# 1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940. Primary elections were held on September 17, 1940.
Incumbent Republican Governor Julius P. Heil defeated Progressive nominee Orland Steen Loomis and Democratic nominee Francis E. McGovern with 40.67% of the vote.

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Julius P. Heil, incumbent Governor

#### Eliminated in primary

* James K. Robinson, dentist, unsuccessful candidate for Progressive nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1936

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Julius P. Heil (incumbent) | 249,269 | 67.98% |
| | Republican | James K. Robinson | 117,385 | 32.02% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 366,654 | 100.00% |

## Progressive primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Orland S. Loomis, former Attorney General of Wisconsin

#### Eliminated in primary

* Paul Alfonsi, former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
* Henry Gunderson, former Lieutenant Governor
* Philip E. Nelson, incumbent State Senator
* Harold E. Stafford, attorney

#### Declined

* Merlin Hull, U.S. Representative

### Results

Progressive primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive | Orland Steen Loomis | 50,699 | 33.05% |
| | Progressive | Harold E. Stafford | 41,311 | 26.93% |
| | Progressive | Philip E. Nelson | 24,485 | 15.96% |
| | Progressive | Paul Alfonsi | 22,531 | 14.69% |
| | Progressive | Henry Gunderson | 14,372 | 9.37% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 153,398 | 100.00% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Francis E. McGovern, former Governor

#### Eliminated in primary

* William R. Callahan, Democratic nominee for Secretary of State of Wisconsin in 1938
* Raymond J. Cannon, former U.S. Representative
* Gerhard A. Hagedorn, electrical salesman

#### Withdrawn

* William B. Rubin

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Francis E. McGovern | 54,025 | 38.91% |
| | Democratic | William R. Callahan | 44,868 | 32.31% |
| | Democratic | Raymond J. Cannon | 30,560 | 22.01% |
| | Democratic | Gerhard A. Hagedorn | 9,407 | 6.77% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 138,860 | 100.00% |

## Other party nominations

* Fred Basset Blair, Communist, candidate for Governor in 1932
* Louis Fisher, Socialist Labor

## General election
### Results

1940 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Julius P. Heil (incumbent) | 558,678 | 40.67% | −14.72% |
| | Progressive | Orland S. Loomis | 546,436 | 39.78% | +3.77% |
| | Democratic | Francis E. McGovern | 264,985 | 19.29% | +11.30% |
| | Communist | Fred Basset Blair | 2,340 | 0.17% | |
| | Socialist Labor | Louis Fisher | 1,158 | 0.08% | −0.06% |
| | | Scattering | 157 | 0.01% | |
| Plurality | Plurality | Plurality | 12,242 | 0.89% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,373,754 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | -18.50% | |

### Results by county

Barron County, Buffalo County, Grant County, Monroe County, Sauk County, Trempealeau County, and Vernon County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1892, while Juneau County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1890.
| County | Julius P. Heil Republican | Julius P. Heil Republican | Orland S. Loomis Progressive | Orland S. Loomis Progressive | Francis E. McGovern Democratic | Francis E. McGovern Democratic | All Others Various | All Others Various | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 1,231 | 34.54% | 2,112 | 59.26% | 211 | 5.92% | 10 | 0.28% | -881 | -24.72% | 3,564 |
| Ashland | 3,120 | 34.46% | 4,340 | 47.93% | 1,537 | 16.98% | 57 | 0.63% | -1,220 | -13.47% | 9,054 |
| Barron | 5,422 | 39.47% | 7,216 | 52.53% | 1,071 | 7.80% | 29 | 0.21% | -1,794 | -13.06% | 13,738 |
| Bayfield | 2,198 | 31.51% | 3,833 | 54.95% | 906 | 12.99% | 38 | 0.54% | -1,635 | -23.44% | 6,975 |
| Brown | 13,536 | 40.08% | 8,910 | 26.38% | 11,305 | 33.47% | 25 | 0.07% | 2,231 | 6.61% | 33,776 |
| Buffalo | 2,803 | 44.65% | 3,077 | 49.01% | 393 | 6.26% | 5 | 0.08% | -274 | -4.36% | 6,278 |
| Burnett | 1,756 | 36.46% | 2,451 | 50.89% | 587 | 12.19% | 22 | 0.46% | -695 | -14.43% | 4,816 |
| Calumet | 4,156 | 54.94% | 2,051 | 27.12% | 1,350 | 17.85% | 7 | 0.09% | 2,105 | 27.83% | 7,564 |
| Chippewa | 6,979 | 44.88% | 6,889 | 44.31% | 1,659 | 10.67% | 22 | 0.14% | 90 | 0.58% | 15,549 |
| Clark | 6,977 | 49.93% | 5,735 | 41.04% | 1,203 | 8.61% | 59 | 0.42% | 1,242 | 8.89% | 13,974 |
| Columbia | 5,907 | 38.93% | 7,709 | 50.80% | 1,548 | 10.20% | 11 | 0.07% | -1,802 | -11.87% | 15,175 |
| Crawford | 3,712 | 46.64% | 2,431 | 30.55% | 1,813 | 22.78% | 2 | 0.03% | 1,281 | 16.10% | 7,958 |
| Dane | 15,863 | 25.14% | 42,136 | 66.78% | 5,012 | 7.94% | 84 | 0.13% | -26,273 | -41.64% | 63,095 |
| Dodge | 10,712 | 45.75% | 8,079 | 34.50% | 4,599 | 19.64% | 25 | 0.11% | 2,633 | 11.24% | 23,415 |
| Door | 4,384 | 55.66% | 2,596 | 32.96% | 853 | 10.83% | 43 | 0.55% | 1,788 | 22.70% | 7,876 |
| Douglas | 6,359 | 29.70% | 10,418 | 48.66% | 4,490 | 20.97% | 141 | 0.66% | -4,059 | -18.96% | 21,408 |
| Dunn | 5,047 | 45.35% | 5,185 | 46.59% | 882 | 7.93% | 14 | 0.13% | -138 | -1.24% | 11,128 |
| Eau Claire | 8,095 | 42.03% | 9,224 | 47.90% | 1,922 | 9.98% | 17 | 0.09% | -1,129 | -5.86% | 19,258 |
| Florence | 749 | 40.46% | 677 | 36.57% | 411 | 22.20% | 14 | 0.76% | 72 | 3.89% | 1,851 |
| Fond du Lac | 13,212 | 48.48% | 8,535 | 31.32% | 5,435 | 19.94% | 73 | 0.27% | 4,677 | 17.16% | 27,255 |
| Forest | 1,267 | 29.72% | 1,366 | 32.04% | 1,617 | 37.93% | 13 | 0.30% | -251 | -5.89% | 4,263 |
| Grant | 7,664 | 42.50% | 8,046 | 44.62% | 2,298 | 12.74% | 26 | 0.14% | -382 | -2.12% | 18,034 |
| Green | 4,786 | 47.37% | 4,264 | 42.20% | 1,044 | 10.33% | 10 | 0.10% | 522 | 5.17% | 10,104 |
| Green Lake | 4,071 | 56.86% | 1,591 | 22.22% | 1,487 | 20.77% | 11 | 0.15% | 2,480 | 34.64% | 7,160 |
| Iowa | 3,834 | 42.82% | 4,092 | 45.70% | 1,019 | 11.38% | 9 | 0.10% | -258 | -2.88% | 8,954 |
| Iron | 1,512 | 30.91% | 2,671 | 54.60% | 687 | 14.04% | 22 | 0.45% | -1,159 | -23.69% | 4,892 |
| Jackson | 2,675 | 35.92% | 4,294 | 57.66% | 474 | 6.36% | 4 | 0.05% | -1,619 | -21.74% | 7,447 |
| Jefferson | 8,105 | 46.00% | 5,576 | 31.65% | 3,923 | 22.26% | 16 | 0.09% | 2,529 | 14.35% | 17,620 |
| Juneau | 2,615 | 30.11% | 5,632 | 64.85% | 434 | 5.00% | 4 | 0.05% | -3,017 | -34.74% | 8,685 |
| Kenosha | 10,355 | 35.63% | 10,631 | 36.58% | 8,013 | 27.57% | 60 | 0.21% | -276 | -0.95% | 29,059 |
| Kewaunee | 3,331 | 48.95% | 1,560 | 22.92% | 1,886 | 27.71% | 28 | 0.41% | 1,445 | 21.23% | 6,805 |
| La Crosse | 11,504 | 43.95% | 10,277 | 39.26% | 4,375 | 16.72% | 18 | 0.07% | 1,227 | 4.69% | 26,174 |
| Lafayette | 4,065 | 44.29% | 3,330 | 36.28% | 1,778 | 19.37% | 5 | 0.05% | 735 | 8.01% | 9,178 |
| Langlade | 3,627 | 38.76% | 2,710 | 28.96% | 2,996 | 32.02% | 25 | 0.27% | 631 | 6.74% | 9,358 |
| Lincoln | 4,352 | 44.01% | 4,441 | 44.91% | 1,060 | 10.72% | 36 | 0.36% | -89 | -0.90% | 9,889 |
| Manitowoc | 10,266 | 40.11% | 9,832 | 38.41% | 5,477 | 21.40% | 22 | 0.09% | 434 | 1.70% | 25,597 |
| Marathon | 12,769 | 44.22% | 9,872 | 34.19% | 6,164 | 21.35% | 71 | 0.25% | 2,897 | 10.03% | 28,876 |
| Marinette | 7,433 | 49.91% | 2,921 | 19.61% | 4,508 | 30.27% | 32 | 0.21% | 2,925 | 19.64% | 14,894 |
| Marquette | 2,541 | 60.72% | 1,128 | 26.95% | 510 | 12.19% | 6 | 0.14% | 1,413 | 33.76% | 4,185 |
| Milwaukee | 115,732 | 33.35% | 147,826 | 42.59% | 82,036 | 23.64% | 1,462 | 0.42% | -32,094 | -9.25% | 347,056 |
| Monroe | 4,539 | 36.08% | 7,134 | 56.71% | 889 | 7.07% | 17 | 0.14% | -2,595 | -20.63% | 12,579 |
| Oconto | 5,104 | 45.48% | 2,739 | 24.41% | 3,364 | 29.98% | 15 | 0.13% | 1,740 | 15.51% | 11,222 |
| Oneida | 2,938 | 33.45% | 3,658 | 41.65% | 2,157 | 24.56% | 29 | 0.33% | -720 | -8.20% | 8,782 |
| Outagamie | 15,637 | 52.96% | 7,421 | 25.13% | 6,406 | 21.70% | 61 | 0.21% | 8,216 | 27.83% | 29,525 |
| Ozaukee | 3,641 | 43.33% | 2,908 | 34.61% | 1,838 | 21.88% | 15 | 0.18% | 733 | 8.72% | 8,402 |
| Pepin | 1,787 | 54.02% | 1,137 | 34.37% | 376 | 11.37% | 8 | 0.24% | 650 | 19.65% | 3,308 |
| Pierce | 4,355 | 46.64% | 4,160 | 44.55% | 811 | 8.69% | 11 | 0.12% | 195 | 2.09% | 9,337 |
| Polk | 4,044 | 37.29% | 5,805 | 53.53% | 975 | 8.99% | 21 | 0.19% | -1,761 | -16.24% | 10,845 |
| Portage | 4,736 | 30.84% | 5,445 | 35.46% | 5,161 | 33.61% | 13 | 0.08% | -709 | -4.62% | 15,355 |
| Price | 3,558 | 46.25% | 2,616 | 34.00% | 1,392 | 18.09% | 127 | 1.65% | 942 | 12.24% | 7,693 |
| Racine | 16,754 | 39.65% | 15,583 | 36.88% | 9,795 | 23.18% | 126 | 0.30% | 1,171 | 2.77% | 42,258 |
| Richland | 4,720 | 53.24% | 3,041 | 34.30% | 1,089 | 12.28% | 15 | 0.17% | 1,679 | 18.94% | 8,865 |
| Rock | 18,482 | 50.39% | 11,661 | 31.79% | 6,451 | 17.59% | 84 | 0.23% | 6,821 | 18.60% | 36,678 |
| Rusk | 3,221 | 46.89% | 2,333 | 33.96% | 1,288 | 18.75% | 27 | 0.39% | 888 | 12.93% | 6,869 |
| Sauk | 6,535 | 42.36% | 7,385 | 47.87% | 1,492 | 9.67% | 15 | 0.10% | -850 | -5.51% | 15,427 |
| Sawyer | 2,218 | 45.71% | 1,540 | 31.74% | 1,085 | 22.36% | 9 | 0.19% | 678 | 13.97% | 4,852 |
| Shawano | 6,745 | 49.92% | 4,757 | 35.21% | 1,987 | 14.71% | 22 | 0.16% | 1,988 | 14.71% | 13,511 |
| Sheboygan | 14,141 | 44.24% | 6,955 | 21.76% | 10,732 | 33.58% | 135 | 0.42% | 3,409 | 10.67% | 31,963 |
| St. Croix | 4,871 | 43.77% | 4,484 | 40.29% | 1,756 | 15.78% | 17 | 0.15% | 387 | 3.48% | 11,128 |
| Taylor | 3,068 | 41.03% | 2,712 | 36.27% | 1,668 | 22.31% | 30 | 0.40% | 356 | 4.76% | 7,478 |
| Trempealeau | 3,852 | 39.52% | 4,611 | 47.31% | 1,277 | 13.10% | 6 | 0.06% | -759 | -7.79% | 9,746 |
| Vernon | 5,352 | 44.15% | 5,833 | 48.12% | 926 | 7.64% | 12 | 0.10% | -481 | -3.97% | 12,123 |
| Vilas | 1,870 | 41.12% | 1,213 | 26.67% | 1,427 | 31.38% | 38 | 0.84% | 443 | 9.74% | 4,548 |
| Walworth | 10,980 | 64.88% | 3,245 | 19.18% | 2,688 | 15.88% | 10 | 0.06% | 7,735 | 45.71% | 16,923 |
| Washburn | 1,903 | 34.77% | 3,033 | 55.42% | 525 | 9.59% | 12 | 0.22% | -1,130 | -20.65% | 5,473 |
| Washington | 6,767 | 51.37% | 3,951 | 29.99% | 2,445 | 18.56% | 11 | 0.08% | 2,816 | 21.38% | 13,174 |
| Waukesha | 15,344 | 51.88% | 9,668 | 32.69% | 4,532 | 15.32% | 33 | 0.11% | 5,676 | 19.19% | 29,577 |
| Waupaca | 8,371 | 53.53% | 5,813 | 37.17% | 1,423 | 9.10% | 31 | 0.20% | 2,558 | 16.36% | 15,638 |
| Waushara | 4,179 | 63.44% | 1,759 | 26.70% | 628 | 9.53% | 21 | 0.32% | 2,420 | 36.74% | 6,587 |
| Winnebago | 17,013 | 49.67% | 9,751 | 28.47% | 7,413 | 21.64% | 73 | 0.21% | 7,262 | 21.20% | 34,250 |
| Wood | 7,231 | 40.85% | 8,421 | 47.57% | 2,016 | 11.39% | 33 | 0.19% | -1,190 | -6.72% | 17,701 |
| Total | 558,678 | 40.67% | 546,436 | 39.78% | 264,985 | 19.29% | 3,655 | 0.27% | 12,242 | 0.89% | 1,373,754 |

#### Counties that flipped from Progressive to Republican

* Florence
* Taylor

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive

* Barron
* Buffalo
* Columbia
* Dunn
* Eau Claire
* Grant
* Iowa
* Juneau
* Kenosha
* Lincoln
* Milwaukee
* Monroe
* Oneida
* Portage
* Sauk
* Trempealeau
* Vernon
* Wood

#### Counties that flipped from Progressive to Democratic

* Forest