# 1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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The 1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970. Democrat Patrick J. Lucey won the election with 54.23% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent lieutenant governor, Republican Jack B. Olson. Roman R. Blenski unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination. As of 2024, this is the last time the Democratic gubernatorial candidate carried Oconto County.
This was the first gubernatorial election in Wisconsin where the governor was elected to a four year term on the same ticket as the Lieutenant Governor.

## Primary election

The primary election was held on September 8, 1970. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

### Republican party
#### Governor
##### Candidates

* Roman Richard Blenski, former member of Wisconsin Senate (1949-1955) and Wisconsin State Assembly (1945-1947)
* Jack B. Olson, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin

##### Results

Republican gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jack B. Olson | 203,434 | 91.43% |
| | Republican | Roman Richard Blenski | 19,061 | 8.57% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 222,495 | 100.00% |

#### Lieutenant Governor
##### Candidates

* David O. Martin, member of Wisconsin State Assembly

##### Results

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | David O. Martin | 192,005 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 192,005 | 100.00% |

### Democratic party
#### Governor
##### Candidates

* Edward Ihlenfeldt
* Patrick J. Lucey, former Lieutenant Governor and nominee for governor in 1966
* Donald O. Peterson

##### Results

Democratic gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey | 177,584 | 60.66% |
| | Democratic | Donald O. Peterson | 105,849 | 36.16% |
| | Democratic | Edward Ihlenfeldt | 9,312 | 3.18% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 292,745 | 100.00% |

#### Lieutenant Governor
##### Candidates

* Harry Halloway
* Frank Nikolay, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
* John F. O'Malley
* Martin J. Schreiber, member of Wisconsin State Senate
* Jay G. Sykes

##### Results

Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Martin J. Schreiber | 128,038 | 47.22% |
| | Democratic | Frank Nikolay | 54,374 | 20.05% |
| | Democratic | John F. O'Malley | 36,544 | 13.48% |
| | Democratic | Jay G. Sykes | 35,984 | 13.27% |
| | Democratic | Harry Halloway | 16,191 | 5.97% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 271,131 | 100.00% |

### American party
#### Governor
##### Candidates

* Leo James McDonald

##### Results

American gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | American | Leo James McDonald | 2,729 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,729 | 100.00% |

#### Lieutenant Governor
##### Candidates

* Theodore G. Kothe

##### Results

American lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | American | Theodore G. Kothe | 2,512 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,512 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* Patrick J. Lucey & Martin J. Schreiber, Democrat
* Jack B. Olson & David O. Martin, Republican
* Leo James McDonald & Theodore Kothe, American
* Georgia Cozzini & Denis Kitchen, Independent
* Samuel K. Hunt & Peter J. Kohlenberg, Independent
* Myrtle Kastner & Russell Chabot, Independent

### Results

1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey | 728,403 | 54.23% | +7.41% |
| | Republican | Jack B. Olson | 602,617 | 44.87% | −8.01% |
| | American | Leo James McDonald | 9,035 | 0.67% | |
| | Independent | Georgia Cozzini | 1,287 | 0.10% | |
| | Independent | Samuel K. Hunt | 888 | 0.07% | |
| | Independent | Myrtle Kastner | 628 | 0.05% | |
| | | Scattering | 302 | 0.02% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 125,786 | 9.36% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,343,160 | 100.00% | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | +15.42% | |

### Results by county

Lucey was the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1855 to win Dunn County.
| County | Patrick J. Lucey Democratic | Patrick J. Lucey Democratic | Jack B. Olson Republican | Jack B. Olson Republican | All Others Various | All Others Various | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 1,560 | 53.12% | 1,358 | 46.24% | 19 | 0.65% | 202 | 6.88% | 2,937 |
| Ashland | 3,541 | 66.72% | 1,708 | 32.18% | 58 | 1.09% | 1,833 | 34.54% | 5,307 |
| Barron | 5,052 | 49.83% | 5,045 | 49.76% | 42 | 0.41% | 7 | 0.07% | 10,139 |
| Bayfield | 2,977 | 64.38% | 1,623 | 35.10% | 24 | 0.52% | 1,354 | 29.28% | 4,624 |
| Brown | 23,869 | 52.00% | 21,395 | 46.61% | 636 | 1.39% | 2,474 | 5.39% | 45,900 |
| Buffalo | 1,890 | 52.66% | 1,693 | 47.17% | 6 | 0.17% | 197 | 5.49% | 3,589 |
| Burnett | 1,999 | 58.42% | 1,413 | 41.29% | 10 | 0.29% | 586 | 17.12% | 3,422 |
| Calumet | 4,295 | 50.49% | 4,174 | 49.07% | 37 | 0.43% | 121 | 1.42% | 8,506 |
| Chippewa | 7,523 | 60.37% | 4,863 | 39.03% | 75 | 0.60% | 2,660 | 21.35% | 12,461 |
| Clark | 5,017 | 53.17% | 4,345 | 46.05% | 73 | 0.77% | 672 | 7.12% | 9,435 |
| Columbia | 5,592 | 42.26% | 7,542 | 57.00% | 98 | 0.74% | -1,950 | -14.74% | 13,232 |
| Crawford | 2,298 | 43.43% | 2,517 | 47.57% | 476 | 9.00% | -219 | -4.14% | 5,291 |
| Dane | 49,868 | 55.89% | 38,078 | 42.68% | 1,272 | 1.43% | 11,790 | 13.21% | 89,218 |
| Dodge | 9,510 | 46.81% | 10,683 | 52.58% | 124 | 0.61% | -1,173 | -5.77% | 20,317 |
| Door | 3,014 | 41.88% | 4,153 | 57.70% | 30 | 0.42% | -1,139 | -15.83% | 7,197 |
| Douglas | 10,608 | 70.92% | 4,255 | 28.45% | 94 | 0.63% | 6,353 | 42.48% | 14,957 |
| Dunn | 3,963 | 51.03% | 3,770 | 48.54% | 33 | 0.42% | 193 | 2.49% | 7,766 |
| Eau Claire | 11,252 | 55.85% | 8,787 | 43.61% | 109 | 0.54% | 2,465 | 12.23% | 20,148 |
| Florence | 696 | 49.89% | 695 | 49.82% | 4 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.07% | 1,395 |
| Fond du Lac | 12,434 | 48.68% | 12,872 | 50.39% | 237 | 0.93% | -438 | -1.71% | 25,543 |
| Forest | 1,724 | 62.04% | 1,043 | 37.53% | 12 | 0.43% | 681 | 24.51% | 2,779 |
| Grant | 4,621 | 39.58% | 6,846 | 58.64% | 207 | 1.77% | -2,225 | -19.06% | 11,674 |
| Green | 2,894 | 37.59% | 4,772 | 61.99% | 32 | 0.42% | -1,878 | -24.40% | 7,698 |
| Green Lake | 2,343 | 40.06% | 3,461 | 59.18% | 44 | 0.75% | -1,118 | -19.12% | 5,848 |
| Iowa | 2,403 | 43.05% | 3,141 | 56.27% | 38 | 0.68% | -738 | -13.22% | 5,582 |
| Iron | 1,741 | 67.35% | 832 | 32.19% | 12 | 0.46% | 909 | 35.16% | 2,585 |
| Jackson | 2,592 | 54.88% | 2,117 | 44.82% | 14 | 0.30% | 475 | 10.06% | 4,723 |
| Jefferson | 9,034 | 47.08% | 10,047 | 52.36% | 108 | 0.56% | -1,013 | -5.28% | 19,189 |
| Juneau | 2,483 | 46.42% | 2,825 | 52.81% | 41 | 0.77% | -342 | -6.39% | 5,349 |
| Kenosha | 22,136 | 64.53% | 11,944 | 34.82% | 223 | 0.65% | 10,192 | 29.71% | 34,303 |
| Kewaunee | 3,100 | 52.38% | 2,795 | 47.23% | 23 | 0.39% | 305 | 5.15% | 5,918 |
| La Crosse | 11,639 | 46.04% | 13,335 | 52.75% | 305 | 1.21% | -1,696 | -6.71% | 25,279 |
| Lafayette | 2,414 | 42.39% | 3,255 | 57.16% | 26 | 0.46% | -841 | -14.77% | 5,695 |
| Langlade | 3,110 | 55.26% | 2,488 | 44.21% | 30 | 0.53% | 622 | 11.05% | 5,628 |
| Lincoln | 3,860 | 50.90% | 3,667 | 48.36% | 56 | 0.74% | 193 | 2.55% | 7,583 |
| Manitowoc | 15,975 | 59.24% | 10,577 | 39.22% | 414 | 1.54% | 5,398 | 20.02% | 26,966 |
| Marathon | 17,665 | 55.30% | 13,903 | 43.52% | 376 | 1.18% | 3,762 | 11.78% | 31,944 |
| Marinette | 6,358 | 51.66% | 5,871 | 47.70% | 78 | 0.63% | 487 | 3.96% | 12,307 |
| Marquette | 1,203 | 40.67% | 1,735 | 58.65% | 20 | 0.68% | -532 | -17.99% | 2,958 |
| Menominee | 485 | 73.48% | 169 | 25.61% | 6 | 0.91% | 316 | 47.88% | 660 |
| Milwaukee | 196,941 | 63.55% | 110,436 | 35.64% | 2,518 | 0.81% | 86,505 | 27.91% | 309,895 |
| Monroe | 3,694 | 45.31% | 4,403 | 54.01% | 55 | 0.67% | -709 | -8.70% | 8,152 |
| Oconto | 4,321 | 50.99% | 4,101 | 48.39% | 53 | 0.63% | 220 | 2.60% | 8,475 |
| Oneida | 4,401 | 50.69% | 4,224 | 48.65% | 58 | 0.67% | 177 | 2.04% | 8,683 |
| Outagamie | 15,855 | 47.37% | 17,318 | 51.74% | 295 | 0.88% | -1,463 | -4.37% | 33,468 |
| Ozaukee | 6,830 | 39.78% | 10,184 | 59.31% | 156 | 0.91% | -3,354 | -19.53% | 17,170 |
| Pepin | 1,126 | 54.66% | 924 | 44.85% | 10 | 0.49% | 202 | 9.81% | 2,060 |
| Pierce | 3,769 | 52.91% | 3,344 | 46.95% | 10 | 0.14% | 425 | 5.97% | 7,123 |
| Polk | 4,616 | 52.33% | 4,180 | 47.39% | 25 | 0.28% | 436 | 4.94% | 8,821 |
| Portage | 9,580 | 66.02% | 4,797 | 33.06% | 134 | 0.92% | 4,783 | 32.96% | 14,511 |
| Price | 3,137 | 55.38% | 2,500 | 44.14% | 27 | 0.48% | 637 | 11.25% | 5,664 |
| Racine | 30,086 | 57.79% | 21,573 | 41.44% | 399 | 0.77% | 8,513 | 16.35% | 52,058 |
| Richland | 2,368 | 39.80% | 3,444 | 57.88% | 138 | 2.32% | -1,076 | -18.08% | 5,950 |
| Rock | 20,358 | 51.77% | 18,689 | 47.53% | 275 | 0.70% | 1,669 | 4.24% | 39,322 |
| Rusk | 2,540 | 57.87% | 1,819 | 41.44% | 30 | 0.68% | 721 | 16.43% | 4,389 |
| Sauk | 5,601 | 43.85% | 7,036 | 55.09% | 135 | 1.06% | -1,435 | -11.24% | 12,772 |
| Sawyer | 1,703 | 49.52% | 1,716 | 49.90% | 20 | 0.58% | -13 | -0.38% | 3,439 |
| Shawano | 4,696 | 43.59% | 6,027 | 55.95% | 49 | 0.45% | -1,331 | -12.36% | 10,772 |
| Sheboygan | 17,697 | 51.87% | 16,077 | 47.12% | 344 | 1.01% | 1,620 | 4.75% | 34,118 |
| St. Croix | 5,045 | 52.56% | 4,534 | 47.24% | 19 | 0.20% | 511 | 5.32% | 9,598 |
| Taylor | 2,019 | 50.83% | 1,896 | 47.73% | 57 | 1.44% | 123 | 3.10% | 3,972 |
| Trempealeau | 4,038 | 55.13% | 3,266 | 44.59% | 20 | 0.27% | 772 | 10.54% | 7,324 |
| Vernon | 3,688 | 45.87% | 4,251 | 52.87% | 101 | 1.26% | -563 | -7.00% | 8,040 |
| Vilas | 2,185 | 43.62% | 2,795 | 55.80% | 29 | 0.58% | -610 | -12.18% | 5,009 |
| Walworth | 7,789 | 41.52% | 10,903 | 58.12% | 66 | 0.35% | -3,114 | -16.60% | 18,758 |
| Washburn | 2,319 | 54.78% | 1,896 | 44.79% | 18 | 0.43% | 423 | 9.99% | 4,233 |
| Washington | 9,686 | 49.78% | 9,636 | 49.53% | 134 | 0.69% | 50 | 0.26% | 19,456 |
| Waukesha | 32,969 | 46.77% | 36,828 | 52.25% | 689 | 0.98% | -3,859 | -5.47% | 70,486 |
| Waupaca | 4,302 | 38.84% | 6,726 | 60.73% | 47 | 0.42% | -2,424 | -21.89% | 11,075 |
| Waushara | 1,824 | 38.14% | 2,933 | 61.32% | 26 | 0.54% | -1,109 | -23.19% | 4,783 |
| Winnebago | 17,507 | 46.89% | 19,286 | 51.66% | 540 | 1.45% | -1,779 | -4.77% | 37,333 |
| Wood | 10,975 | 54.33% | 9,083 | 44.97% | 141 | 0.70% | 1,892 | 9.37% | 20,199 |
| Total | 728,403 | 54.23% | 602,617 | 44.87% | 12,140 | 0.90% | 125,786 | 9.36% | 1,343,160 |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Barron
* Brown
* Buffalo
* Burnett
* Calumet
* Dane
* Dunn
* Eau Claire
* Florence
* Jackson
* Kewaunee
* Marinette
* Oconto
* Oneida
* Pepin
* Pierce
* Polk
* Price
* Racine
* Rock
* Sheboygan
* St. Croix
* Trempealeau
* Washburn
* Washington