1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election
| country = New Jersey
| flag_year = 1896
| type = Presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1957 New Jersey gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1957
| next_election = 1965 New Jersey gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1965
| election_date = November 7, 1961
| image1 = File:Richard J. Hughes 1962 (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Richard J. Hughes
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 1,084,194
| percentage1 = 50.4%
| image2 = File:James P. Mitchell 1956 (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = James P. Mitchell
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 1,049,274
| percentage2 = 48.7%
| map_image = 1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 280px
| map_caption = County results
Hughes: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
Mitchell: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Robert B. Meyner
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Richard J. Hughes
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsNJ}}
The 1961 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1961. Democratic nominee Richard J. Hughes defeated Republican nominee James P. Mitchell with 50.37% of the vote.
Primary elections
=Democratic primary=
==Candidates==
- Richard J. Hughes, former Superior Court judge
- Weldon R. Sheets
- Eugene E. Demarest
==Results==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Richard J. Hughes
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 222,789
| percentage = 84.21
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Weldon R. Sheets
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 21,285
| percentage = 8.05
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Eugene E. Demarest
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 20,487
| percentage = 7.74
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 264,561
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Republican primary=
==Candidates==
- James P. Mitchell, former United States Secretary of Labor
- Walter H. Jones, State Senator from Bergen County
- Wayne Dumont, State Senator from Warren County
- Louis Berns
==Results==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican Party primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = James P. Mitchell
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 202,188
| percentage = 43.68
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Walter H. Jones
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 160,553
| percentage = 34.69
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Wayne Dumont
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 95,761
| percentage = 20.69
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Louis Berns
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 4,376
| percentage = 0.95
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 462,878
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Candidates=
- G. George Addonizio (Independent)
- Richard J. Hughes, former Mercer County Superior Court judge (Democratic)
- Henry B. Krajewski, perennial candidate (Veterans Bonus Now)
- Edward J. Lueddeke (Prosperity with Liberty)
- Reinhardt V. Metzger, former Assemblyman from Essex County (Conservative)
- James P. Mitchell, former United States Secretary of Labor (Republican)
- Daniel Petrino (State Soldiers Bonus)
- Albert Ronis (Socialist Labor)
- Ruth F. Shiminsky (Socialist Workers)
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1961{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/1920-1970-results/1961-general-election.pdf |title=Votes Cast for the Office of Governor of the State of New Jersey |publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey |year=1961 |access-date=August 25, 2015}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard J. Hughes
| votes = 1,084,194
| percentage = 50.37%
| change = {{decrease}} 4.18
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = James P. Mitchell
| votes = 1,049,274
| percentage = 48.74%
| change = {{increase}} 4.28
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = New Jersey Conservative Party
| candidate = Reinhardt V. Metzger
| votes = 5,820
| percentage = 0.27%
| change = {{decrease}} 0.03
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Independent politician
| candidate = Henry B. Krajewski
| votes = 3,904
| percentage = 0.18%
| change = {{decrease}} 0.13
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Independent politician
| candidate = Edward J. Lueddeke
| votes = 2,541
| percentage = 0.12%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Independent politician
| candidate = G. George Addonizio
| votes = 2,462
| percentage = 0.11%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Socialist Labor Party of America
| candidate = Albert Ronis
| votes = 2,103
| percentage = 0.10%
| change = {{decrease}} 0.21
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Independent politician
| candidate = Daniel Petrino
| votes = 1,393
| percentage = 0.07%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Socialist Workers Party (United States)
| candidate = Ruth F. Shiminsky
| votes = 971
| percentage = 0.05%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
| votes =
| percentage =
| change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
| votes =
| percentage =
| change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser =
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Results by county==
{{collapse top|1=By county|left=yes|bg=#B0CEFF;line-height:135%;|border=none}}
| width="60%" class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| County
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Richard J. Hughes ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| James P. Mitchell ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Various candidates ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| Total votes cast | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Atlantic | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 27,254 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 34,766 | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| 1,510 | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 7,512 | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 64,643 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Bergen | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 123,421 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 171,180 | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| 3,236 | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 47,759 | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 306,714 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Burlington | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 30,756 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 27,331 | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| 359 | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 3,425 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 64,195 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Camden | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 141,026 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Cape May | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 21,154 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Cumberland | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 36,022 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Essex | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 295,946 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Gloucester | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 50,568 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Hudson | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 236,153 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Hunterdon | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 20,940 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Mercer | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 101,628 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Middlesex | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 166,279 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Monmouth | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 117,681 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Morris | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 89,453 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Ocean | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 43,354 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Passaic | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 139,174 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Salem | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 22,236 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Somerset | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 53,532 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Sussex | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 19,412 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}| Union | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| 194,471 | |||||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Warren | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Republican}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Others}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 23,350 | |||||||||
| Totals | 1,084,194 | 50.37% | 1,049,274 | 48.74% | 19,194 | 0.91% | 34,920 | 1.63% | 2,207,931 |
{{collapse bottom}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{1961 United States elections|state=collapsed}}