Jump to content

1974 South Dakota gubernatorial election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1974 South Dakota gubernatorial election

← 1972 November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05) 1978 →
 
Nominee Richard F. Kneip John E. Olson
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Harvey L. Wollman Charles Clay
Popular vote 149,151 129,077
Percentage 53.6% 46.4%

County results
Kneip:      50–60%      60–70%
Olson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

Richard F. Kneip
Democratic

Governor

Richard F. Kneip
Democratic

The 1974 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974, to elect a Governor of South Dakota. This election was the first in South Dakota to elect the governor for a four-year term, after it was allowed by a constitutional amendment passed in 1972.[1] Democratic nominee and Governor Richard F. Kneip was re-elected, defeating Republican nominee John E. Olson. As of 2024, this is the last time that a Democrat was elected Governor of South Dakota, marking the start of the longest Republican winning streak in the country for a state's governorship, as well as the longest gubernatorial winning streak by a single party.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Results

[edit]
Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard F. Kneip (Incumbent) 45,932 66.19
Democratic Bill Dougherty 23,467 33.81
Total votes 69,399 100.00

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
  • John E. Olson
  • Ronald F. Williamson
  • Oscar W. Hagen

Results

[edit]
Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John E. Olson 49,973 55.57
Republican Ronald F. Williamson 25,509 28.37
Republican Oscar W. Hagen 14,444 16.06
Total votes 89,926 100.00

General election

[edit]

Results

[edit]
South Dakota gubernatorial election, 1978[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard F. Kneip (inc.) 149,151 53.61
Republican John E. Olson 129,077 46.39
Total votes 278,228 100.00
Democratic hold

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Public affairs, Issues 52-108. February 1973. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Official Election Returns for South Dakota" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. 1974. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. ^ Leip, David (March 29, 2010). "1974 Gubernatorial General Election Results – South Dakota". Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  4. ^ "Official Election Results for South Dakota" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. 1974. Retrieved June 5, 2014.