1940 Nebraska gubernatorial election

1940 Nebraska gubernatorial election

November 5, 1940

Nominee Dwight Griswold Terry Carpenter Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 365,638 235,167 Percentage 60.9% 39.1%

County results Griswold:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Carpenter:      50–60%

Governor before election Robert L. Cochran Democratic Elected Governor Dwight Griswold Republican

The 1940 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940, and featured newspaper publisher and former state legislator Dwight Griswold, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee, former U.S. Representative Terry Carpenter. Griswold became the first Republican to win the governorship since 1928.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Fred W. Bartzatt
• Terry Carpenter, former U.S. Representative
• Dr. John A. Guttery, a dentist from Lynch, Nebraska, who previously ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1934[1]
• Keith Neville, former Governor of Nebraska from 1917 to 1919

Results

Democratic primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Terry Carpenter	68,017	47.53
	Democratic	Keith Neville	67,013	46.82
	Democratic	John A. Guttery	4,502	3.15
	Democratic	Fred W. Bartzatt	3,584	2.50

Republican primary

Candidates

• C. E. Alter, state director of the National Reclamation Association[3]
• Ed M. Baumann, Mayor of West Point[4]
• Dwight Griswold, newspaper publisher, former member of the Nebraska Legislature, and unsuccessful Republican nominee for governor in 1932, 1934, and 1936.
• Arthur L. Miller, member of the Nebraska Legislature and physician
• Robert G. Ross
• Charles J. Warner, former Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature

Results

Republican primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dwight Griswold	73,330	42.52
	Republican	Charles J. Warner	55,386	32.12
	Republican	Arthur L. Miller	22,408	12.99
	Republican	Ed M. Baumann	10,693	6.20
	Republican	C. E. Alter	7,570	4.39
	Republican	Robert G. Ross	3,075	1.78

General election

Results

Nebraska gubernatorial election, 1940[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dwight Griswold	365,638	60.86%
	Democratic	Terry Carpenter	235,167	39.14%
Total votes			600,805	100.0%
	Republican gain from Democratic

See also

• 1940 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election

References

1. "Dr. Guttery's Name Filed for Lieutenant Governor". North Bend Eagle. April 12, 1934. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
2. Harry R. Swanson. "Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board Primary Election April 9, 1940, General Election November 5, 1940" (PDF). Retrieved September 30, 2017.
3. "Alma Power Plant, Which Ended City Tax Levy Five Years Ago, Made 4 Rate Cuts During 1939", Lincoln Star, November 27, 1939, C. E. Alter, Alma, president of the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce and Nebraska director of the National Reclamation Association, was listed for the morning's principal address.
4. "Ed Baumann in Race for Governor", Lincoln Star, December 7, 1939, Ed M. Baumann, mayor of West Point, announced today he is a candidate for the republican nomination for governor of Nebraska.