1974 Kansas gubernatorial election

The 1974 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974. Republican nominee Robert Frederick Bennett narrowly defeated Democratic nominee Vern Miller with 49.5% of the vote.

1974 Kansas gubernatorial election

← 1972 November 5, 1974 1978 →

Nominee Robert F. Bennett Vern Miller Party Republican Democratic Running mate Shelby Smith Jack Steineger Popular vote 387,792 384,115 Percentage 49.5% 49.0%

County results Bennett:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Miller:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Robert Docking Democratic Elected Governor Robert Frederick Bennett Republican

As of 2022^[update], this marks the last occasion in which the following counties have voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election: Clark, Morton, Seward, Stanton, and Stevens. This was also the first gubernatorial election for the state of Kansas to elect a governor for a four-year term.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 6, 1974.^[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Robert Frederick Bennett, President of the Kansas Senate
• Don O. Concannon, Former President of the Kansas Republican Party
• Forrest J. Robinson, former minister of the First United Methodist Church of Wichita
• Bob Clack

Results

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Frederick Bennett	67,347	32.39
	Republican	Don O. Concannon	66,817	32.13
	Republican	Forrest J. Robinson	56,440	27.14
	Republican	Bob Clack	17,333	8.34
Total votes			207,937	100.00

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

• Robert Frederick Bennett, Republican
• Vern Miller, Democratic

Other candidates

• Marshall Uncapher, Prohibition

Results

1974 Kansas gubernatorial election^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Robert Frederick Bennett	387,792	49.47%
	Democratic	Vern Miller	384,115	49.00%
	Prohibition	Marshall Uncapher	11,968	1.53%
Majority			3,677
Turnout			783,875
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing