The 1912 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912. Democratic nominee Woodbridge N. Ferris defeated Republican candidate Amos S. Musselman and Progressive candidate Lucius Whitney Watkins with 35.35% of the vote.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 27, 1912.

Republican party Incumbent governor Chase S. Osborn declined to seek a second term. Amos S. Musselman narrowly defeated Frederick C. Martindale for the Republican nomination.

Candidates Frederick C. Martindale, Michigan Secretary of State Amos S. Musselman, businessman from Grand Rapids

Results

Democratic party Woodbridge N. Ferris was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Candidates Woodbridge N. Ferris, Democratic nominee for governor in 1904

Results

National Progressive party After the national Republican convention nominated William Howard Taft over Theodore Roosevelt, Lucius Whitney Watkins became chair of Michigan's Progressive Party and was subsequently nominated for governor.

Candidates Lucius Whitney Watkins, member of Michigan Senate

Results

Minor parties

General election

Candidates Major party candidates Woodbridge N. Ferris, Democratic Amos S. Musselman, Republican Other candidates Lucius Whitney Watkins, National Progressive James Hoogerhyde, Socialist J. D. Leland, Prohibition Herman Richter, Socialist Labor

Results

Results by county Kalkaska County, Mecosta County, and Wexford County voted Democratic for the first time ever in this election. Kalkaska County would not vote Democratic again until 1974, while Emmet County and Wexford County would not vote Democratic again until 1986. The following counties did not vote Republican for the first since their respective organizations: Alger, Antrim, Gogebic, Kalkaska, Lake, Mecosta, and Wexford. Ferris was the first Democrat to be elected governor without carrying St. Clair County. County Woodbridge N. FerrisDemocratic Amos S. MusselmanRepublican L. Whitney WatkinsProgressive James HoogerhydeSocialist J. D. LelandProhibition Herman RichterSocialist Labor Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # % # %Alcona22322.82%28429.07%39540.43%697.06%60.61%00.00%-111-11.36%977Alger34331.44%29026.58%39135.84%504.58%171.56%00.00%-48-4.40%1,091Allegan2,35630.69%2,59833.84%2,30930.07%2743.57%1161.51%250.33%-242-3.15%7,678Alpena1,37738.66%98727.71%1,12131.47%561.57%210.59%00.00%2567.19%3,562Antrim74829.92%73629.44%82833.12%1516.04%371.48%00.00%-80-3.20%2,500Arenac66233.23%42421.29%75738.00%1065.32%432.16%00.00%-95-4.77%1,992Baraga29526.04%32828.95%45940.51%363.18%151.32%00.00%-131-11.56%1,133Barry2,18739.81%1,79832.73%1,31323.90%931.69%1031.87%00.00%3897.08%5,494Bay3,50631.65%2,83425.59%3,99336.05%5014.52%2422.18%00.00%-487-4.40%11,076Benzie53627.96%59430.99%45423.68%23912.47%894.64%50.26%-58-3.03%1,917Berrien4,51837.80%3,31527.74%3,52929.53%4353.64%1541.29%00.00%9798.28%11,951Branch2,65342.95%1,86530.19%1,41922.97%1422.30%981.59%00.00%78812.76%6,177Calhoun4,40933.82%3,58127.47%3,74928.76%9747.47%2001.53%1220.94%6605.06%13,035Cass2,20840.85%1,79633.23%1,00318.56%3286.07%701.30%00.00%4127.62%5,405Charlevoix1,11430.62%1,34937.08%76921.14%36810.12%381.04%00.00%-235-6.46%3,638Cheboygan1,30540.57%90428.10%86226.80%1153.57%280.87%30.09%40112.47%3,217Chippewa1,28535.38%85123.43%1,24034.14%1544.24%1022.81%00.00%451.24%3,632Clare57331.59%58932.47%50828.00%1186.50%261.43%00.00%-16-0.88%1,814Clinton2,30942.68%1,79633.20%1,20922.35%250.46%711.31%00.00%5139.48%5,410Crawford35848.44%21629.23%13017.59%304.06%50.68%00.00%14219.22%739Delta1,25428.49%1,17726.74%1,71338.91%2205.00%380.86%00.00%-459-10.43%4,402Dickinson43613.03%1,44943.32%1,16634.86%2527.53%421.26%00.00%-283-8.46%3,345Eaton3,25344.60%2,45233.62%1,40919.32%921.26%881.21%00.00%80110.98%7,294Emmet1,29438.75%97029.05%66219.83%36510.93%481.44%00.00%3249.70%3,339Genesee4,44033.38%3,55126.70%4,42833.29%6434.83%2071.56%320.24%120.09%13,301Gladwin40725.03%66741.02%44227.18%825.04%241.48%40.25%-225-13.84%1,626Gogebic69822.99%85128.03%1,21139.89%1224.02%1545.07%00.00%-360-11.86%3,036Grand Traverse1,34434.44%1,15329.54%1,10628.34%2496.38%511.31%00.00%1914.89%3,903Gratiot2,36740.21%2,13036.18%1,28821.88%310.53%711.21%00.00%2374.03%5,887Hillsdale2,60637.49%1,60023.02%2,55136.70%480.69%1462.10%00.00%550.79%6,951Houghton2.61821.64%4,45836.86%4,24835.12%4163.44%3562.94%00.00%-210-1.76%12,096Huron1,81728.66%2,09933.11%2,30536.36%620.98%570.90%00.00%-206-3.25%6,340Ingham5,22139.52%3,32825.19%3,78228.63%5284.00%2912.20%600.45%1,43910.89%13,210Ionia3,56546.20%2,74035.51%1,13314.68%1421.84%1361.76%00.00%82510.69%7,716Iosco61734.32%52128.98%61434.15%271.50%191.06%00.00%30.17%1,798Iron31513.83%1,11348.86%71831.52%1094.78%231.01%00.00%-395-17.34%2,278Isabella2,00241.92%1,48931.18%1,11623.37%1122.35%551.15%20.04%51310.74%4,776Jackson4,89237.31%2,37718.13%5,32940.64%3412.60%1731.32%00.00%-437-3.33%13,112Kalamazoo4,24034.23%3,25126.25%3,07324.81%1,41111.39%3662.95%460.37%9597.98%12,387Kalkaska51036.77%43931.65%30622.06%966.92%362.60%00.00%715.12%1,387Kent11,79437.14%10,35732.62%7,40523.32%1,8085.69%3881.22%00.00%1,4374.53%31,752Keweenaw817.29%54448.96%43439.06%363.24%161.44%00.00%-110-9.90%1,111Lake25727.58%29031.12%34136.59%404.29%40.43%00.00%-51-5.47%932Lapeer1,66230.56%2,08638.36%1,55428.58%350.64%1011.86%00.00%-424-7.80%5,438Leelanau49227.95%67538.35%50028.41%754.26%181.02%00.00%-175-9.94%1,760Lenawee4,55441.11%3,26829.50%2,93226.47%1311.18%1921.73%00.00%1,28611.61%11,077Livingston2,32646.97%1,53631.02%98819.95%110.22%911.84%00.00%79015.95%4,952Luce17928.50%27443.63%15825.16%81.27%91.43%00.00%-95-15.13%628Mackinac86949.15%60033.94%27615.61%00.00%211.19%20.11%26915.21%1,768Macomb3,29045.04%2,73037.38%1,15815.85%260.36%1001.37%00.00%5607.67%7,304Manistee2,17646.16%1,34128.45%87518.56%2615.54%611.29%00.00%83517.71%4,714Marquette1,28116.37%2,66634.08%3,28642.00%4896.25%1011.29%00.00%-1,203-7.92%7,823Mason1,39135.35%1,14329.05%1,15029.22%1604.07%912.31%00.00%2416.12%3,935Mecosta1,80345.77%1,10227.98%87122.11%1092.77%541.37%00.00%70117.80%3,939Menominee1,44032.58%1,20727.31%1,56035.29%1814.10%320.72%00.00%-120-2.71%4,420Midland78324.98%98731.48%1,29241.21%321.02%341.08%70.22%-305-9.73%3,135Missaukee56827.75%77737.96%60729.65%683.32%261.27%00.00%-170-8.31%2,047Monroe3,23944.47%2,42733.32%1,46520.11%560.77%891.22%80.11%81211.15%7,284Montcalm2,15133.10%2,39336.82%1,59724.57%2533.89%1051.62%00.00%-242-3.72%6,499Montmorency20327.18%36048.19%16722.36%152.01%20.27%00.00%-157-21.02%747Muskegon2,03324.86%1,85422.67%3,64744.60%5877.18%560.68%00.00%-1,614-19.74%8,177Newaygo1,24131.63%1,18530.20%1,23031.35%2055.22%631.61%00.00%110.28%3,924Oakland4,70741.13%4,16136.36%2,17819.03%1921.68%2071.81%00.00%5464.77%11,455Oceana1,22532.84%1,09829.44%1,21632.60%882.36%1032.76%00.00%90.24%3,730Ogemaw43025.10%58233.98%58634.21%724.20%432.51%00.00%-4-0.24%1,713Ontonagon39222.39%77944.49%42724.39%1317.48%221.26%00.00%-352-20.10%1,751Osceola1,13232.10%1,43240.60%80622.85%822.32%752.13%00.00%-300-8.51%3,527Oscoda7421.51%13138.08%13739.83%10.29%10.29%00.00%-6-1.75%344Otsego41539.45%36935.08%25023.76%60.57%121.14%00.00%464.37%1,052Ottawa2,62029.96%2,73131.23%2,99034.19%3003.43%1031.18%00.00%-259-2.96%8,744Presque Isle45823.40%82041.90%61531.43%562.86%80.41%00.00%-205-10.47%1,957Roscommon25141.28%14323.52%17829.28%264.28%91.48%10.16%7312.01%608Saginaw6,69137.11%5,61331.13%4,30923.90%1,2677.03%1510.84%00.00%1,0785.98%18,031Sanilac1,90526.57%2,73438.13%2,05128.60%2273.17%2543.54%00.00%-683-9.53%7,171Schoolcraft42322.60%65935.20%43923.45%24112.87%1105.88%00.00%-220-11.75%1,872Shiawassee2,54033.38%2,32430.54%2,34430.81%3054.01%831.09%130.17%1962.58%7,609St. Clair3,76235.22%2,96627.77%3,81435.71%560.52%830.78%00.00%-52-0.49%10,681St. Joseph2,71344.54%1,38822.79%1,93231.72%390.64%100.16%90.15%78112.82%6,091Tuscola1,76223.89%2,67436.25%2,75637.36%550.75%1291.75%00.00%-82-1.11%7,376Van Buren2,24830.98%2,39332.98%2,29431.61%2363.25%861.19%00.00%-99-1.37%7,257Washtenaw4,95946.70%2,70525.47%2,68325.27%1151.08%1371.29%200.19%2,25421.23%10,619Wayne33,28437.20%28,45231.80%23,72026.51%3,4543.86%5650.63%00.00%4,8325.40%89,475Wexford1,35234.85%1,05727.24%1,11628.76%2516.47%1042.68%00.00%2366.08%3,880Total194,01735.35%169,96330.96%155,37228.30%21,3983.90%7,8111.42%3590.07%24,0544.38%548,921

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alpena Barry Calhoun Cass Cheboygan Chippewa Clinton Crawford Emmet Genesee Grand Traverse Gratiot Iosco Isabella Kalkaska Kent Lenawee Mackinac Macomb Mason Mecosta Monroe Newaygo Oakland Oceana Otsego Roscommon Saginaw Shiawassee St. Joseph Wayne Wexford

Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive Alcona Alger Antrim Arenac Baraga Bay Delta Gogebic Huron Lake Marquette Menominee Midland Muskegon Ogemaw Oscoda Ottawa St. Clair Tuscola

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Progressive Jackson

Notes

References