Gubernatorial elections
United States elections · 1972 · held
State gubernatorial races held in this election year. Each governor is elected separately; there is no combined national percentage.
State races and results map
Each race has its own denominator. Missing counts are blank. The interactive map uses modern state outlines as navigation references.
Arkansas — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Bumpers | Democratic | — | 75.44% | Elected |
| Len E. Blaylock | Republican | — | 24.56% | — |
Sources & further reading
Delaware — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman W. Tribbitt | Democratic | — | 51.27% | Elected |
| Russell W. Peterson | Republican | — | 47.91% | — |
| Virginia M. Lyndall | American | — | 0.64% | — |
| Harry H. Conner | Prohibition | — | 0.17% | — |
Sources & further reading
Illinois — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Walker | Democratic | — | 50.68% | Elected |
| Richard B. Ogilvie | Republican | — | 49.02% | — |
| George LaForest | Socialist Labor | — | 0.17% | — |
| Ishmael Flory | Communist | — | 0.10% | — |
Sources & further reading
Indiana — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Bowen | Republican | — | 56.77% | Elected |
| Matthew E. Welsh | Democratic | — | 42.46% | — |
| Berryman S. Hurley | American Independent | — | 0.40% | — |
| Finley N. Campbell | Peace and Freedom | — | 0.30% | — |
| John Marion Morris | Socialist Labor | — | 0.08% | — |
Sources & further reading
Iowa — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert D. Ray | Republican | — | 58.43% | Elected |
| Paul Franzenburg | Democratic | — | 40.26% | — |
| Robert Dilley | American Independent | — | 1.30% | — |
Sources & further reading
Kansas — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Docking | Democratic | — | 61.99% | Elected |
| Morris Kay | Republican | — | 37.05% | — |
| Rolland Ernest Fisher | Prohibition | — | 0.96% | — |
Sources & further reading
Missouri — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit Bond | Republican | — | 55.18% | Elected |
| Edward L. Doud | Democrat | — | 44.64% | — |
| Paul J. Leonard | Nonpartisan | — | 0.19% | — |
Sources & further reading
Montana — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Lee Judge | Democratic | — | 54.12% | Elected |
| Ed Smith | Republican | — | 45.88% | — |
Sources & further reading
New Hampshire — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meldrim Thomson Jr. | Republican | — | 41.38% | Elected |
| Roger J. Crowley | Democratic | — | 39.03% | — |
| Malcolm McLane | Independent | — | 19.56% | — |
Sources & further reading
North Carolina — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Holshouser | Republican | — | 51.00% | Elected |
| Skipper Bowles | Democratic | — | 48.45% | — |
| Arlis F. Pettyjohn | American | — | 0.55% | — |
Sources & further reading
North Dakota — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur A. Link | Democratic-NPL | — | 51.04% | Elected |
| Richard F. Larsen | Republican | — | 48.96% | — |
Sources & further reading
Rhode Island — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Noel | Democratic | — | 52.55% | Elected |
| Herbert F. DeSimone | Republican | — | 47.07% | — |
| Adam J. Varone | Independent | — | 0.39% | — |
Sources & further reading
South Dakota — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard F. Kneip | Democratic | — | 60.03% | Elected |
| Carveth Thompson | Republican | — | 39.97% | — |
Sources & further reading
Texas — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolph Briscoe | Democratic | — | 47.91% | Elected |
| Henry Grover | Republican | — | 44.99% | — |
| Ramsey Muniz | La Raza Unida | — | 6.28% | — |
| Debbie Leonard | Socialist Workers | — | 0.71% | — |
Sources & further reading
Utah — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Rampton | Democratic | — | 69.68% | Elected |
| Nicholas L. Strike | Republican | — | 30.32% | — |
Sources & further reading
Vermont — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas P. Salmon | Democratic | — | 55.24% | Elected |
| Luther Fred Hackett | Republican | — | 43.59% | — |
| Bernie Sanders | Liberty Union | — | 1.15% | — |
Sources & further reading
Washington — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel J. Evans | Republican | — | 50.79% | Elected |
| Albert Rosellini | Democratic | — | 42.83% | — |
| Vick Gould | Taxpayers | — | 5.90% | — |
| Robin David | Socialist Workers | — | 0.31% | — |
| Henry Killman | Socialist Labor | — | 0.18% | — |
Sources & further reading
West Virginia — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arch A. Moore Jr. | Republican | — | 54.74% | Elected |
| Jay Rockefeller | Democratic | — | 45.26% | — |
Sources & further reading
Results: final · partial coverage · Separate state governor races
This entry covers governor elections held in the election year, including available special contests, not off-year elections or every sitting governor. Candidate-specific ideology is used where sourced; election-era party ideology is the fallback. Historical indirect selections and unavailable counts are identified separately. Source summaries may omit minor candidates; blank values do not mean zero votes.