1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election
November 7, 1978
 
Nominee George Nigh Ron Shotts
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 402,240 367,055
Percentage 51.74% 47.21%
County results
Nigh:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Shotts:      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

David Boren
Democratic

Elected Governor

George Nigh
Democratic

The 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the next governor of Oklahoma. Incumbent Democratic governor David Boren chose not to run for re-election to a second term in office. Instead, Boren decided to run for the United States Senate. Former governor, and sitting lieutenant governor George Nigh was elected, defeating Republican nominee Ron Shotts.

Primary election

Primary elections were held on August 22, 1978 with runoffs occurring on September 19, 1978.

Democratic party

Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma George Nigh, who briefly served as governor in January of 1963, received just under an outright majority of votes in the primary, necessitating a runoff against Attorney General of Oklahoma Larry Derryberry.

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Nigh 276,910 49.94%
Democratic Larry Derryberry 208,055 37.53%
Democratic Bob Funston 69,475 12.53%
Total votes 554,440 100.00%
Democratic primary runoff results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Nigh 269,681 57.73%
Democratic Larry Derryberry 197,457 42.27%
Total votes 467,138 100.00%

Republican party

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ron Shotts 82,895 76.85%
Republican Jerry L. Mash 18,145 12.19%
Republican Jim Head 11,826 10.96%
Total votes 107,866 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

Other candidates

  • Billy Joe Clegg, Independent
  • Jim McCuiston, Independent
  • Floyd Shealy, Independent

Results

1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic George Nigh 402,240 51.74% −12.17%
Republican Ron Shotts 367,055 47.21% +11.13%
Independent Billy Joe Clegg 3,887 0.50%
Independent Floyd Shealy 2,395 0.31%
Independent Jim McCuiston 1,395 0.24%
Total votes 777,414 100.00%
Majority 38,185 4.53%
Democratic hold Swing -23.30%

Results by county

County[1] George Nigh
Democratic 		Ron Shotts
Republican 		All Others
Independent 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adair 2,746 54.00% 2,223 43.72% 116 2.28% 523 10.29% 5,085
Alfalfa 1,215 37.86% 1,974 61.51% 20 0.62% -759 -23.65% 3,209
Atoka 2,341 67.84% 1,079 31.27% 31 0.90% 1,262 36.57% 3,451
Beaver 1,125 45.88% 1,308 53.34% 19 0.77% -183 -7.46% 2,452
Beckham 2,325 48.61% 2,441 51.03% 17 0.36% -116 -2.43% 4,783
Blaine 1,445 33.25% 2,886 66.41% 15 0.35% -1,441 -33.16% 4,346
Bryan 4,594 75.29% 1,475 24.17% 33 0.54% 3,119 51.11% 6,102
Caddo 4,646 53.65% 3,957 45.69% 57 0.66% 689 7.96% 8,660
Canadian 5,432 39.87% 8,085 59.34% 108 0.79% -2,653 -19.47% 13,625
Carter 6,044 55.95% 4,690 43.42% 68 0.63% 1,354 12.53% 10,802
Cherokee 5,143 63.86% 2,862 35.54% 48 0.60% 2,281 28.32% 8,053
Choctaw 2,920 73.40% 998 25.09% 60 1.51% 1,922 48.32% 3,978
Cimarron 654 45.17% 751 51.86% 43 2.97% -97 -6.70% 1,448
Cleveland 13,501 45.13% 16,124 53.89% 294 0.98% -2,623 -8.77% 29,919
Coal 1,091 68.92% 478 30.20% 14 0.88% 613 38.72% 1,583
Comanche 12,592 64.75% 6,761 34.77% 94 0.48% 5,831 29.98% 19,447
Cotton 1,297 62.24% 772 37.04% 15 0.72% 525 25.19% 2,084
Craig 2,903 67.42% 1,368 31.77% 35 0.81% 1,535 35.65% 4,306
Creek 7,363 58.96% 5,044 40.39% 82 0.66% 2,319 18.57% 12,489
Custer 3,083 41.59% 4,302 58.03% 28 0.38% -1,219 -16.44% 7,413
Delaware 4,514 65.91% 2,268 33.11% 67 0.98% 2,246 32.79% 6,849
Dewey 958 40.84% 1,374 58.57% 14 0.60% -416 -17.73% 2,346
Ellis 862 37.84% 1,373 60.27% 43 1.89% -511 -22.43% 2,278
Garfield 6,771 38.64% 10,643 60.73% 111 0.63% -3,872 -22.09% 17,525
Garvin 4,525 57.13% 3,352 42.32% 44 0.56% 1,173 14.81% 7,921
Grady 4,976 54.47% 4,114 45.03% 46 0.50% 862 9.44% 9,136
Grant 1,468 48.72% 1,520 50.45% 25 0.83% -52 -1.73% 3,013
Greer 1,353 55.31% 1,084 44.32% 9 0.37% 269 11.00% 2,446
Harmon 903 68.62% 407 30.93% 6 0.46% 496 37.69% 1,316
Harper 687 37.20% 1,143 61.88% 17 0.92% -456 -24.69% 1,847
Haskell 2,302 69.59% 983 29.72% 23 0.70% 1,319 39.87% 3,308
Hughes 2,659 64.59% 1,416 34.39% 42 1.02% 1,243 30.19% 4,117
Jackson 3,798 64.21% 2,072 35.03% 45 0.76% 1,726 29.18% 5,915
Jefferson 1,383 69.18% 609 30.47% 7 0.35% 774 38.72% 1,999
Johnston 1,654 63.74% 928 35.76% 13 0.50% 726 27.98% 2,595
Kay 7,323 43.34% 9,459 55.98% 115 0.68% -2,136 -12.64% 16,897
Kingfisher 1,958 37.57% 3,209 61.57% 45 0.86% -1,251 -24.00% 5,212
Kiowa 2,094 54.23% 1,752 45.38% 15 0.39% 342 8.86% 3,861
Latimer 2,123 71.31% 827 27.78% 27 0.91% 1,296 43.53% 2,977
Le Flore 6,859 76.53% 2,045 22.82% 59 0.66% 4,814 53.71% 8,963
Lincoln 3,307 48.25% 3,506 51.15% 41 0.60% -199 -2.90% 6,854
Logan 3,345 46.63% 3,763 52.46% 65 0.91% -418 -5.83% 7,173
Love 1,205 68.94% 531 30.38% 12 0.69% 674 38.56% 1,748
Major 858 29.76% 2,011 69.75% 14 0.49% -1,153 -39.99% 2,883
Marshall 1,690 57.33% 1,237 41.96% 21 0.71% 453 15.37% 2,948
Mayes 4,934 59.22% 3,355 40.27% 42 0.50% 1,579 18.95% 8,331
McClain 2,604 54.48% 2,123 44.41% 53 1.11% 481 10.06% 4,780
McCurtain 4,937 75.45% 1,517 23.19% 89 1.36% 3,420 52.27% 6,543
McIntosh 2,884 65.89% 1,465 33.47% 28 0.64% 1,419 32.42% 4,377
Murray 2,039 61.58% 1,257 37.96% 15 0.45% 782 23.62% 3,311
Muskogee 12,167 65.62% 6,255 33.73% 120 0.65% 5,912 31.88% 18,542
Noble 1,616 40.10% 2,393 59.38% 21 0.52% -777 -19.28% 4,030
Nowata 1,778 53.54% 1,529 46.04% 14 0.42% 249 7.50% 3,321
Okfuskee 1,663 56.70% 1,248 42.55% 22 0.75% 415 14.15% 2,933
Oklahoma 58,348 41.38% 79,092 56.09% 3,575 2.54% -20,744 -14.71% 141,015
Okmulgee 6,800 68.53% 3,072 30.96% 51 0.51% 3,728 37.57% 9,923
Osage 5,912 58.75% 4,105 40.79% 46 0.46% 1,807 17.96% 10,063
Ottawa 5,619 67.67% 2,642 31.82% 42 0.51% 2,977 35.85% 8,303
Pawnee 2,590 54.60% 2,117 44.62% 37 0.78% 473 9.97% 4,744
Payne 8,531 50.15% 8,366 49.18% 115 0.68% 165 0.97% 17,012
Pittsburg 8,389 70.55% 3,427 28.82% 75 0.63% 4,962 41.73% 11,891
Pontotoc 5,260 56.45% 3,986 42.78% 72 0.77% 1,274 13.67% 9,318
Pottawatomie 8,072 56.63% 6,106 42.84% 76 0.53% 1,966 13.79% 14,254
Pushmataha 2,348 66.72% 1,116 31.71% 55 1.56% 1,232 35.01% 3.519
Roger Mills 845 48.59% 881 50.66% 13 0.75% -36 -2.07% 1,739
Rogers 6,390 58.28% 4,510 41.13% 64 0.58% 1,880 17.15% 10,964
Seminole 4,513 59.81% 2,985 39.56% 48 0.64% 1,528 20.25% 7,546
Sequoyah 5,409 72.04% 2,031 27.05% 68 0.91% 3,378 44.99% 7,508
Stephens 7,118 56.38% 5,459 43.24% 49 0.39% 1,659 13.14% 12,626
Texas 2,787 56.84% 2,069 42.20% 47 0.96% 718 14.64% 4,903
Tillman 2,018 62.96% 1,165 36.35% 22 0.69% 853 26.61% 3,205
Tulsa 57,482 48.00% 61,375 51.25% 900 0.75% -3,893 -3.25% 119,757
Wagoner 4,841 57.89% 3,478 41.59% 43 0.51% 1,363 16.30% 8,362
Washington 7,275 45.51% 8,645 54.08% 66 0.41% -1,370 -8.57% 15,986
Washita 1,702 42.44% 2,247 56.03% 61 1.52% -545 -13.59% 4,010
Woods 1,683 37.84% 2,753 61.89% 12 0.27% -1,070 -24.06% 4,448
Woodward 1,651 34.48% 3,082 64.37% 55 1.15% -1,431 -29.89% 4,788
Totals 402,240 51.74% 367,055 47.21% 8,119 1.04% 35,185 4.53% 777,414

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Slater, Lee, ed. (1978). State of Oklahoma Election Results and Statistics 1978. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
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