The 1974 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974. Democrat Patrick Lucey won the election with 53% of the vote, winning his second term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating Republican William Dyke.

As of 2025, this is the last time a Democratic gubernatorial candidate won Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. These three counties, collectively known as the WOW counties, have been among the most Republican areas in the state since the 1940s. It is also the last time a Democratic gubernatorial candidate carried Calumet and Marinette counties.

Primary election The primary election was held on September 10, 1974. Nominees for governor and lieutenant governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Democratic party Governor Candidates Edmond Hou-Seye, American party nominee for United States Senate in 1970 Patrick J. Lucey, incumbent governor

Results

Lieutenant governor Candidates Martin J. Schreiber, incumbent lieutenant governor Andrew Tripoli

Results

Republican party Governor Candidates William Dyke, former mayor of Madison

Results

Lieutenant Governor Candidates John M. Alberts, member of Wisconsin State Assembly

Results

American party Governor Candidates William H. Upham

Results

Lieutenant Governor Candidates Donald D. Hoeft

Results

General election Candidates Patrick J. Lucey & Martin J. Schreiber, Democrat William Dyke & John M. Alberts, Republican William H. Upham & Donald D. Hoeft, American Crazy Jim & Gary C. Wetzel, Independent William O. Hart & Fred Dahir, Independent Fred B. Blair & Mary K. Blair, Independent Georgia Cozzini & David Hornung, Independent

Results

Results by county Lucey was the first Democrat since Albert G. Schmedeman in 1934 to win Outagamie County, Ozaukee County, Sawyer County, and Waukesha County. Adams County, Jackson County, and Oneida County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2018. County Patrick J. LuceyDemocratic William DykeRepublican William H. UphamAmerican Crazy JimIndependent All othersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # %Adams1,44444.71%1,67551.86%762.35%110.34%240.74%-231-7.15%3,230Ashland3,02864.48%1,52532.47%791.68%240.51%400.85%1,50332.01%4,696Barron4,70954.15%3,78443.51%1431.64%330.38%270.31%92510.64%8,696Bayfield2,44762.60%1,35834.74%571.46%290.74%180.46%1,08927.86%3,909Brown21,32347.94%20,59146.29%1,9724.43%2870.65%3100.70%7321.65%44,483Buffalo2,59655.34%1,97442.08%791.68%270.58%150.32%62213.26%4,691Burnett2,13768.43%93129.81%331.06%100.32%120.38%1,20638.62%3,123Calumet4,07348.83%3,94547.30%2482.97%530.64%220.26%1281.53%8,341Chippewa7,05456.70%4,56636.70%6305.06%1140.92%760.61%2,48820.00%12,440Clark4,43951.00%3,44539.58%7238.31%670.77%300.34%99411.42%8,704Columbia4,79839.31%7,17858.81%1100.90%660.54%530.43%-2,380-19.50%12,205Crawford2,66553.01%2,6845.12%601.19%120.24%220.44%3977.90%5,027Dane50,64860.13%28,58033.93%9341.11%6260.74%3,4454.09%22,06826.20%84,233Dodge8,26841.61%11,05555.63%3251.64%1640.83%600.30%-2,787-14.02%19,872Door3,02141.09%4,08855.60%1902.58%280.38%250.34%-1,067-14.51%7,352Douglas9,27576.32%2,61121.49%890.73%670.55%1100.91%6,66454.84%12,152Dunn4,19152.68%3,28941.34%3654.59%550.69%560.70%90211.34%7,956Eau Claire10,71755.07%7,56338.86%8414.32%1720.88%1690.87%3,15416.21%19,462Florence57957.50%39238.93%181.79%131.29%50.50%18718.57%1,007Fond du Lac9,90142.44%12,10551.88%8963.84%3051.31%1240.53%-2,204-9.45%23,331Forest1,21556.25%76935.60%1376.34%281.30%110.51%44620.65%2,160Grant5,44536.78%8,86159.85%3222.17%760.51%1020.69%-3,416-23.07%14,806Green2,42229.46%5,69969.32%680.83%180.22%140.17%-3,277-39.86%8,221Green Lake1,41028.61%3,29266.80%1863.77%210.43%190.39%-1,882-38.19%4,928Iowa1,93735.76%3,37262.25%420.78%250.46%410.76%-1,435-26.49%5,417Iron1,32961.19%65330.06%291.34%1506.91%110.51%67631.12%2,172Jackson2,07347.93%2,18250.45%430.99%200.46%70.16%-109-2.52%4,325Jefferson7,77043.88%9,49853.63%2421.37%1290.73%700.40%-1,728-9.76%17,709Juneau2,22337.40%3,60260.60%681.14%210.35%300.50%-1,379-23.20%5,944Kenosha16,70863.45%8,69833.03%4481.70%3001.14%1790.68%8,01030.42%26,333Kewaunee2,42440.93%2,92149.32%5369.05%260.44%160.27%-497-8.39%5,923La Crosse10,84342.52%14,12455.39%3351.31%960.38%1020.40%-3,281-12.87%25,500Lafayette1,83833.02%3,65365.62%500.90%140.25%120.22%-1,815-32.60%5,567Langlade3,47552.79%2,82042.84%1712.60%831.26%340.52%6559.95%6,583Lincoln4,19947.85%4,18647.70%3073.50%450.51%390.44%130.15%8,776Manitowoc11,80249.26%9,52339.75%2,3199.68%1520.63%1640.68%2,2799.51%23,960Marathon13,26547.41%12,41444.37%1,9286.89%2320.83%1410.50%8513.04%27,980Marinette5,87051.24%5,22645.62%2342.04%840.73%410.36%6445.62%11,455Marquette1,21135.40%2,10661.56%591.72%340.99%110.32%-895-26.16%3,421Menominee47283.10%6311.09%111.94%101.76%122.11%40972.01%568Milwaukee141,38362.86%69,98931.12%6,4032.85%5,2282.32%1,9100.85%71,39431.74%224,913Monroe3,23440.52%4,59457.56%1191.49%260.33%80.10%-1,360-17.04%7,981Oconto3,45844.89%3,87650.31%2843.69%560.73%300.39%-418-5.43%7,704Oneida3,66146.70%3,78648.29%2803.57%931.19%200.26%-125-1.59%7,840Outagamie16,49453.01%13,41743.12%8662.78%1970.63%1410.45%3,0779.89%31,115Ozaukee8,79148.74%8,39346.53%5533.07%2341.30%660.37%3982.21%18,037Pepin1,27263.95%66133.23%402.01%90.45%70.35%61130.72%1,989Pierce5,04861.31%2,96936.06%1081.31%430.52%660.80%2,07925.25%8,234Polk5,38064.07%2,87934.29%891.06%190.23%300.36%2,50129.78%8,397Portage8,18563.01%3,96230.50%3963.05%2962.28%1501.15%4,22332.51%12,989Price2,30952.42%1,91243.41%1373.11%300.68%170.39%3979.01%4,405Racine23,99959.48%15,21537.71%5621.39%4321.07%1400.35%8,78421.77%40,348Richland1,84435.08%3,34463.61%310.59%150.29%230.44%-1,500-28.53%5,257Rock17,07752.92%14,41544.67%4721.46%1610.50%1440.45%2,6628.25%32,269Rusk2,78058.11%1,81737.98%1382.88%340.71%150.31%96320.13%4,784Sauk3,91936.13%6,62661.09%860.79%370.34%1781.64%-2,707-24.96%10,846Sawyer1,80851.89%1,58445.46%471.35%300.86%150.43%2246.43%3,484Shawano3,35339.41%4,68555.07%4194.93%410.48%90.11%-1,332-15.66%8,507Sheboygan18,95159.98%11,98837.94%4071.29%1700.54%810.26%6,96322.04%31,597St. Croix6,26064.85%3,19133.06%1241.28%430.45%350.36%3,06931.79%9,653Taylor2,42254.00%1,74338.86%2164.82%621.38%420.94%67915.14%4,485Trempealeau3,78754.92%2,98343.26%1001.45%100.15%150.22%80411.66%6,895Vernon3,16041.49%4,33956.96%761.00%210.28%210.28%-1,179-15.48%7,617Vilas2,05439.36%2,94856.50%1432.74%490.94%240.46%-894-17.13%5,218Walworth7,10944.74%8,37752.72%1691.06%1580.99%770.48%-1,268-7.98%15,890Washburn2,29860.54%1,40036.88%571.50%220.58%190.50%89823.66%3,796Washington9,79954.84%7,38241.32%4012.24%2401.34%450.25%2,41713.53%17,867Waukesha33,63052.01%28,03043.35%1,8632.88%660.10%1,0671.65%5,6008.66%64,656Waupaca3,54236.50%5,81559.92%2572.65%680.70%220.23%-2,273-23.42%9,704Waushara1,48734.11%2,66061.01%1623.72%471.08%40.09%-1,173-26.90%4,360Winnebago16,06844.56%17,90849.66%1,4223.94%4391.22%2240.62%1,8405.10%36,061Wood8,83347.95%7,72241.92%1,6989.22%1000.54%670.36%1,1116.03%18,420Total628,63953.19%497,19542.06%33,5282.84%12,2031.03%10,4110.88%131,44411.12%1,181,976

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Crawford Outagamie Ozaukee Sawyer Waukesha

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Adams Jackson Kewaunee Oconto Oneida

Notes

References