1936 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

1936 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

← 1934 November 3, 1936 (1936-11-03) 1938 →
Turnout	42.88% (total pop.)
Nominee Charles F. Hurley John W. Haigis Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 867,743 839,740 Percentage 47.62% 46.08%
County results Hurley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Haigis:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election James Michael Curley Democratic Elected Governor Charles F. Hurley Democratic

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The 1936 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1936.

Democratic Governor James Michael Curley chose to run for United States Senate rather than seek a second term in office. Incumbent Democratic Treasurer Charles F. Hurley was elected Governor over former Republican State Treasurer John W. Haigis.

Democratic primary[]

Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Charles F. Hurley, Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
• William H. McMasters, publicity agent and whistleblower in the Charles Ponzi case^[1]

Declined[]

• James Michael Curley, incumbent Governor (to run for U.S. Senate)

Results[]

1936 Democratic gubernatorial primary^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles F. Hurley	356,239	98.78%
	Democratic	William H. McMasters	2,809	0.78%
	Write-in	All others	1,596	0.44%
Total votes			360,644	100.00%
	None	Blank votes	92,879	—
Turnout			453,523	100.00%

Lt. Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Thomas F. Galvin, Lawrence City Alderman and Commissioner of Public Safety
• Francis E. Kelly, former member of the Boston City Council and candidate for Lt. Governor in 1932 and 1934
• Philip J. Philbin, special counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Education and Labor and ally of Senator David I. Walsh

Results[]

1936 Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly	171,045	45.20%
	Democratic	Philip J. Philbin	131,133	34.65%
	Democratic	Thomas F. Galvin	76,008	20.09%
	Write-in	All others	241	0.06%
Total votes			378,427	100.00%
	None	Blank votes	75,102	—
Turnout			453,529	100.00%

Republican primary[]

Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• John W. Haigis, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Results[]

Haigis was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

1936 Republican gubernatorial primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John W. Haigis	418,095	99.74%
	Write-in	All others	1,090	0.26%
Total votes			419,185	100.00%
	None	Blank votes	59,116	—
Turnout			478,301	100.00%

Lt. Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Leverett Saltonstall, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Results[]

Speaker Saltonstall was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

1936 Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Leverett Saltonstall	410,660	99.98%
	Write-in	All others	68	0.02%
Total votes			410,728	100.00%
	None	Blank votes	67,573	—
Turnout			478,301	100.00%

Independents and third parties[]

Communist[]

• Otis Archer Hood, of Boston

Socialist[]

• Alfred Baker Lewis, attorney, civil rights activist, and perennial candidate

Socialist Labor[]

• Horace I. Hillis, candidate for Lt. Governor in 1934

Townsend Plan[]

• Fred G. Bushold

Bushold officially ran on the "Union-Coughlin-Townsend" ticket.

Union[]

• William H. McMasters, publicity agent and whistleblower in the Charles Ponzi case^[1]

Following his loss in the Democratic primary, McMasters accepted the nomination of the Union Party.

General election[]

Results[]

1936 Massachusetts gubernatorial election^[6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Charles F. Hurley	867,743	47.62%	2.03
	Republican	John W. Haigis	704,576	46.08%	3.78
	Union	William H. McMasters	68,467	3.76%	3.76
	Townsend	Fred G. Bushold	23,605	1.30%	N/A
	Socialist	Alfred B. Lewis	9,483	0.52%	0.31
	Communist	Otis Archer Hood	6,026	0.28%	0.05
	Socialist Labor	Horace I. Hillis	3,769	0.21%	0.18
	Prohibition	Alfred H. Evans	3,424	0.19%	0.01
	Write-in	All others	0	0.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

See also[]

• 1935–1936 Massachusetts legislature

References[]

Bibliography[]

Frederic W. Cook, Secretary of the Commonwealth (1936). Election Statistics, 1935–36. Boston, MA.