# 1912 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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The 1912 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912. Primary elections were held on September 3, 1912.
Incumbent Republican Governor Francis E. McGovern defeated Democratic nominee John C. Karel and Socialist nominee Carl D. Thompson, with 45.54% of the vote. This was the closest gubernatorial election in Wisconsin during the Fourth Party System and one of only two decided by single digits during that era.
This was the tenth consecutive Republican victory in Wisconsin, breaking the previous record of nine consecutive wins that ran from 1855 through 1871. This streak would eventually reach 19 consecutive Republican wins before being broken in 1932.

## Primary election
### Republican party
#### Candidates

* Francis E. McGovern, incumbent Governor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Francis E. McGovern (incumbent) | 81,412 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 81,412 | 100.00% |

### Democratic party
#### Candidates

* John C. Karel, Milwaukee County Court judge
* Adolph J. Schmitz, lawyer, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1894, Democratic nominee for Governor in 1910

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John C. Karel | 48,455 | 57.29% |
| | Democratic | Adolph J. Schmitz | 36,117 | 42.71% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 84,572 | 100.00% |

### Socialist party
#### Candidates

* Carl D. Thompson, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

#### Results

Socialist primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Socialist | Carl D. Thompson | 12,726 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,726 | 100.00% |

### Prohibition party
#### Candidates

* Charles L. Hill, Prohibition nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1910

#### Results

Prohibition primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Prohibition | Charles L. Hill | 2,385 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,385 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

1912 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Francis E. McGovern (incumbent) | 179,360 | 45.54% | −5.04% |
| | Democratic | John C. Karel | 167,316 | 42.48% | +7.92% |
| | Social Democratic | Carl D. Thompson | 34,468 | 8.75% | −3.63% |
| | Prohibition | Charles L. Hill | 9,433 | 2.40% | +0.06% |
| | Socialist Labor | William H. Curtis | 3,253 | 0.83% | +0.69% |
| | | Scattering | 19 | 0.00% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,044 | 3.06% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 393,849 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | -12.96% | |

### Results by county

Karel was the first Democrat since George W. Peck in 1890 to carry Racine County. Additionally, Forest County, Portage County, Sheboygan County, and Waukesha County voted Democratic for the first time since 1892. After this election, Forest County, Marathon County, and Milwaukee County would not vote Democratic again until 1932.
Portage County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1873. Additionally, Waukesha County, Forest County, and Sheboygan County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1884, 1886, and 1888, respectively.
| County | Francis E. McGovern Republican | Francis E. McGovern Republican | John C. Karel Democratic | John C. Karel Democratic | Carl D. Thompson Social Democratic | Carl D. Thompson Social Democratic | Charles L. Hill Prohibition | Charles L. Hill Prohibition | William H. Curtis Socialist Labor | William H. Curtis Socialist Labor | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 991 | 70.43% | 326 | 23.17% | 53 | 3.77% | 34 | 2.42% | 3 | 0.21% | 665 | 47.26% | 1,407 |
| Ashland | 1,797 | 52.96% | 1,235 | 36.40% | 243 | 7.16% | 107 | 3.15% | 11 | 0.32% | 562 | 16.56% | 3,393 |
| Barron | 2,360 | 62.30% | 920 | 24.29% | 226 | 5.97% | 257 | 6.78% | 24 | 0.63% | 1,440 | 38.01% | 3,788 |
| Bayfield | 1,239 | 57.49% | 539 | 25.01% | 275 | 12.76% | 79 | 3.67% | 23 | 1.07% | 700 | 32.48% | 2,155 |
| Brown | 3,936 | 48.84% | 3,444 | 42.73% | 510 | 6.33% | 146 | 1.81% | 23 | 0.29% | 492 | 6.10% | 8,059 |
| Buffalo | 1,525 | 62.99% | 804 | 33.21% | 28 | 1.16% | 47 | 1.94% | 17 | 0.70% | 721 | 29.78% | 2,421 |
| Burnett | 983 | 68.17% | 214 | 14.84% | 158 | 10.96% | 54 | 3.74% | 33 | 2.29% | 768 | 53.33% | 1,442 |
| Calumet | 1,317 | 46.90% | 1,393 | 49.61% | 65 | 2.31% | 25 | 0.89% | 8 | 0.28% | -76 | -2.71% | 2,808 |
| Chippewa | 2,471 | 50.45% | 2,232 | 45.57% | 83 | 1.69% | 99 | 2.02% | 12 | 0.24% | 239 | 4.88% | 4,898 |
| Clark | 2,650 | 61.06% | 1,433 | 33.02% | 115 | 2.65% | 114 | 2.63% | 28 | 0.65% | 1,217 | 28.04% | 4,340 |
| Columbia | 3,045 | 53.60% | 2,395 | 42.16% | 98 | 1.73% | 132 | 2.32% | 11 | 0.19% | 650 | 11.44% | 5,681 |
| Crawford | 1,571 | 47.29% | 1,634 | 49.19% | 49 | 1.48% | 64 | 1.93% | 4 | 0.12% | -63 | -1.90% | 3,322 |
| Dane | 8,358 | 51.81% | 7,102 | 44.03% | 232 | 1.44% | 398 | 2.47% | 41 | 0.25% | 1,256 | 7.79% | 16,131 |
| Dodge | 2,697 | 31.42% | 5,656 | 65.89% | 98 | 1.14% | 129 | 1.50% | 4 | 0.05% | -2,959 | -34.47% | 8,584 |
| Door | 1,358 | 50.04% | 1,156 | 42.59% | 67 | 2.47% | 125 | 4.61% | 8 | 0.29% | 202 | 7.44% | 2,714 |
| Douglas | 2,450 | 47.31% | 1,584 | 30.59% | 935 | 18.05% | 148 | 2.86% | 62 | 1.20% | 866 | 16.72% | 5,179 |
| Dunn | 2,571 | 73.25% | 621 | 17.69% | 205 | 5.84% | 91 | 2.59% | 22 | 0.63% | 1,950 | 55.56% | 3,510 |
| Eau Claire | 2,947 | 61.40% | 1,497 | 31.19% | 228 | 4.75% | 108 | 2.25% | 17 | 0.35% | 1,450 | 30.21% | 4,800 |
| Florence | 386 | 69.42% | 146 | 26.26% | 12 | 2.16% | 11 | 1.98% | 1 | 0.18% | 240 | 43.17% | 556 |
| Fond du Lac | 3,955 | 42.11% | 4,824 | 51.37% | 289 | 3.08% | 314 | 3.34% | 9 | 0.10% | -869 | -9.25% | 9,391 |
| Forest | 569 | 42.49% | 693 | 51.76% | 45 | 3.36% | 29 | 2.17% | 3 | 0.22% | -124 | -9.26% | 1,339 |
| Grant | 3,868 | 50.35% | 3,496 | 45.51% | 93 | 1.21% | 214 | 2.79% | 11 | 0.14% | 372 | 4.84% | 7,682 |
| Green | 2,044 | 50.73% | 1,707 | 42.37% | 85 | 2.11% | 172 | 4.27% | 20 | 0.50% | 337 | 8.36% | 4,029 |
| Green Lake | 1,299 | 44.17% | 1,526 | 51.89% | 39 | 1.33% | 76 | 2.58% | 1 | 0.03% | -227 | -7.72% | 2,941 |
| Iowa | 2,343 | 51.55% | 2,009 | 44.20% | 32 | 0.70% | 160 | 3.52% | 1 | 0.02% | 334 | 7.35% | 4,545 |
| Iron | 628 | 52.38% | 450 | 37.53% | 65 | 5.42% | 31 | 2.59% | 25 | 2.09% | 178 | 14.85% | 1,199 |
| Jackson | 1,830 | 72.16% | 550 | 21.69% | 68 | 2.68% | 81 | 3.19% | 7 | 0.28% | 1,280 | 50.47% | 2,536 |
| Jefferson | 2,075 | 30.15% | 4,546 | 66.06% | 101 | 1.47% | 150 | 2.18% | 8 | 0.12% | -2,471 | -35.91% | 6,882 |
| Juneau | 1,675 | 54.33% | 1,179 | 38.24% | 153 | 4.96% | 62 | 2.01% | 14 | 0.45% | 496 | 16.09% | 3,083 |
| Kenosha | 2,650 | 43.82% | 2,722 | 45.01% | 462 | 7.64% | 175 | 2.89% | 38 | 0.63% | -72 | -1.19% | 6,047 |
| Kewaunee | 1,415 | 45.72% | 1,635 | 52.83% | 19 | 0.61% | 26 | 0.84% | 0 | 0.00% | -220 | -7.11% | 3,095 |
| La Crosse | 3,688 | 47.09% | 3,628 | 46.32% | 346 | 4.42% | 153 | 1.95% | 17 | 0.22% | 60 | 0.77% | 7,832 |
| Lafayette | 2,414 | 54.00% | 1,971 | 44.09% | 19 | 0.43% | 62 | 1.39% | 4 | 0.09% | 443 | 9.91% | 4,470 |
| Langlade | 1,341 | 46.40% | 1,446 | 50.03% | 54 | 1.87% | 45 | 1.56% | 4 | 0.14% | -105 | -3.63% | 2,890 |
| Lincoln | 1,661 | 50.17% | 1,421 | 42.92% | 188 | 5.68% | 29 | 0.88% | 12 | 0.36% | 240 | 7.25% | 3,311 |
| Manitowoc | 2,951 | 38.59% | 3,818 | 49.93% | 808 | 10.57% | 62 | 0.81% | 8 | 0.10% | -867 | -11.34% | 7,647 |
| Marathon | 3,865 | 43.17% | 4,374 | 48.86% | 505 | 5.64% | 176 | 1.97% | 32 | 0.36% | -509 | -5.69% | 8,952 |
| Marinette | 2,612 | 55.72% | 1,764 | 37.63% | 210 | 4.48% | 90 | 1.92% | 12 | 0.26% | 848 | 18.09% | 4,688 |
| Marquette | 1,161 | 54.03% | 925 | 43.04% | 15 | 0.70% | 44 | 2.05% | 4 | 0.19% | 236 | 10.98% | 2,149 |
| Milwaukee | 17,771 | 24.15% | 31,746 | 43.14% | 21,301 | 28.94% | 991 | 1.35% | 1,785 | 2.43% | -10,445 | -14.19% | 73,594 |
| Monroe | 2,441 | 52.68% | 1,869 | 40.33% | 117 | 2.52% | 185 | 3.99% | 22 | 0.47% | 572 | 12.34% | 4,634 |
| Oconto | 2,373 | 55.69% | 1,710 | 40.13% | 120 | 2.82% | 46 | 1.08% | 12 | 0.28% | 663 | 15.56% | 4,261 |
| Oneida | 1,107 | 55.13% | 700 | 34.86% | 169 | 8.42% | 22 | 1.10% | 10 | 0.50% | 407 | 20.27% | 2,008 |
| Outagamie | 4,076 | 49.10% | 3,831 | 46.15% | 179 | 2.16% | 157 | 1.89% | 59 | 0.71% | 245 | 2.95% | 8,302 |
| Ozaukee | 714 | 24.87% | 2,074 | 72.24% | 55 | 1.92% | 22 | 0.77% | 6 | 0.21% | -1,360 | -47.37% | 2,871 |
| Pepin | 748 | 59.70% | 453 | 36.15% | 21 | 1.68% | 27 | 2.15% | 4 | 0.32% | 295 | 23.54% | 1,253 |
| Pierce | 2,295 | 71.10% | 694 | 21.50% | 81 | 2.51% | 100 | 3.10% | 58 | 1.80% | 1,601 | 49.60% | 3,228 |
| Polk | 2,095 | 70.47% | 465 | 15.64% | 266 | 8.95% | 106 | 3.57% | 41 | 1.38% | 1,630 | 54.83% | 2,973 |
| Portage | 2,366 | 45.36% | 2,652 | 50.84% | 99 | 1.90% | 89 | 1.71% | 10 | 0.19% | -286 | -5.48% | 5,216 |
| Price | 1,225 | 53.68% | 682 | 29.89% | 273 | 11.96% | 67 | 2.94% | 35 | 1.53% | 543 | 23.79% | 2,282 |
| Racine | 3,725 | 43.05% | 3,918 | 45.28% | 550 | 6.36% | 328 | 3.79% | 120 | 1.39% | -193 | -2.23% | 8,652 |
| Richland | 1,930 | 50.43% | 1,444 | 37.73% | 107 | 2.80% | 331 | 8.65% | 15 | 0.39% | 486 | 12.70% | 3,827 |
| Rock | 4,717 | 49.14% | 4,263 | 44.41% | 227 | 2.36% | 319 | 3.32% | 74 | 0.77% | 454 | 4.73% | 9,600 |
| Rusk | 976 | 59.26% | 427 | 25.93% | 181 | 10.99% | 50 | 3.04% | 13 | 0.79% | 549 | 33.33% | 1,647 |
| Sauk | 2,774 | 50.61% | 2,348 | 42.84% | 58 | 1.06% | 290 | 5.29% | 11 | 0.20% | 426 | 7.77% | 5,481 |
| Sawyer | 485 | 56.07% | 354 | 40.92% | 10 | 1.16% | 15 | 1.73% | 1 | 0.12% | 131 | 15.14% | 865 |
| Shawano | 2,753 | 62.94% | 1,386 | 31.69% | 107 | 2.45% | 114 | 2.61% | 14 | 0.32% | 1,367 | 31.25% | 4,374 |
| Sheboygan | 4,197 | 43.61% | 4,227 | 43.92% | 1,047 | 10.88% | 138 | 1.43% | 16 | 0.17% | -30 | -0.31% | 9,625 |
| St. Croix | 2,442 | 54.98% | 1,720 | 38.72% | 152 | 3.42% | 121 | 2.72% | 7 | 0.16% | 722 | 16.25% | 4,442 |
| Taylor | 1,195 | 53.71% | 757 | 34.02% | 246 | 11.06% | 21 | 0.94% | 6 | 0.27% | 438 | 19.69% | 2,225 |
| Trempealeau | 2,474 | 64.82% | 1,206 | 31.60% | 39 | 1.02% | 93 | 2.44% | 5 | 0.13% | 1,268 | 33.22% | 3,817 |
| Vernon | 2,880 | 64.75% | 1,310 | 29.45% | 70 | 1.57% | 174 | 3.91% | 14 | 0.31% | 1,570 | 35.30% | 4,448 |
| Vilas | 416 | 47.22% | 383 | 43.47% | 61 | 6.92% | 12 | 1.36% | 9 | 1.02% | 33 | 3.75% | 881 |
| Walworth | 2,835 | 51.03% | 2,287 | 41.16% | 88 | 1.58% | 325 | 5.85% | 21 | 0.38% | 548 | 9.86% | 5,556 |
| Washburn | 821 | 53.49% | 476 | 31.01% | 193 | 12.57% | 40 | 2.61% | 5 | 0.33% | 345 | 22.48% | 1,535 |
| Washington | 1,803 | 38.39% | 2,735 | 58.24% | 138 | 2.94% | 20 | 0.43% | 0 | 0.00% | -932 | -19.85% | 4,696 |
| Waukesha | 3,235 | 44.64% | 3,521 | 48.59% | 183 | 2.53% | 295 | 4.07% | 13 | 0.18% | -286 | -3.95% | 7,247 |
| Waupaca | 3,741 | 68.12% | 1,339 | 24.38% | 141 | 2.57% | 199 | 3.62% | 72 | 1.31% | 2,402 | 43.74% | 5,492 |
| Waushara | 2,142 | 73.18% | 586 | 20.02% | 75 | 2.56% | 93 | 3.18% | 31 | 1.06% | 1,556 | 53.16% | 2,927 |
| Winnebago | 5,490 | 51.05% | 4,398 | 40.90% | 498 | 4.63% | 202 | 1.88% | 166 | 1.54% | 1,092 | 10.15% | 10,754 |
| Wood | 2,422 | 46.22% | 2,340 | 44.66% | 340 | 6.49% | 122 | 2.33% | 16 | 0.31% | 82 | 1.56% | 5,240 |
| Total | 179,360 | 45.54% | 167,316 | 42.48% | 34,468 | 8.75% | 9,433 | 2.40% | 3,253 | 0.83% | 12,044 | 3.06% | 393,849 |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Crawford
* Fond du Lac
* Forest
* Green Lake
* Langlade
* Portage
* Racine
* Sheboygan
* Waukesha

#### Counties that flipped from Social Democratic to Democratic

* Milwaukee