1962 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 7, 1962. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Republicans ran the table on the state's executive offices, defeating incumbent Governor Jack R. Gage and incumbent Superintendent Velma Linford and picking up the Secretary of State's office. Republican State Auditor Minnie A. Mitchell was re-elected and Republicans also held the Treasurer's office.

Governor

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After Democratic Governor John J. Hickey appointed himself to the U.S. Senate in 1961, Secretary of State Jack R. Gage, a fellow Democrat, became acting Governor. He ran for re-election in 1962 and was opposed by Republican nominee Clifford Hansen, the President of the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees. Gage lost re-election to Hansen by a wide margin, as many other Democrats around the state did poorly.

1962 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Clifford Hansen 64,970 54.47% +7.83%
Democratic Jack R. Gage (inc.) 54,298 45.53% −3.41%
Majority 10,672 8.95% +6.65%
Turnout 119,268
Republican gain from Democratic

Secretary of State

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Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jack R. Gage, who also served as acting Governor, ran for re-election as Governor rather than seeking another term as Secretary of State, creating an open seat. State Treasurer Doc Rogers, who had previously served as Secretary of State and Governor, announced that he would run for the seat, but he died before qualifying ended.[2] Accordingly, Thyra Thomson, the widow of late former Congressman and U.S. Senator-elect Keith Thomson, who had been seen as a likely candidate for the special U.S. Senate election,[3] announced that she would seek the seat instead.[2] Thomson defeated Frank Emerson, the son of former Governor Frank C. Emerson, in the Republican primary, and then overwhelmingly defeated former State Representative Frank L. Bowron in the general election to pick up the office for the Republican Party.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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  • Frank L. Bowron, former State Representative from Natrona County[4]
  • Robert Outsen, Deputy Secretary of State[5]

Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Frank L. Bowron 19,801 57.28%
Democratic Robert Outsen 14,767 42.72%
Total votes 34,568 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thyra Thomson 38,211 76.14%
Republican Frank Emerson 11,975 23.86%
Total votes 50,186 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1962 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Thyra Thomson 70,925 59.93% +10.31%
Democratic Frank L. Bowron 47,431 40.07% −10.31%
Majority 23,494 19.85% +19.09%
Turnout 118,356
Republican gain from Democratic

Auditor

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Incumbent Republican State Auditor Minnie A. Mitchell ran for re-election to a third term. She faced a challenge from State Senator David Foote in the Republican primary, whom she defeated handily. In the general election, she was opposed by Democratic nominee John E. Purcell, the Chairman of the Natrona County Board of County Commissioners. She, like other Republicans throughout the state, won her election by a wide margin, improving on her performance from 1958.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John E. Purcell 32,143 100.00%
Total votes 32,143 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Minnie A. Mitchell, incumbent State Auditor
  • David Foote, State Senator from Natrona County[8]

Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Minnie A. Mitchell (inc.) 30,919 63.16%
Republican David Foote 18,033 36.84%
Total votes 48,952 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1962 Wyoming Auditor election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Minnie A. Mitchell (inc.) 68,764 59.07% +7.79%
Democratic John E. Purcell 47.645 40.93% −7.79%
Majority 21,119 18.14% +15.59%
Turnout 116,409
Republican hold

Treasurer

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Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Doc Rogers was unable to seek a second term due to term limits, creating an open seat. However, Rogers died prior to the end of his term,[2] and Governor Jack R. Gage allowed Deputy Treasurer Richard J. Luman to act as Treasurer rather than appointing a replacement.[9] Luman, however, declined to seek re-election. Prior to Rogers's death, Everett T. Copenhaver, the former Secretary of State and State Auditor, announced that he would seek the office.[10] Copenhaver faced former State Representative Bob Adams, the Democratic nominee, who had twice before been the Democratic nominee for State Auditor, in the general election. He overwhelmingly defeated Adams, enabling his return to state government.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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  • Bob Adams, former State Representative from Laramie County, 1958 Democratic nominee for State Auditor, 1954 Democratic nominee for State Auditor[11]
  • Willa Wales Corbitt, Mayor of Riverton[12]

Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Adams 22,914 64.18%
Democratic Willa Wales Corbitt 12,787 35.82%
Total votes 35,701 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Everett T. Copenhaver, former Secretary of State, former State Auditor[10]
  • C. R. "Cal" Dodge, Laramie businessman[13]
  • Jay Brown, former State Representative from Laramie County[14]

Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Everett T. Copenhaver 27,401 56.89%
Republican C. R. "Cal" Dodge 11,262 23.38%
Republican Jay Brown 9,503 19.73%
Total votes 48,166 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1962 Wyoming Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Everett T. Copenhaver 66,604 57.73% +1.86%
Democratic Bob Adams 48,762 42.27% −1.86%
Majority 17,842 15.47% +3.72%
Turnout 115,366 100.00%
Republican hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Velma Linford ran for re-election to a third term in office. She faced Cecil M. Shaw, an instructor at Casper College, who won a contested Republican primary over Assistant State Treasurer Duke DeForest, as her general election opponent. Linford significantly outpaced the rest of the statewide Democratic ticket, but it wasn't enough for her to win re-election; she fell short of a third term by just 737 votes.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Velma Linford (inc.) 31,334 100.00%
Total votes 31,334 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil M. Shaw 26,672 57.44%
Republican F. J. "Duke" DeForest 19,761 42.56%
Total votes 46,433 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1962 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Cecil Shaw 58,867 50.31% +8.13%
Democratic Velma Linford (inc.) 58,130 49.69% −8.13%
Majority 737 0.63% −15.01%
Turnout 116,997 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Thomson, Thyra (1963). 1963 Wyoming Official Directory and 1962 Election Returns. pp. 56–58.
  2. ^ a b c d "Thomson Widow Running". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 25, 1962. p. 18. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Mrs. Thomson Will Not Run". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. April 5, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  4. ^ "Bowron Seeks Nomination For Secretary of State". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. April 5, 1962. p. 5. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "Outsen Seeks Nomination For Secretary". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. April 12, 1962. p. 15. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "Former Wyo. Gov. Son May Run". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. March 29, 1962. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  7. ^ "Purcell Will Run For State Auditor". Lusk Herald. Lusk, Wyo. April 5, 1962. p. 12. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  8. ^ "Sen. Foote Announces for State Auditor Nomination". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. February 19, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  9. ^ "Gage Leaves Luman In As Treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 24, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Copenhaver To Run for Treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 6, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Adams Seeks Secretary of State [sic]". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. July 5, 1962. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "Woman Mayor Will Run for Treasurer". Lusk Herald. Lusk, Wyo. March 29, 1962. p. 10. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "Cal Dodge In Race for Treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. March 15, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  14. ^ "Pine Bluffs Man Seeks Treasurer Bid". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 9, 1962. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  15. ^ "Wide-Open Legislative Race in County Likely". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. April 1, 1962. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ass't Treasurer May Seek Office". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 12, 1962. p. 6. Retrieved June 5, 2021.