1960 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia

Summary

While the District of Columbia lacked any electoral votes in the 1960 presidential general election, it did hold primaries and sent delegations to both major party conventions.

1960 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia

← 1956
1964 →

President before election

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican

Elected President

John F. Kennedy
Democratic

This was the last presidential election in which the District of Columbia lacked any electoral votes.

Primaries edit

Democratic primary edit

Among the reasons for which John F. Kennedy opted against competing in the D.C. primary was that he believed that Hubert Humphrey, a civil rights stalwart, would have a strong advantage with the district's predominantly African American electorate.[1] Kennedy also viewed the District's primary as too inconsequential to allot resources to, as it had very few delegates to offer.[1]

Humphrey was challenged by Wayne Morse of Oregon, who saw the D.C. primary as a warm-up for the Oregon primary to be held later that month.[1]

District of Columbia Democratic Presidential Primary Results – 1960[2]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Hubert Humphrey 8,239 57.4%
Democratic Wayne Morse 6,127 42.6%
Totals 14,366 100.00%

Republican primary edit

No candidates ran in the Republican primary, resulting in all votes being awarded to unbound delegates.

District of Columbia Republican Presidential Primary Results – 1960[2]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Unpledged delegates 9,468 100%
Totals 9,468 100.00%

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Oliphant, Thomas; Wilkie, Curtis (2017). The road to Camelot: Inside JFK's Five-Year Campaign. Simon & Schuster.
  2. ^ a b "RESULTS OF 1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PRIMARIES". John F. Kennedy presidential library. Retrieved January 18, 2019.