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The 1972 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Governor of Washington Daniel J. Evans, who was first elected eight years earlier, and then re-elected in 1968, was eligible for re-election, as Washington does not have gubernatorial term limits.

On election day, Evans defeated former governor Albert D. Rosellini by a comfortable margin of 50.78%-42.82% in a rematch of the 1964 contest. Businessman Vick Gould, who ran with the Taxpayers Party, a third party of Gould's own creation, also received 6.80% of the vote.[1][2] Evans was the first governor of Washington to be elected to a third consecutive term.[a]

Primary election

A total of nine candidates filed for the blanket primary on September 19, 1972. Evans and Rosellini won their party's nominations, receiving 24.66% and 30.27% of the votes in the primary, respectively.

Candidates

Republican Party

Democratic Party

Results

Blanket primary results[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Albert D. Rosellini 276,121 30.27%
Republican Daniel J. Evans (incumbent) 224,953 24.66%
Democratic Martin J. Durkan 195,931 21.48%
Republican Perry B. Woodall 100,372 11.00%
Democratic James A. McDermott 99,155 10.87%
Democratic Earl Monaghan 5,201 0.57%
Democratic Rudolfo Valdez 4,440 0.49%
Republican John Patric 3,343 0.37%
Republican L. R. Kemoe 2,567 0.28%
Total votes 912,083 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1972 Washington gubernatorial election[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Daniel J. Evans (incumbent) 747,825 50.78% −3.93%
Democratic Albert D. Rosellini 630,613 42.82% −1.45%
Taxpayers Vick Gould 86,843 5.90%
Socialist Workers Robin David 4,552 0.31%
Socialist Labor Henry Killman 2,709 0.18% +0.10%
Majority 117,212 7.96%
Total votes 1,472,542 100.00%
Republican hold Swing -2.48%

Results by county

County[6] Daniel J. Evans
Republican
Albert D. Rosellini
Democratic
Vick Gould
Taxpayers
Robin David
Socialist Workers
Henry Killman
Socialist Labor
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Adams 2,583 57.17% 1,727 38.22% 204 4.52% 1 0.02% 3 0.07% 856 18.95% 4,518
Asotin 2,851 49.78% 2,750 48.02% 122 2.13% 2 0.03% 2 0.03% 101 1.76% 5,727
Benton 17,010 55.50% 12,540 40.91% 1,003 3.27% 68 0.22% 28 0.09% 4,470 14.58% 30,649
Chelan 9,145 52.66% 7,143 41.13% 1,015 5.84% 40 0.23% 23 0.13% 2,002 11.53% 17,366
Clallam 8,153 50.12% 7,196 44.23% 888 5.46% 18 0.11% 13 0.08% 957 5.88% 16,268
Clark 30,557 51.93% 24,733 42.03% 3,257 5.54% 209 0.36% 87 0.15% 5,824 9.90% 58,843
Columbia 1,094 52.29% 914 43.69% 81 3.87% 0 0.00% 3 0.14% 180 8.60% 2,092
Cowlitz 13,797 49.17% 13,468 48.00% 684 2.44% 54 0.19% 54 0.19% 329 1.17% 28,057
Douglas 3,578 48.23% 3,384 45.62% 451 6.08% 4 0.05% 1 0.01% 194 2.62% 7,418
Ferry 550 36.28% 777 51.25% 187 12.34% 1 0.07% 1 0.07% -227 -14.97% 1,516
Franklin 5,011 47.73% 5,121 48.78% 338 3.22% 14 0.13% 14 0.13% -110 -1.05% 10,498
Garfield 832 53.68% 685 44.19% 32 2.06% 1 0.06% 0 0.00% 147 9.48% 1,550
Grant 7,629 48.79% 7,156 45.77% 808 5.17% 23 0.15% 19 0.12% 473 3.03% 15,635
Grays Harbor 9,277 38.51% 13,303 55.22% 1,369 5.68% 48 0.20% 92 0.38% -4,026 -16.71% 24,089
Island 6,456 58.94% 4,006 36.57% 460 4.20% 19 0.17% 12 0.11% 2,450 22.37% 10,953
Jefferson 2,068 39.97% 2,717 52.51% 347 6.71% 23 0.44% 19 0.37% -649 -12.54% 5,174
King 292,616 55.41% 204,212 38.67% 27,876 5.28% 2,144 0.41% 1,272 0.24% 88,404 16.74% 528,120
Kitsap 19,720 42.70% 23,652 51.21% 2,612 5.66% 119 0.26% 80 0.17% -3,932 -8.51% 46,183
Kittitas 5,488 54.04% 4,241 41.76% 382 3.76% 38 0.37% 7 0.07% 1,247 12.28% 10,156
Klickitat 3,084 55.35% 2,267 40.69% 214 3.84% 4 0.07% 3 0.05% 817 14.66% 5,572
Lewis 8,339 40.11% 10,955 52.69% 1,460 7.02% 25 0.12% 11 0.05% -2,616 -12.58% 20,790
Lincoln 2,757 52.48% 2,137 40.68% 355 6.76% 1 0.02% 3 0.06% 620 11.80% 5,253
Mason 4,093 40.84% 5,386 53.75% 520 5.19% 12 0.12% 10 0.10% -1,293 -12.90% 10,021
Okanogan 4,197 40.22% 5,141 49.27% 1,070 10.25% 14 0.13% 13 0.12% -944 -9.05% 10,435
Pacific 2,674 37.32% 4,310 60.15% 161 2.25% 10 0.14% 10 0.14% -1,636 -22.83% 7,165
Pend Oreille 1,197 40.76% 1,540 52.43% 195 6.64% 3 0.10% 2 0.07% -343 -11.68% 2,937
Pierce 63,497 42.99% 75,723 51.27% 7,986 5.41% 274 0.19% 214 0.14% 12,226 8.28% 147,694
San Juan 1,828 66.79% 699 25.54% 181 6.61% 18 0.66% 11 0.40% 1,129 41.25% 2,737
Skagit 11,963 47.82% 11,977 47.88% 997 3.99% 56 0.22% 23 0.09% -14 -0.06% 25,016
Skamania 1,011 36.92% 1,154 42.15% 565 20.64% 5 0.18% 3 0.11% -143 -5.22% 2,738
Snohomish 50,877 47.88% 46,608 43.86% 8,255 7.77% 328 0.31% 194 0.18% 4,269 4.02% 106,262
Spokane 60,789 48.34% 50,706 40.33% 13,607 10.82% 422 0.34% 218 0.17% 10,083 8.02% 125,742
Stevens 3,232 40.99% 3,568 45.26% 1,060 13.44% 10 0.13% 14 0.18% -336 -4.26% 7,884
Thurston 18,673 47.71% 17,869 45.66% 2,429 6.21% 114 0.29% 53 0.14% 804 2.05% 39,138
Wahkiakum 793 46.67% 817 48.09% 78 4.59% 3 0.18% 8 0.47% -24 -1.41% 1,699
Walla Walla 10,042 54.54% 8,004 43.47% 337 1.83% 18 0.10% 11 0.06% 2,038 11.07% 18,412
Whatcom 22,776 59.47% 12,741 33.27% 2,388 6.24% 268 0.70% 124 0.32% 10,035 26.20% 38,297
Whitman 10,915 67.99% 4,428 27.58% 605 3.77% 83 0.52% 24 0.15% 6,487 40.40% 16,055
Yakima 26,673 49.50% 24,858 46.13% 2,264 4.20% 58 0.11% 30 0.06% 1,815 3.37% 53,883
Totals 747,825 50.78% 630,613 42.82% 86,843 5.90% 4,552 0.31% 2,709 0.18% 117,212 7.96% 1,472,542

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

  • Arthur B. Langlie – A former governor of Washington who made a successful comeback in 1940

Notes

  1. ^ Arthur B. Langlie had previously served three non-consecutive terms, having lost his first reelection bid in 1944.

References

  1. ^ "Candidacy Set". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Vol. 86, no. 106. Associated Press. January 22, 1972. p. 17. Retrieved April 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ LaFromboise, Richard (March 2, 1972). "Vick Gould For Governor?". The Daily Chronicle. Vol. 81, no. 52. Jack Britten. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Elections Search Results - September 1972 Primary". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Washington Secretary of State. "Governor". Abstract of Votes Primary Election Held on September 19, 1972. Olympia, Washington. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Election Search Results November 1972 General". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Washington Secretary of State. "Governor". Abstract of Votes Presidential and State General Election Held on November 7, 1972. Olympia, Washington. p. 18.
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