# 1968 United States presidential election in California

Elections in California :
Federal governmentU.S. President
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
Dem
Rep
2000
Dem
Rep
2004
Dem
Rep
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Dem
Rep
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1849
1850
1852 sp
1856
1857 sp
1860
1860 sp
1868
1872
1873
1873 sp
1878
1880
1885
1886 sp
1887
1891
1891 sp
1893
1895 sp
1897
1900 sp
1903
1905
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1946 sp
1950
1952
1954 sp
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1992 sp
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2022 sp
2024
2024 sp
2028
2030
U.S. House of Representatives
1849
1851
1852
1854
1856
1859
1861
1863
1864
1867
1868
1871
1872
1875
1876
1879
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
12th
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1987
5th sp
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2001
32nd sp
2002
2004
2005
5th sp
48th sp
2006
50th sp
2007
36th sp
2008
12th sp
2009
10th sp
32nd sp
2010
2011
36th sp
2012
2014
2016
2017
34th sp
2018
2020
25th sp
2022
22nd sp
2024
16th
20th sp
30th
45th
47th
2026 :
State governmentExecutive Governor
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1867
1871
1875
1879
1882
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2003 (recall)
2006
2010
2014
2018
2021 (recall)
2022
2026
Lieutenant governor
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Attorney general
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of state
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Treasurer
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Controller
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Insurance commissioner
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Superintendent
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Board of equalization
2018
2022
Legislature Senate
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special
Assembly
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2021 (79th sp)
2022 (17th sp)
2024
Special
Judiciary Court of appeals
1994
1998
2002
2006
Elections by year
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2012
Jun
Nov
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State propositions1910–1919
1911
4
7
8
1960–1969
1964
14
1970–1979
1978
6
8
13
1980–1989
1982
8
1986
64
65
1988
98
99
1990–1999
1994
187
1996
196
209
215
218
1998
6
10
227
2000–2009
2000
21
22
36
39
2003
53
54
2004
1A
55
56
57
58
59
60
60A
61
62
63
64
65
66
69
71
2005
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
2006
81
82
83
85
87
89
90
2008
91
92
93
94, 95, 96, and 97
98 and 99
1A
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2009
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
2010–2019
2010
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
2012
29
30
32
34
37
38
39
2014
1
2
41
42
45
46
47
48
2016
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
2018
68
69
70
71
72
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2020–2029
2020
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2022
1
26
27
28
29
30
31
2024
1
2
3
4
5
6
32
33
34
35
36
Full list :
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County Board of supervisors
1980
1996
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Ballot measures
1980
A
2008
R
2012
B
J
2016
M
Elections
2020
2022
2024
Los Angeles Mayor
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1909 (sp)
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1929
1933
1937
1938
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2022
2026
City attorney
2009
Ballot measures
1986
U
2017
S
Elections
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019 (sp)
2020
2022
2023 (sp)
2024
Long Beach Mayor
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Orange CountyOrange County Board of supervisors
2018
2020
2022
2024
District attorney
2018
Anaheim Mayor
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Irvine Mayor
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Costa Mesa Municipal
1947
1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
SacramentoMayor
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
San Diego CountySan Diego County Board of supervisors
2020
San Diego Mayor
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1927
1929
1931
1932
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (sp)
1984
1986 (sp)
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2005 (sp)
2008
2012
2013–14 (sp)
2016
2020
2024
2028
City attorney
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
City council
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special :
San FranciscoMayor
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (recall)
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2018 (sp)
2019
2024
District attorney
2019
2022 (recall)
2022 (sp)
2024
Board of supervisors
1977
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Board of education
2018
2022 (recall)
Ballot measures
2024
G
Elections
2004
Mar
Nov
2005
2006
Jun
Nov
2007
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2011
2012
Jun
Nov
2013
2022
Feb :
San JoseMayor
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024 :
Other localities
Bakersfield
Mayoral elections:
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Fresno
Mayoral elections:
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Oakland
Mayoral elections:
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024
2025
Riverside
Mayoral elections:
1997
2001
2005
2009
2012
2016
2020
2024
San Bernardino
Mayoral elections:
2005
2009
2014
2018
2022
Stockton
Mayoral elections:
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 1968 United States presidential election in California took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election. State voters chose 40 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
California narrowly voted for the Republican nominee, former Vice President Richard Nixon of New York, over the Democratic nominee, Vice President Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota. The American Independent Party candidate, former Alabama governor George Wallace, performed rather well in California despite being thousands of miles away from his base in the Deep South.
Although Nixon was born and raised in California, he had moved to New York, following his failed 1962 gubernatorial bid, and thus identified New York as his home state in this election. After he won the election, Nixon moved his residency back to California. Nixon had previously defeated John F. Kennedy in California in 1960, and would later win the state again against George McGovern in 1972. Had Humphrey come out victorious in California, Nixon would have earned only 261 electoral votes, and thus, the election would have been sent to the United States House of Representatives.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last time California had less electoral votes than New York, or that a Democrat had won Kings County.
Nixon also became the first-ever Republican to win the White House without carrying Alameda County, as well as the first to do so without carrying Santa Clara County since Ulysses Grant in 1868, and the first to do so without carrying Napa or San Mateo Counties since Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
Nixon's victory was the first of six consecutive Republican victories in the state, as California would not vote for a Democratic candidate again until Bill Clinton in 1992. Since then it has become a safe Democratic state. This is also the last election where California did not have the highest number of electoral votes.

## Campaign

During the 1968 California Democratic primary, Robert F. Kennedy won the primary "narrowly" but was assassinated after giving a victory speech.

## Polling

| Poll Source | Date Published | Richard Nixon Republican | Hubert Humphrey Democratic | George Wallace American Independent | Other/ Undecided |
| Mervin Field | October 28, 1968 | 50% | 34% | 8% | 8% |
| Don Muchmore | October 20, 1968 | 45% | 35% | 7% | 13% |
| Don Muchmore | October 6, 1968 | 44% | 33% | 7% | 16% |
| Mervin Field | September 29, 1968 | 51% | 28% | 11% | 10% |
| Mervin Field | September 23, 1968 | 47% | 30% | 8% | 15% |
| Don Muchmore | September 15, 1968 | 43% | 34% | 7% | 16% |

## Results
### Primary election results
#### Democratic primaries

The primary election was held on June 4, 1968 with Robert F. Kennedy winning. The "no preference" option was initially meant to be Lyndon B. Johnson's position on the ballot.
1968 California Democratic presidential primary results :
| Candidate | # votes |
| Robert F. Kennedy | 1,472,166 |
| Eugene McCarthy | 1,329,301 |
| No preference | 380,286 |
| Total | 3,181,753 |

#### Republican primaries

The primary election was held on June 4, 1968. Ronald Reagan was the only candidate in the primary and won the primary as he was the only candidate and got the most number of votes.
1968 California Republican presidential primary results :
| Candidate | # votes |
| Ronald Reagan | 1,525,091 |
| Total | 1,525,091 |

### General election results

1968 United States presidential election in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes |
| | Republican | Richard Nixon | 3,467,664 | 47.82% | 40 |
| | Democratic | Hubert Humphrey | 3,244,318 | 44.74% | 0 |
| | American Independent | George Wallace | 487,270 | 6.72% | 0 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Eldridge Cleaver | 27,707 | 0.38% | 0 |
| | No party | Eugene McCarthy (write-in) | 20,721 | 0.29% | 0 |
| | No party | Dick Gregory (write-in) | 3,230 | 0.04% | 0 |
| | No party | Henning A. Blomen (write-in) | 341 | 0.00% | 0 |
| | No party | Charlene Mitchell (write-in) | 260 | 0.00% | 0 |
| | No party | E. Harold Munn (write-in) | 59 | 0.00% | 0 |
| | No party | Write-ins | 17 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | | | — |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 7,251,587 | 100.00% | 40 |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | | | — |

#### Results by county

| County | Richard Nixon Republican | Richard Nixon Republican | Hubert Humphrey Democratic | Hubert Humphrey Democratic | George Wallace American Independent | George Wallace American Independent | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Alameda | 153,285 | 37.63% | 219,545 | 53.90% | 28,426 | 6.98% | 6,093 | 1.50% | -66,260 | -16.27% | 407,349 |
| Alpine | 150 | 59.29% | 83 | 32.81% | 20 | 7.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 67 | 26.48% | 253 |
| Amador | 2,269 | 42.10% | 2,440 | 45.27% | 660 | 12.24% | 21 | 0.39% | -171 | -3.17% | 5,390 |
| Butte | 22,225 | 56.68% | 12,887 | 32.87% | 3,891 | 9.92% | 208 | 0.53% | 9,338 | 23.81% | 39,211 |
| Calaveras | 3,042 | 52.16% | 2,134 | 36.59% | 643 | 11.03% | 13 | 0.22% | 908 | 15.57% | 5,832 |
| Colusa | 2,361 | 51.58% | 1,858 | 40.59% | 344 | 7.52% | 14 | 0.31% | 503 | 10.99% | 4,577 |
| Contra Costa | 97,486 | 44.53% | 101,668 | 46.44% | 18,330 | 8.37% | 1,433 | 0.65% | -4,182 | -1.91% | 218,917 |
| Del Norte | 2,387 | 46.19% | 2,236 | 43.27% | 495 | 9.58% | 50 | 0.97% | 151 | 2.92% | 5,168 |
| El Dorado | 7,468 | 49.00% | 6,054 | 39.72% | 1,676 | 11.00% | 43 | 0.28% | 1,414 | 9.28% | 15,241 |
| Fresno | 59,901 | 43.60% | 65,153 | 47.42% | 11,292 | 8.22% | 1,050 | 0.76% | -5,252 | -3.82% | 137,396 |
| Glenn | 3,848 | 53.91% | 2,466 | 34.55% | 808 | 11.32% | 16 | 0.22% | 1,382 | 19.36% | 7,138 |
| Humboldt | 16,719 | 46.17% | 16,476 | 45.50% | 2,759 | 7.62% | 260 | 0.72% | 243 | 0.67% | 36,214 |
| Imperial | 10,818 | 52.91% | 7,481 | 36.59% | 2,100 | 10.27% | 47 | 0.23% | 3,337 | 16.32% | 20,446 |
| Inyo | 3,641 | 54.45% | 2,314 | 34.60% | 714 | 10.68% | 18 | 0.27% | 1,327 | 19.85% | 6,687 |
| Kern | 53,990 | 46.61% | 49,284 | 42.55% | 12,309 | 10.63% | 249 | 0.21% | 4,706 | 4.06% | 115,832 |
| Kings | 7,796 | 43.07% | 8,643 | 47.75% | 1,640 | 9.06% | 22 | 0.12% | -847 | -4.68% | 18,101 |
| Lake | 4,464 | 49.00% | 3,777 | 41.46% | 838 | 9.20% | 32 | 0.35% | 687 | 7.54% | 9,111 |
| Lassen | 2,553 | 41.06% | 2,930 | 47.12% | 712 | 11.45% | 23 | 0.37% | -377 | -6.06% | 6,218 |
| Los Angeles | 1,266,480 | 47.65% | 1,223,251 | 46.02% | 151,050 | 5.68% | 17,201 | 0.65% | 43,229 | 1.63% | 2,657,982 |
| Madera | 6,229 | 43.55% | 6,932 | 48.47% | 1,120 | 7.83% | 22 | 0.15% | -703 | -4.92% | 14,303 |
| Marin | 41,422 | 50.05% | 36,278 | 43.84% | 3,801 | 4.59% | 1,254 | 1.52% | 5,144 | 6.21% | 82,755 |
| Mariposa | 1,496 | 49.92% | 1,187 | 39.61% | 302 | 10.08% | 12 | 0.40% | 309 | 10.31% | 2,997 |
| Mendocino | 8,305 | 46.39% | 7,935 | 44.32% | 1,554 | 8.68% | 110 | 0.61% | 370 | 2.07% | 17,904 |
| Merced | 11,595 | 40.90% | 14,453 | 50.98% | 2,248 | 7.93% | 53 | 0.19% | -2,858 | -10.08% | 28,349 |
| Modoc | 1,713 | 52.43% | 1,264 | 38.69% | 284 | 8.69% | 6 | 0.18% | 449 | 13.74% | 3,267 |
| Mono | 1,130 | 64.28% | 465 | 26.45% | 156 | 8.87% | 7 | 0.40% | 665 | 37.83% | 1,758 |
| Monterey | 33,670 | 50.16% | 28,261 | 42.10% | 4,800 | 7.15% | 393 | 0.59% | 5,409 | 8.06% | 67,124 |
| Napa | 14,270 | 43.76% | 14,762 | 45.27% | 3,476 | 10.66% | 104 | 0.32% | -492 | -1.51% | 32,612 |
| Nevada | 6,061 | 51.39% | 4,607 | 39.06% | 1,078 | 9.14% | 48 | 0.41% | 1,454 | 12.33% | 11,794 |
| Orange | 314,905 | 63.14% | 148,869 | 29.85% | 33,034 | 6.62% | 1,899 | 0.38% | 166,036 | 33.29% | 498,707 |
| Placer | 12,427 | 42.64% | 14,050 | 48.21% | 2,574 | 8.83% | 93 | 0.32% | -1,623 | -5.57% | 29,144 |
| Plumas | 2,097 | 37.37% | 2,961 | 52.77% | 529 | 9.43% | 24 | 0.43% | -864 | -15.40% | 5,611 |
| Riverside | 83,414 | 52.90% | 61,146 | 38.78% | 12,432 | 7.88% | 678 | 0.43% | 22,268 | 14.12% | 157,670 |
| Sacramento | 97,177 | 41.66% | 118,769 | 50.92% | 16,269 | 6.98% | 1,031 | 0.44% | -21,592 | -9.26% | 233,246 |
| San Benito | 2,961 | 47.54% | 2,809 | 45.10% | 447 | 7.18% | 12 | 0.19% | 152 | 2.44% | 6,229 |
| San Bernardino | 111,974 | 50.07% | 89,418 | 39.99% | 21,187 | 9.47% | 1,037 | 0.46% | 22,556 | 10.08% | 223,616 |
| San Diego | 261,540 | 56.26% | 167,669 | 36.07% | 33,340 | 7.17% | 2,314 | 0.50% | 93,871 | 20.19% | 464,863 |
| San Francisco | 100,970 | 33.66% | 177,509 | 59.18% | 17,332 | 5.78% | 4,136 | 1.38% | -76,539 | -25.52% | 299,947 |
| San Joaquin | 47,293 | 47.97% | 42,073 | 42.68% | 8,923 | 9.05% | 300 | 0.30% | 5,220 | 5.29% | 98,589 |
| San Luis Obispo | 19,420 | 51.27% | 15,828 | 41.78% | 2,416 | 6.38% | 217 | 0.57% | 3,592 | 9.49% | 37,881 |
| San Mateo | 98,654 | 43.72% | 106,519 | 47.20% | 14,720 | 6.52% | 5,775 | 2.56% | -7,865 | -3.48% | 225,668 |
| Santa Barbara | 50,068 | 53.59% | 37,565 | 40.21% | 5,083 | 5.44% | 704 | 0.75% | 12,503 | 13.38% | 93,420 |
| Santa Clara | 163,446 | 45.61% | 173,511 | 48.42% | 18,754 | 5.23% | 2,656 | 0.74% | -10,065 | -2.81% | 358,367 |
| Santa Cruz | 25,365 | 50.79% | 20,492 | 41.03% | 3,465 | 6.94% | 622 | 1.25% | 4,873 | 9.76% | 49,944 |
| Shasta | 11,821 | 40.44% | 14,510 | 49.64% | 2,815 | 9.63% | 84 | 0.29% | -2,689 | -9.20% | 29,230 |
| Sierra | 548 | 45.93% | 559 | 46.86% | 85 | 7.12% | 1 | 0.08% | -11 | -0.93% | 1,193 |
| Siskiyou | 6,334 | 46.13% | 6,260 | 45.59% | 1,088 | 7.92% | 50 | 0.36% | 74 | 0.54% | 13,732 |
| Solano | 17,683 | 34.71% | 27,271 | 53.52% | 5,810 | 11.40% | 188 | 0.37% | -9,588 | -18.81% | 50,952 |
| Sonoma | 38,088 | 48.79% | 33,587 | 43.03% | 5,875 | 7.53% | 509 | 0.65% | 4,501 | 5.76% | 78,059 |
| Stanislaus | 29,573 | 45.45% | 31,316 | 48.13% | 3,973 | 6.11% | 201 | 0.31% | -1,743 | -2.68% | 65,063 |
| Sutter | 8,665 | 59.57% | 4,624 | 31.79% | 1,228 | 8.44% | 28 | 0.19% | 4,041 | 27.78% | 14,545 |
| Tehama | 5,198 | 47.26% | 4,565 | 41.50% | 1,216 | 11.06% | 20 | 0.18% | 633 | 5.76% | 10,999 |
| Trinity | 1,426 | 43.12% | 1,433 | 43.33% | 432 | 13.06% | 16 | 0.48% | -7 | -0.21% | 3,307 |
| Tulare | 29,314 | 52.17% | 22,180 | 39.47% | 4,580 | 8.15% | 115 | 0.20% | 7,134 | 12.70% | 56,189 |
| Tuolumne | 4,330 | 47.48% | 3,913 | 42.91% | 865 | 9.49% | 11 | 0.12% | 417 | 4.57% | 9,119 |
| Ventura | 59,705 | 51.35% | 47,794 | 41.11% | 8,234 | 7.08% | 528 | 0.45% | 11,911 | 10.24% | 116,261 |
| Yolo | 11,123 | 38.41% | 15,833 | 54.67% | 1,742 | 6.02% | 262 | 0.90% | -4,710 | -16.26% | 28,960 |
| Yuba | 5,371 | 48.17% | 4,461 | 40.01% | 1,296 | 11.62% | 22 | 0.20% | 910 | 8.16% | 11,150 |
| Total | 3,467,664 | 47.82% | 3,244,318 | 44.74% | 487,270 | 6.72% | 52,335 | 0.72% | 223,346 | 3.08% | 7,251,587 |

##### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Butte
* Inyo
* Glenn
* Imperial
* Calaveras
* Riverside
* Modoc
* Santa Barbara
* Tulare
* Nevada
* Colusa
* Mariposa
* Ventura
* San Bernardino
* Santa Cruz
* San Luis Obispo
* Yuba
* Monterey
* El Dorado
* Lake
* Tehama
* Marin
* Sonoma
* San Joaquin
* Tuolumne
* Kern
* Del Norte
* San Benito
* Mendocino
* Siskiyou
* Humboldt
* Los Angeles