1946 United States Senate elections in California
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Elections in California |
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The 1946 United States Senate election in California was held on November 5, 1946.
Republican Senator Hiram Johnson died in office in August 1945. Governor Earl Warren appointed U.S. Army Major and former State Senator William F. Knowland to finish Johnson's term until a successor could be duly elected. Knowland won the special election to complete Johnson's term and won the regularly scheduled 1940 election over U.S. Representative Will Rogers Jr., both held on November 5.
Republican primary
Candidates
- William F. Knowland, incumbent Senator since 1945
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | William F. Knowland (inc.) | 514,667 | 64.80% | |
Democratic | Will Rogers Jr. (cross-filing) | 203,436 | 25.61% | |
Democratic | Ellis E. Patterson (cross-filing) | 47,969 | 3.14% | |
Total votes | 794,254 | 100.00 |
Democratic primary
Candidates
- John S. Crowder
- Adam C. Derkum
- Wayne McFarland
- Ellis Patterson, U.S. Representative and former Lieutenant Governor of California
- Will Rogers Jr., U.S. Representative from Culver City and son of humorist Will Rogers
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Will Rogers Jr. | 501,634 | 47.45% | |
Democratic | Ellis Patterson | 286,812 | 27.13% | |
Republican | William F. Knowland (inc.) (cross-filing) | 226,182 | 21.40% | |
Democratic | Wayne McFarland | 17,774 | 1.68% | |
Democratic | John S. Crowder | 17,156 | 1.62% | |
Democratic | Adam C. Derkum | 7,578 | 0.72% | |
Total votes | 1,057,136 | 100.00 |
General election
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | William F. Knowland (inc.) | 1,428,067 | 54.10% | |
Democratic | Will Rogers Jr. | 1,167,161 | 44.22% | |
Prohibition | Douglas Corrigan | 42,683 | 1.62% | |
Socialist Labor | Herbert Steiner (write-in) | 156 | 0.01% | |
Write-in | All others | 1,398 | 0.05% | |
Total votes | 2,639,465 | 100.00% |
Special election
In a simultaneous special election for the remainder of Johnson's term, Knowland won easily. Notably, no candidates were listed on the ballot. Each vote was a write-in, making Knowland technically the first ever write-in candidate elected to the U.S. Senate, albeit by default.
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Write-in | William F. Knowland (inc.) | 3,982,448 | 74.31% | |
Write-in | Will Rogers Jr. | 90,723 | 15.85% | |
Write-in | George H. McLain | 17,883 | 3.13% | |
Write-in | Ellis E. Patterson | 3,889 | 0.68% | |
Write-in | Douglas Corrigan | 2,464 | 0.43% | |
Write-in | Vic Paulsen | 1,616 | 0.28% | |
Write-in | Moody Staten | 1,494 | 0.26% | |
Write-in | Hartley F. Peart | 1,383 | 0.24% | |
Write-in | George C. Highley | 1,268 | 0.22% | |
Write-in | James Moran | 918 | 0.16% | |
Write-in | Ben Rinaldo | 765 | 0.13% | |
Write-in | Aubrey D. Lewis | 519 | 0.09% | |
Write-in | Frank Merriam | 507 | 0.09% | |
Write-in | All others | 23,619 | 4.13% | |
Total votes | 572,321 | 100.00% |
See also
References
- ^ "Our Campaigns - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Special". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 19 June 2020.