1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election

* * *

| <- 1954 | November 6, 1956 | 1958 ->

|
|

|  |  |

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|

Nominee  | Robert D. Holmes | Elmo Smith |
Party  | Democratic | Republican
Popular vote  | 369,439 | 361,840
Percentage  | 50.5% | 49.5%

* * *

County results
Holmes:  50–60% 60–70%
Smith:  50–60% 60–70%

* * *

| Governor before election

Elmo Smith
Republican

| Elected Governor

Robert D. Holmes
Democratic

|

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The 1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election took place on November 6, 1956. Democratic state senator Robert D. Holmes narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Elmo Smith to win the election.

## Background

[edit]

On January 31, 1956, Governor Paul L. Patterson, who was elected in the 1954 gubernatorial election, died in office of a coronary occlusion.[1] Patterson's death elevated Oregon State Senate President Elmo Smith to governor and a special election for November was called to fill the position for the final two years of Patterson's term.[2] The succession law was changed in 1972 so that the Oregon Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the governor.[3] Lew Wallace unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.

## Election results

[edit]

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election[4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Robert D. Holmes | 369,439  | 50.52
| Republican | Elmo Smith (incumbent)  | 361,840  | 49.48
Total votes  | 731,279  | 100
| Democratic gain from Republican

### Results by county

[edit]

1956 Oregon gubernatorial special election (by county)

County  | Robert Denison Holmes
Democratic  | Elmo Everett Smith
Republican  | Margin  | Total votes cast[4]
#  | %  | #  | %  | #  | %
Baker | 3,554  | 50.71%  | 3,455  | 49.29%  | 99  | 1.41%  | 7,009
Benton | 5,217  | 39.89%  | 7,862  | 60.11%  | -2,645  | -20.22%  | 13,079
Clackamas | 23,431  | 51.28%  | 22,264  | 48.72%  | 1,167  | 2.55%  | 45,695
Clatsop | 7,928  | 61.41%  | 4,981  | 38.59%  | 2,947  | 22.83%  | 12,909
Columbia | 6,185  | 63.02%  | 3,629  | 36.98%  | 2,556  | 26.04%  | 9,814
Coos | 12,130  | 60.24%  | 8,005  | 39.76%  | 4,125  | 20.49%  | 20,135
Crook | 1,848  | 49.93%  | 1,853  | 50.07%  | -5  | -0.14%  | 3,701
Curry | 2,162  | 50.91%  | 2,085  | 49.09%  | 77  | 1.81%  | 4,247
Deschutes | 4,441  | 46.33%  | 5,145  | 53.67%  | -704  | -7.34%  | 9,586
Douglas | 13,516  | 52.62%  | 12,171  | 47.38%  | 1,345  | 5.24%  | 25,687
Gilliam | 505  | 38.52%  | 806  | 61.48%  | -301  | -22.96%  | 1,311
Grant | 1,313  | 42.44%  | 1,781  | 57.56%  | -468  | -15.13%  | 3,094
Harney | 1,171  | 43.26%  | 1,536  | 56.74%  | -365  | -13.48%  | 2,707
Hood River | 2,618  | 47.08%  | 2,943  | 52.92%  | -325  | -5.84%  | 5,561
Jackson | 13,445  | 45.26%  | 16,261  | 54.74%  | -2,816  | -9.48%  | 29,706
Jefferson | 1,131  | 45.88%  | 1,334  | 54.12%  | -203  | -8.24%  | 2,465
Josephine | 5,423  | 42.60%  | 7,308  | 57.40%  | -1,885  | -14.81%  | 12,731
Klamath | 8,956  | 49.81%  | 9,026  | 50.19%  | -70  | -0.39%  | 17,982
Lake | 1,285  | 44.62%  | 1,595  | 55.38%  | -310  | -10.76%  | 2,880
Lane | 33,241  | 53.12%  | 29,335  | 46.88%  | 3,906  | 6.24%  | 62,576
Lincoln | 5,149  | 52.08%  | 4,738  | 47.92%  | 411  | 4.16%  | 9,887
Linn | 11,807  | 51.91%  | 10,936  | 48.09%  | 871  | 3.83%  | 22,743
Malheur | 3,011  | 37.51%  | 5,016  | 62.49%  | -2,005  | -24.98%  | 8,027
Marion | 19,255  | 42.87%  | 25,655  | 57.13%  | -6,400  | -14.25%  | 44,910
Morrow | 882  | 45.07%  | 1,075  | 54.93%  | -193  | -9.86%  | 1,957
Multnomah | 129,273  | 53.04%  | 114,446  | 46.96%  | 14,827  | 6.08%  | 243,719
Polk | 4,724  | 45.39%  | 5,683  | 54.61%  | -959  | -9.21%  | 10,407
Sherman | 415  | 38.53%  | 662  | 61.47%  | -247  | -22.93%  | 1,077
Tillamook | 4,055  | 50.93%  | 3,907  | 49.07%  | 148  | 1.86%  | 7,962
Umatilla | 8,376  | 48.88%  | 8,761  | 51.12%  | -385  | -2.25%  | 17,137
Union | 4,272  | 53.45%  | 3,720  | 46.55%  | 552  | 6.91%  | 7,992
Wallowa | 1,755  | 53.17%  | 1,546  | 46.83%  | 209  | 6.33%  | 3,301
Wasco | 4,522  | 52.73%  | 4,053  | 47.27%  | 469  | 5.47%  | 8,575
Washington | 15,976  | 44.51%  | 19,917  | 55.49%  | -3,941  | -10.98%  | 35,893
Wheeler | 540  | 46.59%  | 619  | 53.41%  | -79  | -6.82%  | 1,159
Yamhill | 5,927  | 43.40%  | 7,731  | 56.60%  | -1,804  | -13.21%  | 13,658
Total | 369,439 | 50.52% | 361,840 | 49.48% | 7,599 | 1.04% | 731,279

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Governors of Oregon: Paul Linton Patterson". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
2. ^ "Governors of Oregon: Elmo Smith". Oregon State Library. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
3. ^ "Temporary governor eliminated: Measure modifies line of succession". The Bend Bulletin.
4. ^ a b "OR Governor Race — November 06, 1956". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2011.

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