# 1940 South Dakota gubernatorial election

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The 1940 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940. Incumbent Republican Governor Harlan J. Bushfield sought re-election to a second term. After winning the Republican primary by a large margin, he faced Democrat Lewis W. Bicknell, former Day County State's Attorney, in the general election. Though Bushfield underperformed Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie, who won the state in a landslide, he nonetheless defeated Bicknell by a wide margin to easily win re-election.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Lewis W. Bicknell, former Day County State's Attorney, former chairman of the State Department of Public Welfare, 1932 Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate
* Almer O. Steensland, former state representative from Charles Mix County

### Results

Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lewis W. Bicknell | 31,790 | 60.80% |
| | Democratic | Almer O. Steensland | 20,500 | 39.20% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,290 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Harlan J. Bushfield, incumbent governor
* Adolph N. Graff, former mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, former state representative from Minnehaha County

### Results

Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Harlan J. Bushfield (inc.) | 84,992 | 78.43% |
| | Republican | Adolph N. Graff | 23,377 | 21.57% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 108,369 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

1940 South Dakota gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Harlan J. Bushfield (inc.) | 167,686 | 55.14% | +1.19% |
| | Democratic | Lewis W. Bicknell | 136,428 | 44.86% | −1.19% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31,258 | 10.28% | +2.38% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 304,114 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |