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.
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All 21 Michigan votes to the Electoral College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 59.4%  [2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 County results
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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 2024 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| 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- Alger
- Baraga
- Bay
- Dickinson
- Genesee
- Houghton
- Keweenaw
- Macomb
- Marquette
- Menominee
- Monroe
- Ontonagon
- Schoolcraft
- Gogebic
- Iron
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "United States Presidential election of 1972 - Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ "SOS - General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics".
- ^ "1972 Election for the Forty-Seventh Term (1973-77)". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results - Michigan". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ "The American Presidency Project - Election of 1972". Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ Our Campaigns; MI US President 1972