1954 Michigan gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1954 Michigan gubernatorial election Michigan presidential 1952 Michigan gubernatorial election 1952 1956 Michigan gubernatorial election 1956 no November 2, 1954 File:G. Mennen Williams 1961 (cropped).png 150x150px G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) 1,216,308 55.61% Donald_S._Leonard.jpg Donald S. Leonard Republican Party (United States) 963,300 44.05% 1954 Michigan gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsWilliams: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Leonard: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Governor G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams Democratic Party (United States) The 1954 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Democrat G. Mennen Williams defeated Republican nominee Donald S. Leonard with 55.61% of the vote. Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 3, 1954. Democratic party Incumbent governor G. Mennen Williams was renominated for a fourth consecutive term without opposition. Candidates G. Mennen Williams, incumbent governor Results Democratic primary resultsHare James M. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1955-1956 1955 383-385 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049851&view=1up&seq=451 11 June 2026 Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, August 3, 1954 Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams (inc.) 426,660 99.99% Democratic Party (United States) Scattering 20 0.01% 426,680 100.00% Republican party Donald S. Leonard, who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary in the previous election, secured the Republican primary from a crowded field. Candidates D. Hale Brake, Michigan State Treasurer Owen J. Cleary, Michigan Secretary of State Eugene C. Keyes, former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Donald S. Leonard, former Chief of the Detroit Police Department and former Michigan State Police commissionerDonald S. Leonard Papers, 1925-1966 https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/umich-bhl-85530 University of Michigan Library 11 June 2026 Results Republican primary results Republican Party (United States) Donald S. Leonard 188,054 40.25% Republican Party (United States) D. Hale Brake 112,797 24.14% Republican Party (United States) Owen J. Cleary 95,825 20.51% Republican Party (United States) Eugene C. Keyes 70,569 15.10% Republican Party (United States) Scattering 19 0.00% 467,264 100.00% General election Candidates Major party candidates G. Mennen Williams, Democratic Donald S. Leonard, Republican Other candidates E. Harold Munn, Prohibition Theos A. Grove, Socialist Labor Frank Lovell, Socialist Workers Results 1954 Michigan gubernatorial electionHare James M. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual 1955-1956 1955 415-416 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4049851&view=1up&seq=483 11 June 2026 Official Canvass of Votes, General Election, November 2, 1954 Democratic Party (United States) G. Mennen Williams (inc.) 1,216,308 55.61% +5.65% Republican Party (United States) Donald S. Leonard 963,300 44.05% -5.61% Prohibition Party (United States) E. Harold Munn 5,824 0.27% -0.05% Socialist Labor Party of America Theos A. Grove 980 0.04% +0.00% Socialist Workers Party (United States) Frank Lovell 615 0.03% +0.01% 253,008 11.57% 2,187,027 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) +11.27% Results by county After this election, Cheboygan County, Ingham County, and Manistee County would not vote Democratic again until 1982. County G. Mennen WilliamsDemocratic Donald S. LeonardRepublican All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Alcona95841.58%1,33657.99%100.43%-378-16.41%2,304Alger2,29064.36%1,25635.30%120.34%1,03429.06%3,558Allegan5,53234.83%10,30864.91%410.26%-4,776-30.07%15,881Alpena3,47147.49%3,82752.36%110.15%-356-4.87%7,309Antrim1,49739.21%2,30560.37%160.42%-808-21.16%3,818Arenac1,70548.44%1,80851.36%70.20%-103-2.93%3,520Baraga2,09059.89%1,39640.00%40.11%69419.89%3,490Barry3,55237.93%5,75661.46%570.61%-2,204-23.53%9,365Bay15,70254.81%12,87244.93%720.25%2,8309.88%28,646Benzie1,13739.70%1,69059.01%371.29%-553-19.31%2,864Berrien17,47245.10%21,21254.76%530.14%-3,740-9.65%38,737Branch3,87741.07%5,50558.31%590.62%-1,628-17.24%9,441Calhoun18,58150.94%17,77548.73%1190.33%8062.21%36,475Cass4,71745.25%5,68054.49%270.26%-963-9.24%10,424Charlevoix2,06544.46%2,54954.88%310.67%-484-10.42%4,645Cheboygan2,80452.65%2,50246.98%200.38%3025.67%5,326Chippewa4,50350.93%4,32648.93%130.15%1772.00%8,842Clare1,34938.41%2,15861.45%50.14%-809-23.04%3,512Clinton3,69737.00%6,25662.60%400.40%-2,559-25.61%9,993Crawford70648.22%75351.43%50.34%-47-3.21%1,464Delta7,20461.91%4,41737.96%150.13%2,78723.95%11,636Dickinson6,02661.26%3,80038.63%100.10%2,22622.63%9,836Eaton6,19044.20%7,76355.44%500.36%-1,573-11.23%14,003Emmet2,53244.62%3,12555.08%170.30%-593-10.45%5,674Genesee51,33956.35%39,51343.37%2610.29%11,82612.98%91,113Gladwin1,39441.33%1,96358.20%160.47%-569-16.87%3,373Gogebic7,49863.64%4,25236.09%320.27%3,24627.55%11,782Grand Traverse3,67840.72%5,33659.07%190.21%-1,658-18.35%9,033Gratiot3,47335.49%6,26364.00%500.51%-2,790-28.51%9,786Hillsdale4,71738.89%7,24259.70%1711.41%-2,525-20.82%12,130Houghton7,95856.62%6,07443.21%240.17%1,88413.40%14,056Huron3,60333.34%7,18466.47%210.19%-3,581-33.13%10,808Ingham29,44450.44%28,72449.21%2060.35%7201.23%58,374Ionia5,61845.45%6,69054.12%530.43%-1,072-8.67%12,361Iosco1,72740.07%2,57959.84%40.09%-852-19.77%4,310Iron5,25762.60%3,11837.13%230.27%2,13925.47%8,398Isabella3,71544.53%4,59555.08%320.38%-880-10.55%8,342Jackson15,87544.12%19,95355.46%1510.42%-4,078-11.33%35,979Kalamazoo16,79541.00%24,01258.61%1610.39%-7,217-17.62%40,968Kalkaska78346.91%88152.79%50.30%-98-5.87%1,669Kent43,80244.02%55,28455.56%4240.43%-11,482-11.54%99,510Keweenaw84061.54%52238.24%30.22%31823.30%1,365Lake1,32055.32%1,06044.43%60.25%26010.90%2,386Lapeer4,06839.15%6,28460.48%390.38%-2,216-21.33%10,391Leelanau1,22639.37%1,88260.44%60.19%-656-21.07%3,114Lenawee7,45636.96%12,65962.76%560.28%-5,203-25.79%20,171Livingston3,98038.04%6,44961.64%340.32%-2,469-23.60%10,463Luce72044.33%90355.60%10.06%-183-11.27%1,624Mackinac1,63347.58%1,78652.04%130.38%-153-4.46%3,432Macomb41,16164.90%22,06334.79%1940.31%19,09830.11%63,418Manistee3,43651.01%3,29348.89%70.10%1432.12%6,736Marquette10,86659.26%7,44840.62%230.13%3,41818.64%18,337Mason3,58849.27%3,68350.57%120.16%-95-1.30%7,283Mecosta2,14939.15%3,31260.34%280.51%-1,163-21.19%5,489Menominee5,01655.40%4,01544.35%230.25%1,00111.06%9,054Midland4,88341.73%6,77457.89%440.38%-1,891-16.16%11,701Missaukee89032.27%1,85967.40%90.33%-969-35.13%2,758Monroe12,39054.36%10,30145.19%1030.45%2,0899.16%22,794Montcalm4,31242.04%5,90657.59%380.37%-1,594-15.54%10,256Montmorency71944.38%89755.37%40.25%-178-10.99%1,620Muskegon23,02258.00%16,45841.46%2140.54%6,56416.54%39,694Newaygo2,81138.34%4,49861.35%230.31%-1,687-23.01%7,332Oakland75,62549.67%76,21050.05%4280.28%-585-0.38%152,263Oceana2,05641.71%2,84957.80%240.49%-793-16.09%4,929Ogemaw1,44744.28%1,79855.02%230.70%-351-10.74%3,268Ontonagon2,60457.14%1,94942.77%40.09%65514.37%4,557Osceola1,48132.95%2,98566.41%290.65%-1,504-33.46%4,495Oscoda49943.05%65656.60%40.35%-157-13.55%1,159Otsego1,22149.39%1,24750.44%40.16%-26-1.05%2,472Ottawa12,48739.69%18,86559.96%1110.35%-6,378-20.27%31,463Presque Isle2,20454.78%1,81545.12%40.10%3899.67%4,023Roscommon1,06139.86%1,59259.80%90.34%-531-19.95%2,662Saginaw23,82948.39%25,18351.14%2310.47%-1,354-2.75%49,243Sanilac3,55330.15%8,20169.59%300.25%-4,648-39.44%11,784Schoolcraft2,09656.28%1,62543.64%30.08%47112.65%3,724Shiawassee6,50443.64%8,27355.50%1280.86%-1,769-11.87%14,905St. Clair13,85844.87%16,98655.00%400.13%-3,128-10.13%30,884St. Joseph4,47637.19%7,48862.22%710.59%-3,012-25.03%12,035Tuscola3,63131.14%7,99968.60%310.27%-4,368-37.46%11,661Van Buren5,74639.05%8,92960.68%390.27%-3,183-21.63%14,714Washtenaw16,89642.29%22,93357.40%1260.32%-6,037-15.11%39,955Wayne569,29867.91%266,28431.76%2,7770.33%303,01436.14%838,359Wexford2,91746.31%3,34353.07%390.62%-426-6.76%6,299Total1,216,30855.61%963,30044.05%7,4190.34%253,00811.57%2,187,027 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Bay Calhoun Cheboygan Chippewa Houghton Ingham Lake Manistee Menominee Monroe Presque Isle Schoolcraft References 1954 gubernatorial Michigan Category:Philip Hart Category:November 1954 in the United States