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 County results McGovern: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Karel: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The1912 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912.Primary elections were held on September 3, 1912.
IncumbentRepublicanGovernorFrancis E. McGovern defeatedDemocratic nomineeJohn C. Karel andSocialist nomineeCarl D. Thompson, with 45.54% of the vote. This was the closest gubernatorial election in Wisconsin during theFourth Party System and one of only two decided by single digits during that era.
This was the tenth consecutive Republican victory in Wisconsin, breaking the previous record of nine consecutive wins that ran from1855 through1871. This streak would eventually reach 19 consecutive Republican wins before being broken in1932.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Francis E. McGovern (incumbent) | 81,412 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 81,412 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John C. Karel | 48,455 | 57.29% | |
| Democratic | Adolph J. Schmitz | 36,117 | 42.71% | |
| Total votes | 84,572 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | Carl D. Thompson | 12,726 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 12,726 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | Charles L. Hill | 2,385 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 2,385 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Francis E. McGovern (incumbent) | 179,360 | 45.54% | −5.04% | |
| Democratic | John C. Karel | 167,316 | 42.48% | +7.92% | |
| Social Democratic | Carl D. Thompson | 34,468 | 8.75% | −3.63% | |
| Prohibition | Charles L. Hill | 9,433 | 2.40% | +0.06% | |
| Socialist Labor | William H. Curtis | 3,253 | 0.83% | +0.69% | |
| Scattering | 19 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 12,044 | 3.06% | |||
| Total votes | 393,849 | 100.00% | |||
| Republicanhold | Swing | -12.96% | |||
Karel was the first Democrat sinceGeorge W. Peck in1890 to carryRacine County. Additionally,Forest County,Portage County,Sheboygan County, andWaukesha County voted Democratic for the first time since1892. After this election,Forest County,Marathon County, andMilwaukee County would not vote Democratic again until1932.
Portage County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since1873. Additionally,Waukesha County,Forest County, andSheboygan County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since1884,1886, and1888, respectively.
| County[3][4] | Francis E. McGovern Republican | John C. Karel Democratic | Carl D. Thompson Social Democratic | Charles L. Hill Prohibition | William H. Curtis Socialist Labor | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 991 | 70.43% | 326 | 23.17% | 53 | 3.77% | 34 | 2.42% | 3 | 0.21% | 665 | 47.26% | 1,407 |
| Ashland | 1,797 | 52.96% | 1,235 | 36.40% | 243 | 7.16% | 107 | 3.15% | 11 | 0.32% | 562 | 16.56% | 3,393 |
| Barron | 2,360 | 62.30% | 920 | 24.29% | 226 | 5.97% | 257 | 6.78% | 24 | 0.63% | 1,440 | 38.01% | 3,788[b] |
| Bayfield | 1,239 | 57.49% | 539 | 25.01% | 275 | 12.76% | 79 | 3.67% | 23 | 1.07% | 700 | 32.48% | 2,155 |
| Brown | 3,936 | 48.84% | 3,444 | 42.73% | 510 | 6.33% | 146 | 1.81% | 23 | 0.29% | 492 | 6.10% | 8,059 |
| Buffalo | 1,525 | 62.99% | 804 | 33.21% | 28 | 1.16% | 47 | 1.94% | 17 | 0.70% | 721 | 29.78% | 2,421 |
| Burnett | 983 | 68.17% | 214 | 14.84% | 158 | 10.96% | 54 | 3.74% | 33 | 2.29% | 768 | 53.33% | 1,442 |
| Calumet | 1,317 | 46.90% | 1,393 | 49.61% | 65 | 2.31% | 25 | 0.89% | 8 | 0.28% | -76 | -2.71% | 2,808 |
| Chippewa | 2,471 | 50.45% | 2,232 | 45.57% | 83 | 1.69% | 99 | 2.02% | 12 | 0.24% | 239 | 4.88% | 4,898[b] |
| Clark | 2,650 | 61.06% | 1,433 | 33.02% | 115 | 2.65% | 114 | 2.63% | 28 | 0.65% | 1,217 | 28.04% | 4,340 |
| Columbia | 3,045 | 53.60% | 2,395 | 42.16% | 98 | 1.73% | 132 | 2.32% | 11 | 0.19% | 650 | 11.44% | 5,681 |
| Crawford | 1,571 | 47.29% | 1,634 | 49.19% | 49 | 1.48% | 64 | 1.93% | 4 | 0.12% | -63 | -1.90% | 3,322 |
| Dane | 8,358 | 51.81% | 7,102 | 44.03% | 232 | 1.44% | 398 | 2.47% | 41 | 0.25% | 1,256 | 7.79% | 16,131 |
| Dodge | 2,697 | 31.42% | 5,656 | 65.89% | 98 | 1.14% | 129 | 1.50% | 4 | 0.05% | -2,959 | -34.47% | 8,584 |
| Door | 1,358 | 50.04% | 1,156 | 42.59% | 67 | 2.47% | 125 | 4.61% | 8 | 0.29% | 202 | 7.44% | 2,714 |
| Douglas | 2,450 | 47.31% | 1,584 | 30.59% | 935 | 18.05% | 148 | 2.86% | 62 | 1.20% | 866 | 16.72% | 5,179 |
| Dunn | 2,571 | 73.25% | 621 | 17.69% | 205 | 5.84% | 91 | 2.59% | 22 | 0.63% | 1,950 | 55.56% | 3,510 |
| Eau Claire | 2,947 | 61.40% | 1,497 | 31.19% | 228 | 4.75% | 108 | 2.25% | 17 | 0.35% | 1,450 | 30.21% | 4,800[c] |
| Florence | 386 | 69.42% | 146 | 26.26% | 12 | 2.16% | 11 | 1.98% | 1 | 0.18% | 240 | 43.17% | 556 |
| Fond du Lac | 3,955 | 42.11% | 4,824 | 51.37% | 289 | 3.08% | 314 | 3.34% | 9 | 0.10% | -869 | -9.25% | 9,391 |
| Forest | 569 | 42.49% | 693 | 51.76% | 45 | 3.36% | 29 | 2.17% | 3 | 0.22% | -124 | -9.26% | 1,339 |
| Grant | 3,868 | 50.35% | 3,496 | 45.51% | 93 | 1.21% | 214 | 2.79% | 11 | 0.14% | 372 | 4.84% | 7,682 |
| Green | 2,044 | 50.73% | 1,707 | 42.37% | 85 | 2.11% | 172 | 4.27% | 20 | 0.50% | 337 | 8.36% | 4,029[b] |
| Green Lake | 1,299 | 44.17% | 1,526 | 51.89% | 39 | 1.33% | 76 | 2.58% | 1 | 0.03% | -227 | -7.72% | 2,941 |
| Iowa | 2,343 | 51.55% | 2,009 | 44.20% | 32 | 0.70% | 160 | 3.52% | 1 | 0.02% | 334 | 7.35% | 4,545 |
| Iron | 628 | 52.38% | 450 | 37.53% | 65 | 5.42% | 31 | 2.59% | 25 | 2.09% | 178 | 14.85% | 1,199 |
| Jackson | 1,830 | 72.16% | 550 | 21.69% | 68 | 2.68% | 81 | 3.19% | 7 | 0.28% | 1,280 | 50.47% | 2,536 |
| Jefferson | 2,075 | 30.15% | 4,546 | 66.06% | 101 | 1.47% | 150 | 2.18% | 8 | 0.12% | -2,471 | -35.91% | 6,882[d] |
| Juneau | 1,675 | 54.33% | 1,179 | 38.24% | 153 | 4.96% | 62 | 2.01% | 14 | 0.45% | 496 | 16.09% | 3,083 |
| Kenosha | 2,650 | 43.82% | 2,722 | 45.01% | 462 | 7.64% | 175 | 2.89% | 38 | 0.63% | -72 | -1.19% | 6,047 |
| Kewaunee | 1,415 | 45.72% | 1,635 | 52.83% | 19 | 0.61% | 26 | 0.84% | 0 | 0.00% | -220 | -7.11% | 3,095 |
| La Crosse | 3,688 | 47.09% | 3,628 | 46.32% | 346 | 4.42% | 153 | 1.95% | 17 | 0.22% | 60 | 0.77% | 7,832 |
| Lafayette | 2,414 | 54.00% | 1,971 | 44.09% | 19 | 0.43% | 62 | 1.39% | 4 | 0.09% | 443 | 9.91% | 4,470 |
| Langlade | 1,341 | 46.40% | 1,446 | 50.03% | 54 | 1.87% | 45 | 1.56% | 4 | 0.14% | -105 | -3.63% | 2,890 |
| Lincoln | 1,661 | 50.17% | 1,421 | 42.92% | 188 | 5.68% | 29 | 0.88% | 12 | 0.36% | 240 | 7.25% | 3,311 |
| Manitowoc | 2,951 | 38.59% | 3,818 | 49.93% | 808 | 10.57% | 62 | 0.81% | 8 | 0.10% | -867 | -11.34% | 7,647 |
| Marathon | 3,865 | 43.17% | 4,374 | 48.86% | 505 | 5.64% | 176 | 1.97% | 32 | 0.36% | -509 | -5.69% | 8,952 |
| Marinette | 2,612 | 55.72% | 1,764 | 37.63% | 210 | 4.48% | 90 | 1.92% | 12 | 0.26% | 848 | 18.09% | 4,688 |
| Marquette | 1,161 | 54.03% | 925 | 43.04% | 15 | 0.70% | 44 | 2.05% | 4 | 0.19% | 236 | 10.98% | 2,149 |
| Milwaukee | 17,771 | 24.15% | 31,746 | 43.14% | 21,301 | 28.94% | 991 | 1.35% | 1,785 | 2.43% | -10,445[e] | -14.19% | 73,594 |
| Monroe | 2,441 | 52.68% | 1,869 | 40.33% | 117 | 2.52% | 185 | 3.99% | 22 | 0.47% | 572 | 12.34% | 4,634 |
| Oconto | 2,373 | 55.69% | 1,710 | 40.13% | 120 | 2.82% | 46 | 1.08% | 12 | 0.28% | 663 | 15.56% | 4,261 |
| Oneida | 1,107 | 55.13% | 700 | 34.86% | 169 | 8.42% | 22 | 1.10% | 10 | 0.50% | 407 | 20.27% | 2,008 |
| Outagamie | 4,076 | 49.10% | 3,831 | 46.15% | 179 | 2.16% | 157 | 1.89% | 59 | 0.71% | 245 | 2.95% | 8,302 |
| Ozaukee | 714 | 24.87% | 2,074 | 72.24% | 55 | 1.92% | 22 | 0.77% | 6 | 0.21% | -1,360 | -47.37% | 2,871 |
| Pepin | 748 | 59.70% | 453 | 36.15% | 21 | 1.68% | 27 | 2.15% | 4 | 0.32% | 295 | 23.54% | 1,253 |
| Pierce | 2,295 | 71.10% | 694 | 21.50% | 81 | 2.51% | 100 | 3.10% | 58 | 1.80% | 1,601 | 49.60% | 3,228 |
| Polk | 2,095 | 70.47% | 465 | 15.64% | 266 | 8.95% | 106 | 3.57% | 41 | 1.38% | 1,630 | 54.83% | 2,973 |
| Portage | 2,366 | 45.36% | 2,652 | 50.84% | 99 | 1.90% | 89 | 1.71% | 10 | 0.19% | -286 | -5.48% | 5,216 |
| Price | 1,225 | 53.68% | 682 | 29.89% | 273 | 11.96% | 67 | 2.94% | 35 | 1.53% | 543 | 23.79% | 2,282 |
| Racine | 3,725 | 43.05% | 3,918 | 45.28% | 550 | 6.36% | 328 | 3.79% | 120 | 1.39% | -193 | -2.23% | 8,652[f] |
| Richland | 1,930 | 50.43% | 1,444 | 37.73% | 107 | 2.80% | 331 | 8.65% | 15 | 0.39% | 486 | 12.70% | 3,827 |
| Rock | 4,717 | 49.14% | 4,263 | 44.41% | 227 | 2.36% | 319 | 3.32% | 74 | 0.77% | 454 | 4.73% | 9,600 |
| Rusk | 976 | 59.26% | 427 | 25.93% | 181 | 10.99% | 50 | 3.04% | 13 | 0.79% | 549 | 33.33% | 1,647 |
| Sauk | 2,774 | 50.61% | 2,348 | 42.84% | 58 | 1.06% | 290 | 5.29% | 11 | 0.20% | 426 | 7.77% | 5,481 |
| Sawyer | 485 | 56.07% | 354 | 40.92% | 10 | 1.16% | 15 | 1.73% | 1 | 0.12% | 131 | 15.14% | 865 |
| Shawano | 2,753 | 62.94% | 1,386 | 31.69% | 107 | 2.45% | 114 | 2.61% | 14 | 0.32% | 1,367 | 31.25% | 4,374 |
| Sheboygan | 4,197 | 43.61% | 4,227 | 43.92% | 1,047 | 10.88% | 138 | 1.43% | 16 | 0.17% | -30 | -0.31% | 9,625 |
| St. Croix | 2,442 | 54.98% | 1,720 | 38.72% | 152 | 3.42% | 121 | 2.72% | 7 | 0.16% | 722 | 16.25% | 4,442 |
| Taylor | 1,195 | 53.71% | 757 | 34.02% | 246 | 11.06% | 21 | 0.94% | 6 | 0.27% | 438 | 19.69% | 2,225 |
| Trempealeau | 2,474 | 64.82% | 1,206 | 31.60% | 39 | 1.02% | 93 | 2.44% | 5 | 0.13% | 1,268 | 33.22% | 3,817 |
| Vernon | 2,880 | 64.75% | 1,310 | 29.45% | 70 | 1.57% | 174 | 3.91% | 14 | 0.31% | 1,570 | 35.30% | 4,448 |
| Vilas | 416 | 47.22% | 383 | 43.47% | 61 | 6.92% | 12 | 1.36% | 9 | 1.02% | 33 | 3.75% | 881 |
| Walworth | 2,835 | 51.03% | 2,287 | 41.16% | 88 | 1.58% | 325 | 5.85% | 21 | 0.38% | 548 | 9.86% | 5,556 |
| Washburn | 821 | 53.49% | 476 | 31.01% | 193 | 12.57% | 40 | 2.61% | 5 | 0.33% | 345 | 22.48% | 1,535 |
| Washington | 1,803 | 38.39% | 2,735 | 58.24% | 138 | 2.94% | 20 | 0.43% | 0 | 0.00% | -932 | -19.85% | 4,696 |
| Waukesha | 3,235 | 44.64% | 3,521 | 48.59% | 183 | 2.53% | 295 | 4.07% | 13 | 0.18% | -286 | -3.95% | 7,247 |
| Waupaca | 3,741 | 68.12% | 1,339 | 24.38% | 141 | 2.57% | 199 | 3.62% | 72 | 1.31% | 2,402 | 43.74% | 5,492 |
| Waushara | 2,142 | 73.18% | 586 | 20.02% | 75 | 2.56% | 93 | 3.18% | 31 | 1.06% | 1,556 | 53.16% | 2,927 |
| Winnebago | 5,490 | 51.05% | 4,398 | 40.90% | 498 | 4.63% | 202 | 1.88% | 166 | 1.54% | 1,092 | 10.15% | 10,754 |
| Wood | 2,422 | 46.22% | 2,340 | 44.66% | 340 | 6.49% | 122 | 2.33% | 16 | 0.31% | 82 | 1.56% | 5,240 |
| Total | 179,360 | 45.54% | 167,316 | 42.48% | 34,468 | 8.75% | 9,433 | 2.40% | 3,253 | 0.83% | 12,044 | 3.06% | 393,849 |
