1970 United States gubernatorial elections

In Alabama, Governor Albert Brewer (who succeeded to the governorship upon Lurleen Wallace's death in 1968) had to endure a very nasty Democratic primary against former Governor George Wallace.{{cite book |title=Mudslingers The Twenty-Five Dirtiest Political Campaigns of All Time |author=Kerwin Swint |year=2006 |publisher=Union Square Press/Sterling Publishing Co. |location=New York |isbn=978-1-4027-5736-5 |page=223 }} In addition, there were no Republicans in the race for governor. Wallace won the Democratic primary and in November the election.

In Alaska, then-Lt. Gov. Keith Miller had gotten the job of governor in 1969 after Walter Hickel resigned to be part of President Nixon's Cabinet.{{cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_alaska/col2-content/main-content-list/title_hickel_walter.html |title=Alaska Governor Walter J. Hickel

|access-date=4 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_alaska/col2-content/main-content-list/title_miller_keith.html |title=Alaska Governor Keith H. Miller

|access-date=4 September 2012}} He lost in 1970 to former Governor William Egan.

In Arizona, governors were elected to serve two-year terms until 1970, when Jack Richard Williams was the first governor to be elected to a four-year term.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=110187 |title=AZ Governor |access-date=4 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_arizona/col2-content/main-content-list/title_williams_john-jack.html |title=Arizona Governor John "Jack" R. Williams |access-date=4 September 2012}} Previously, Williams had been elected governor twice to two-year terms in 1966{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=110189 |title=AZ Governor |access-date=4 September 2012}} and in 1968.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=110188 |title=Az Governor |access-date=4 September 2012}} Arizona made the switch official from a two-year term to a four-year term in 1968 with an amendment.

{{cite book |title=Arizona Politics and Government: The Quest for Autonomy, Democracy, and Development|author=David R. Berman |year=1998 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803261464 |page=112 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LHYBFuW9B34C&q=1968+amednment}}

In Arkansas, Winthrop Rockefeller was the first Republican governor in Arkansas since the Reconstruction period.

{{cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/cms/FormerGovBios?inOffice=Any&state=8e86dbe8-7bdd-4106-a0b0-2e3cfbfbc659&party=&lastName=&firstName=&nbrterms=Any&biography=&sex=Any&religion=&race=Any&college=&higherOfficesServed=&militaryService=&warsServed=&honors=&birthState=Any&submit=Search |title=Former Governors' Bios |access-date=4 September 2012}} He was defeated in his bid for a third term, by the Democratic challenger Dale Bumpers.

Incumbent Republican Governor and future President Ronald Reagan was elected to a second term as governor with about 53% of the vote over Speaker of the State Assembly Jesse Unruh.

Incumbent John Dempsey, a Democrat, did not seek re-election. Sixth District Congressman Thomas Joseph Meskill (Republican) defeated First District Congressman Emilio Q. Daddario (Democratic) 53.76% to 46.23%.

In Colorado, John Arthur Love won re-election. He served until 1973, when he would resign to become the first head of Energy Policy under President Nixon.

{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/love.htm |title=New Page 3 |access-date=4 September 2012}}

Florida's Claude R. Kirk Jr. was another 'first Republican governor since Reconstruction' as well (he switched from Democrat to Republican early on),{{cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/cms/FormerGovBios?inOffice=Any&state=90c8c1b9-03ae-401f-a366-b11d4f44c6e7&party=&lastName=&firstName=&nbrterms=Any&biography=&sex=Any&religion=&race=Any&college=&higherOfficesServed=&militaryService=&warsServed=&honors=&birthState=Any&submit=Search |title=Former Governors' Bios |access-date=4 September 2012}} and was defeated by the Democrat Reubin Askew.

In Georgia, governors would be limited to one term until a constitutional amendment in 1976, after which George Busbee became the first governor to serve two consecutive terms.{{cite web |url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-595 |title=George Busbee |access-date=4 September 2012}} Future president Jimmy Carter won the election.

In Hawaii, Burns won another term in 1970, but in 1973, Burns had health problems and his Lt. Governor George Ariyoshi, took over-as acting governor, and in 1974, with Burns' retirement, won a term in his own right.{{cite web |url=http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&PageID=420 |title=George Ryoichi Ariyoshi |access-date=5 September 2012 |archive-date=10 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610221042/http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&PageID=420 |url-status=dead }} Burns died in 1975.{{cite web |url=http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&PageID=419 |title=John Anthony Burns |access-date=5 September 2012}}

Iowa also had its governors serving two-year terms until Robert D. Ray won a four-year term in 1974.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174247 |title=IA Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} Previously, Ray had won a two-year term in 1968,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174244 |title=IA Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} a two-year term this year (1970),{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174245 |title=IA Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} and would win another two-year term in 1972.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174246 |title=IA Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} Iowa made the four-year term switch official with an amendment to the state's constitution in 1972.{{cite web |url=http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/history/7-8.html |title=Amendments to the Constitution of Iowa |access-date=5 September 2012}}

Like Arizona and Iowa, Kansas also had its governors serving two-year terms until 1974, when a constitutional amendment was added, creating a four-year term system for governors.{{cite book |title=Kansas Politics and Government: The Clash of Political Cultures (Google eBook)

|author1=H. Edward Flentje |author2=Joseph Aistrup |year=2010 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803269194 |page=109 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QB8iJb9N33gC&q=1974+amendment}} Docking was elected governor in 1966,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174284 |title=KS Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} 1968,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174285 |title=KS Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} 1970,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174286 |title=KS Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} and would get elected in 1972.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174287 |title=KS Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} The first governor to get a four-year term was Robert Frederick Bennett in 1974.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174288 |title=KS Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}}

Beginning with the 1962 governor's race, Maine switched from a two-year term system to a four-year term system for the governors.{{cite book |title=Maine Politics and Government, Second Edition |author1=Kenneth T. Palmer |author2=G. Thomas Taylor |author3=Jean E. Lavigne |author4=Marcus A. LiBrizzi |year=2009 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803287853 |page=83 |access-date=September 5, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cf1hioVswJoC&q=1962+amendment+maine&pg=PA60}} John H. Reed was the first Maine governor to be elected to a four-year term.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174311 |title=ME Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} Kenneth Curtis was re-elected.

In Maryland, Mandel first won the governorship in 1969 in a special election when Agnew resigned in order to become vice president.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7019 |title=MD Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}}

In 1970, Mandel ran for a full term and won.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7017 |title=MD Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}}

In 1966, Massachusetts switched from a two-year to four-year terms for governors, and John A. Volpe was the first Massachusetts governor to be elected to a four-year term. He had previously been elected to two-year terms in 1960 and in 1964. Volpe resigned in 1969 to become President Nixon's Secretary of Transportation. Francis W. Sargent then became acting governor. In 1970, Sargent got a term in his own right.{{cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/portal/government-taxes/laws/interactive-state-house/historical/governors-of-massachusetts/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-1950–present/john-anthony-volpe-1908-1994.html |title=John Anthony Volpe (1908-1994) |access-date=5 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/portal/government-taxes/laws/interactive-state-house/historical/governors-of-massachusetts/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-1950–present/francis-w-sargent-1915-1998.html |title=Francis W. Sargent (1915-1998) |access-date=5 September 2012}}

In 1963, Michigan changed governors' terms from two years to four years.{{cite book |title=Michigan Politics and Government: Facing Change in a Complex State |author1=William P. Browne |author2=Kenneth VerBurg |year=1995 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803260887 |pages=60–61 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckd7PII5pTYC&q=michigan+politics}} George W. Romney had won two-year terms in 1962{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=69015 |title=MI Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} and 1964,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=69014 |title=MI Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} and a four-year term in 1966.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=69013 |title=MI Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} He resigned in 1969 to become President Nixon's Housing and Urban Development Secretary. William Milliken became governor,{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=726388 |title=MI Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} and got a full term

in 1970.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=69012 |title=MI Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}}

In 1962, voters in Nebraska approved of an amendment, effective with the 1966 governor's race, that switched from two-year to four-year terms for governors. In 1966, the "two consecutive terms" rule was established.{{cite book |title=The World of the American West |author=Gordon Morris Bakken |year=2011 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9780415989954 |page=472 |access-date=September 5, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QzvEpT2vPIkC&q=nebraska+1962+referendum+%22four+year%22+term&pg=PA472}} Norbert Tiemann was the first Nebraskan to get a four-year term with the 1966 governor's race.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=174338 |title=NE Governor |access-date=5 September 2012}} J. James Exon was elected governor.

New Mexico also had a two-year term for governors until 1970, when the state constitution was changed to a four-year term for governors-without being allowed to have two consecutive terms.{{cite book |title=New Mexico Government and Politics |author1=Maurilio E. Vigil |author2=Michael Olsen |author3=Roy Lujan |year=1990 |publisher=University Press of America |isbn=9780819177902 |page=60 |access-date=September 5, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QSiQ4nFWcQcC&q=new+mexico+from+two+years+to+four+years+governor&pg=PA60}}

As for the "no two consecutive terms" rule, that was still on the books until 1991, when thanks to a change in the state's constitution, Bruce King was eligible for two consecutive terms.{{cite book |title=Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1988–1994 |author=Marie Marmo Mullaney |year=1994 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=9780313283123 |page=[https://archive.org/details/biographicaldire0000mull/page/278 278] |access-date=September 5, 2012 |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldire0000mull|url-access=registration |quote=new mexico four year governor. }} King was elected to the first of three non-consecutive terms.

In New York, Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller won re-election to a fourth term. Rockefeller served until 1973, when he resigned.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37612 |title=NY Governor Race |access-date=5 September 2012}}

In Pennsylvania, although the constitution was changed to allow governors to have two consecutive terms, the rule didn't apply to then current Gov. Raymond P. Shafer.{{cite web |url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/00/00.004..HTM |title=Article 4 Constitution of Pennsylvania |access-date=5 September 2012}} The election was won by Milton Shapp.

Governors in South Carolina weren't allowed two consecutive terms until 1980, when an amendment to the constitution was added. Richard Riley was the first South Carolina governor to have two consecutive terms with his 1982 re-election.{{cite web |url=http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/grs/SCCEP/Articles/governor.htm |title=The South Carolina Governor |access-date=5 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204225644/http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/grs/SCCEP/Articles/governor.htm |archive-date=4 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} John C. West won election.

South Dakota also had governors on two-year terms until 1972, when a constitutional amendment allowed the governor to have a four-year term.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=bks&q=%22south+dakota%22+1972+%22four+year+term%22 |title=Google Searching for when S.D. Changed to a Four Year Term |access-date=6 September 2012}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=engiAQAAMAAJ&q=%22south+dakota%22+1972+%22four+year+term%22 |title=Public affairs, Issues 52-108 |date=February 1973 |access-date=6 September 2012}}

Richard F. Kneip would be the first governor to be elected to a four-year term, though he resigned to accept an appointment.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=122365 |title=SD Governor |access-date=6 September 2012}} Kneip, elected governor for a two-year term this year (1970), would be re-elected for another two-year term in 1972.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=203656 |title=SD Governor |access-date=6 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=203922 |title=SD Governor |access-date=6 September 2012}}

In 1978, Tennessee changed its constitution to allow the governors to serve two consecutive terms.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=tennessee+%22two+consecutive+terms%22+amendment&hl=en&tbm=bks&start=10 |title=Google Search tennessee "two consecutive terms" amendment |access-date=6 September 2012}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V-tMnaiZMBIC&q=tennessee+%22two+consecutive+terms%22+amendment |title=Tennessee |isbn=9780516004884 |access-date=6 September 2012|last1=McNair |first1=Sylvia |year=1990 }} Winfield Dunn was elected this (1970) year.

In 1968, Wisconsin changed its constitution from a two-year term for governor to a four-year term.{{cite book |title=Wisconsin Politics and Government: America's Laboratory of Democracy |author=James K. Conant |year=2006 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803264564 |page=96 |access-date=September 6, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=452oKHDyx-wC&q=wisconsin+politics}} Upon his election this year, Patrick Lucey would become the first governor to serve a four-year term (see Wisconsin gubernatorial elections).

Governor Stanley K. Hathaway won re-election to a second four-year term.

• 1970 United States elections
• 1970 United States Senate elections
• 1970 United States House of Representatives elections

{{reflist|30em}}{{1970 United States elections|state=collapsed}}{{U.S. gubernatorial elections}}

Category:November 1970 in the United States