1970 Arkansas gubernatorial election

Summary

The 1970 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970.

1970 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1968 November 3, 1970 1972 →
 
Nominee Dale Bumpers Winthrop Rockefeller Walter L. Carruth
Party Democratic Republican American
Popular vote 375,648 197,418 36,132
Percentage 61.66% 32.41% 5.93%

County results
Bumpers:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Rockefeller:      40–50%

Governor before election

Winthrop Rockefeller
Republican

Elected Governor

Dale Bumpers
Democratic

Incumbent Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller ran for a third term but was defeated by Democratic nominee Dale Bumpers who won 61.66% of the vote. As of 2022, this was the last time Lee County voted for the Republican candidate.

Primary elections edit

Primary elections were held on August 25, 1970, with the Democratic runoff held on September 8, 1970.

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Democratic primary results[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Orval Faubus 156,578 36.36
Democratic Dale Bumpers 86,156 20.01
Democratic Joe Purcell 81,566 18.94
Democratic Hayes C. McClerkin 45,011 10.45
Democratic Bill Wells 32,543 7.56
Democratic Robert C. Compton 19,336 4.49
Democratic James M. Malone 6,718 1.56
Democratic William S. Cheek 2,725 0.63
Total votes 430,633 100.00
Democratic primary run-off results[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dale Bumpers 259,780 58.71
Democratic Orval Faubus 182,732 41.29
Total votes 442,512 100.00

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Republican primary results[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Winthrop Rockefeller (incumbent) 58,197 96.79
Republican R. J. Hampton 829 1.38
Republican James MacKrell 681 1.13
Republican Les Gibbs 423 0.70
Total votes 60,130 100.00

General election edit

Candidates edit

  • Dale Bumpers, Democratic
  • Winthrop Rockefeller, Republican
  • Walter L. Carruth, American Party, farmer[1]

Results overview edit

1970 Arkansas gubernatorial election[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dale Bumpers 375,648 61.66% +14.09%
Republican Winthrop Rockefeller (incumbent) 197,418 32.41% -20.02%
American Walter L. Carruth 36,132 5.93%
Majority 178,230 29.25%
Turnout 609,198 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

Results by county edit

County results[13]
County Dale Bumpers

Democratic Party

Winthrop Rockefeller

Republican Party

Walter L. Carruth

American Party

Total votes
# % # % # %
Arkansas 4824 63.95% 2058 27.28% 661 8.76% 7543
Ashley 4955 66.07% 2104 28.05% 441 5.88% 7500
Baxter 4119 53.89% 3411 44.63% 113 1.48% 7643
Benton 8471 55.98% 6134 40.53% 528 3.49% 15133
Boone 4873 67.94% 2150 29.98% 149 2.08% 7172
Bradley 2964 63.95% 1317 28.41% 354 7.64% 4635
Calhoun 1501 64.70% 622 26.81% 197 8.49% 2320
Carroll 2976 62.46% 1700 35.68% 89 1.87% 4765
Chicot 2475 48.15% 2455 47.76% 210 4.09% 5140
Clark 4795 67.83% 1936 27.39% 338 4.78% 7069
Clay 4048 69.34% 1615 27.66% 175 3.00% 5838
Cleburne 3250 75.69% 770 17.93% 274 6.38% 4294
Cleveland 1864 70.50% 461 17.44% 319 12.07% 2644
Columbia 4992 65.68% 2397 31.54% 212 2.79% 7601
Conway 4326 66.48% 1941 29.83% 240 3.69% 6507
Craighead 10570 70.69% 3867 25.86% 515 3.44% 14952
Crawford 5169 67.19% 1872 24.33% 652 8.48% 7693
Crittenden 5644 54.73% 4279 41.49% 390 3.78% 10313
Cross 3471 67.49% 1414 27.49% 258 5.02% 5143
Dallas 2240 61.27% 1094 29.92% 322 8.81% 3656
Desha 3283 57.69% 2180 38.31% 228 4.01% 5691
Drew 3085 65.55% 1344 28.56% 277 5.89% 4706
Faulkner 7974 71.51% 2741 24.58% 436 3.91% 11151
Franklin 3776 77.50% 700 14.37% 396 8.13% 4872
Fulton 2062 71.65% 756 26.27% 60 2.08% 2878
Garland 10442 55.63% 6261 33.35% 2069 11.02% 18772
Grant 2745 74.63% 480 13.05% 453 12.32% 3678
Greene 5781 73.34% 1894 24.03% 208 2.64% 7883
Hempstead 4161 63.03% 2156 32.66% 285 4.32% 6602
Hot Spring 5321 67.04% 1792 22.58% 824 10.38% 7937
Howard 3044 72.03% 1077 25.49% 105 2.48% 4226
Independence 5735 71.74% 1935 24.21% 324 4.05% 7994
Izard 2339 77.07% 608 20.03% 88 2.90% 3035
Jackson 4484 66.87% 1806 26.93% 416 6.20% 6706
Jefferson 12914 49.48% 10639 40.76% 2546 9.76% 26099
Johnson 4181 70.64% 1437 24.28% 301 5.09% 5919
Lafayette 1837 55.52% 1253 37.87% 219 6.62% 3309
Lawrence 4255 73.53% 1211 20.93% 321 5.55% 5787
Lee 2561 44.29% 2724 47.11% 497 8.60% 5782
Lincoln 2366 60.81% 1261 32.41% 264 6.78% 3891
Little River 1934 61.57% 1103 35.12% 104 3.31% 3141
Logan 4782 71.84% 1594 23.95% 280 4.21% 6656
Lonoke 5395 67.93% 1817 22.88% 730 9.19% 7942
Madison 2610 61.76% 1514 35.83% 102 2.41% 4226
Marion 1877 59.68% 1228 39.05% 40 1.27% 3145
Miller 5593 60.06% 3099 33.28% 621 6.67% 9313
Mississippi 8655 56.87% 6247 41.05% 316 2.08% 15218
Monroe 2227 45.34% 2021 41.14% 664 13.52% 4912
Montgomery 1683 70.54% 517 21.67% 186 7.80% 2386
Nevada 2518 66.99% 1071 28.49% 170 4.52% 3759
Newton 1611 55.53% 1197 41.26% 93 3.21% 2901
Ouachita 6675 61.01% 3705 33.86% 561 5.13% 10941
Perry 1515 65.05% 701 30.10% 113 4.85% 2329
Phillips 4020 38.92% 4851 46.97% 1457 14.11% 10328
Pike 2202 73.57% 596 19.91% 195 6.52% 2993
Poinsett 5528 72.87% 1828 24.10% 230 3.03% 7586
Polk 2788 63.01% 1228 27.75% 409 9.24% 4425
Pope 6405 69.00% 2523 27.18% 355 3.82% 9283
Prairie 2471 74.07% 627 18.79% 238 7.13% 3336
Pulaski 43097 53.43% 32326 40.08% 5235 6.49% 80658
Randolph 3039 72.50% 1003 23.93% 150 3.58% 4192
Saline 7961 68.75% 2429 20.98% 1189 10.27% 11579
Scott 2588 76.01% 702 20.62% 115 3.38% 3405
Searcy 2042 71.78% 672 23.62% 131 4.60% 2845
Sebastian 16187 62.78% 8271 32.08% 1324 5.14% 25782
Sevier 2558 73.59% 714 20.54% 204 5.87% 3476
Sharp 2098 62.68% 1056 31.55% 193 5.77% 3347
St. Francis 4222 47.04% 3767 41.97% 987 11.00% 8976
Stone 2084 70.67% 734 24.89% 131 4.44% 2949
Union 9628 63.22% 4839 31.77% 763 5.01% 15230
Van Buren 2651 68.43% 983 25.37% 240 6.20% 3874
Washington 11647 54.81% 8933 42.04% 668 3.14% 21248
White 9399 74.62% 2557 20.30% 639 5.07% 12595
Woodruff 2290 60.63% 1120 29.65% 367 9.72% 3777
Yell 3795 76.42% 993 20.00% 178 3.58% 4966
Totals 375648 61.66% 197418 32.41% 36132 5.93% 609198

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Defeat of Faubus a Sharp Break With Political Past in Arkansas". New York Times. New York, NY. September 10, 1970. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Faubus is leader in Arkansas vote". New York Times. New York, NY. August 26, 1970. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "Classroom to be Named for Law Grad". University of Arkansas. May 12, 2004. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  4. ^ "James Miller Malone, Jr., September 30, 1926 - April 27, 2014". Boyd Funeral Home. Lonoke, AR. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Urwin 1991, p. 176.
  6. ^ a b c Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 100.
  7. ^ a b c America Votes 9, p. 37.
  8. ^ Urwin 1991, p. 178.
  9. ^ "Negro to Seek Nomination For Governor in Arkansas". New York Times. New York, NY. June 17, 1970. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  10. ^ Urwin 1991, p. 177.
  11. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 42.
  12. ^ America Votes 9, p. 32.
  13. ^ America Votes 9, pp. 34–35.

Bibliography edit

  • Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
  • Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1972). America Votes 9: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1970. Washington, D.C.: Governmental Affairs Institute. ISBN 9780871870339.
  • Urwin, Cathy Kunzinger (1991). Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71. Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 1-55728-200-5.