1940 Arizona gubernatorial election

1940 Arizona gubernatorial election

November 5, 1940

Nominee Sidney Preston Osborn Jerrie W. Lee Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 97,606 50,358 Percentage 65.52% 33.81%

Governor before election Robert Taylor Jones Democratic Elected Governor Sidney Preston Osborn Democratic

The 1940 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1940. Incumbent Governor Robert Taylor Jones ran for reelection but was defeated in the Democratic primary by former Secretary of State Sidney Preston Osborn, whom Jones had previously defeated in 1938.

Sidney Preston Osborn defeated Jerrie W. Lee in the general election, and was sworn into his first term as Governor on January 6, 1941, becoming Arizona's seventh Governor.

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary took place on September 10, 1940. Incumbent Governor Robert Taylor Jones ran for reelection, but he was defeated by former Secretary of State Sidney Preston Osborn. Osborn previously ran against Jones in 1938, but was defeated due to the race being a three-way with Secretary of State James H. Kerby. C. M. Menderson, Ernest Carleton, George E. Shields, and Howard Sprouse also ran but presented only token opposition.

Candidates

• Robert Taylor Jones, incumbent Governor
• Sidney P. Osborn, former Secretary of State of Arizona
• C. M. Menderson
• Ernest Carleton
• George E. Shields
• Howard Sprouse, state legislator

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sidney Preston Osborn	54,737	46.30%
	Democratic	Robert Taylor Jones	49,466	41.84%
	Democratic	C. M. Menderson	10,950	9.26%
	Democratic	Ernest Carleton	1,834	1.55%
	Democratic	George E. Shields	860	0.73%
	Democratic	Howard Sprouse	383	0.32%
Total votes			118,230	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Jerrie W. Lee, 1938 Republican gubernatorial nominee

General election

Arizona gubernatorial election, 1940

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sidney Preston Osborn	97,606	65.52%
	Republican	Jerrie W. Lee	50,358	33.81%
	Prohibition	Charles R. Osburn	1,003	0.67%
Majority			47,248	31.71%
Turnout			148,967
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing