# 1972 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Pennsylvania :
Federal government
U.S. President
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1800
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1808
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1816
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1828
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2000
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U.S. Senate
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1791
1793 sp
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1795
1796
1797
1801
1801 sp
1802
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1809 sp
1812
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1905 sp
1908
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1911
1914
1916
1920
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1926
1928
1930 sp
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1950
1952
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
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1982
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1991 sp
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
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2024
2028
U.S. House of Representatives
1788
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5th sp
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Jun
Dec
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11th sp
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2nd sp
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9th sp
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23rd sp
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at-large sp
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1911
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28th sp
1918
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22nd sp
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at-large sp
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1st sp
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6th sp
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1934
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1946
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2nd sp
30th sp
1957
13th sp
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1960
17th sp
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1961
16th sp
1962
1963
15th sp
23rd sp
1964
5th sp
1966
1968
1970
9th sp
1971
18th sp
1972
27th sp
1974
12th sp
1976
1st sp
1978
1980
11th sp
12th sp
1981
3rd sp
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1991
2nd sp
1992
1994
1996
1998
1st sp
2000
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9th sp
2002
2004
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2008
2010
12th sp
2012
2014
2016
2nd sp
2018
7th sp
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2019
12th sp
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
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Lieutenant Governor
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1986
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2010
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2018
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Attorney General
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
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2008
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2016
2020
2024
Auditor General
2000
2004
2008
2012
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2020
2024
State Treasurer
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
State Senate
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
State House of Representatives
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
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2020
2022
2024 :
Elections by year
State elections
2000
2001
2002
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2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2014
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2019
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2024 :
Philadelphia
Mayoral elections
1839
1840
1841
1842
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1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
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2023
City Council elections
2015
2019
2022–23 sp.
2023
Other municipal elections
1951
1953
1955
1957
1959
1961
2023 :
Pittsburgh
Mayors
1909
1913
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1925
1929
1933
1937
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
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1965
1969
1973
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1985
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2005
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2021 :
Allentown
Mayors
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2019 sp
2021 :
Lancaster
Mayors
2009
2017
2021 :
Harrisburg
Mayors
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021 :
Government :
vte :
The 1972 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 7, 1972, and was part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Voters chose 27 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Pennsylvania strongly voted for the Republican nominee, President Richard Nixon, over the Democratic nominee, Senator George McGovern. Nixon won Pennsylvania by a large margin of 19.98%, winning every county except for Philadelphia. This result nonetheless was over 3% more Democratic than the nation at-large. As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last election in which Allegheny County voted Republican, as well as the last time when the Republican presidential nominee carried the state by double digits.

## Results

1972 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes |
| | Republican | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | 2,714,521 | 59.11% | 27 |
| | Democratic | George McGovern | 1,796,951 | 39.13% | 0 |
| | Constitution | John G. Schmitz | 70,593 | 1.54% | 0 |
| | Socialist Workers | Linda Jenness | 4,639 | 0.10% | 0 |
| | Write-ins | Write-ins | 2,715 | 0.06% | 0 |
| | Communist | Gus Hall | 2,686 | 0.06% | 0 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 4,592,106 | 100.0% | 27 |
| Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) | Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) | Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) | Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) | Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) | 56%/78% |

### Results by county

| County | Richard Nixon Republican | Richard Nixon Republican | George McGovern Democratic | George McGovern Democratic | John G. Schmitz Constitutional | John G. Schmitz Constitutional | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 13,593 | 70.19% | 5,529 | 28.55% | 227 | 1.17% | 16 | 0.08% | 8,064 | 41.64% | 19,365 |
| Allegheny | 371,737 | 55.60% | 282,496 | 42.26% | 12,491 | 1.87% | 1,811 | 0.27% | 89,241 | 13.34% | 668,535 |
| Armstrong | 17,557 | 61.61% | 10,490 | 36.81% | 412 | 1.45% | 39 | 0.14% | 7,067 | 24.80% | 28,498 |
| Beaver | 43,637 | 56.42% | 31,570 | 40.82% | 1,718 | 2.22% | 412 | 0.53% | 12,067 | 15.60% | 77,337 |
| Bedford | 11,243 | 73.30% | 3,836 | 25.01% | 227 | 1.48% | 32 | 0.21% | 7,407 | 48.29% | 15,338 |
| Berks | 66,172 | 62.35% | 36,563 | 34.45% | 3,130 | 2.95% | 262 | 0.25% | 29,609 | 27.90% | 106,127 |
| Blair | 33,126 | 75.10% | 10,023 | 22.72% | 913 | 2.07% | 48 | 0.11% | 23,103 | 52.38% | 44,110 |
| Bradford | 15,050 | 73.57% | 5,204 | 25.44% | 179 | 0.87% | 25 | 0.12% | 9,846 | 48.13% | 20,458 |
| Bucks | 99,684 | 62.28% | 56,784 | 35.48% | 3,245 | 2.03% | 346 | 0.22% | 42,900 | 26.80% | 160,059 |
| Butler | 29,665 | 65.09% | 14,695 | 32.24% | 1,075 | 2.36% | 139 | 0.30% | 14,970 | 32.85% | 45,574 |
| Cambria | 43,825 | 60.05% | 27,950 | 38.30% | 894 | 1.23% | 306 | 0.42% | 15,875 | 21.75% | 72,975 |
| Cameron | 1,935 | 68.45% | 828 | 29.29% | 48 | 1.70% | 16 | 0.57% | 1,107 | 39.16% | 2,827 |
| Carbon | 11,639 | 59.05% | 7,774 | 39.44% | 274 | 1.39% | 25 | 0.13% | 3,865 | 19.61% | 19,712 |
| Centre | 20,683 | 60.48% | 13,194 | 38.58% | 273 | 0.80% | 47 | 0.14% | 7,489 | 21.90% | 34,197 |
| Chester | 72,726 | 68.44% | 31,118 | 29.29% | 2,281 | 2.15% | 134 | 0.13% | 41,608 | 39.15% | 106,259 |
| Clarion | 10,073 | 67.96% | 4,509 | 30.42% | 193 | 1.30% | 46 | 0.31% | 5,564 | 37.54% | 14,821 |
| Clearfield | 16,780 | 63.54% | 9,246 | 35.01% | 299 | 1.13% | 84 | 0.32% | 7,534 | 28.53% | 26,409 |
| Clinton | 8,205 | 62.54% | 4,772 | 36.37% | 107 | 0.82% | 35 | 0.27% | 3,433 | 26.17% | 13,119 |
| Columbia | 14,187 | 63.59% | 7,222 | 32.37% | 857 | 3.84% | 43 | 0.19% | 6,965 | 31.22% | 22,309 |
| Crawford | 18,393 | 64.38% | 9,371 | 32.80% | 760 | 2.66% | 45 | 0.16% | 9,022 | 31.58% | 28,569 |
| Cumberland | 42,099 | 72.87% | 14,562 | 25.20% | 1,010 | 1.75% | 104 | 0.18% | 27,537 | 47.67% | 57,775 |
| Dauphin | 54,307 | 69.38% | 22,587 | 28.86% | 1,270 | 1.62% | 106 | 0.14% | 31,720 | 40.52% | 78,270 |
| Delaware | 175,414 | 63.91% | 94,144 | 34.30% | 4,502 | 1.64% | 391 | 0.14% | 81,270 | 29.61% | 274,451 |
| Elk | 7,900 | 61.20% | 4,710 | 36.49% | 245 | 1.90% | 53 | 0.41% | 3,190 | 24.71% | 12,908 |
| Erie | 61,542 | 58.22% | 42,022 | 39.75% | 1,986 | 1.88% | 163 | 0.15% | 19,520 | 18.47% | 105,713 |
| Fayette | 27,288 | 54.06% | 22,475 | 44.52% | 649 | 1.29% | 67 | 0.13% | 4,813 | 9.54% | 50,479 |
| Forest | 1,374 | 71.75% | 509 | 26.58% | 21 | 1.10% | 11 | 0.57% | 865 | 45.17% | 1,915 |
| Franklin | 24,093 | 70.01% | 9,456 | 27.48% | 808 | 2.35% | 58 | 0.17% | 14,637 | 42.53% | 34,415 |
| Fulton | 2,515 | 66.24% | 1,192 | 31.39% | 86 | 2.26% | 4 | 0.11% | 1,323 | 34.85% | 3,797 |
| Greene | 7,790 | 57.52% | 5,562 | 41.07% | 151 | 1.11% | 40 | 0.30% | 2,228 | 16.45% | 13,543 |
| Huntingdon | 9,606 | 72.68% | 3,394 | 25.68% | 203 | 1.54% | 13 | 0.10% | 6,212 | 47.00% | 13,216 |
| Indiana | 18,122 | 61.90% | 10,833 | 37.01% | 290 | 0.99% | 29 | 0.10% | 7,289 | 24.89% | 29,274 |
| Jefferson | 11,631 | 68.92% | 5,024 | 29.77% | 204 | 1.21% | 17 | 0.10% | 6,607 | 39.15% | 16,876 |
| Juniata | 4,412 | 66.32% | 2,156 | 32.41% | 61 | 0.92% | 24 | 0.36% | 2,256 | 33.91% | 6,653 |
| Lackawanna | 58,838 | 56.11% | 45,465 | 43.35% | 495 | 0.47% | 71 | 0.07% | 13,373 | 12.76% | 104,869 |
| Lancaster | 81,036 | 75.64% | 24,223 | 22.61% | 1,760 | 1.64% | 119 | 0.11% | 56,813 | 53.03% | 107,138 |
| Lawrence | 23,712 | 56.06% | 17,595 | 41.60% | 832 | 1.97% | 158 | 0.37% | 6,117 | 14.46% | 42,297 |
| Lebanon | 25,008 | 77.38% | 6,683 | 20.68% | 573 | 1.77% | 56 | 0.17% | 18,325 | 56.70% | 32,320 |
| Lehigh | 58,023 | 62.39% | 33,325 | 35.83% | 1,518 | 1.63% | 136 | 0.15% | 24,698 | 26.56% | 93,002 |
| Luzerne | 81,358 | 60.89% | 51,128 | 38.27% | 973 | 0.73% | 147 | 0.11% | 30,230 | 22.62% | 133,606 |
| Lycoming | 28,913 | 68.70% | 11,999 | 28.51% | 1,058 | 2.51% | 117 | 0.28% | 16,914 | 40.19% | 42,087 |
| McKean | 11,958 | 71.72% | 4,513 | 27.07% | 176 | 1.06% | 26 | 0.16% | 7,445 | 44.65% | 16,673 |
| Mercer | 27,961 | 59.37% | 18,087 | 38.40% | 985 | 2.09% | 67 | 0.14% | 9,874 | 20.97% | 47,100 |
| Mifflin | 9,989 | 72.10% | 3,667 | 26.47% | 169 | 1.22% | 30 | 0.22% | 6,322 | 45.63% | 13,855 |
| Monroe | 12,701 | 67.51% | 5,619 | 29.87% | 450 | 2.39% | 44 | 0.23% | 7,082 | 37.64% | 18,814 |
| Montgomery | 173,662 | 64.31% | 91,959 | 34.06% | 3,960 | 1.47% | 437 | 0.16% | 81,703 | 30.25% | 270,018 |
| Montour | 4,386 | 69.64% | 1,755 | 27.87% | 152 | 2.41% | 5 | 0.08% | 2,631 | 41.77% | 6,298 |
| Northampton | 41,822 | 56.30% | 32,335 | 43.53% | 93 | 0.13% | 31 | 0.04% | 9,487 | 12.77% | 74,281 |
| Northumberland | 25,912 | 64.16% | 13,885 | 34.38% | 541 | 1.34% | 47 | 0.12% | 12,027 | 29.78% | 40,385 |
| Perry | 8,082 | 73.31% | 2,731 | 24.77% | 197 | 1.79% | 15 | 0.14% | 5,351 | 48.54% | 11,025 |
| Philadelphia | 344,096 | 43.89% | 431,736 | 55.07% | 5,925 | 0.76% | 2,213 | 0.28% | -87,640 | -11.18% | 783,970 |
| Pike | 4,568 | 74.79% | 1,385 | 22.68% | 143 | 2.34% | 12 | 0.20% | 3,183 | 52.11% | 6,108 |
| Potter | 4,422 | 70.91% | 1,710 | 27.42% | 81 | 1.30% | 23 | 0.37% | 2,712 | 43.49% | 6,236 |
| Schuylkill | 44,071 | 61.56% | 26,077 | 36.42% | 1,261 | 1.76% | 186 | 0.26% | 17,994 | 25.14% | 71,595 |
| Snyder | 7,308 | 78.20% | 1,834 | 19.63% | 190 | 2.03% | 13 | 0.14% | 5,474 | 58.57% | 9,345 |
| Somerset | 19,739 | 68.44% | 8,743 | 30.31% | 303 | 1.05% | 56 | 0.19% | 10,996 | 38.13% | 28,841 |
| Sullivan | 1,886 | 67.17% | 885 | 31.52% | 32 | 1.14% | 5 | 0.18% | 1,001 | 35.65% | 2,808 |
| Susquehanna | 9,476 | 67.79% | 4,154 | 29.72% | 328 | 2.35% | 21 | 0.15% | 5,322 | 38.07% | 13,979 |
| Tioga | 10,028 | 72.05% | 3,733 | 26.82% | 142 | 1.02% | 15 | 0.11% | 6,295 | 45.23% | 13,918 |
| Union | 6,905 | 73.57% | 2,278 | 24.27% | 158 | 1.68% | 44 | 0.47% | 4,627 | 49.30% | 9,385 |
| Venango | 13,991 | 67.28% | 6,302 | 30.31% | 474 | 2.28% | 27 | 0.13% | 7,689 | 36.97% | 20,794 |
| Warren | 10,018 | 66.05% | 4,877 | 32.16% | 252 | 1.66% | 20 | 0.13% | 5,141 | 33.89% | 15,167 |
| Washington | 42,587 | 54.00% | 34,781 | 44.10% | 1,119 | 1.42% | 375 | 0.48% | 7,806 | 9.90% | 78,862 |
| Wayne | 8,948 | 74.51% | 2,733 | 22.76% | 311 | 2.59% | 17 | 0.14% | 6,215 | 51.75% | 12,009 |
| Westmoreland | 75,085 | 54.60% | 59,322 | 43.13% | 2,814 | 2.05% | 306 | 0.22% | 15,763 | 11.47% | 137,527 |
| Wyoming | 6,423 | 74.42% | 2,112 | 24.47% | 86 | 1.00% | 10 | 0.12% | 4,311 | 49.95% | 8,631 |
| York | 63,606 | 68.19% | 27,520 | 29.50% | 1,953 | 2.09% | 201 | 0.22% | 36,086 | 38.69% | 93,280 |
| Totals | 2,714,521 | 59.11% | 1,796,951 | 39.13% | 70,593 | 1.54% | 10,040 | 0.22% | 917,570 | 19.98% | 4,592,105 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Alleghany
* Beaver
* Cambria
* Carbon
* Elk
* Erie
* Fayette
* Greene
* Lackawanna
* Lawrence
* Luzerne
* Northampton
* Washington
* Westmoreland