1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election Oklahoma Flag of Oklahoma (1941–1988).svg By-election no 1974 Oklahoma gubernatorial election 1974 1982 Oklahoma gubernatorial election 1982 November 7, 1978 File:George Nigh (cropped).jpg 150x150px George Nigh Democratic Party (United States) 402,240 51.74% 3x4.svg Ron Shotts Republican Party (United States) 367,055 47.21% 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results map by county.svg County resultsNigh: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Shotts: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Governor David Boren Democratic Party (United States) George Nigh Democratic Party (United States) The 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the next governor of Oklahoma. Incumbent Democratic governor David Boren chose not to run for re-election to a second term in office. Instead, Boren decided to run for the United States Senate. Former governor, and sitting lieutenant governor George Nigh was elected, defeating Republican nominee Ron Shotts. Primary election Primary elections were held on August 22, 1978 with runoffs occurring on September 19, 1978. Democratic party Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma George Nigh, who briefly served as governor in January of 1963, received just under an outright majority of votes in the primary, necessitating a runoff against Attorney General of Oklahoma Larry Derryberry. Candidates Larry Derryberry, Attorney General of Oklahoma Bob Funston, member of Oklahoma Senate George Nigh, Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma Results Democratic primary resultsSlater Lee State of Oklahoma Election Results and Statistics 1978 1978 Oklahoma State Election Board Oklahoma City https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/stgovpub/id/16638 7 January 2026 George Nigh Democratic Party (United States) 276,910 49.94% Larry Derryberry Democratic Party (United States) 208,055 37.53% Bob Funston Democratic Party (United States) 69,475 12.53% 554,440 100.00% Democratic primary runoff results George Nigh Democratic Party (United States) 269,681 57.73% Larry Derryberry Democratic Party (United States) 197,457 42.27% 467,138 100.00% Republican party Candidates Jim Head Jerry L. Mash Ron Shotts, former Oklahoma Sooners football player Results Republican primary results Ron Shotts Republican Party (United States) 82,895 76.85% Jerry L. Mash Republican Party (United States) 18,145 12.19% Jim Head Republican Party (United States) 11,826 10.96% 107,866 100.00% General election Candidates Major party candidates George Nigh, Democratic Ron Shotts, Republican Other candidates Billy Joe Clegg, Independent Jim McCuiston, Independent Floyd Shealy, Independent Results 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results George Nigh Democratic Party (United States) 402,240 51.74% -12.17% Ron Shotts Republican Party (United States) 367,055 47.21% +11.13% Billy Joe Clegg Independent politician 3,887 0.50% Floyd Shealy Independent politician 2,395 0.31% Jim McCuiston Independent politician 1,395 0.24% 777,414 100.00% 38,185 4.53% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) -23.30% Results by county County George NighDemocratic Ron ShottsRepublican All OthersIndependent Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adair2,74654.00%2,22343.72%1162.28%52310.29%5,085Alfalfa1,21537.86%1,97461.51%200.62%-759-23.65%3,209Atoka2,34167.84%1,07931.27%310.90%1,26236.57%3,451Beaver1,12545.88%1,30853.34%190.77%-183-7.46%2,452Beckham2,32548.61%2,44151.03%170.36%-116-2.43%4,783Blaine1,44533.25%2,88666.41%150.35%-1,441-33.16%4,346Bryan4,59475.29%1,47524.17%330.54%3,11951.11%6,102Caddo4,64653.65%3,95745.69%570.66%6897.96%8,660Canadian5,43239.87%8,08559.34%1080.79%-2,653-19.47%13,625Carter6,04455.95%4,69043.42%680.63%1,35412.53%10,802Cherokee5,14363.86%2,86235.54%480.60%2,28128.32%8,053Choctaw2,92073.40%99825.09%601.51%1,92248.32%3,978Cimarron65445.17%75151.86%432.97%-97-6.70%1,448Cleveland13,50145.13%16,12453.89%2940.98%-2,623-8.77%29,919Coal1,09168.92%47830.20%140.88%61338.72%1,583Comanche12,59264.75%6,76134.77%940.48%5,83129.98%19,447Cotton1,29762.24%77237.04%150.72%52525.19%2,084Craig2,90367.42%1,36831.77%350.81%1,53535.65%4,306Creek7,36358.96%5,04440.39%820.66%2,31918.57%12,489Custer3,08341.59%4,30258.03%280.38%-1,219-16.44%7,413Delaware4,51465.91%2,26833.11%670.98%2,24632.79%6,849Dewey95840.84%1,37458.57%140.60%-416-17.73%2,346Ellis86237.84%1,37360.27%431.89%-511-22.43%2,278Garfield6,77138.64%10,64360.73%1110.63%-3,872-22.09%17,525Garvin4,52557.13%3,35242.32%440.56%1,17314.81%7,921Grady4,97654.47%4,11445.03%460.50%8629.44%9,136Grant1,46848.72%1,52050.45%250.83%-52-1.73%3,013Greer1,35355.31%1,08444.32%90.37%26911.00%2,446Harmon90368.62%40730.93%60.46%49637.69%1,316Harper68737.20%1,14361.88%170.92%-456-24.69%1,847Haskell2,30269.59%98329.72%230.70%1,31939.87%3,308Hughes2,65964.59%1,41634.39%421.02%1,24330.19%4,117Jackson3,79864.21%2,07235.03%450.76%1,72629.18%5,915Jefferson1,38369.18%60930.47%70.35%77438.72%1,999Johnston1,65463.74%92835.76%130.50%72627.98%2,595Kay7,32343.34%9,45955.98%1150.68%-2,136-12.64%16,897Kingfisher1,95837.57%3,20961.57%450.86%-1,251-24.00%5,212Kiowa2,09454.23%1,75245.38%150.39%3428.86%3,861Latimer2,12371.31%82727.78%270.91%1,29643.53%2,977Le Flore6,85976.53%2,04522.82%590.66%4,81453.71%8,963Lincoln3,30748.25%3,50651.15%410.60%-199-2.90%6,854Logan3,34546.63%3,76352.46%650.91%-418-5.83%7,173Love1,20568.94%53130.38%120.69%67438.56%1,748Major85829.76%2,01169.75%140.49%-1,153-39.99%2,883Marshall1,69057.33%1,23741.96%210.71%45315.37%2,948Mayes4,93459.22%3,35540.27%420.50%1,57918.95%8,331McClain2,60454.48%2,12344.41%531.11%48110.06%4,780McCurtain4,93775.45%1,51723.19%891.36%3,42052.27%6,543McIntosh2,88465.89%1,46533.47%280.64%1,41932.42%4,377Murray2,03961.58%1,25737.96%150.45%78223.62%3,311Muskogee12,16765.62%6,25533.73%1200.65%5,91231.88%18,542Noble1,61640.10%2,39359.38%210.52%-777-19.28%4,030Nowata1,77853.54%1,52946.04%140.42%2497.50%3,321Okfuskee1,66356.70%1,24842.55%220.75%41514.15%2,933Oklahoma58,34841.38%79,09256.09%3,5752.54%-20,744-14.71%141,015Okmulgee6,80068.53%3,07230.96%510.51%3,72837.57%9,923Osage5,91258.75%4,10540.79%460.46%1,80717.96%10,063Ottawa5,61967.67%2,64231.82%420.51%2,97735.85%8,303Pawnee2,59054.60%2,11744.62%370.78%4739.97%4,744Payne8,53150.15%8,36649.18%1150.68%1650.97%17,012Pittsburg8,38970.55%3,42728.82%750.63%4,96241.73%11,891Pontotoc5,26056.45%3,98642.78%720.77%1,27413.67%9,318Pottawatomie8,07256.63%6,10642.84%760.53%1,96613.79%14,254Pushmataha2,34866.72%1,11631.71%551.56%1,23235.01%3.519Roger Mills84548.59%88150.66%130.75%-36-2.07%1,739Rogers6,39058.28%4,51041.13%640.58%1,88017.15%10,964Seminole4,51359.81%2,98539.56%480.64%1,52820.25%7,546Sequoyah5,40972.04%2,03127.05%680.91%3,37844.99%7,508Stephens7,11856.38%5,45943.24%490.39%1,65913.14%12,626Texas2,78756.84%2,06942.20%470.96%71814.64%4,903Tillman2,01862.96%1,16536.35%220.69%85326.61%3,205Tulsa57,48248.00%61,37551.25%9000.75%-3,893-3.25%119,757Wagoner4,84157.89%3,47841.59%430.51%1,36316.30%8,362Washington7,27545.51%8,64554.08%660.41%-1,370-8.57%15,986Washita1,70242.44%2,24756.03%611.52%-545-13.59%4,010Woods1,68337.84%2,75361.89%120.27%-1,070-24.06%4,448Woodward1,65134.48%3,08264.37%551.15%-1,431-29.89%4,788Totals402,24051.74%367,05547.21%8,1191.04%35,1854.53%777,414 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Nowata Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Alfalfa Beaver Beckham Blaine Canadian Cimarron Cleveland Custer Dewey Ellis Garfield Grant Harper Kay Kingfisher Lincoln Logan Noble Oklahoma Roger Mills Washita Woods Woodward See also 1978 United States elections 1978 United States gubernatorial elections 1978 United States Senate elections References Gubernatorial 1978 Oklahoma Category:November 1978 in the United States Category:1978 in Oklahoma