1978 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 7, 1978. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler won a narrow re-election to a second term, and Democrat Lynn Simons was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Robert G. Schroder. Republicans won the remainder of the statewide offices.

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## Governor

[edit]

Main article: 1978 Wyoming gubernatorial election

Incumbent Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler ran for re-election to a second term, and faced former State Senator John Ostlund, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Herschler's margin of victory narrowed considerably from 1974, but he narrowly won re-election over Ostlund.

1978 Wyoming gubernatorial election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Edgar Herschler (inc.)  | 69,972  | 50.86%  | −5.02%
| Republican | John Ostlund  | 67,595  | 49.14%  | +5.02%
Majority  | 2,377  | 1.73%  | −10.03%
Turnout | 137,567  |  |
| Democratic hold

## Secretary of State

[edit]

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Thyra Thomson ran for re-election to a fifth term. She faced Ed Sencabaugh, an executive with the Union Pacific Railroad and a former State Representative, in the Republican primary. She handily defeated him, and advanced to the general election. No Democratic candidates filed to oppose Thomson, though Robert Warburton, a college student, received 54 write-in votes and was offered the nomination. He ultimately declined it,[2] leaving the Democrats with no candidate and Thomson with no opponent, enabling her to win re-election unopposed.

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Thyra Thomson, incumbent Secretary of State
* Ed Sencabaugh, Union Pacific Railroad executive, former State Representative from Albany County[3]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Thyra Thomson (inc.)  | 46,992  | 68.30%
| Republican | Ed Sencabaugh  | 21,807  | 31.70%
Total votes | 68,799  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1978 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Thyra Thomson (inc.)  | 103,102  | 100.00%
Total votes | 103,102  |
| Republican hold
Results by county

Thomson:

* 90–100%

## Auditor

[edit]

Incumbent Republican State Auditor Jim Griffith ran for re-election to a second term. He faced no opposition in the Republican primary and no Democratic candidate initially filed against him. But Jim Polis, a bank examiner in the State Examiner's office, received enough write-in votes to receive his party's nomination,[4] which he accepted.[5] However, Polis did not present significant challenge to Griffith, who won re-election by a lopsided margin.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

No Democratic candidates filed for State Auditor. However, Jim Polis, a bank examiner at the State Examiner's office, received 329 write-in votes and was offered the nomination, which he accepted.[4]

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Jim Griffith, incumbent State Auditor

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Jim Griffith (inc.)  | 60,947  | 100.00%
Total votes | 60,947  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1978 Wyoming Auditor election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Jim Griffith (inc.)  | 88,190  | 68.96%  | +12.06%
| Democratic | Jim Polis  | 39,704  | 31.04%  | −12.06%
Majority  | 48,486  | 37.91%  | +24.13%
Turnout | 127,894  |  |
| Republican hold
Results by county

Griffith:

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

* 70–80%

* 80–90%

## Treasurer

[edit]

Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Ed Witzenburger was unable to seek re-election due to term limits and instead opted to run for Congress, ultimately losing to Dick Cheney in the Republican primary.[6] In the Republican primary, Deputy Treasurer Shirley Wittler won a narrow victory over Craig L. Thomas. In the general election, she faced former State Representative Bob Adams, a perennial candidate for statewide office. She defeated Adams in a landslide, becoming only the second woman, after Minnie A. Mitchell, to serve as State Treasurer.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Bob Adams, former State Representative, former State Representative from Laramie County, 1974 Democratic nominee for Auditor, 1970 Democratic candidate for Treasurer, 1966 Democratic nominee for Treasurer, 1962 Democratic nominee for Treasurer, 1958 Democratic nominee for State Auditor, 1954 Democratic nominee for State Auditor[7]
* Ed Dover, salesman[6]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Bob Adams  | 25,970  | 66.70%
| Democratic | Ed Dover  | 12,965  | 33.30%
Total votes | 38,935  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Shirley Wittler, Deputy State Treasurer[8]
* Craig L. Thomas, general manager of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association[9]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Shirley Wittler  | 33,255  | 51.86%
| Republican | Craig L. Thomas  | 30,865  | 48.14%
Total votes | 64,120  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1978 Wyoming Treasurer election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Shirley Wittler  | 80,273  | 62.39%  | +10.65%
| Democratic | Bob Adams  | 48,394  | 37.61%  | −10.65%
Majority  | 31,879  | 24.78%  | +21.31%
Turnout | 128,667  | 100.00%  |
| Republican hold
Results by county

Wittler:

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

* 70–80%

Adams:

* 50–60%

## Superintendent of Public Instruction

[edit]

Incumbent Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Robert G. Schrader ran for re-election to a third term. He faced a strong challenge in the Republican primary from Converse County Superintendent of Schools Millard I. Meredith. Though Schrader defeated Meredith, he did so by a relatively close margin. In the Democratic primary, meanwhile, Lynn Simons, the former Chairwoman of the Wyoming Board of Education, defeated Sydney Spiegel, a history teacher who ran as the 1974 Democratic nominee for Superintendent. Simons ultimately defeated Schrader by a slim margin, receiving the highest percentage of vote of any statewide Democratic candidate.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Lynn Simons, former Chairwoman of the State Board of Education[10]
* Sydney Spiegel, Cheyenne history teacher, 1974 Democratic nominee for Superintendent[10]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Lynn Simons  | 25,253  | 64.86%
| Democratic | Sydney Spiegel  | 14,111  | 36.24%
Total votes | 39,364  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Robert G. Schrader, incumbent State Superintendent of Public Instruction
* Millard I. Meredith, Converse County Superintendent of Schools[11]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Robert G. Schrader (inc.)  | 37,377  | 57.54%
| Republican | Millard I. Meredith  | 27,580  | 42.46%
Total votes | 64,957  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1978 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Lynn Simons | 69,251  | 52.70%  | +14.66%
| Republican | Robert G. Schrader (inc.)  | 62,165  | 47.30%  | −14.66%
Majority  | 7,096  | 5.40%  | −18.51%
Turnout | 131,426  | 100.00%  |
| Democratic gain from Republican
Results by county

Simons:

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

Schrader:

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Thomson, Thyra (1979). 1979 Wyoming Official Directory and 1978 Election Returns. pp. 132, 201.
2. ^ "Write-in turns down nomination". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 26, 1978. p. 17. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
3. ^ "Thyra to announce; Herschler mum". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 10, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
4. ^ a b "Cross-over voting high". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 21, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
5. ^ "Griffith opposed". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 5, 1978. p. 4A. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
6. ^ a b "Office swapping charged". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. March 13, 1978. p. 11. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
7. ^ "Bob Adams running". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. July 29, 1978. p. 11. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
8. ^ "Republican candidates for State Treasurer compared". Jackson Hole Guide. Jackson, Wyo. June 22, 1978. p. B5. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
9. ^ "Candidate Thomas gives views on state's monies". Jackson Hole News. Jackson, Wyo. June 22, 1978. p. 6. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
10. ^ a b "Teacher unveils plans to enter race". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 8, 1874. p. 2. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
11. ^ "Douglas administrator to be state candidate". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. April 27, 1978. p. 15. Retrieved June 5, 2021.

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