1970 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

{{Short description|none}}

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

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

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1970 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

| country = Oklahoma

| flag_image = Flag of Oklahoma (1941–1988).svg

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1966 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1966

| next_election = 1974 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1974

| election_date = November 3, 1970

| image1 = File:David_Hall_(Oklahoma_Governor).jpg

| image_size = 140x140px

| nominee1 = David Hall

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 338,338

| percentage1 = 48.4%

| image2 = File:Dewey_Bartlett.jpg

| nominee2 = Dewey F. Bartlett

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 336,157

| percentage2 = 48.1%

| map_image = 1970 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size = 300px

| map_caption = County results
Hall: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
Bartlett: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Dewey F. Bartlett

| before_party = Republican Party (United States)

| after_election = David Hall

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{ElectionsOK}}

The 1970 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970, and was a race for Governor of Oklahoma. Democrat David Hall narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Dewey F. Bartlett, a result that was not clear for 21 days as a ballot recount was conducted.{{cite web |title=David Hall, the dramatic and controversial life of Oklahoma's 20th governor |url=https://voicesofoklahoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Hall_Transcript.pdf |publisher=Voices of Oklahoma |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415230231/https://voicesofoklahoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Hall_Transcript.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2021 |pages=23{{endash}}24 |url-status=dead}} American Party candidate Reuel Little, who had helped form the party to back the 1968 presidential campaign of George Wallace, received over 24 thousand votes, dwarfing the difference between Hall and Bartlett.{{Cite web|url=http://newsok.com/article/3847485|title=Janna Little Ryan's Grandfather Ran for Governor, Helped George Wallace|date=11 August 2012}}{{cite web |title=1968-1974 results |url=https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/election-results/results-prior-to-1980/1968-1974-results.pdf |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board |page=28}}

This election is the only time that an incumbent Governor of Oklahoma lost re-election.