1962 Arkansas gubernatorial election

Summary

The 1962 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1962.

1962 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1960 November 6, 1962 1964 →
 
Nominee Orval Faubus Willis Ricketts
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 225,743 82,349
Percentage 73.27% 26.73%

County results Faubus:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election

Orval Faubus
Democratic

Elected Governor

Orval Faubus
Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Orval Faubus won election to a fifth term, defeating Republican nominee Willis Ricketts with 73.27% of the vote.

Primary elections edit

Primary elections were held on July 31, 1962. By winning over 50% of the vote, Faubus avoided a run-off which would have been held on August 14, 1962.[1]

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Democratic primary results[3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Orval Faubus (incumbent) 208,996 51.59
Democratic Sid McMath 83,473 20.61
Democratic Dale Alford 82,815 20.44
Democratic Vernon H. Whitten 22,377 5.52
Democratic Kenneth Coffelt 5,302 1.31
Democratic David A. Cox 2,149 0.53
Total votes 405,112 100.00

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Willis Ricketts, Pharmacist and former president of the Arkansas Jaycees[6]

Results edit

Republican primary results[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Willis Ricketts unopposed

General election edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1962 Arkansas gubernatorial election[7][8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Orval Faubus (incumbent) 225,743 73.27% +4.06%
Republican Willis Ricketts 82,349 26.73% -4.06%
Majority 143,394 46.54%
Turnout 308,092 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ "1962 Elections". Voting Information. Washington, D.C.: Prepared by Office of Armed Forces Information & Education, Department of Defense. January 1962. p. 48. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Dumas, Ernest (April 25, 2019). "A forgotten candidate and the 1962 Arkansas governor's race". Little Rock, Arkansas: Arkansas Times. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  3. ^ "AR Governor, 1962 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 100.
  5. ^ a b America Votes 5, p. 37.
  6. ^ "Willis Ricketts Papers". Special Collections Department. University of Arkansas Libraries. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "AR Governor, 1962". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 42.
  9. ^ America Votes 5, p. 30.

Bibliography edit

  • Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
  • Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1964). America Votes 5: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1962. Pittsburgh, PA: Governmental Affairs Institute.