The 1960 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1960. Democratic nominee John B. Swainson narrowly defeated Republican nominee Paul D. Bagwell with 50.48% of the vote.

As of , this remains the last time the elected Governor of Michigan was a member of the same party as the outgoing Governor. In this case, both Swainson and outgoing Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams were Democrats.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 2, 1960.

Democratic party After incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams declined to seek a seventh term, lieutenant governor John B. Swainson defeated secretary of state James M. Hare in the primary to secure the Democratic nomination.

Candidates Edward Connor, member of Detroit City Council James M. Hare, Michigan Secretary of State John B. Swainson, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

Results

Republican party Paul D. Bagwell won the Republican nomination unopposed for the second consecutive election.

Candidates Paul D. Bagwell, Republican nominee for governor in 1958

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates John B. Swainson, Democratic Paul D. Bagwell, Republican

Other candidates Robert Himmel Jr., Socialist Workers Delmar D. Gibbons, Prohibition F. J. Toohey, Tax Cut Theos A. Grove, Socialist labor R. Roy Pursell, Independent American

Results

Results by county Swainson was the first Democrat since Robert McClelland in 1851 to be elected governor without carrying Genesee County. County John B. SwainsonDemocratic Paul D. BagwellRepublican All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Alcona99833.18%2,00166.52%90.30%-1,003-33.34%3,008Alger2,30259.62%1,54740.07%120.31%75519.55%3,861Allegan6,81830.08%15,77869.61%700.31%-8,960-39.53%22,666Alpena4,74641.86%6,58258.05%100.09%-1,836-16.19%11,338Antrim1,62133.89%3,15365.92%90.19%-1,532-32.03%4,783Arenac1,79443.33%2,33556.40%110.27%-541-13.07%4,140Baraga1,98853.01%1,75346.75%90.24%2356.27%3,750Barry4,45133.14%8,90666.30%750.56%-4,455-33.17%13,432Bay22,63252.14%20,64947.57%1250.29%1,9834.57%43,406Benzie1,29635.13%2,38264.57%110.30%-1,086-29.44%3,689Berrien23,59839.64%35,72160.01%2080.35%-12,123-20.37%59,527Branch4,75936.06%8,36463.38%740.56%-3,605-27.32%13,197Calhoun23,28342.41%31,39257.18%2270.41%-8,109-14.77%54,902Cass6,49544.12%8,15255.38%730.50%-1,657-11.26%14,720Charlevoix2,43939.40%3,74060.41%120.19%-1,301-21.01%6,191Cheboygan2,76342.07%3,80057.86%50.08%-1,037-15.79%6,568Chippewa5,16645.40%6,19954.48%140.12%-1,033-9.08%11,379Clare1,45029.16%3,51270.64%100.20%-2,062-41.47%4,972Clinton5,05634.10%9,74965.75%230.16%-4,693-31.65%14,828Crawford79136.35%1,38263.51%30.14%-591-27.16%2,176Delta7,74755.73%6,12444.06%290.21%1,62311.68%13,900Dickinson6,35355.26%5,12844.60%160.14%1,22510.65%11,497Eaton7,53136.43%13,06163.18%800.39%-5,530-26.75%20,672Emmet2,53237.39%4,22062.32%200.30%-1,688-24.93%6,772Genesee71,91249.61%72,56550.06%4820.33%-653-0.45%144,959Gladwin1,44831.15%3,19368.70%70.15%-1,745-37.54%4,648Gogebic7,27858.99%5,02940.76%300.24%2,24918.23%12,337Grand Traverse4,93037.61%8,14462.13%350.27%-3,214-24.52%13,109Gratiot3,84529.03%9,37370.76%290.22%-5,528-41.73%13,247Hillsdale4,15130.14%9,54269.29%780.57%-5,391-39.15%13,771Houghton7,95152.07%7,29547.77%250.16%6564.30%15,271Huron5,36435.68%9,65764.23%130.09%-4,293-28.56%15,034Ingham34,26739.92%51,39259.86%1900.22%-17,125-19.95%85,849Ionia6,55340.06%9,74259.55%640.39%-3,189-19.49%16,359Iosco2,43736.59%4,21963.35%40.06%-1,782-26.76%6,660Iron5,07957.06%3,80442.74%180.20%1,27514.32%8,901Isabella4,12835.81%7,38064.02%200.17%-3,252-28.21%11,528Jackson21,26638.78%33,43160.96%1430.26%-12,165-22.18%54,840Kalamazoo23,80636.01%41,88763.36%4190.63%-18,081-27.35%66,112Kalkaska75437.61%1,24762.19%40.20%-493-24.59%2,005Kent60,00938.71%94,51660.97%4930.32%-34,507-22.26%155,018Keweenaw65951.36%62048.32%40.31%393.04%1,283Lake1,21347.42%1,34352.50%20.08%-130-5.08%2,558Lapeer5,22333.91%10,16265.97%190.12%-4,939-32.06%15,404Leelanau1,73839.43%2,66260.39%80.18%-924-20.96%4,408Lenawee10,81135.72%19,37764.02%780.26%-8,566-28.30%30,266Livingston5,61835.81%10,02563.90%460.29%-4,407-28.09%15,689Luce86337.59%1,43062.28%30.13%-567-24.70%2,296Mackinac1,95439.71%2,95660.07%110.22%-1,002-20.36%4,921Macomb101,49761.41%63,25438.27%5260.32%38,24323.14%165,277Manistee3,90144.68%4,81955.20%100.11%-918-10.52%8,730Marquette11,60754.48%9,65145.30%480.23%1,9569.18%21,306Mason4,28643.05%5,65656.82%130.13%-1,370-13.76%9,955Mecosta2,31131.52%4,99768.15%240.33%-2,686-36.63%7,332Menominee5,51752.16%5,05147.75%100.09%4664.41%10,578Midland6,86033.45%13,60966.35%410.20%-6,749-32.91%20,510Missaukee65721.38%2,40578.26%110.36%-1,748-56.88%3,073Monroe19,73352.40%17,78747.23%1380.37%1,9465.17%37,658Montcalm4,78633.34%9,54066.47%270.19%-4,754-33.12%14,353Montmorency85336.38%1,49063.54%20.09%-637-27.16%2,345Muskegon29,16547.89%31,54351.80%1910.31%-2,378-3.90%60,899Newaygo3,36832.93%6,84966.96%110.11%-3,481-34.03%10,228Oakland130,08744.01%164,55955.67%9600.32%-34,472-11.66%295,606Oceana2,61037.86%4,26961.93%140.20%-1,659-24.07%6,893Ogemaw1,82141.02%2,61058.80%80.18%-789-17.77%4,439Ontonagon2,57651.44%2,42948.50%30.06%1472.94%5,008Osceola1,35624.24%4,21875.42%190.34%-2,862-51.17%5,593Oscoda47229.32%1,13670.56%20.12%-664-41.24%1,610Otsego1,46943.85%1,87856.06%30.09%-409-12.21%3,350Ottawa11,42026.62%31,36673.11%1150.27%-19,946-46.49%42,901Presque Isle2,55746.72%2,91153.19%50.09%-354-6.47%5,473Roscommon1,24432.35%2,59567.47%70.18%-1,351-35.13%3,846Saginaw32,17143.81%41,08155.94%1840.25%-8,910-12.13%73,436Sanilac4,09028.06%10,46671.81%190.13%-6,376-43.75%14,575Schoolcraft2,10450.32%2,07049.51%70.17%340.81%4,181Shiawassee8,81540.07%13,11259.61%710.32%-4,297-19.53%21,998St. Clair18,79742.55%25,31757.31%640.14%-6,520-14.76%44,178St. Joseph5,20930.62%11,72368.90%820.48%-6,514-38.29%17,014Tuscola5,30131.21%11,65868.64%250.15%-6,357-37.43%16,984Van Buren6,96635.52%12,53463.92%1100.56%-5,568-28.39%19,610Washtenaw24,30837.91%39,59261.74%2230.35%-15,284-23.84%64,123Wayne740,94264.25%408,28735.40%3,9810.35%332,65528.85%1,153,210Wexford2,91236.99%4,93962.74%210.27%-2,027-25.75%7,872Total1,643,63450.48%1,602,02249.20%10,3350.32%41,6121.28%3,255,991

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Chippewa Genesee Lake Muskegon

References