# 1978 Michigan gubernatorial election

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
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vte :
The 1978 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican William Milliken was elected to a third term as Michigan Governor.
As of 2023, this remains the last election in which the Republican candidate for Governor carried Wayne County.
The primary elections occurred on August 8, 1978. Milliken was unopposed, while Fitzgerald defeated a four-man field including law professor and perennial candidate Zolton Ferency.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* William Milliken, incumbent Governor

### Results

Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William Milliken (incumbent) | 393,010 | 99.98 |
| | Republican | Write-ins | 89 | 0.02 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 393,099 | 100.00 |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Zolton Ferency, Michigan State University law professor and 1966 nominee for Governor
* William B. Fitzgerald Jr., State Senator from Detroit and former Senate Majority Leader
* Patrick McCollough
* William Ralls

### Results

Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William B. Fitzgerald Jr. | 240,641 | 39.79% |
| | Democratic | Zolton Ferency | 151,062 | 24.98% |
| | Democratic | Patrick McCollough | 108,742 | 17.98% |
| | Democratic | William Ralls | 104,364 | 17.25% |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 52 | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 604,861 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Results

Michigan gubernatorial election, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William Milliken (incumbent) | 1,628,485 | 56.80 |
| | Democratic | William B. Fitzgerald Jr. | 1,237,256 | 43.15 |
| | Write-ins | | 1,471 | 0.05 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,867,212 | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |