1956 Colorado gubernatorial election

{{Short description|none}}

{{for|related races|1956 United States gubernatorial elections}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1956 Colorado gubernatorial election

| country = Colorado

| flag_year = 1911

| type = Presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1954 Colorado gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1954

| next_election = 1958 Colorado gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1958

| election_date = November 6, 1956

| image1 = File:Stephen McNichols 1962.jpg

| image_size= 150x150px

| nominee1 = Stephen McNichols

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 331,283

| percentage1 = 51.34%

| image2 = File:Donald Glenn Brotz.jpg

| nominee2 = Donald Brotzman

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 313,950

| percentage2 = 48.66%

| map_image = 1956 Colorado gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = County results
McNichols: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
Brotz: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Edwin C. Johnson

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Stephen McNichols

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{ElectionsCO}}

The 1956 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Democratic nominee Stephen McNichols defeated Republican nominee Donald G. Brotzman with 51.34% of the vote.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on September 11, 1956.{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/1900-1999/1956AbstractBook.pdf |title=State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast 1956 |publisher=Secretary of State of Colorado |year=1956 |access-date=January 7, 2020}}

=Democratic primary=

==Candidates==

==Results==

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Stephen McNichols

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 104,196

| percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box end}}

=Republican primary=

==Candidates==

==Results==

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Donald G. Brotzman

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 79,638

| percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box end}}

General election

=Candidates=

  • Stephen McNichols, Democratic
  • Donald G. Brotzman, Republican

=Results=

{{Election box begin | title=1956 Colorado gubernatorial election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Stephen McNichols

| votes = 331,283

| percentage = 51.34%

| change = -2.22%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Donald G. Brotzman

| votes = 313,950

| percentage = 48.66%

| change = +2.22%

}}

{{Election box majority|

| votes = 17,333

| percentage = 2.68%

| change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

| votes = 645,233

| percentage =

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

| loser =

| swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

Analysis

McNichols narrowly won the election by being able to capture majority of the vote in Colorado's then two largest cities and counties: Denver and Pueblo. He also won Adams, Denver and Pueblo counties along with several rural farming counties and the coal counties of southern Colorado.{{Cite journal |last=Martin |first=Curtis |date=1957 |title=The 1956 Election in Colorado |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/444247 |journal=The Western Political Quarterly |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=117–121 |doi=10.2307/444247|jstor=444247 |url-access=subscription }} Meanwhile, Brotzman performed best in large farming areas as well as in several cities like Fort Collins, Boulder, and Golden. Factors like Democrats being better organized along with McNichols being a popular lieutenant governor to also popular governor Edwin Johnson helped propel him to victory.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Colorado elections}}

{{1956 United States elections}}

1956

Colorado

Gubernatorial