1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election
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 County results Holmes: 50–60% 60–70% Smith: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election took place on November 6, 1956. Democratic state senator Robert D. Holmes narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Elmo Smith to win the election.
Background
[edit]On January 31, 1956, Governor Paul L. Patterson, who was elected in the 1954 gubernatorial election, died in office of a coronary occlusion.[1] Patterson's death elevated Oregon State Senate President Elmo Smith to governor and a special election for November was called to fill the position for the final two years of Patterson's term.[2] The succession law was changed in 1972 so that the Oregon Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the governor.[3] Lew Wallace unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.
Election results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert D. Holmes | 369,439 | 50.52 | |||
| Republican | Elmo Smith (incumbent) | 361,840 | 49.48 | |||
| Total votes | 731,279 | 100 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
Results by county
[edit]| 1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election (by county) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Robert Denison Holmes Democratic |
Elmo Everett Smith Republican |
Margin | Total votes cast[4] | |||
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Baker | 3,554 | 50.71% | 3,455 | 49.29% | 99 | 1.41% | 7,009 |
| Benton | 5,217 | 39.89% | 7,862 | 60.11% | -2,645 | -20.22% | 13,079 |
| Clackamas | 23,431 | 51.28% | 22,264 | 48.72% | 1,167 | 2.55% | 45,695 |
| Clatsop | 7,928 | 61.41% | 4,981 | 38.59% | 2,947 | 22.83% | 12,909 |
| Columbia | 6,185 | 63.02% | 3,629 | 36.98% | 2,556 | 26.04% | 9,814 |
| Coos | 12,130 | 60.24% | 8,005 | 39.76% | 4,125 | 20.49% | 20,135 |
| Crook | 1,848 | 49.93% | 1,853 | 50.07% | -5 | -0.14% | 3,701 |
| Curry | 2,162 | 50.91% | 2,085 | 49.09% | 77 | 1.81% | 4,247 |
| Deschutes | 4,441 | 46.33% | 5,145 | 53.67% | -704 | -7.34% | 9,586 |
| Douglas | 13,516 | 52.62% | 12,171 | 47.38% | 1,345 | 5.24% | 25,687 |
| Gilliam | 505 | 38.52% | 806 | 61.48% | -301 | -22.96% | 1,311 |
| Grant | 1,313 | 42.44% | 1,781 | 57.56% | -468 | -15.13% | 3,094 |
| Harney | 1,171 | 43.26% | 1,536 | 56.74% | -365 | -13.48% | 2,707 |
| Hood River | 2,618 | 47.08% | 2,943 | 52.92% | -325 | -5.84% | 5,561 |
| Jackson | 13,445 | 45.26% | 16,261 | 54.74% | -2,816 | -9.48% | 29,706 |
| Jefferson | 1,131 | 45.88% | 1,334 | 54.12% | -203 | -8.24% | 2,465 |
| Josephine | 5,423 | 42.60% | 7,308 | 57.40% | -1,885 | -14.81% | 12,731 |
| Klamath | 8,956 | 49.81% | 9,026 | 50.19% | -70 | -0.39% | 17,982 |
| Lake | 1,285 | 44.62% | 1,595 | 55.38% | -310 | -10.76% | 2,880 |
| Lane | 33,241 | 53.12% | 29,335 | 46.88% | 3,906 | 6.24% | 62,576 |
| Lincoln | 5,149 | 52.08% | 4,738 | 47.92% | 411 | 4.16% | 9,887 |
| Linn | 11,807 | 51.91% | 10,936 | 48.09% | 871 | 3.83% | 22,743 |
| Malheur | 3,011 | 37.51% | 5,016 | 62.49% | -2,005 | -24.98% | 8,027 |
| Marion | 19,255 | 42.87% | 25,655 | 57.13% | -6,400 | -14.25% | 44,910 |
| Morrow | 882 | 45.07% | 1,075 | 54.93% | -193 | -9.86% | 1,957 |
| Multnomah | 129,273 | 53.04% | 114,446 | 46.96% | 14,827 | 6.08% | 243,719 |
| Polk | 4,724 | 45.39% | 5,683 | 54.61% | -959 | -9.21% | 10,407 |
| Sherman | 415 | 38.53% | 662 | 61.47% | -247 | -22.93% | 1,077 |
| Tillamook | 4,055 | 50.93% | 3,907 | 49.07% | 148 | 1.86% | 7,962 |
| Umatilla | 8,376 | 48.88% | 8,761 | 51.12% | -385 | -2.25% | 17,137 |
| Union | 4,272 | 53.45% | 3,720 | 46.55% | 552 | 6.91% | 7,992 |
| Wallowa | 1,755 | 53.17% | 1,546 | 46.83% | 209 | 6.33% | 3,301 |
| Wasco | 4,522 | 52.73% | 4,053 | 47.27% | 469 | 5.47% | 8,575 |
| Washington | 15,976 | 44.51% | 19,917 | 55.49% | -3,941 | -10.98% | 35,893 |
| Wheeler | 540 | 46.59% | 619 | 53.41% | -79 | -6.82% | 1,159 |
| Yamhill | 5,927 | 43.40% | 7,731 | 56.60% | -1,804 | -13.21% | 13,658 |
| Total | 369,439 | 50.52% | 361,840 | 49.48% | 7,599 | 1.04% | 731,279 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Governors of Oregon: Paul Linton Patterson". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
- ^ "Governors of Oregon: Elmo Smith". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
- ^ "Temporary governor eliminated: Measure modifies line of succession". The Bend Bulletin.
- ^ a b "OR Governor Race — November 06, 1956". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2011.