1976 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

none June 2025 April 2021 1976 United States presidential election in Wisconsin Wisconsin 1913 presidential no 1972 United States presidential election in Wisconsin 1972 1980 United States presidential election in Wisconsin 1980 November 2, 1976 x200px Jimmy Carter 1977 cropped.jpg Jimmy Carter Democratic Party (United States) Georgia Walter Mondale 11 1,040,232 49.50% Gerald Ford, second official portrait of the President of the United States, February 1976 (HQ) (cropped closer).jpg Gerald Ford Republican Party (United States) Michigan Bob Dole 0 1,004,987 47.83% 1976 United States presidential election in Wisconsin results map by county.svg 300px County results Carter #b9d7ff 40–50% #86b6f2 50–60% #4389e3 60–70% Ford #f2b3be 40–50% #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% President Gerald Ford Republican Party (United States) Jimmy Carter Democratic Party (United States) The 1976 United States presidential election in Wisconsin took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election. Jimmy Carter won the state of Wisconsin with 49.50 percent of the vote1976 Presidential General Election Results – Wisconsin http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1976&fips=55&f=0&off=0&elect=0&minper=0 Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas giving him 11 electoral votes. In September, President Ford announced he would devote $20,000 to campaigning in Wisconsin. The state was one of ten he considered critical to defeating Carter, but Ford devoted less money to it than any of the others.Naughton, James M. Ford to Aim at New York, Jersey And 8 Other Key Industrial States: Ford Will Aim His Election Effort at 10 Major States September 23, 1976 85 During his campaign, Ford focused chiefly on the Catholic working-class electorate in South Milwaukee, whose hierarchy had been disappointed Carter was not committed – following Roe v. Wade – to a constitutional amendment banning abortion.Ford Banks on Catholic The Irish Times September 10, 1976 6 Carter himself responded by visiting white ethnic communities in the state during September.Naughton, James M. Remark by Ford Is Aid to Carter At Rally in Ohio: Carter, in Midwest, reaps an Ethnic Gain The New York Times October 10, 1976 1 His campaign amongst the Polish-Americans and Greek-Americans in the southeast of the state was strongly aimed at Ford's policy towards the totalitarian regimes of Eastern Europe and their human rights violations.Carter hits Ford about East Europe The Irish Times October 12, 1976 7 In early October, polls showed Wisconsin as a tossup.Poll Shows Carter Is Ahead in States Needed for Victory: But His Lead for Electoral Votes Is Found Small and Slipping Close Election Foreseen Poll Shows Carter Ahead in States With Majority in Electoral College ]The New York Times October 3, 1976 1 Aided by a return of traditionally Democratic Catholic voters and a gain amongst nonpartisans, Carter established a lead in mid-October polls.Apple, R.W. Carter, Focusing on Ford Record, Gains Among Independents in Poll The New York Times October 15, 1976 1 The Georgia Governor would retain this lead to election day, and carry Wisconsin by 1.68 points. This result nonetheless made Wisconsin 0.43% more Republican than the nation at large. Wisconsin was the tipping-point state of the election.December 2020 Ronald Reagan would flip Wisconsin back into the Republican column in 1980 and 1984, but Carter's victory was a sign of things to come for the state, as it would transition into a Democratic-leaning swing state in 1988, and would vote Republican only twice since then. Primaries Democratic primaries Despite the fact that at the time of this election Wisconsin had been dominated for a decade by very liberal Democrats like Senators Gaylord Nelson and William Proxmire, and had been the fifth-best state for George McGovern in his landslide 1972 presidential defeat, Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter won the state on a "nonideological" campaign in the April primaries,Apple R. W. 1976-04-02 Carter Gains Among Wisconsin Liberals and Unions 9 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/02/archives/carter-gains-among-wisconsin-liberals-and-unions.html 2021-04-17 0362-4331 despite claiming that price floors for dairy farmers in the nation's leading dairy state would need to be lowered.King Seth S. 1976-04-05 Carter and Udall Vie in Wisconsin 25 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/05/archives/carter-and-udall-vie-in-wisconsin-dispute-over-farm-parity-reminds.html 2021-04-17 0362-4331 Jimmy Carter – 36.63% Mo Udall – 35.62% George Wallace – 12.49% Scoop Jackson – 6.43% Republican primaries Gerald Ford won the GOP primary against the insurgent conservative challenge of Ronald Reagan, saying that his win was largely due to the endorsement of Henry Kissinger.Naughton James N. 1976-04-08 Ford Sees Wisconsin Vote As Kissinger Endorsement 32 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/08/archives/ford-sees-wisconsin-vote-as-kissinger-endorsement-risktaking.html 2021-04-17 0362-4331 Gerald Ford (incumbent) – 55.23% Ronald Reagan – 44.29% Results 1976 United States presidential election in WisconsinPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Democratic Jimmy Carter 1,040,232 49.50% 11 Republican Gerald Ford (incumbent) 1,004,987 47.83% 0 Independent Eugene McCarthy 34,943 1.66% 0 American Lester Maddox 8,552 0.41% 0 Independent Frank Zeidler 4,298 0.20% 0 Independent Roger L. MacBride 3,814 0.18% 0 Independent Peter Camejo 1,691 0.08% 0 Independent Margaret Wright 943 0.04% 0 Independent Gus Hall 749 0.04% 0 Independent Lyndon H. LaRouche 738 0.04% 0 Independent Julius Levin 389 0.02% 0 Totals 2,101,336 100.0% 11 Results by county County Jimmy CarterDemocratic Gerald FordRepublican Eugene McCarthyIndependent Lester MaddoxAmerican Other candidatesVarious parties Margin Total votescastWI US President Race, November 02, 1976 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=2366 Our Campaigns # % # % # % # % # % # % Adams 3,089 55.28% 2,377 42.54% 77 1.38% 22 0.39% 23 0.41% 712 12.74% 5,588 Ashland 4,688 58.89% 3,045 38.25% 131 1.65% 43 0.54% 54 0.68% 1,643 20.64% 7,961 Barron 8,678 52.97% 7,393 45.13% 205 1.25% 62 0.38% 44 0.27% 1,285 7.84% 16,382 Bayfield 3,885 58.05% 2,624 39.21% 136 2.03% 18 0.27% 30 0.45% 1,261 18.84% 6,693 Brown 33,572 46.47% 36,571 50.62% 1,480 2.05% 344 0.48% 276 0.38% -2,999 -4.15% 72,243 Buffalo 3,448 53.65% 2,844 44.25% 83 1.29% 33 0.51% 19 0.30% 604 9.40% 6,427 Burnett 3,720 57.74% 2,573 39.93% 89 1.38% 31 0.48% 30 0.47% 1,147 17.81% 6,443 Calumet 6,241 47.53% 6,589 50.18% 221 1.68% 42 0.32% 39 0.30% -348 -2.65% 13,132 Chippewa 11,538 57.42% 8,137 40.50% 270 1.34% 93 0.46% 55 0.27% 3,401 16.92% 20,093 Clark 7,238 52.67% 6,095 44.35% 204 1.48% 172 1.25% 33 0.24% 1,143 8.32% 13,742 Columbia 9,457 47.52% 10,075 50.63% 235 1.18% 67 0.34% 66 0.33% -618 -3.11% 19,900 Crawford 3,629 50.39% 3,393 47.11% 128 1.78% 32 0.44% 20 0.28% 236 3.28% 7,202 Dane 82,321 53.96% 63,466 41.60% 4,629 3.03% 369 0.24% 1,767 1.16% 18,855 12.36% 152,552 Dodge 13,643 43.12% 17,335 54.79% 464 1.47% 104 0.33% 95 0.30% -3,692 -11.67% 31,641 Door 4,553 39.88% 6,557 57.43% 198 1.73% 46 0.40% 63 0.55% -2,004 -17.55% 11,417 Douglas 13,478 64.32% 6,999 33.40% 326 1.56% 24 0.11% 129 0.62% 6,479 30.92% 20,956 Dunn 7,882 52.53% 6,751 44.99% 234 1.56% 95 0.63% 42 0.28% 1,131 7.54% 15,004 Eau Claire 18,263 51.66% 16,388 46.36% 491 1.39% 73 0.21% 138 0.39% 1,875 5.30% 35,353 Florence 965 50.23% 922 48.00% 28 1.46% 2 0.10% 4 0.21% 43 2.23% 1,921 Fond du Lac 16,571 41.59% 22,226 55.79% 676 1.70% 224 0.56% 144 0.36% -5,655 -14.20% 39,841 Forest 2,574 60.72% 1,604 37.84% 43 1.01% 12 0.28% 6 0.14% 970 22.88% 4,239 Grant 9,639 43.41% 12,016 54.11% 416 1.87% 57 0.26% 79 0.36% -2,377 -10.70% 22,207 Green 5,632 43.17% 7,085 54.31% 169 1.30% 112 0.86% 48 0.37% -1,453 -11.14% 13,046 Green Lake 3,411 39.69% 5,020 58.41% 111 1.29% 33 0.38% 20 0.23% -1,609 -18.72% 8,595 Iowa 4,252 49.00% 4,195 48.34% 139 1.60% 62 0.71% 30 0.35% 57 0.66% 8,678 Iron 2,399 63.13% 1,340 35.26% 43 1.13% 4 0.11% 14 0.37% 1,059 27.87% 3,800 Jackson 3,735 51.42% 3,406 46.89% 73 1.00% 22 0.30% 28 0.39% 329 4.53% 7,264 Jefferson 12,577 43.65% 15,528 53.89% 454 1.58% 131 0.45% 122 0.42% -2,951 -10.24% 28,812 Juneau 4,512 49.71% 4,242 46.73% 96 1.06% 201 2.21% 26 0.29% 270 2.98% 9,077 Kenosha 27,585 53.82% 22,349 43.61% 832 1.62% 248 0.48% 236 0.46% 5,236 10.21% 51,250 Kewaunee 4,607 49.65% 4,447 47.93% 135 1.45% 64 0.69% 26 0.28% 160 1.72% 9,279 La Crosse 16,674 40.02% 24,188 58.06% 564 1.35% 101 0.24% 132 0.32% -7,514 -18.04% 41,659 Lafayette 3,839 46.91% 4,131 50.48% 121 1.48% 62 0.76% 30 0.37% -292 -3.57% 8,183 Langlade 4,134 46.29% 4,630 51.85% 122 1.37% 25 0.28% 19 0.21% -496 -5.56% 8,930 Lincoln 5,800 49.48% 5,672 48.38% 176 1.50% 42 0.36% 33 0.28% 128 1.10% 11,723 Manitowoc 19,819 53.90% 16,039 43.62% 504 1.37% 293 0.80% 116 0.32% 3,780 10.28% 36,771 Marathon 24,934 51.94% 21,898 45.62% 811 1.69% 218 0.45% 140 0.29% 3,036 6.32% 48,001 Marinette 8,482 48.68% 8,591 49.30% 236 1.35% 70 0.40% 46 0.26% -109 -0.62% 17,425 Marquette 2,516 48.30% 2,607 50.05% 50 0.96% 19 0.36% 17 0.33% -91 -1.75% 5,209 Menominee 766 68.27% 324 28.88% 24 2.14% 1 0.09% 7 0.62% 442 39.39% 1,122 Milwaukee 249,739 54.75% 192,008 42.09% 7,508 1.65% 1,760 0.39% 5,145 1.13% 57,731 12.66% 456,160 Monroe 6,465 46.28% 7,242 51.85% 177 1.27% 38 0.27% 46 0.33% -777 -5.57% 13,968 Oconto 6,541 50.21% 6,232 47.84% 140 1.07% 75 0.58% 39 0.30% 309 2.37% 13,027 Oneida 7,216 48.31% 7,347 49.19% 285 1.91% 40 0.27% 48 0.32% -131 -0.88% 14,936 Outagamie 23,079 43.95% 28,363 54.02% 770 1.47% 155 0.30% 140 0.27% -5,284 -10.07% 52,507 Ozaukee 11,271 35.36% 19,817 62.17% 488 1.53% 133 0.42% 168 0.53% -8,546 -26.81% 31,877 Pepin 1,955 58.64% 1,312 39.35% 44 1.32% 19 0.57% 4 0.12% 643 19.29% 3,334 Pierce 8,039 57.16% 5,676 40.36% 267 1.90% 41 0.29% 41 0.29% 2,363 16.80% 14,064 Polk 8,485 56.85% 6,159 41.27% 222 1.49% 23 0.15% 35 0.23% 2,326 15.58% 14,924 Portage 15,912 60.65% 9,520 36.28% 607 2.31% 43 0.16% 155 0.59% 6,392 24.37% 26,237 Price 4,028 54.44% 3,204 43.30% 103 1.39% 20 0.27% 44 0.59% 824 11.14% 7,399 Racine 36,740 48.54% 37,088 49.00% 1,222 1.61% 328 0.43% 308 0.41% -348 -0.46% 75,686 Richland 3,634 44.05% 4,466 54.14% 96 1.16% 32 0.39% 21 0.25% -832 -10.09% 8,249 Rock 28,048 48.56% 28,325 49.04% 933 1.62% 246 0.43% 210 0.36% -277 -0.48% 57,762 Rusk 4,050 58.21% 2,724 39.15% 110 1.58% 32 0.46% 41 0.59% 1,326 19.06% 6,957 Sauk 9,204 47.88% 9,577 49.82% 305 1.59% 92 0.48% 45 0.23% -373 -1.94% 19,223 Sawyer 3,055 50.04% 2,720 44.55% 261 4.28% 18 0.29% 51 0.84% 335 5.49% 6,105 Shawano 6,751 43.63% 8,505 54.97% 91 0.59% 100 0.65% 25 0.16% -1,754 -11.34% 15,472 Sheboygan 24,226 51.65% 22,332 47.62% 168 0.36% 110 0.23% 65 0.14% 1,894 4.03% 46,901 St. Croix 10,601 55.74% 7,685 40.41% 557 2.93% 37 0.19% 137 0.72% 2,916 15.33% 19,017 Taylor 4,101 51.90% 3,591 45.45% 136 1.72% 39 0.49% 34 0.43% 510 6.45% 7,901 Trempealeau 6,218 53.05% 5,341 45.56% 117 1.00% 25 0.21% 21 0.18% 877 7.49% 11,722 Vernon 5,534 46.54% 6,132 51.56% 156 1.31% 60 0.50% 10 0.08% -598 -5.02% 11,892 Vilas 3,209 38.61% 4,929 59.30% 108 1.30% 36 0.43% 30 0.36% -1,720 -20.69% 8,312 Walworth 12,418 39.67% 18,091 57.79% 540 1.72% 125 0.40% 133 0.42% -5,673 -18.12% 31,307 Washburn 3,503 54.30% 2,787 43.20% 114 1.77% 28 0.43% 19 0.29% 716 11.10% 6,451 Washington 14,422 42.33% 18,798 55.17% 509 1.49% 168 0.49% 173 0.51% -4,376 -12.84% 34,070 Waukesha 47,487 39.26% 70,418 58.22% 1,815 1.50% 528 0.44% 705 0.58% -22,931 -18.96% 120,953 Waupaca 6,857 38.00% 10,849 60.13% 202 1.12% 68 0.38% 67 0.37% -3,992 -22.13% 18,043 Waushara 3,485 43.04% 4,449 54.94% 96 1.19% 30 0.37% 38 0.47% -964 -11.90% 8,098 Winnebago 24,485 42.16% 32,149 55.35% 954 1.64% 221 0.38% 273 0.47% -7,664 -13.19% 58,082 Wood 14,728 47.58% 15,479 50.00% 438 1.41% 209 0.68% 103 0.33% -751 -2.42% 30,957Totals1,040,23249.50%1,004,98747.83%34,9431.66%8,5520.41%12,6220.60%35,2451.67%2,101,336 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic 18em Adams Barron Bayfield Buffalo Chippewa Clark Crawford Florence Iron Jackson Kenosha Lincoln Manitowoc Marathon Juneau Kewaunee Oconto Pepin Price Rusk Sawyer Sheboygan Taylor Trempealeau Washburn Burnett Dunn Eau Claire Forest Iowa Pierce Polk St. Croix By congressional district Carter won 5 of the state's 9 congressional districts, with the remaining 4 going to Ford, who won 2 districts that elected Democrats.1976 United States Presidential Election, Results by Congressional District https://wwu.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/minimalist/index.html?appid=470d69283c9e42b9ab2d56b9ed42f693 25 May 2026 en 2 November 1976 District Carter Ford RepresentativeWisconsin 1 1st 49.7% 50.3%Les AspinWisconsin 2 2nd 52.6% 47.4%Robert KastenmeierWisconsin 3 3rd 50.5% 49.5%Al BaldusWisconsin 4 4th 55% 45%Clement ZablockiWisconsin 5 5th 63% 37%Henry S. ReussWisconsin 6 6th 48% 52%William A. SteigerWisconsin 7 7th 55.9% 44.1%Dave ObeyWisconsin 8 8th 46.4% 53.6%Robert John CornellWisconsin 9 9th 39.9% 60.1%Bob Kasten See also United States presidential elections in Wisconsin References 1976 Category:1976 Wisconsin elections Wisconsin