1952 Michigan gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1952 Michigan gubernatorial election Michigan Presidential no 1950 Michigan gubernatorial election 1950 1954 Michigan gubernatorial election 1954 November 4, 1952 44.98% File:G. Mennen Williams 1959.png 150x150px G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) 1,431,893 49.96% File:Frederick M. Alger Jr.png Frederick M. Alger Jr. Republican Party (United States) 1,423,275 49.66% 1952 Michigan gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsWilliams: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Alger: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Governor G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) The 1952 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1952. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Frederick M. Alger Jr. with 49.96% of the vote. With a margin of just 0.30%, this is the second-closest gubernatorial election in Michigan's history, behind only the previous election. Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 5, 1952. Democratic party Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated for a third term without opposition. Candidates G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor Results Democratic primary resultsCleary Owen J. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1953-1954 1953 371-373 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049850&view=1up&seq=441 10 June 2026 Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, August 5, 1952 Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams (inc.) 566,818 99.99% Democratic Party (United States) Scattering 16 0.01% 566,834 100.00% Republican party Former secretary of state Frederick M. Alger Jr., who had lost in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 1950, this time won the Republican nomination. Candidates Frederick M. Alger Jr., former Michigan Secretary of State Donald S. Leonard, former Michigan State Police commissionerDonald S. Leonard Papers, 1925-1966 https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/umich-bhl-85530 University of Michigan Library 10 June 2026 William C. Vandenberg, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Results Republican primary results Republican Party (United States) Frederick M. Alger Jr. 384,532 44.21% Republican Party (United States) Donald S. Leonard 253,703 29.17% Republican Party (United States) William C. Vandenberg 231,461 26.61% Republican Party (United States) Scattering 16 0.00% 869,712 100.00% General election Candidates Major party candidates G. Mennen Williams, Democratic Frederick M. Alger Jr., Republican Other candidates E. Harold Munn, Prohibition Theos A. Grove, Socialist Labor Howard Lerner, Socialist Workers Results 1952 Michigan gubernatorial electionCleary Owen J. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1953-1954 1953 411-412 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049850&view=1up&seq=481 10 June 2026 Official Canvass of Votes, General Election, November 4, 1952 Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams (inc.) 1,431,893 49.96% +0.20% Republican Party (United States) Frederick M. Alger Jr. 1,423,275 49.66% -0.04% Prohibition Party E. Harold Munn 8,990 0.31% -0.14% Socialist Labor Party of America Theos A. Grove 1,192 0.04% -0.02% Socialist Workers Party (United States) Howard Lerner 628 0.02% -0.01% Scattering 2 0.00% 8,618 0.30% 2,865,980 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) +0.24% Results by county County G. Mennen WilliamsDemocratic Frederick M. AlgerRepublican E. Harold MunnProhibition All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona83230.63%1.87869.15%50.18%10.04%-1,046-38.51%2,716Alger2,34656.72%1,77242.84%160.39%20.05%57413.88%4,136Allegan6,39129.93%14,84769.52%1110.52%70.03%-8,456-39.60%21,356Alpena3,61638.74%5,68960.95%250.27%40.04%-2,073-22.21%9,334Antrim1,17525.42%3,40873.73%390.84%00.00%-2,233-48.31%4,622Arenac1,43035.15%2,63264.70%50.12%10.02%-1,202-29.55%4,068Baraga1,80850.18%1,79349.76%20.06%00.00%150.42%3,603Barry4,02732.66%8,20866.57%940.76%10.01%-4,181-33.91%12,330Bay17,34147.01%19,46852.77%750.20%70.02%-2,127-5.77%36,891Benzie1,17331.46%2,52067.58%340.91%20.05%-1,347-36.12%3,729Berrien21,45641.10%30,57558.57%1580.30%160.03%-9,119-17.47%52,205Branch4,52434.84%8,37464.48%860.66%20.02%-3,850-29.65%12,986Calhoun24,45046.46%27,93053.08%2210.42%210.04%-3,480-6.61%52,622Cass5,13538.99%7,98060.59%510.39%40.03%-2,845-21.60%13,170Charlevoix2,00535.12%3,66264.14%390.68%30.05%-1,657-29.02%5,709Cheboygan2,23535.58%4,03464.23%110.18%10.02%-1,799-28.64%6,281Chippewa5,20545.85%6,12053.91%270.24%00.00%-915-8.06%11,352Clare1,25927.39%3,31672.13%210.46%10.02%-2,057-44.75%4,597Clinton4,12530.40%9,37469.09%690.51%00.00%-5,249-38.69%13,568Crawford64735.36%1,18064.48%30.16%00.00%-533-29.13%1,830Delta8,18556.65%6,24643.23%170.12%10.01%1,93913.42%14,449Dickinson6,75757.67%4,93542.12%220.19%30.03%1,82215.55%11,717Eaton7,10437.35%11,82662.17%880.46%30.02%-4,722-24.83%19,021Emmet2,42434.53%4,57765.20%180.26%10.01%-2,153-30.67%7,020Genesee63,65552.68%56,63646.87%4830.40%640.05%7,0195.81%120,838Gladwin1,11827.76%2,89171.77%190.47%00.00%-1,773-44.02%4,028Gogebic7,98258.68%5,58241.04%340.25%4The summary canvass in the 1953-1954 Michigan Manual transposes the votes for Grove and Lerner in this county. The correct results can be found in the detailed results for Gogebic County on page 487.0.03%2,40017.64%13,602Grand Traverse3,50329.91%8,18169.85%260.22%20.02%-4,678-39.94%11,712Gratiot3,82529.30%9,14370.03%880.67%00.00%-5,318-40.73%13,056Hillsdale4,39630.65%9,79968.31%1491.04%00.00%-5,403-37.67%14,344Houghton8,58149.91%8,58449.93%230.13%40.02%-3-0.02%17,192Huron3,06123.21%10,10676.63%210.16%00.00%-7,045-53.42%13,188Ingham33,72343.74%42,91055.65%4460.58%270.04%-9,187-11.91%77,106Ionia5,96737.84%9,67961.37%1240.79%10.01%-3,712-23.54%15,771Iosco1,44028.63%3,57871.13%90.18%30.06%-2,138-42.50%5,030Iron5,46559.34%3,72540.45%170.18%20.02%1,74018.89%9,209Isabella3,97535.52%7,15863.96%580.52%10.01%-3,183-28.44%11,192Jackson18,77438.15%30,22961.43%1960.40%120.02%-11,455-23.28%49,211Kalamazoo22,96139.43%35,00260.11%2560.44%130.02%-12,041-20.68%58,232Kalkaska59232.39%1,22767.12%90.49%00.00%-635-34.74%1,828Kent55,64741.38%78,11758.09%6510.48%510.04%-22,470-16.71%134,466Keweenaw82555.44%66344.56%00.00%00.00%16210.89%1,488Lake1,24246.03%1,44753.63%70.26%20.07%-205-7.60%2,698Lapeer4,59933.59%9,03265.98%580.42%10.01%-4,433-32.38%13,690Leelanau1,19430.33%2,73669.49%50.13%20.05%-1,542-39.17%3,937Lenawee9,01631.77%19,26067.86%960.34%80.03%-10,244-36.10%28,380Livingston4,01630.84%8,93968.65%650.50%20.02%-4,923-37.81%13,022Luce75935.40%1,38264.46%20.09%10.05%-623-29.06%2,144Mackinac1,79041.13%2,55758.75%50.11%00.00%-767-17.62%4,352Macomb43,77956.21%33,90443.53%1420.18%580.07%9,87512.68%77,883Manistee3,54842.29%4,82257.48%180.21%10.01%-1,274-15.19%8,389Marquette11,08851.26%10,51148.60%280.13%20.01%5772.67%21,629Mason4,08642.66%5,44156.81%460.48%40.04%-1,355-14.15%9,577Mecosta2,06329.20%4,94970.04%540.76%00.00%-2,886-40.84%7,066Menominee5,22547.63%5,71352.08%270.25%50.05%-488-4.45%10,970Midland5,37436.09%9,43563.37%780.52%20.01%-4,061-27.28%14,889Missaukee70922.39%2,43576.89%230.73%00.00%-1,726-54.50%3,167Monroe14,69448.19%15,68351.43%960.31%190.06%-989-3.24%30,492Montcalm4,59433.12%9,17466.15%1010.73%00.00%-4,580-33.02%13,869Montmorency64732.30%1,34367.05%130.65%00.00%-696-34.75%2,003Muskegon29,14254.23%24,28145.19%2670.50%440.08%4,8619.05%53,734Newaygo2,96931.79%6,32467.71%460.49%10.01%-3,355-35.92%9,340Oakland89,81545.63%106,44754.08%4680.24%1060.05%-16,632-8.45%196,836Oceana2,31534.94%4,21563.61%931.40%30.05%-1,900-28.67%6,626Ogemaw1,23430.56%2,79069.09%140.35%00.00%-1,556-38.53%4,038Ontonagon2,67452.15%2,44747.72%50.10%20.04%2274.43%5,128Osceola1,40123.92%4,39875.08%591.01%00.00%-2,997-51.16%5,858Oscoda31524.49%96975.35%20.16%00.00%-654-50.86%1,286Otsego1,00335.59%1,80564.05%90.32%10.04%-802-28.46%2,818Ottawa10,42530.81%23,16268.46%2340.69%120.04%-12,737-37.65%33,833Presque Isle2,07743.16%2,72556.63%100.21%00.00%-648-13.47%4,812Roscommon83125.66%2,39774.00%90.28%20.06%-1,566-48.35%3,239Saginaw27,56842.53%36,82156.81%2710.42%1590.25%-9,253-14.28%64,819Sanilac2,88421.22%10,64378.30%630.46%20.01%-7,759-57.09%13,592Schoolcraft1,98749.00%2,06050.80%80.20%00.00%-73-1.80%4,055Shiawassee7,78638.67%12,16860.43%1770.88%40.02%-4,382-21.76%20,135St. Clair14,61536.06%25,84363.77%630.16%40.01%-11,228-27.71%40,525St. Joseph5,42632.15%11,29166.91%1550.92%30.02%-5,865-34.76%16,875Tuscola3,99426.36%11,08673.16%710.47%20.01%-7,092-46.80%15,153Van Buren6,34633.95%12,29365.77%450.24%80.04%-5,947-31.82%18,692Washtenaw21,52838.83%33,74460.86%1450.26%260.05%-12,216-22.03%55,443Wayne693,11162.33%415,86737.40%2,0110.18%1,0700.10%277,24424.93%1,112,059Wexford2,88435.51%5,18263.80%550.68%10.01%-2,298-28.29%8,122Total1,431,89349.96%1,423,27549.66%8,9900.31%1,8220.06%8,6180.30%2,865,980 Notes References 1952 Michigan Gubernatorial Category:November 1952 in the United States