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All 21Michigan votes to theElectoral College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 66.8%![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() County results
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The1968 United States presidential election in Michigan was held on November 5, 1968. All 50 states and theDistrict of Columbia participated in the1968 United States presidential election. Voters chose 21 electors to represent them in theElectoral College, who voted forpresident andvice president.
Michigan was won by theDemocratic Party candidate, Vice PresidentHubert Humphrey, defeating theRepublican Party candidate, former vice presidentRichard Nixon, by a margin of 6.72%, making the state 6.79% more Democratic than the national average.[2]American Independent Party candidateGeorge Wallace, former and futuregovernor of Alabama, received 10% of the vote.
Humphrey's margin of victory was significantly narrower than PresidentLyndon B. Johnson's landslide 33.60-point triumph in1964. American involvement in theVietnam War and rioting throughout the country (including inDetroit) brought about unpopularity for the incumbent president and disenchantment towards his political agenda. Vice President Humphrey vowed to continue the policies of Johnson'sGreat Society andsupport civil rights for African Americans, while former vice president Nixon ran on alaw and order platform focused on fighting crime and opposing the Johnson administration's handling of the war in Vietnam. Governor Wallace ran aright-wing populist campaign railing against rioting,desegregation, and thecounterculture.
Although Wallace did not poll as well in the Midwest as he did inthe South, he was able to appeal to blue-collar working-class voters who traditionally voted Democratic but had become disillusioned with crime and the civil-rights movement. As a result, he siphoned off enough votes to allow Nixon to win every state in the region except for Humphrey's home state ofMinnesota and Michigan. Even with Michigan being Wallace's second-best Midwestern state behindOhio, Humphrey was able to hold on to the Wolverine State's electoral votes for the Democrats once more, mainly by running up margins in heavily populatedWayne County (Detroit), neighboringMacomb andMonroe Counties,Genesee County (Flint), and theUpper Peninsula. Nixon would become the first Republican to win the White House without Michigan, a feat that onlyGeorge W. Bush has repeated. Humphrey was the first losing Democrat to carry Michigan sinceLewis Cass in1848. Michigan would not vote Democratic again until1992.
As of the2024 presidential election[update], this is the last time that Wayne County cast more than a million votes.
The Peace and Freedom Party who appealed to the counterculture along with student radicals and black voters[3] held their party convention at theUniversity of Michigan inAnn Arbor with Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panther Party being nominated for president despite being under the minimum age requirement to be president as Cleaver was 33[4] and the minimum age requirement to be president is that one be at least 35 years old when taking office.[5] Despite being underage he would still appear on the ballot in Michigan.[4]
Marvin Griffin appeared on the ballot as George Wallace's running mate in Michigan because Griffin was intended to be a filler candidate and by the time Wallace had selectedCurtis LeMay as his running mate it was too late in the state for changes regarding 3rd party candidates on the ballot in the state[6][7] as Curtis LeMay was selected as his running mate in October[8] and the deadline for 3rd party candidates was in September.[6][7]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
St. Petersburg Times[9] | Lean D | September 11, 1968 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Hubert Humphrey | 1,593,082 | 48.18% | |
Republican | Richard Nixon | 1,370,665 | 41.46% | |
American Independent | George Wallace | 331,968 | 10.04% | |
Peace and Freedom | Eldridge Cleaver | 4,585 | 0.14% | |
Socialist Workers | Fred Halstead | 4,099 | 0.12% | |
Socialist Labor | Henning A. Blomen | 1,762 | 0.05% | |
Prohibition | E. Harold Munn | 60 | 0.00% | |
Write-ins | 29 | 0.00% | ||
Total votes | 3,306,250 | 100% |
County[11] | Hubert Humphrey Democratic | Richard Nixon Republican | George Wallace American Independent | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Total votes cast[12] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
Alcona | 958 | 30.39% | 1,852 | 58.76% | 338 | 10.72% | 4 | 0.13% | -894 | -28.37% | 3,152 |
Alger | 1,927 | 54.87% | 1,406 | 40.03% | 173 | 4.93% | 6 | 0.17% | 521 | 14.84% | 3,512 |
Allegan | 7,276 | 29.72% | 14,769 | 60.32% | 2,389 | 9.76% | 49 | 0.20% | -7,493 | -30.60% | 24,483 |
Alpena | 4,788 | 42.52% | 5,717 | 50.77% | 747 | 6.63% | 9 | 0.08% | -929 | -8.25% | 11,261 |
Antrim | 1,690 | 33.35% | 3,002 | 59.23% | 374 | 7.38% | 2 | 0.04% | -1,312 | -25.88% | 5,068 |
Arenac | 1,573 | 39.43% | 2,089 | 52.37% | 324 | 8.12% | 3 | 0.08% | -516 | -12.94% | 3,989 |
Baraga | 1,680 | 50.63% | 1,508 | 45.45% | 116 | 3.50% | 14 | 0.42% | 172 | 5.18% | 3,318 |
Barry | 5,206 | 33.81% | 8,492 | 55.14% | 1,674 | 10.87% | 28 | 0.18% | -3,286 | -21.33% | 15,400 |
Bay | 21,410 | 50.30% | 18,779 | 44.12% | 2,291 | 5.38% | 87 | 0.20% | 2,631 | 6.18% | 42,567 |
Benzie | 1,147 | 32.68% | 2,138 | 60.91% | 219 | 6.24% | 6 | 0.17% | -991 | -28.23% | 3,510 |
Berrien | 21,266 | 33.80% | 32,136 | 51.08% | 9,333 | 14.83% | 181 | 0.29% | -10,870 | -17.28% | 62,916 |
Branch | 4,518 | 35.70% | 7,071 | 55.88% | 1,037 | 8.20% | 28 | 0.22% | -2,553 | -20.18% | 12,654 |
Calhoun | 22,633 | 41.18% | 26,181 | 47.64% | 5,944 | 10.82% | 202 | 0.37% | -3,548 | -6.46% | 54,960 |
Cass | 5,616 | 37.68% | 6,996 | 46.93% | 2,257 | 15.14% | 37 | 0.25% | -1,380 | -9.25% | 14,906 |
Charlevoix | 2,446 | 36.49% | 3,696 | 55.14% | 556 | 8.29% | 5 | 0.07% | -1,250 | -18.65% | 6,703 |
Cheboygan | 2,840 | 41.17% | 3,422 | 49.60% | 634 | 9.19% | 3 | 0.04% | -582 | -8.43% | 6,899 |
Chippewa | 4,132 | 40.13% | 5,359 | 52.04% | 793 | 7.70% | 13 | 0.13% | -1,227 | -11.91% | 10,297 |
Clare | 1,909 | 32.74% | 3,315 | 56.85% | 602 | 10.32% | 5 | 0.09% | -1,406 | -24.11% | 5,831 |
Clinton | 5,548 | 33.45% | 9,416 | 56.77% | 1,591 | 9.59% | 30 | 0.18% | -3,868 | -23.32% | 16,585 |
Crawford | 845 | 36.74% | 1,266 | 55.04% | 187 | 8.13% | 2 | 0.09% | -421 | -18.30% | 2,300 |
Delta | 7,821 | 54.45% | 5,829 | 40.58% | 700 | 4.87% | 14 | 0.10% | 1,992 | 13.87% | 14,364 |
Dickinson | 5,726 | 51.15% | 4,920 | 43.95% | 533 | 4.76% | 15 | 0.13% | 806 | 7.20% | 11,194 |
Eaton | 8,347 | 33.62% | 14,184 | 57.13% | 2,252 | 9.07% | 43 | 0.17% | -5,837 | -23.51% | 24,826 |
Emmet | 2,624 | 35.04% | 4,405 | 58.83% | 446 | 5.96% | 13 | 0.17% | -1,781 | -23.79% | 7,488 |
Genesee | 75,174 | 45.83% | 63,948 | 38.99% | 24,539 | 14.96% | 352 | 0.21% | 11,226 | 6.84% | 164,013 |
Gladwin | 1,668 | 33.21% | 2,840 | 56.55% | 511 | 10.18% | 3 | 0.06% | -1,172 | -23.34% | 5,022 |
Gogebic | 5,839 | 56.00% | 4,140 | 39.71% | 434 | 4.16% | 13 | 0.12% | 1,699 | 16.29% | 10,426 |
Grand Traverse | 4,741 | 32.55% | 8,960 | 61.51% | 843 | 5.79% | 23 | 0.16% | -4,219 | -28.96% | 14,567 |
Gratiot | 4,040 | 30.13% | 8,404 | 62.68% | 949 | 7.08% | 15 | 0.11% | -4,364 | -32.55% | 13,408 |
Hillsdale | 3,803 | 28.29% | 8,506 | 63.27% | 1,107 | 8.23% | 28 | 0.21% | -4,703 | -34.98% | 13,444 |
Houghton | 6,988 | 49.41% | 6,639 | 46.94% | 473 | 3.34% | 43 | 0.30% | 349 | 2.47% | 14,143 |
Huron | 3,607 | 26.62% | 8,743 | 64.51% | 1,178 | 8.69% | 24 | 0.18% | -5,136 | -37.89% | 13,552 |
Ingham | 37,362 | 41.08% | 46,805 | 51.46% | 6,432 | 7.07% | 354 | 0.39% | -9,443 | -10.38% | 90,953 |
Ionia | 6,055 | 37.92% | 8,625 | 54.01% | 1,261 | 7.90% | 27 | 0.17% | -2,570 | -16.09% | 15,968 |
Iosco | 2,533 | 34.51% | 4,068 | 55.42% | 736 | 10.03% | 3 | 0.04% | -1,535 | -20.91% | 7,340 |
Iron | 4,130 | 53.14% | 3,292 | 42.36% | 340 | 4.37% | 10 | 0.13% | 838 | 10.78% | 7,772 |
Isabella | 4,450 | 35.90% | 7,111 | 57.37% | 808 | 6.52% | 27 | 0.22% | -2,661 | -21.47% | 12,396 |
Jackson | 18,205 | 35.11% | 27,828 | 53.66% | 5,689 | 10.97% | 135 | 0.26% | -9,623 | -18.55% | 51,857 |
Kalamazoo | 26,437 | 35.81% | 39,796 | 53.90% | 7,398 | 10.02% | 201 | 0.27% | -13,359 | -18.09% | 73,832 |
Kalkaska | 753 | 33.72% | 1,190 | 53.29% | 288 | 12.90% | 2 | 0.09% | -437 | -19.57% | 2,233 |
Kent | 61,891 | 38.72% | 85,810 | 53.68% | 11,584 | 7.25% | 565 | 0.35% | -23,919 | -14.96% | 159,850 |
Keweenaw | 602 | 50.42% | 525 | 43.97% | 65 | 5.44% | 2 | 0.17% | 77 | 6.45% | 1,194 |
Lake | 1,482 | 52.97% | 1,094 | 39.10% | 220 | 7.86% | 2 | 0.07% | 388 | 13.87% | 2,798 |
Lapeer | 5,199 | 32.17% | 8,866 | 54.85% | 2,081 | 12.88% | 17 | 0.11% | -3,667 | -22.68% | 16,163 |
Leelanau | 1,562 | 33.53% | 2,798 | 60.06% | 292 | 6.27% | 7 | 0.15% | -1,236 | -26.53% | 4,659 |
Lenawee | 10,552 | 36.20% | 16,280 | 55.85% | 2,197 | 7.54% | 118 | 0.40% | -5,728 | -19.65% | 29,147 |
Livingston | 7,052 | 35.85% | 10,034 | 51.01% | 2,543 | 12.93% | 41 | 0.21% | -2,982 | -15.16% | 19,670 |
Luce | 855 | 36.92% | 1,351 | 58.33% | 109 | 4.71% | 1 | 0.04% | -496 | -21.41% | 2,316 |
Mackinac | 1,751 | 38.26% | 2,507 | 54.77% | 317 | 6.93% | 2 | 0.04% | -756 | -16.51% | 4,577 |
Macomb | 114,552 | 55.19% | 63,139 | 30.42% | 29,239 | 14.09% | 647 | 0.31% | 51,413 | 24.77% | 207,577 |
Manistee | 3,671 | 44.20% | 4,007 | 48.24% | 614 | 7.39% | 14 | 0.17% | -336 | -4.04% | 8,306 |
Marquette | 11,199 | 53.34% | 8,960 | 42.68% | 802 | 3.82% | 34 | 0.16% | 2,239 | 10.66% | 20,995 |
Mason | 3,660 | 37.23% | 5,311 | 54.02% | 854 | 8.69% | 6 | 0.06% | -1,651 | -16.79% | 9,831 |
Mecosta | 2,738 | 32.49% | 5,053 | 59.97% | 625 | 7.42% | 10 | 0.12% | -2,315 | -27.48% | 8,426 |
Menominee | 4,877 | 48.25% | 4,599 | 45.50% | 620 | 6.13% | 12 | 0.12% | 278 | 2.75% | 10,108 |
Midland | 7,428 | 31.40% | 14,329 | 60.57% | 1,849 | 7.82% | 52 | 0.22% | -6,901 | -29.17% | 23,658 |
Missaukee | 736 | 23.06% | 2,161 | 67.72% | 292 | 9.15% | 2 | 0.06% | -1,425 | -44.66% | 3,191 |
Monroe | 18,921 | 47.81% | 15,685 | 39.64% | 4,873 | 12.31% | 93 | 0.24% | 3,236 | 8.17% | 39,572 |
Montcalm | 5,303 | 35.59% | 8,329 | 55.89% | 1,244 | 8.35% | 26 | 0.17% | -3,026 | -20.30% | 14,902 |
Montmorency | 810 | 34.45% | 1,279 | 54.40% | 260 | 11.06% | 2 | 0.09% | -469 | -19.95% | 2,351 |
Muskegon | 24,492 | 41.74% | 28,233 | 48.11% | 5,808 | 9.90% | 150 | 0.26% | -3,741 | -6.37% | 58,683 |
Newaygo | 3,369 | 30.49% | 6,626 | 59.97% | 1,042 | 9.43% | 11 | 0.10% | -3,257 | -29.48% | 11,048 |
Oakland | 154,630 | 44.76% | 156,538 | 45.31% | 33,024 | 9.56% | 1,266 | 0.37% | -1,908 | -0.55% | 345,458 |
Oceana | 2,152 | 30.93% | 3,911 | 56.22% | 876 | 12.59% | 18 | 0.26% | -1,759 | -25.29% | 6,957 |
Ogemaw | 1,647 | 35.57% | 2,526 | 54.56% | 454 | 9.81% | 3 | 0.06% | -879 | -18.99% | 4,630 |
Ontonagon | 2,462 | 49.15% | 2,290 | 45.72% | 252 | 5.03% | 5 | 0.10% | 172 | 3.43% | 5,009 |
Osceola | 1,509 | 25.97% | 3,705 | 63.77% | 583 | 10.03% | 13 | 0.22% | -2,196 | -37.80% | 5,810 |
Oscoda | 563 | 30.53% | 1,124 | 60.95% | 157 | 8.51% | 0 | 0.00% | -561 | -30.42% | 1,844 |
Otsego | 1,661 | 43.79% | 1,871 | 49.33% | 259 | 6.83% | 2 | 0.05% | -210 | -5.54% | 3,793 |
Ottawa | 12,431 | 25.19% | 33,356 | 67.60% | 3,460 | 7.01% | 95 | 0.19% | -20,925 | -42.41% | 49,342 |
Presque Isle | 2,300 | 43.80% | 2,565 | 48.85% | 385 | 7.33% | 1 | 0.02% | -265 | -5.05% | 5,251 |
Roscommon | 1,639 | 34.78% | 2,635 | 55.91% | 431 | 9.14% | 8 | 0.17% | -996 | -21.13% | 4,713 |
Saginaw | 32,266 | 41.67% | 38,070 | 49.17% | 6,906 | 8.92% | 181 | 0.23% | -5,804 | -7.50% | 77,423 |
Sanilac | 3,193 | 22.54% | 9,273 | 65.45% | 1,692 | 11.94% | 10 | 0.07% | -6,080 | -42.91% | 14,168 |
Schoolcraft | 1,869 | 48.62% | 1,745 | 45.40% | 227 | 5.91% | 3 | 0.08% | 124 | 3.22% | 3,844 |
Shiawassee | 8,619 | 38.25% | 11,465 | 50.88% | 2,377 | 10.55% | 71 | 0.32% | -2,846 | -12.63% | 22,532 |
St. Clair | 16,251 | 38.09% | 21,084 | 49.41% | 5,261 | 12.33% | 73 | 0.17% | -4,833 | -11.32% | 42,669 |
St. Joseph | 5,413 | 30.68% | 10,445 | 59.20% | 1,759 | 9.97% | 28 | 0.16% | -5,032 | -28.52% | 17,645 |
Tuscola | 4,698 | 28.28% | 10,205 | 61.44% | 1,682 | 10.13% | 25 | 0.15% | -5,507 | -33.16% | 16,610 |
Van Buren | 7,304 | 35.44% | 10,676 | 51.81% | 2,560 | 12.42% | 67 | 0.33% | -3,372 | -16.37% | 20,607 |
Washtenaw | 33,073 | 42.50% | 36,432 | 46.82% | 7,456 | 9.58% | 853 | 1.10% | -3,359 | -4.32% | 77,814 |
Wayne | 654,157 | 63.25% | 270,566 | 26.16% | 105,606 | 10.21% | 3,931 | 0.38% | 383,591 | 37.09% | 1,034,260 |
Wexford | 2,832 | 36.59% | 4,364 | 56.38% | 535 | 6.91% | 9 | 0.12% | -1,532 | -19.79% | 7,740 |
Totals | 1,593,082 | 48.18% | 1,370,665 | 41.46% | 331,968 | 10.04% | 10,535 | 0.32% | 222,417 | 6.72% | 3,306,250 |
District[13] | Nixon | Humphrey | Wallace |
---|---|---|---|
1st | 28.2% | 55.6% | 16.2% |
2nd | 48.1% | 41.7% | 10.2% |
3rd | 53.1% | 36.7% | 10.1% |
4th | 54.5% | 33.2% | 12.3% |
5th | 53.9% | 38.8% | 7.3% |
6th | 52.1% | 39% | 8.9% |
7th | 40.5% | 47.7% | 14.8% |
8th | 53.2% | 36.6% | 10.2% |
9th | 56.9% | 34.7% | 8.3% |
10th | 55.1% | 37.2% | 7.7% |
11th | 46.8% | 47.6% | 5.5% |
12th | 30.5% | 55.4% | 14.2% |
13th | 10.7% | 84.2% | 5% |
14th | 33.8% | 54.5% | 11.7% |
15th | 28.2% | 55.6% | 16.2% |
16th | 27.3% | 60% | 12.7% |
17th | 30.7% | 59.5% | 9.8% |
18th | 45.5% | 46.7% | 7.8% |
19th | 44.3% | 43.8% | 12% |