The 1956 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Albert E. Cobo with 54.65% of the vote.
Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 7, 1956.
Democratic party Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated for a fifth consecutive term without opposition.
Candidates G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor
Results
Republican party Mayor of Detroit Albert E. Cobo defeated Donald S. Leonard for the Republican nomination.
Candidates Albert E. Cobo, mayor of Detroit Donald S. Leonard, Republican nominee for governor in 1954
Results
General election
Candidates Major party candidates G. Mennen Williams, Democratic Albert E. Cobo, Republican
Other candidates Alfred T. Halsted, Prohibition
Results
Results by county County G. Mennen WilliamsDemocratic Albert E. CoboRepublican Alfred T. HalstedProhibition ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona1,09639.97%1,63959.77%70.26%00.00%-543-19.80%2,742Alger2,69965.22%1,42634.46%130.31%00.00%1,27330.76%4,138Allegan7,72835.40%14,05464.38%470.22%00.00%-6,326-28.98%21,829Alpena4,46044.28%5,60655.65%70.07%00.00%-1,146-11.38%10,073Antrim1,89138.37%3,02561.38%120.24%00.00%-1,134-23.01%4,928Arenac2,01749.46%2,05850.47%30.07%00.00%-41-1.01%4,078Baraga2,00856.85%1,52143.06%30.08%00.00%48713.79%3,532Barry5,30440.47%7,74559.09%570.43%10.01%-2,441-18.62%13,107Bay20,59553.25%17,97246.47%1090.28%00.00%2,6236.78%38,676Benzie1,46540.37%2,14959.22%150.41%00.00%-684-18.85%3,629Berrien22,60442.59%30,25757.01%2080.39%00.00%-7,653-14.42%53,069Branch5,36242.67%7,14856.88%570.45%00.00%-1,786-14.21%12,567Calhoun26,49750.85%25,46948.87%1450.28%00.00%1,0281.97%52,111Cass5,94244.06%7,49955.60%460.34%00.00%-1,557-11.54%13,487Charlevoix2,62845.29%3,15354.34%210.36%00.00%-525-9.05%5,802Cheboygan2,93047.38%3,24752.51%70.11%00.00%-317-5.13%6,184Chippewa5,40949.86%5,42650.02%130.12%00.00%-17-0.16%10,848Clare1,80937.70%2,97662.01%140.29%00.00%-1,167-24.32%4,799Clinton5,80840.69%8,42859.05%370.26%00.00%-2,620-18.36%14,273Crawford85744.45%1,06855.39%30.16%00.00%-211-10.94%1,928Delta8,05457.39%5,94842.39%310.22%00.00%2,10615.01%14,033Dickinson6,42057.19%4,78942.66%150.13%10.01%1,63114.53%11,225Eaton9,03846.18%10,49453.62%380.19%00.00%-1,456-7.44%19,570Emmet2,80742.38%3,79457.28%230.35%00.00%-987-14.90%6,624Genesee75,36955.03%61,33944.79%2460.18%00.00%14,03010.24%136,954Gladwin1,58738.19%2,55961.59%90.22%00.00%-972-23.39%4,155Gogebic7,49658.37%5,32541.47%210.16%00.00%2,17116.91%12,842Grand Traverse5,02241.25%7,11958.48%320.26%10.01%-2,097-17.23%12,174Gratiot4,86336.90%8,26562.71%520.39%00.00%-3,402-25.81%13,180Hillsdale5,03036.74%8,58062.67%810.59%00.00%-3,550-25.93%13,691Houghton8,98055.05%7,31044.81%230.14%00.00%1,67010.24%16,313Huron4,67134.88%8,70865.03%120.09%00.00%-4,037-30.15%13,391Ingham40,15549.17%41,37650.67%1290.16%00.00%-1,221-1.50%81,660Ionia7,09744.88%8,66654.80%500.32%00.00%-1,569-9.92%15,813Iosco2,37040.05%3,53759.78%100.17%00.00%-1,167-19.72%5,917Iron5,62460.24%3,69739.60%150.16%00.00%1,92720.64%9,336Isabella5,11344.64%6,32355.21%170.15%00.00%-1,210-10.56%11,453Jackson21,11041.52%29,58758.19%1460.29%20.00%-8,477-16.67%50,845Kalamazoo25,05841.24%35,36858.20%3400.56%10.00%-10,310-16.97%60,767Kalkaska96746.67%1,10153.14%40.19%00.00%-134-6.47%2,072Kent60,96342.62%81,61757.06%4600.32%00.00%-20,654-14.44%143,040Keweenaw86557.71%63442.29%00.00%00.00%23115.41%1,499Lake1,33550.51%1,30649.41%20.08%00.00%291.10%2,643Lapeer5,85340.92%8,43458.96%180.13%00.00%-2,581-18.04%14,305Leelanau1,69040.65%2,46559.30%20.05%00.00%-775-18.64%4,157Lenawee10,49936.65%18,07763.11%670.23%00.00%-7,578-26.46%28,643Livingston5,63739.99%8,40959.66%500.35%00.00%-2,772-19.67%14,096Luce1,12647.87%1,22552.08%10.04%00.00%-99-4.21%2,352Mackinac2,37449.86%2,38450.07%30.06%00.00%-10-0.21%4,761Macomb75,40662.92%44,20436.88%2370.20%00.00%31,20226.03%119,847Manistee4,00348.31%4,27651.61%70.08%00.00%-273-3.29%8,286Marquette12,69758.08%9,12541.74%380.17%00.00%3,57216.34%21,860Mason4,63748.31%4,94951.56%130.14%00.00%-312-3.25%9,599Mecosta2,88040.12%4,27959.60%200.28%00.00%-1,399-19.49%7,179Menominee5,65952.92%5,02647.00%80.07%00.00%6335.92%10,693Midland7,06440.34%10,41859.49%310.18%00.00%-3,354-19.15%17,513Missaukee1,02233.68%1,99965.89%130.43%00.00%-977-32.20%3,034Monroe17,83554.19%14,98645.53%920.28%00.00%2,8498.66%32,913Montcalm5,66241.89%7,82257.88%310.23%00.00%-2,160-15.98%13,515Montmorency90245.74%1,06754.11%30.15%00.00%-165-8.37%1,972Muskegon31,56056.04%24,59943.68%1550.28%00.00%6,96112.36%56,314Newaygo3,80638.64%6,02561.16%200.20%00.00%-2,219-22.53%9,851Oakland124,00449.27%127,17350.53%4990.20%10.00%-3,169-1.26%251,677Oceana2,59341.25%3,66358.27%300.48%00.00%-1,070-17.02%6,286Ogemaw1,80042.84%2,39356.95%90.21%00.00%-593-14.11%4,202Ontonagon2,81554.95%2,30444.97%40.08%00.00%5119.97%5,123Osceola1,80232.39%3,73167.06%310.56%00.00%-1,929-34.67%5,564Oscoda52039.54%79360.30%20.15%00.00%-273-20.76%1,315Otsego1,45248.48%1,54051.42%30.10%00.00%-88-2.94%2,995Ottawa13,19634.80%24,60764.90%1140.30%00.00%-11,411-30.09%37,917Presque Isle2,65653.82%2,27446.08%50.10%00.00%3827.74%4,935Roscommon1,29337.35%2,16162.42%80.23%00.00%-868-25.07%3,462Saginaw32,79947.68%35,79652.03%1980.29%00.00%-2,997-4.36%68,793Sanilac4,44831.92%9,46667.94%190.14%00.00%-5,018-36.02%13,933Schoolcraft2,32556.61%1,78143.36%10.02%00.00%54413.25%4,107Shiawassee9,67545.57%11,49054.12%650.31%00.00%-1,815-8.55%21,230St. Clair18,00943.70%23,15256.18%530.13%00.00%-5,143-12.48%41,214St. Joseph5,89636.15%10,34763.44%680.42%00.00%-4,451-27.29%16,311Tuscola5,55635.33%10,15164.55%200.13%00.00%-4,595-29.22%15,727Van Buren7,23538.37%11,53461.17%870.46%00.00%-4,299-22.80%18,856Washtenaw25,88444.76%31,76954.94%1690.29%40.01%-5,885-10.18%57,826Wayne759,70466.72%377,17733.12%1,7370.15%370.00%382,52733.59%1,138,655Wexford3,61247.30%3,99752.34%270.35%00.00%-385-5.04%7,636Total1,666,68954.65%1,376,37645.13%6,5380.21%480.00%290,3139.52%3,049,651
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Cheboygan Chippewa Ingham Manistee
References