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1940 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

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Main article: 1940 United States presidential election

The 1940 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1940 as part of the 1940 United States presidential election. State voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

1940 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
← 1936 November 5, 1940 1944 →
 
Nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt Wendell Willkie
Party Democratic Republican
Home state New York[1] New York[1]
Running mate Henry A. Wallace Charles L. McNary
Electoral vote 12 0
Popular vote 704,821 679,206
Percentage 50.15% 48.32%
County Results
President before election

Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic

Elected President

Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic

Politics in Wisconsin since the Populist movement had been dominated by the Republican Party.[2] The Democratic Party had been uncompetitive outside certain eastern German areas, as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, fled from William Jennings Bryan’s agrarian and free silver sympathies.[3] Although the state did develop a strong Socialist Party to provide opposition to the GOP, Wisconsin developed the direct Republican primary in 1903 and this ultimately created competition between the “League” under Robert M. La Follette, and the conservative “Regular” faction.[4] This ultimately would develop into the Wisconsin Progressive Party in the late 1930s, which was opposed to the conservative German Democrats and to the national Republican Party, and allied with Franklin D. Roosevelt at the federal level.

In 1936, despite continuing Democratic gains in industrial and urban areas, German Catholic areas of Wisconsin gave substantial support to Union Party candidate William Lemke due to his support for rigid isolationism.[5] When the next presidential election came, the Progressive Party had lost ground in 1938 but World War II had divided the country deeply on ethnic lines. Germans – especially German Catholics – and Irish Catholics believed Communism in the shape of Stalinist Russia was a much greater danger to the United States than Nazism and that the United States should not aid Britain and France,[6] whereas the British and French, bound by ties to their homeland, were strongly in favor of such aid.

Republican nominee Willkie visited Wisconsin in his campaign in September, saying change was needed to make the American political system work.[7] By late September opinion polls suggested he had the edge over Roosevelt in the state.[8] Even as some other states of the Midwest moved towards President Roosevelt, Wisconsin was still seen as likely to go to Willkie as Senator Robert M. La Follette Jr. strongly opposed war aid to Britain and France.[9] A Gallup poll four days before voting showed Willkie still ahead but falling.[10]

In the end, however, unlike in Iowa, Michigan and Indiana, Roosevelt’s gains proved enough to pass Willkie, and he carried Wisconsin, although by a massively reduced margin compared to 1932 and 1936. Whereas Alf Landon had carried only four of Wisconsin’s seventy-one counties, Willkie carried forty-two. Most significantly, Willkie established the historically German “WOW counties” surrounding Milwaukee as reliable GOP strongholds that as of 2020 have not voted Democratic since except during Lyndon B. Johnson's landslide in 1964. Roosevelt’s win was due to his seventy-eight-thousand vote plurality in Milwaukee County, and to maintaining his strength in the unionized, Scandiavian-American northwest.

Several long bellwether streaks for Wisconsin counties were broken in this election. Most notably, this was the first time Green Lake ever voted for the losing candidate in Wisconsin. Other notable broken streaks include Iowa County voting for the statewide loser for the first time since 1864, Chippewa County voting for the statewide loser for the first time since 1880, and Shawano County voting for the statewide loser for the first time since 1884.

This is the fourth most recent election in which Wisconsin voted for a different candidate than neighboring Iowa, a phenomenon that has only been repeated three times since — in 1976, 2004, and 2020.

Results

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1940 United States presidential election in Wisconsin[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt (incumbent) 704,821 50.15% 12
Republican Wendell Willkie 679,206 48.32% 0
Socialist[a] Norman Thomas 15,071 1.07% 0
Communist[b] Earl R. Browder 2,394 0.17% 0
Prohibition[c] Roger W. Babson 2,148 0.15% 0
Socialist Labor[d] John W. Aiken 1,882 0.13% 0
Write-in Scattering[e] 18 0.00% 0
Totals 1,405,540 100.00% 12

Results by county

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County[11][12] Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic 		Wendell Willkie
Republican 		Norman Thomas
Socialist 		All Others
Various 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Adams 1,883 50.48% 1,818 48.74% 16 0.43% 13 0.35% 65 1.74% 3,730
Ashland 5,586 60.01% 3,592 38.59% 29 0.31% 102 1.10% 1,994 21.42% 9,309
Barron 6,183 43.46% 7,806 54.87% 107 0.75% 131 0.92% -1,623 -11.41% 14,227
Bayfield 4,387 59.75% 2,829 38.53% 52 0.71% 74 1.01% 1,558 21.22% 7,342
Brown 19,526 54.18% 16,379 45.45% 78 0.22% 57 0.16% 3,147 8.73% 36,040
Buffalo 2,516 37.69% 4,056 60.76% 74 1.11% 29 0.43% -1,540 -23.07% 6,675
Burnett 2,513 49.23% 2,510 49.17% 50 0.98% 32 0.63% 3 0.06% 5,105
Calumet 2,324 30.08% 5,327 68.96% 51 0.66% 23 0.30% -3,003 -38.87% 7,725
Chippewa 7,250 44.83% 8,781 54.30% 72 0.45% 68 0.42% -1,531 -9.47% 16,171
Clark 4,683 32.48% 9,501 65.89% 118 0.82% 118 0.82% -4,818 -33.41% 14,420
Columbia 7,021 45.63% 8,260 53.68% 52 0.34% 54 0.35% -1,239 -8.05% 15,387
Crawford 3,595 43.35% 4,667 56.28% 8 0.10% 23 0.28% -1,072 -12.93% 8,293
Dane 40,331 64.23% 21,845 34.79% 409 0.65% 202 0.32% 18,486 29.44% 62,787
Dodge 8,938 37.48% 14,651 61.43% 174 0.73% 86 0.36% -5,713 -23.95% 23,849
Door 2,750 33.29% 5,461 66.11% 28 0.34% 21 0.25% -2,711 -32.82% 8,260
Douglas 15,548 66.12% 7,695 32.72% 122 0.52% 150 0.64% 7,853 33.40% 23,515
Dunn 4,545 39.05% 6,968 59.87% 61 0.52% 65 0.56% -2,423 -20.82% 11,639
Eau Claire 10,129 51.07% 9,595 48.38% 48 0.24% 60 0.30% 534 2.69% 19,832
Florence 980 48.73% 1,008 50.12% 12 0.60% 11 0.55% -28 -1.39% 2,011
Fond du Lac 10,323 37.76% 16,804 61.46% 124 0.45% 91 0.33% -6,481 -23.70% 27,342
Forest 2,951 63.61% 1,672 36.04% 1 0.02% 15 0.32% 1,279 27.57% 4,639
Grant 7,458 39.76% 11,143 59.40% 46 0.25% 112 0.60% -3,685 -19.64% 18,759
Green 4,565 44.05% 5,711 55.10% 48 0.46% 40 0.39% -1,146 -11.06% 10,364
Green Lake 2,357 32.23% 4,919 67.25% 9 0.12% 29 0.40% -2,562 -35.03% 7,314
Iowa 4,025 44.04% 4,978 54.46% 22 0.24% 115 1.26% -953 -10.43% 9,140
Iron 3,525 66.90% 1,672 31.73% 24 0.46% 48 0.91% 1,853 35.17% 5,269
Jackson 3,975 51.09% 3,741 48.08% 26 0.33% 38 0.49% 234 3.01% 7,780
Jefferson 7,842 43.16% 10,178 56.02% 93 0.51% 56 0.31% -2,336 -12.86% 18,169
Juneau 3,554 39.91% 5,268 59.15% 54 0.61% 30 0.34% -1,714 -19.25% 8,906
Kenosha 17,174 57.68% 12,182 40.91% 262 0.88% 159 0.53% 4,992 16.76% 29,777
Kewaunee 3,389 46.60% 3,862 53.10% 11 0.15% 11 0.15% -473 -6.50% 7,273
La Crosse 13,079 48.58% 13,711 50.92% 72 0.27% 62 0.23% -632 -2.35% 26,924
Lafayette 4,315 45.81% 5,059 53.71% 23 0.24% 22 0.23% -744 -7.90% 9,419
Langlade 5,190 52.88% 4,523 46.09% 37 0.38% 64 0.65% 667 6.80% 9,814
Lincoln 3,951 39.57% 5,812 58.21% 131 1.31% 90 0.90% -1,861 -18.64% 9,984
Manitowoc 13,142 50.30% 12,616 48.29% 248 0.95% 120 0.46% 526 2.01% 26,126
Marathon 13,724 46.57% 15,264 51.80% 373 1.27% 108 0.37% -1,540 -5.23% 29,469
Marinette 7,703 49.75% 7,688 49.65% 48 0.31% 44 0.28% 15 0.10% 15,483
Marquette 1,195 27.71% 3,086 71.57% 11 0.26% 20 0.46% -1,891 -43.85% 4,312
Milwaukee 209,861 59.75% 131,120 37.33% 8,484 2.42% 1,748 0.50% 78,741 22.42% 351,213
Monroe 4,673 36.33% 8,042 62.52% 84 0.65% 64 0.50% -3,369 -26.19% 12,863
Oconto 5,273 45.55% 6,238 53.88% 37 0.32% 29 0.25% -965 -8.34% 11,577
Oneida 5,375 58.77% 3,694 40.39% 59 0.65% 18 0.20% 1,681 18.38% 9,146
Outagamie 12,168 40.47% 17,733 58.98% 99 0.33% 67 0.22% -5,565 -18.51% 30,067
Ozaukee 3,662 41.98% 4,913 56.32% 125 1.43% 23 0.26% -1,251 -14.34% 8,723
Pepin 1,194 33.90% 2,272 64.51% 39 1.11% 17 0.48% -1,078 -30.61% 3,522
Pierce 3,259 32.59% 6,624 66.25% 69 0.69% 47 0.47% -3,365 -33.65% 9,999
Polk 4,979 44.27% 6,031 53.62% 185 1.64% 53 0.47% -1,052 -9.35% 11,248
Portage 10,148 63.78% 5,670 35.63% 50 0.31% 44 0.28% 4,478 28.14% 15,912
Price 4,042 49.94% 3,879 47.93% 67 0.83% 105 1.30% 163 2.01% 8,093
Racine 23,532 54.75% 18,753 43.63% 480 1.12% 213 0.50% 4,779 11.12% 42,978
Richland 3,524 38.56% 5,527 60.48% 30 0.33% 58 0.63% -2,003 -21.92% 9,139
Rock 17,543 46.29% 20,141 53.15% 104 0.27% 110 0.29% -2,598 -6.86% 37,898
Rusk 3,578 49.97% 3,484 48.66% 42 0.59% 56 0.78% 94 1.31% 7,160
Sauk 6,106 38.87% 9,363 59.61% 116 0.74% 122 0.78% -3,257 -20.74% 15,707
Sawyer 2,439 46.61% 2,745 52.46% 25 0.48% 24 0.46% -306 -5.85% 5,233
Shawano 5,241 44.51% 6,377 54.16% 94 0.80% 62 0.53% -1,136 -9.65% 11,774
Sheboygan 15,800 49.77% 15,305 48.21% 504 1.59% 138 0.43% 495 1.56% 31,747
St. Croix 4,898 41.24% 6,857 57.74% 80 0.67% 41 0.35% -1,959 -16.50% 11,876
Taylor 3,771 49.11% 3,668 47.77% 190 2.47% 49 0.64% 103 1.34% 7,678
Trempealeau 5,175 48.92% 5,319 50.28% 40 0.38% 45 0.43% -144 -1.36% 10,579
Vernon 5,776 46.24% 6,614 52.95% 25 0.20% 77 0.62% -838 -6.71% 12,492
Vilas 2,470 51.48% 2,251 46.92% 25 0.52% 52 1.08% 219 4.56% 4,798
Walworth 5,449 31.77% 11,594 67.59% 62 0.36% 49 0.29% -6,145 -35.82% 17,154
Washburn 2,901 50.35% 2,805 48.68% 20 0.35% 36 0.62% 96 1.67% 5,762
Washington 4,683 35.00% 8,501 63.54% 150 1.12% 46 0.34% -3,818 -28.54% 13,380
Waukesha 12,859 42.94% 16,726 55.86% 287 0.96% 72 0.24% -3,867 -12.91% 29,944
Waupaca 4,616 29.09% 11,099 69.95% 87 0.55% 64 0.40% -6,483 -40.86% 15,866
Waushara 1,747 26.13% 4,872 72.88% 27 0.40% 39 0.58% -3,125 -46.75% 6,685
Winnebago 15,570 45.08% 18,697 54.14% 64 0.19% 204 0.59% -3,127 -9.05% 34,535
Wood 8,574 46.59% 9,654 52.46% 97 0.53% 77 0.42% -1,080 -5.87% 18,402
Totals 704,821 50.15% 679,206 48.32% 15,071 1.07% 6,442 0.46% 25,615 1.82% 1,405,540

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Electors

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These were the names of the electors on each ticket.[11]

Franklin D. Roosevelt
& Henry A. Wallace
Democratic Party 		Wendell Willkie
& Charles L. McNary
Republican Party 		Norman Thomas
& Maynard C. Krueger
Socialist Party 		Earl R. Browder
& James W. Ford
Communist Party 		Roger W. Babson
& Edgar Moorman
Prohibition Party 		John W. Aiken
& Aaron M. Orange
Socialist Labor Party
  • William B. Rubin
  • Charles E. Hammersley
  • Edwin J. Boyle
  • A. L. Olson
  • Albert C. Wolfe
  • Walter McGrath
  • William J. McCauley
  • Maurice Fitzsimmons Sr.
  • A. J. Aschenbrener
  • John D. Kehoe
  • Miles McNally
  • George Meyer
  • Lila O. Burton
  • D. J. Kenny
  • B. P. Eldred Sr.
  • William Hoard
  • E. J. Roethe
  • Frank Wabiszewski
  • Edward Kickhaefer
  • Harry Hill
  • W. E. Fisher
  • Robert K. Bassett
  • G. Donald Barnes
  • Henry O. Goode
  • Carl Benson
  • William Cote
  • Anna Mae Davis
  • David Gourlie
  • Fred Kneevers
  • George Nelson
  • John Pearson Jr.
  • William F. Quick
  • Olin Swenson
  • Walter C. Weinig
  • William C. White
  • Lucy J. Work
  • Edwin Johnson
  • James Knox
  • Violet Hamilton
  • Clarence Kailin
  • John Emedy
  • Matt Vetengl
  • Leslie William Potter
  • Leonard L. Gudex
  • Esther Mattson
  • Ellen O. Johnson
  • Emil Luchterhand
  • Joseph Polin
  • Edward L. Cady
  • Luther B. Irish
  • Jacob Jensen
  • Otto D. Kahl
  • George McKerrow
  • Verdie Martiny
  • Ivan D. Mishoff
  • William C. Pickering
  • C. Howard Purdy
  • Nellie Tribbey
  • Wesley R. Vasey
  • Merritt L. Welles
  • Trueman F. Davis
  • Wakter Schwartz
  • Stephen Paschke
  • Christopher Hagen
  • Louis Ballin
  • Marko Golubich
  • Louis Myler
  • Anthony Kolosso
  • John Bialkowski
  • Robert Petersen
  • Albert C. Larson
  • Keith McKenzie

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Was listed as "Independent Socialist" in Wisconsin
  2. ^ Was listed as "Independent Communist" in Wisconsin
  3. ^ Was listed as "Independent Prohibition" in Wisconsin
  4. ^ Was listed as "Independent Socialist Labor" in Wisconsin
  5. ^ The Scattering votes are not listed in the 1942 Blue Book

References

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  1. ^ a b "U. S. Electoral College". Archives.gov. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  2. ^ Burnham, Walter Dean; 'The System of 1896: An Analysis'; in The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 178-179 ISBN 0313213798
  3. ^ Sundquist, James; Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years, p. 526 ISBN 0815719094
  4. ^ Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo Hirano, and Snyder, James M. Jr.; ‘Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980’; in Gerber, Alan S. and Schickler, Eric; Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America, pp. 165-168 ISBN 978-1-107-09509-0
  5. ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 387-388 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  6. ^ Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 47, 159
  7. ^ Hagery, James A.; ‘Willkie Demands Out System Stand: Change of Administration Is Needed to Save Democracy, He Says in Wisconsin “Must Make System Work”’; The New York Times, September 28, 1940, p. 1
  8. ^ Grimes, W.H.; ‘Willkie’s Chances In Midwest: Editors Give Him Edge in Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana’; The Wall Street Journal, September 25, 1940, p. 1
  9. ^ Catledge, Turner; ‘Wisconsin Trend Buck Roosevelt: Anti-War Feeling Is the Main Factor Involved – Betting Odds 11 to 10 for Willkie’; The New York Times, October 28, 1940, p. 8
  10. ^ Gallup, George; ‘The Gallup Poll: Willkie Gain in 3 States, but Roosevelt Reverses Trend in Michigan’; Daily Boston Globe, November 2, 1940, p. 1
  11. ^ a b c Wisconsin Historical Society, Certificate of Board of State Canvassers Relative to Presidential Candidates and Presidential Electors - November 5, 1940
  12. ^ a b Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. "Summary Vote For President By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1942. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 654.
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