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1972 United States presidential election in Michigan

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Main article: 1972 United States presidential election
1972 United States presidential election in Michigan
← 1968 November 7, 1972[1] 1976 →
All 21 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
Turnout59.4% Decrease [2]
 
Nominee Richard Nixon George McGovern
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California South Dakota
Running mate Spiro Agnew Sargent Shriver
Electoral vote 21 0
Popular vote 1,961,721 1,459,435
Percentage 56.20% 41.81%
County results
President before election

Richard Nixon
Republican

Elected President

Richard Nixon
Republican

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The 1972 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 7, 1972, as part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Voters chose 21[3] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Michigan was won by incumbent President Richard Nixon (R–California), with 56.20% of the popular vote, against George McGovern (D–South Dakota), with 41.81% of the popular vote—a victory margin of 14.4%.[4][5] John G. Schmitz was the only other candidate on the ballot, and, as the candidate for the American Independent Party, he received over 63,000 votes. Despite voting for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time since 1956, this result nonetheless made Michigan 8.8% more Democratic than the nation at large.

Nixon's victory was the first of five consecutive Republican victories in the state, as Michigan would not vote for a Democratic candidate again until Bill Clinton in 1992, when it became a Democratic-leaning state before evolving into a true swing state beginning in 2016.

Delta, Lake, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties were the only four of Michigan's 83 counties to vote for McGovern. Washtenaw was one of only six counties outside South Dakota (McGovern's home state) to vote for McGovern after voting for Richard Nixon in 1968. Nixon became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying Washtenaw since Benjamin Harrison in 1888.

As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last time Wayne County was decided by a single-digit margin. It is also the last election in which Michigan voted to the left of New York.

Results

[edit]
1972 United States presidential election in Michigan
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Nixon (inc.) 1,961,721 56.20%
Democratic George McGovern 1,459,435 41.81%
American Independent John G. Schmitz 63,321 1.81%
Socialist Labor Louis Fisher 2,437 0.07%
Socialist Workers Linda Jenness 1,603 0.05%
Communist Gus Hall 1,210 0.03%
Write-in 598 0.02%
Total votes 3,490,325 100%

Results by county

[edit]
County Richard Nixon
Republican 		George McGovern
Democratic 		John G. Schmitz
American Independent 		Louis Fisher
Socialist Labor 		Linda Jenness
Socialist Workers 		Gus Hall
Communist 		Various candidates
Write-ins 		Margin Total votes cast[6]
# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Alcona 2,434 65.91% 1,195 32.36% 63 1.71% 1 0.03% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 1,239 33.55% 3,693
Alger 2,035 52.48% 1,803 46.49% 35 0.90% 1 0.03% 2 0.05% 2 0.05% 232 5.99% 3,878
Allegan 18,407 68.47% 7,883 29.32% 554 2.06% 18 0.07% 4 0.01% 7 0.03% 11 0.04% 10,524 39.15% 26,884
Alpena 6,513 55.05% 5,104 43.14% 204 1.72% 6 0.05% 1 0.01% 3 0.03% 1,409 11.91% 11,831
Antrim 4,068 64.77% 2,000 31.84% 200 3.18% 5 0.08% 2 0.03% 5 0.08% 1 0.02% 2,068 32.93% 6,281
Arenac 2,588 57.43% 1,829 40.59% 85 1.89% 2 0.04% 1 0.02% 1 0.02% 759 16.84% 4,506
Baraga 1,905 54.93% 1,517 43.74% 38 1.10% 6 0.17% 2 0.06% 0 0.00% 388 11.19% 3,468
Barry 10,393 64.02% 5,484 33.78% 340 2.09% 7 0.04% 2 0.01% 3 0.02% 4 0.02% 4,909 30.24% 16,233
Bay 23,094 50.08% 21,712 47.08% 1,254 2.72% 31 0.07% 14 0.03% 13 0.03% 1,382 3.00% 46,118
Benzie 2,686 66.26% 1,310 32.31% 55 1.36% 2 0.05% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% 1,376 33.95% 4,054
Berrien 43,047 68.26% 18,597 29.49% 1,333 2.11% 34 0.05% 21 0.03% 19 0.03% 9 0.01% 24,450 38.77% 63,060
Branch 8,388 62.01% 4,887 36.13% 215 1.59% 18 0.13% 6 0.04% 7 0.05% 5 0.04% 3,501 25.88% 13,526
Calhoun 32,531 58.27% 22,154 39.68% 1,002 1.79% 59 0.11% 52 0.09% 30 0.05% 10,377 18.59% 55,828
Cass 10,398 66.31% 4,982 31.77% 286 1.82% 6 0.04% 2 0.01% 5 0.03% 2 0.01% 5,416 34.54% 15,681
Charlevoix 4,522 59.04% 2,831 36.96% 301 3.93% 4 0.05% 1 0.01% 0 0.00% 1,691 22.08% 7,659
Cheboygan 4,529 59.11% 2,985 38.96% 142 1.85% 1 0.01% 4 0.05% 1 0.01% 1,544 20.15% 7,662
Chippewa 7,028 59.03% 4,744 39.85% 132 1.11% 1 0.01% 1 0.01% 0 0.00% 2,284 19.18% 11,906
Clare 4,402 62.99% 2,434 34.83% 144 2.06% 1 0.01% 3 0.04% 2 0.03% 2 0.03% 1,968 28.16% 6,988
Clinton 13,438 68.38% 5,870 29.87% 322 1.64% 11 0.06% 5 0.03% 2 0.01% 5 0.03% 7,568 38.51% 19,653
Crawford 1,953 61.98% 1,143 36.27% 50 1.59% 4 0.13% 1 0.03% 0 0.00% 810 25.71% 3,151
Delta 7,647 48.14% 8,003 50.38% 220 1.38% 10 0.06% 2 0.01% 4 0.03% -356 -2.24% 15,886
Dickinson 5,989 51.12% 5,339 45.57% 378 3.23% 6 0.05% 1 0.01% 2 0.02% 650 5.55% 11,715
Eaton 20,413 68.47% 8,986 30.14% 386 1.29% 10 0.03% 11 0.04% 5 0.02% 11,427 38.33% 29,811
Emmet 5,288 61.91% 3,081 36.07% 163 1.91% 4 0.05% 1 0.01% 4 0.05% 2,207 25.84% 8,541
Genesee 85,747 52.78% 73,896 45.49% 2,602 1.60% 73 0.04% 72 0.04% 59 0.04% 11,851 7.29% 162,449
Gladwin 3,484 61.94% 2,016 35.84% 123 2.19% 1 0.02% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% 1,468 26.10% 5,625
Gogebic 5,631 52.26% 4,984 46.25% 151 1.40% 6 0.06% 3 0.03% 1 0.01% 647 6.01% 10,776
Grand Traverse 11,421 64.81% 5,810 32.97% 372 2.11% 6 0.03% 6 0.03% 6 0.03% 5,611 31.84% 17,621
Gratiot 9,904 68.41% 4,370 30.18% 184 1.27% 8 0.06% 5 0.03% 7 0.05% 5,534 38.23% 14,478
Hillsdale 9,261 68.64% 3,942 29.22% 276 2.05% 4 0.03% 1 0.01% 8 0.06% 5,319 39.42% 13,492
Houghton 9,053 58.07% 6,402 41.06% 131 0.84% 1 0.01% 3 0.02% 0 0.00% 2,651 17.01% 15,590
Huron 9,832 67.36% 4,456 30.53% 292 2.00% 6 0.04% 7 0.05% 2 0.01% 1 0.01% 5,376 36.83% 14,596
Ingham 63,376 53.60% 53,458 45.21% 1,079 0.91% 118 0.10% 110 0.09% 41 0.03% 61 0.05% 9,918 8.39% 118,243
Ionia 10,898 62.57% 6,240 35.83% 255 1.46% 7 0.04% 4 0.02% 8 0.05% 4 0.02% 4,658 26.74% 17,416
Iosco 5,750 64.10% 3,065 34.17% 150 1.67% 2 0.02% 3 0.03% 1 0.01% 2,685 29.93% 8,971
Iron 3,630 49.21% 3,512 47.61% 229 3.10% 3 0.04% 1 0.01% 1 0.01% 118 1.60% 7,376
Isabella 9,682 55.47% 7,446 42.66% 248 1.42% 22 0.13% 35 0.20% 10 0.06% 11 0.06% 2,236 12.81% 17,454
Jackson 34,220 62.33% 19,350 35.24% 1,254 2.28% 32 0.06% 18 0.03% 17 0.03% 12 0.02% 14,870 27.09% 54,903
Kalamazoo 50,405 58.77% 33,324 38.85% 1,819 2.12% 81 0.09% 48 0.06% 33 0.04% 60 0.07% 17,081 19.92% 85,770
Kalkaska 1,855 64.39% 924 32.07% 100 3.47% 2 0.07% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 931 32.32% 2,881
Kent 104,041 59.30% 67,587 38.52% 3,563 2.03% 134 0.08% 55 0.03% 61 0.03% 20 0.01% 36,454 20.78% 175,461
Keweenaw 715 60.49% 456 38.58% 9 0.76% 1 0.08% 1 0.08% 0 0.00% 259 21.91% 1,182
Lake 1,532 48.93% 1,548 49.44% 47 1.50% 1 0.03% 1 0.03% 2 0.06% -16 -0.51% 3,131
Lapeer 11,615 66.02% 5,531 31.44% 421 2.39% 7 0.04% 2 0.01% 9 0.05% 7 0.04% 6,084 34.58% 17,592
Leelanau 3,809 65.82% 1,855 32.05% 118 2.04% 3 0.05% 1 0.02% 1 0.02% 1,954 33.77% 5,787
Lenawee 19,125 62.39% 11,018 35.94% 473 1.54% 14 0.05% 13 0.04% 4 0.01% 7 0.02% 8,107 26.45% 30,654
Livingston 16,856 66.85% 7,634 30.28% 694 2.75% 15 0.06% 8 0.03% 3 0.01% 5 0.02% 9,222 36.57% 25,215
Luce 1,579 63.49% 862 34.66% 46 1.85% 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 717 28.83% 2,487
Mackinac 3,096 60.66% 1,937 37.95% 64 1.25% 4 0.08% 1 0.02% 2 0.04% 1,159 22.71% 5,104
Macomb 147,777 62.67% 82,346 34.92% 5,286 2.24% 180 0.08% 92 0.04% 65 0.03% 47 0.02% 65,431 27.75% 235,793
Manistee 5,070 57.20% 3,625 40.90% 160 1.81% 4 0.05% 2 0.02% 2 0.02% 1,445 16.30% 8,863
Marquette 13,249 52.67% 11,555 45.93% 329 1.31% 10 0.04% 7 0.03% 7 0.03% 1,694 6.74% 25,157
Mason 6,811 63.57% 3,697 34.50% 173 1.61% 9 0.08% 10 0.09% 3 0.03% 12 0.11% 3,114 29.07% 10,715
Mecosta 7,158 64.29% 3,799 34.12% 157 1.41% 11 0.10% 3 0.03% 6 0.05% 3,359 30.17% 11,134
Menominee 6,060 55.19% 4,657 42.41% 260 2.37% 2 0.02% 1 0.01% 1 0.01% 1,403 12.78% 10,981
Midland 16,473 61.38% 9,504 35.42% 809 3.01% 16 0.06% 13 0.05% 10 0.04% 11 0.04% 6,969 25.96% 26,836
Missaukee 2,647 71.79% 924 25.06% 110 2.98% 2 0.05% 1 0.03% 1 0.03% 2 0.05% 1,723 46.73% 3,687
Monroe 23,263 54.76% 17,726 41.73% 1,431 3.37% 23 0.05% 12 0.03% 10 0.02% 14 0.03% 5,537 13.03% 42,479
Montcalm 9,591 61.97% 5,602 36.19% 270 1.74% 6 0.04% 7 0.05% 1 0.01% 1 0.01% 3,989 25.78% 15,478
Montmorency 1,798 64.49% 914 32.78% 74 2.65% 1 0.04% 1 0.04% 0 0.00% 884 31.71% 2,788
Muskegon 36,428 59.60% 22,804 37.31% 1,756 2.87% 71 0.12% 32 0.05% 18 0.03% 16 0.03% 13,624 22.29% 61,125
Newaygo 8,245 65.62% 3,978 31.66% 324 2.58% 11 0.09% 3 0.02% 4 0.03% 4,267 33.96% 12,565
Oakland 241,613 63.78% 129,400 34.16% 7,088 1.87% 318 0.08% 134 0.04% 87 0.02% 211 0.06% 112,213 29.62% 378,851
Oceana 4,992 64.20% 2,525 32.47% 253 3.25% 1 0.01% 4 0.05% 1 0.01% 2,467 31.73% 7,776
Ogemaw 3,367 60.77% 2,056 37.11% 112 2.02% 3 0.05% 3 0.05% 0 0.00% 1,311 23.66% 5,541
Ontonagon 3,040 57.51% 2,140 40.48% 105 1.99% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 900 17.03% 5,286
Osceola 4,441 69.95% 1,706 26.87% 184 2.90% 7 0.11% 4 0.06% 3 0.05% 4 0.06% 2,735 43.08% 6,349
Oscoda 1,561 67.61% 678 29.36% 67 2.90% 2 0.09% 1 0.04% 0 0.00% 883 38.25% 2,309
Otsego 2,854 58.93% 1,912 39.48% 69 1.42% 1 0.02% 2 0.04% 5 0.10% 942 19.45% 4,843
Ottawa 42,169 71.99% 15,119 25.81% 1,201 2.05% 41 0.07% 16 0.03% 13 0.02% 17 0.03% 27,050 46.18% 58,576
Presque Isle 3,372 56.23% 2,440 40.69% 184 3.07% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 932 15.54% 5,997
Roscommon 4,136 64.17% 2,187 33.93% 114 1.77% 2 0.03% 5 0.08% 1 0.02% 1,949 30.24% 6,445
Saginaw 47,920 61.03% 29,424 37.47% 1,068 1.36% 46 0.06% 35 0.04% 28 0.04% 18,496 23.56% 78,521
Sanilac 11,031 72.93% 3,780 24.99% 302 2.00% 4 0.03% 2 0.01% 5 0.03% 1 0.01% 7,251 47.94% 15,125
Schoolcraft 2,310 56.01% 1,759 42.65% 53 1.29% 1 0.02% 1 0.02% 0 0.00% 551 13.36% 4,124
Shiawassee 15,489 61.62% 8,932 35.53% 689 2.74% 13 0.05% 6 0.02% 7 0.03% 6,557 26.09% 25,136
St. Clair 28,471 63.05% 15,712 34.79% 925 2.05% 17 0.04% 18 0.04% 16 0.04% 12,759 28.26% 45,159
St. Joseph 12,438 69.15% 5,119 28.46% 418 2.32% 5 0.03% 3 0.02% 5 0.03% 7,319 40.69% 17,988
Tuscola 12,198 67.96% 5,449 30.36% 280 1.56% 6 0.03% 2 0.01% 12 0.07% 2 0.01% 6,749 37.60% 17,949
Van Buren 13,903 64.57% 7,159 33.25% 428 1.99% 15 0.07% 7 0.03% 8 0.04% 11 0.05% 6,744 31.32% 21,531
Washtenaw 50,535 46.98% 55,350 51.45% 1,517 1.41% 54 0.05% 82 0.08% 37 0.03% -4,815 -4.47% 107,575
Wayne 435,877 45.08% 514,913 53.26% 14,294 1.48% 758 0.08% 569 0.06% 466 0.05% -79,036 -8.18% 966,877
Wexford 5,221 61.43% 3,048 35.86% 229 2.69% 1 0.01% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 2,173 25.57% 8,499
Totals 1,961,721 56.20% 1,459,435 41.81% 63,321 1.81% 2,437 0.07% 1,603 0.05% 1,210 0.03% 598 0.02% 502,286 14.39% 3,490,325

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

[edit]

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "United States Presidential election of 1972 - Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  2. ^ "SOS - General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics".
  3. ^ "1972 Election for the Forty-Seventh Term (1973-77)". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  4. ^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results - Michigan". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  5. ^ "The American Presidency Project - Election of 1972". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  6. ^ Our Campaigns; MI US President 1972
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