1976 Vermont gubernatorial election

Summary

The 1976 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democrat Thomas P. Salmon did not seek another term as Governor of Vermont, instead running for United States Senate. Republican candidate Richard A. Snelling won the election, defeating Democratic candidate Stella B. Hackel and Liberty Union candidate Bernie Sanders.

1976 Vermont gubernatorial election

← 1974 November 2, 1976 (1976-11-02) 1978 →
 
Nominee Richard Snelling Stella B. Hackel Bernie Sanders
Party Republican Democratic Liberty Union
Popular vote 99,268 75,262 11,317
Percentage 53.4% 40.4% 6.1%

County results
Snelling:      50–60%      60–70%
Hackel:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

Thomas P. Salmon
Democratic

Elected Governor

Richard Snelling
Republican

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stella B. Hackel 18,522 43.9
Democratic Brian D. Burns 14,725 34.9
Democratic Robert O'Brien 8,809 20.9
Democratic Other 71 0.2
Total votes 42,127 100

Republican primary edit

Results edit

Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Richard A. Snelling 24,279 72.0
Republican William G. Craig 9,429 28.0
Total votes '33,708' '100'

Liberty Union primary edit

Results edit

Liberty Union primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberty Union Bernie Sanders 433 98.6
Liberty Union Other 6 1.4
Total votes '439' '100'

General election edit

Results edit

1976 Vermont gubernatorial election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Richard A. Snelling 98,206 52.8
Bi-Partisan Vermonters Richard A. Snelling 1,062 0.6
Total Richard A. Snelling 99,268 53.4
Democratic Stella B. Hackel 72,761 39.1
Independent Vermonters Stella B. Hackel 2,501 1.3
Total Stella B. Hackel 75,262 40.4
Liberty Union Bernie Sanders[4] 11,317 6.1
N/A Other 82 0.0
Total votes '185,929' '100'

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Profiles of the three Democrats in Vermont governor's race". The Brattleboro Reformer. September 13, 1976. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Primary Election Results" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  3. ^ "General Election Results – Governor – 1789-2012" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  4. ^ "Sanders: 'We begin a political revolution'". Burlington Free Press. May 27, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2018. Wednesday, October 6, 1976, Bernard Sanders, 35, returns to the campaign trail, this time running in an open-seat governor's race as the Liberty Union Party standard-bearer. In an interview with the Burlington Free Press, he is asked why he's running. "When I was a boy and watched presidents and other candidates on television, it became clear what they were saying didn't make sense to my parents or even me," he answers. "I came to realize it is right and necessary for people to stand up and oppose what is wrong. I have learned that people will respond if you tell them the truth about how you see the world."