1976 United States presidential election in Minnesota
1976 United States presidential election in Minnesota Turnout 73.01%[ 1]
County Results
Carter
40-50%
50-60%
60-70%
Ford
40-50%
50-60%
60-70%
The 1976 United States presidential election in Minnesota took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election . Voters chose ten electors, or representatives to the Electoral College , who voted for president and vice president.
Minnesota was won by the Democratic Party candidate, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter , won the state over incumbent President Gerald Ford by a landslide margin of 251,045 votes, or approximately 12.88%. Carter went on to win the election nationally, as the country's confidence in the Republican Party had been deeply shaken following the Watergate scandal and the subsequent resignation of Richard Nixon .
Prior to the election, Minnesota was considered as leaning-Carter. The Republican Party of Minnesota had been terribly weakened by the Watergate scandal . That weakened position was further eroded when Jimmy Carter chose Minnesota senator Walter Mondale as his vice-presidential running mate, securing the state for Carter. Mondale later went on to become the Democratic Party nominee for President in 1984 , in which he only won one state , Minnesota.[ 2]
The effect of Watergate on the political landscape in Minnesota can be clearly seen in the results of this election, as well as the landslide DFL victory in the 1974 gubernatorial election. Previously Minnesota had cast its electoral votes for the Republican nominee in twenty of the twenty-nine presidential elections from 1860 to 1972 .
As of the 2020 presidential election , Minnesota has not cast a single electoral vote in favor of a Republican since 1972, making it the state with the longest Democratic streak up to the present day.[ 3] As of the 2020 presidential election[update] , this is the last election in which Roseau County , Wilkin County , Douglas County , Wadena County , and Pipestone County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.[ 4]
Results
1976 United States presidential election in Minnesota[ 5]
Party
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
Electoral votes
Democratic (DFL)
Jimmy Carter
1,070,440
54.90%
10
Republican
Gerald Ford (incumbent )
819,395
42.02%
0
McCarthy ‘76
Eugene McCarthy
35,490
1.82%
0
American
Thomas J. Anderson
13,592
0.70%
0
Socialist Workers
Peter Camejo
4,149
0.21%
0
Libertarian
Roger MacBride
3,529
0.18%
0
Communist
Gus Hall
1,092
0.06%
0
People's
Margaret Wright
635
0.03%
0
U.S. Labor
Lyndon LaRouche
543
0.03%
0
Socialist Labor
Julius Levin
370
0.02%
0
Socialist
Frank Zeidler
354
0.02%
0
Write-ins
Write-ins
342
0.02%
0
Invalid or blank votes
—
Totals
1,978,590
100.00%
10
Voter turnout
77%
—
Results by county
County
Jimmy Carter DFL
Gerald Ford Republican
Eugene McCarthy Independent
Thomas Anderson American
Various candidates Other parties
Margin
Total votes cast
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Aitkin
4,308
61.99%
2,476
35.63%
109
1.57%
26
0.37%
30
0.43%
1,832
26.36%
6,949
Anoka
48,173
61.51%
27,863
35.58%
1,298
1.66%
472
0.60%
509
0.65%
20,310
25.93%
78,315
Becker
6,597
52.50%
5,611
44.65%
215
1.71%
104
0.83%
39
0.31%
986
7.85%
12,566
Beltrami
7,540
56.76%
5,214
39.25%
289
2.18%
175
1.32%
67
0.50%
2,326
17.51%
13,285
Benton
6,235
56.86%
4,099
37.38%
285
2.60%
271
2.47%
75
0.68%
2,136
19.48%
10,965
Big Stone
2,581
64.41%
1,332
33.24%
45
1.12%
42
1.05%
7
0.17%
1,249
31.17%
4,007
Blue Earth
12,930
50.33%
11,998
46.71%
582
2.27%
91
0.35%
87
0.34%
932
3.62%
25,688
Brown
5,792
41.26%
7,479
53.27%
330
2.35%
409
2.91%
29
0.21%
-1,687
-12.01%
14,039
Carlton
9,247
66.28%
4,371
31.33%
239
1.71%
29
0.21%
66
0.47%
4,876
34.95%
13,952
Carver
7,574
46.33%
8,199
50.16%
336
2.06%
201
1.23%
37
0.23%
-625
-3.83%
16,347
Cass
5,424
53.00%
4,443
43.41%
173
1.69%
159
1.55%
35
0.34%
981
9.59%
10,234
Chippewa
4,648
57.77%
3,254
40.44%
75
0.93%
56
0.70%
13
0.16%
1,394
17.33%
8,046
Chisago
6,625
60.96%
3,874
35.65%
185
1.70%
142
1.31%
41
0.38%
2,751
25.31%
10,867
Clay
10,876
50.10%
10,317
47.53%
319
1.47%
62
0.29%
134
0.62%
559
2.57%
21,708
Clearwater
2,437
60.70%
1,374
34.22%
57
1.42%
115
2.86%
32
0.80%
1,063
26.48%
4,015
Cook
1,018
47.79%
1,034
48.54%
41
1.92%
27
1.27%
10
0.47%
-16
-0.75%
2,130
Cottonwood
3,813
48.52%
3,906
49.70%
85
1.08%
46
0.59%
9
0.11%
-93
-1.18%
7,859
Crow Wing
10,653
54.45%
8,072
41.26%
284
1.45%
447
2.28%
108
0.55%
2,581
13.19%
19,564
Dakota
44,253
52.63%
37,542
44.65%
1,500
1.78%
400
0.48%
385
0.46%
6,711
7.98%
84,080
Dodge
3,009
45.60%
3,446
52.23%
67
1.02%
64
0.97%
12
0.18%
-437
-6.63%
6,598
Douglas
7,097
53.30%
5,910
44.38%
138
1.04%
143
1.07%
28
0.21%
1,187
8.92%
13,316
Faribault
5,049
46.61%
5,577
51.48%
118
1.09%
68
0.63%
21
0.19%
-528
-4.87%
10,833
Fillmore
4,758
43.42%
5,984
54.61%
135
1.23%
63
0.57%
17
0.16%
-1,226
-11.19%
10,957
Freeborn
9,470
52.56%
8,220
45.62%
207
1.15%
61
0.34%
60
0.33%
1,250
6.94%
18,018
Goodhue
8,926
46.20%
9,967
51.59%
271
1.40%
108
0.56%
49
0.25%
-1,041
-5.39%
19,321
Grant
2,624
60.49%
1,635
37.69%
57
1.31%
14
0.32%
8
0.18%
989
22.80%
4,338
Hennepin
257,380
53.25%
211,892
43.84%
9,376
1.94%
1,716
0.36%
3,014
0.62%
45,488
9.41%
483,378
Houston
3,861
43.26%
4,853
54.37%
137
1.53%
53
0.59%
22
0.25%
-992
-11.11%
8,926
Hubbard
3,196
49.25%
2,985
46.00%
134
2.07%
162
2.50%
12
0.18%
211
3.25%
6,489
Isanti
6,013
63.85%
3,159
33.55%
135
1.43%
84
0.89%
26
0.28%
2,854
30.30%
9,417
Itasca
12,979
64.00%
6,646
32.77%
378
1.86%
155
0.76%
123
0.61%
6,333
31.23%
20,281
Jackson
4,311
59.16%
2,870
39.39%
82
1.13%
13
0.18%
11
0.15%
1,441
19.77%
7,287
Kanabec
3,188
60.03%
1,943
36.58%
78
1.47%
93
1.75%
9
0.17%
1,245
23.45%
5,311
Kandiyohi
9,992
58.33%
6,664
38.90%
254
1.48%
170
0.99%
50
0.29%
3,328
19.43%
17,130
Kittson
2,008
55.33%
1,555
42.85%
41
1.13%
13
0.36%
12
0.33%
453
12.48%
3,629
Koochiching
4,846
60.52%
2,893
36.13%
167
2.09%
67
0.84%
34
0.42%
1,953
24.39%
8,007
Lac qui Parle
3,647
60.13%
2,292
37.79%
58
0.96%
60
0.99%
8
0.13%
1,355
22.34%
6,065
Lake
2,973
53.10%
2,313
41.31%
158
2.82%
132
2.36%
23
0.41%
660
11.79%
5,599
Lake of the Woods
1,105
56.23%
757
38.52%
35
1.78%
52
2.65%
16
0.81%
348
17.71%
1,965
Le Sueur
6,556
57.60%
4,565
40.11%
143
1.26%
75
0.66%
42
0.37%
1,991
17.49%
11,381
Lincoln
2,594
60.79%
1,599
37.47%
40
0.94%
31
0.73%
3
0.07%
995
23.32%
4,267
Lyon
7,122
57.17%
5,036
40.42%
178
1.43%
74
0.59%
48
0.39%
2,086
16.75%
12,458
Mahnomen
1,590
60.85%
905
34.63%
70
2.68%
37
1.42%
11
0.42%
685
26.22%
2,613
Marshall
3,744
57.70%
2,605
40.14%
78
1.20%
45
0.69%
17
0.26%
1,139
17.56%
6,489
Martin
5,672
45.42%
6,484
51.92%
160
1.28%
155
1.24%
17
0.14%
-812
-6.50%
12,488
McLeod
6,249
47.21%
6,519
49.24%
198
1.50%
140
1.06%
132
1.00%
-270
-2.03%
13,238
Meeker
5,295
54.25%
4,097
41.97%
255
2.61%
89
0.91%
25
0.26%
1,198
12.28%
9,761
Mille Lacs
5,172
59.65%
3,212
37.05%
145
1.67%
105
1.21%
36
0.42%
1,960
22.60%
8,670
Morrison
8,176
61.50%
4,590
34.53%
256
1.93%
195
1.47%
77
0.58%
3,586
26.97%
13,294
Mower
12,837
59.74%
8,163
37.99%
290
1.35%
81
0.38%
116
0.54%
4,674
21.75%
21,487
Murray
3,685
57.59%
2,605
40.71%
86
1.34%
17
0.27%
6
0.09%
1,080
16.88%
6,399
Nicollet
5,777
47.18%
6,071
49.58%
258
2.11%
85
0.69%
54
0.44%
-294
-2.40%
12,245
Nobles
6,034
56.21%
4,503
41.95%
135
1.26%
42
0.39%
21
0.20%
1,531
14.26%
10,735
Norman
2,946
58.78%
1,983
39.57%
47
0.94%
20
0.40%
16
0.32%
963
19.21%
5,012
Olmsted
14,676
37.02%
24,060
60.69%
487
1.23%
329
0.83%
95
0.24%
-9,384
-23.67%
39,647
Otter Tail
11,881
48.47%
12,113
49.42%
312
1.27%
117
0.48%
87
0.35%
-232
-0.95%
24,510
Pennington
3,787
54.50%
3,023
43.51%
58
0.83%
62
0.89%
18
0.26%
764
10.99%
6,948
Pine
5,442
61.24%
3,057
34.40%
170
1.91%
182
2.05%
36
0.41%
2,385
26.84%
8,887
Pipestone
3,272
51.12%
3,018
47.15%
87
1.36%
19
0.30%
5
0.08%
254
3.97%
6,401
Polk
9,078
56.62%
6,552
40.86%
190
1.18%
163
1.02%
51
0.32%
2,526
15.76%
16,034
Pope
3,746
61.14%
2,251
36.74%
58
0.95%
61
1.00%
11
0.18%
1,495
24.40%
6,127
Ramsey
133,682
58.62%
86,480
37.92%
4,908
2.15%
970
0.43%
2,027
0.89%
47,202
20.70%
228,067
Red Lake
1,748
67.23%
737
28.35%
42
1.62%
59
2.27%
14
0.54%
1,011
38.88%
2,600
Redwood
4,525
46.07%
4,926
50.15%
151
1.54%
200
2.04%
20
0.20%
-401
-4.08%
9,822
Renville
5,762
54.64%
4,482
42.50%
166
1.57%
116
1.10%
19
0.18%
1,280
12.14%
10,545
Rice
10,590
54.01%
8,311
42.39%
419
2.14%
112
0.57%
175
0.89%
2,279
11.62%
19,607
Rock
2,769
48.25%
2,892
50.39%
47
0.82%
15
0.26%
16
0.28%
-123
-2.14%
5,739
Roseau
3,215
55.90%
2,382
41.42%
50
0.87%
87
1.51%
17
0.30%
833
14.48%
5,751
St. Louis
75,040
65.78%
35,331
30.97%
2,256
1.98%
364
0.32%
1,084
0.95%
39,709
34.81%
114,075
Scott
9,912
56.34%
7,154
40.66%
336
1.91%
148
0.84%
43
0.24%
2,758
15.68%
17,593
Sherburne
6,678
58.36%
4,361
38.11%
234
2.05%
119
1.04%
50
0.44%
2,317
20.25%
11,442
Sibley
3,752
47.74%
3,871
49.25%
138
1.76%
84
1.07%
15
0.19%
-119
-1.51%
7,860
Stearns
25,027
52.33%
19,574
40.93%
1,612
3.37%
1,290
2.70%
318
0.66%
5,453
11.40%
47,821
Steele
6,263
45.89%
7,053
51.68%
174
1.28%
92
0.67%
65
0.48%
-790
-5.79%
13,647
Stevens
3,171
54.78%
2,484
42.91%
99
1.71%
17
0.29%
18
0.31%
687
11.87%
5,789
Swift
4,428
65.48%
2,190
32.39%
77
1.14%
51
0.75%
16
0.24%
2,238
33.09%
6,762
Todd
6,530
58.05%
4,278
38.03%
186
1.65%
200
1.78%
54
0.48%
2,252
20.02%
11,248
Traverse
2,020
62.99%
1,130
35.24%
41
1.28%
13
0.41%
3
0.09%
890
27.75%
3,207
Wabasha
4,286
47.36%
4,484
49.55%
174
1.92%
71
0.78%
34
0.38%
-198
-2.19%
9,049
Wadena
3,164
49.25%
3,048
47.45%
80
1.25%
110
1.71%
22
0.34%
116
1.80%
6,424
Waseca
4,002
45.45%
4,582
52.04%
141
1.60%
49
0.56%
31
0.35%
-580
-6.59%
8,805
Washington
26,454
54.45%
20,716
42.64%
892
1.84%
237
0.49%
284
0.58%
5,738
11.81%
48,583
Watonwan
3,177
47.69%
3,351
50.30%
79
1.19%
47
0.71%
8
0.12%
-174
-2.61%
6,662
Wilkin
2,103
51.17%
1,882
45.79%
88
2.14%
28
0.68%
9
0.22%
221
5.38%
4,110
Winona
10,939
49.92%
10,436
47.62%
420
1.92%
66
0.30%
53
0.24%
503
2.30%
21,914
Wright
13,379
57.02%
9,314
39.69%
410
1.75%
291
1.24%
70
0.30%
4,065
17.33%
23,464
Yellow Medicine
4,337
58.12%
2,946
39.48%
96
1.29%
67
0.90%
16
0.21%
1,391
18.64%
7,462
Totals
1,070,440
54.90%
819,395
42.02%
35,490
1.82%
13,592
0.70%
11,014
0.56%
251,045
12.88%
1,949,931
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
See also
References