-9.65%38,737Branch3,87741.07%5,50558.31%590.62%-1,628-17.24%9,441Calhoun18,58150.94%17,77548.73%1190.33%8062.21%36,475Cass4,71745.25%5,68054.49%270.26%-963-9.24%10,424Charlevoix2,06544.46%2,54954.88%310.67%-484-10.42%4,645Cheboygan2,80452.65%2,50246.98%200.38%3025.67%5,326Chippewa4,50350.93%4,32648.93%130.15%1772.00%8,842Clare1,34938.41%2,15861.45%50.14%-809-23.04%3,512Clinton3,69737.00%6,25662.60%400.40%-2,559-25.61%9,993Crawford70648.22%75351.43%50.34%-47-3.21%1,464Delta7,20461.91%4,41737.96%150.13%2,78723.95%11,636Dickinson6,02661.26%3,80038.63%100.10%2,22622.63%9,836Eaton6,19044.20%7,76355.44%500.36%-1,573-11.23%14,003Emmet2,53244.62%3,12555.08%170.30%-593-10.45%5,674Genesee51,33956.35%39,51343.37%2610.29%11,82612.98%91,113Gladwin1,39441.33%1,96358.20%160.47%-569-16.87%3,373Gogebic7,49863.64%4,25236.09%320.27%3,24627.55%11,782Grand Traverse3,67840.72%5,33659.07%190.21%-1,658-18.35%9,033Gratiot3,47335.49%6,26364.00%500.51%-2,790-28.51%9,786Hillsdale4,71738.89%7,24259.70%1711.41%-2,525-20.82%12,130Houghton7,95856.62%6,07443.21%240.17%1,88413.40%14,056Huron3,60333.34%7,18466.47%210.19%-3,581-33.13%10,808Ingham29,44450.44%28,72449.21%2060.35%7201.23%58,374Ionia5,61845.45%6,69054.12%530.43%-1,072-8.67%12,361Iosco1,72740.07%2,57959.84%40.09%-852-19.77%4,310Iron5,25762.60%3,11837.13%230.27%2,13925.47%8,398Isabella3,71544.53%4,59555.08%320.38%-880-10.55%8,342Jackson15,87544.12%19,95355.46%1510.42%-4,078-11.33%35,979Kalamazoo16,79541.00%24,01258.61%1610.39%-7,217-17.62%40,968Kalkaska78346.91%88152.79%50.30%-98-5.87%1,669Kent43,80244.02%55,28455.56%4240.43%-11,482-11.54%99,510Keweenaw84061.54%52238.24%30.22%31823.30%1,365Lake1,32055.32%1,06044.43%60.25%26010.90%2,386Lapeer4,06839.15%6,28460.48%390.38%-2,216-21.33%10,391Leelanau1,22639.37%1,88260.44%60.19%-656-21.07%3,114Lenawee7,45636.96%12,65962.76%560.28%-5,203-25.79%20,171Livingston3,98038.04%6,44961.64%340.32%-2,469-23.60%10,463Luce72044.33%90355.60%10.06%-183-11.27%1,624Mackinac1,63347.58%1,78652.04%130.38%-153-4.46%3,432Macomb41,16164.90%22,06334.79%1940.31%19,09830.11%63,418Manistee3,43651.01%3,29348.89%70.10%1432.12%6,736Marquette10,86659.26%7,44840.62%230.13%3,41818.64%18,337Mason3,58849.27%3,68350.57%120.16%-95-1.30%7,283Mecosta2,14939.15%3,31260.34%280.51%-1,163-21.19%5,489Menominee5,01655.40%4,01544.35%230.25%1,00111.06%9,054Midland4,88341.73%6,77457.89%440.38%-1,891-16.16%11,701Missaukee89032.27%1,85967.40%90.33%-969-35.13%2,758Monroe12,39054.36%10,30145.19%1030.45%2,0899.16%22,794Montcalm4,31242.04%5,90657.59%380.37%-1,594-15.54%10,256Montmorency71944.38%89755.37%40.25%-178-10.99%1,620Muskegon23,02258.00%16,45841.46%2140.54%6,56416.54%39,694Newaygo2,81138.34%4,49861.35%230.31%-1,687-23.01%7,332Oakland75,62549.67%76,21050.05%4280.28%-585-0.38%152,263Oceana2,05641.71%2,84957.80%240.49%-793-16.09%4,929Ogemaw1,44744.28%1,79855.02%230.70%-351-10.74%3,268Ontonagon2,60457.14%1,94942.77%40.09%65514.37%4,557Osceola1,48132.95%2,98566.41%290.65%-1,504-33.46%4,495Oscoda49943.05%65656.60%40.35%-157-13.55%1,159Otsego1,22149.39%1,24750.44%40.16%-26-1.05%2,472Ottawa12,48739.69%18,86559.96%1110.35%-6,378-20.27%31,463Presque Isle2,20454.78%1,81545.12%40.10%3899.67%4,023Roscommon1,06139.86%1,59259.80%90.34%-531-19.95%2,662Saginaw23,82948.39%25,18351.14%2310.47%-1,354-2.75%49,243Sanilac3,55330.15%8,20169.59%300.25%-4,648-39.44%11,784Schoolcraft2,09656.28%1,62543.64%30.08%47112.65%3,724Shiawassee6,50443.64%8,27355.50%1280.86%-1,769-11.87%14,905St. Clair13,85844.87%16,98655.00%400.13%-3,128-10.13%30,884St. Joseph4,47637.19%7,48862.22%710.59%-3,012-25.03%12,035Tuscola3,63131.14%7,99968.60%310.27%-4,368-37.46%11,661Van Buren5,74639.05%8,92960.68%390.27%-3,183-21.63%14,714Washtenaw16,89642.29%22,93357.40%1260.32%-6,037-15.11%39,955Wayne569,29867.91%266,28431.76%2,7770.33%303,01436.14%838,359Wexford2,91746.31%3,34353.07%390.62%-426-6.76%6,299Total1,216,30855.61%963,30044.05%7,4190.34%253,00811.57%2,187,027

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Bay Calhoun Cheboygan Chippewa Houghton Ingham Lake Manistee Menominee Monroe Presque Isle Schoolcraft

References