1962 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

1962 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

← 1960 November 6, 1962 1964 →

Nominee Endicott Peabody John Volpe Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,052,322 1,047,891 Percentage 49.92% 49.71%

County results Peabody:      50–60%      60–70% Volpe:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

Governor before election John Volpe Republican Elected Governor Endicott Peabody Democratic

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The 1962 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1962. Former Executive Councilor Endicott Peabody defeated incumbent Governor John A. Volpe in the general election.^[1]

The election is notable as a demonstration of the political individualism of Italian Americans and historic lack of ethnic bloc voting among Americans of Italian descent, instead preferring to vote based on individual candidates and issues. John Volpe, just the second Massachusetts governor of Italian ancestry, lost his 1962 re-election campaign by a razor-thin 0.21%—a final margin that could be more than sufficiently explained by Volpe polling only 51% among the state's significant population of Italian Americans, roughly half of whom voted for the old-line Anglo-Saxon Protestant Endicott Peabody over a fellow ethnic.^[2]

Republican primary[]

Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• John Volpe, incumbent Governor

Results[]

Governor Volpe was unopposed for renomination.

Lieutenant Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Francis W. Perry, State Representative

Results[]

Perry was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Democratic primary[]

Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Endicott Peabody, member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council
• Clement A. Riley, auto registrar

Results[]

1962 Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial primary ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Endicott Peabody	596,553	79.96%
	Democratic	Clement A. Riley	149,499	20.04%

Lieutenant Governor[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

• Francis X. Bellotti, attorney and candidate for Norfolk County District Attorney in 1958
• Herbert L. Connolly, auto dealer

Disqualified[]

• Pasquale Caggiano, perennial candidate^[4]

Declined[]

• Edward F. McLaughlin Jr., incumbent Lt. Governor (to run for Governor^[5])

Results[]

1962 Massachusetts Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Francis X. Belotti	401,428	57.02%
	Democratic	Herbert L. Connolly	302,567	42.98%

General election[]

Results[]

Governor[]

Peabody defeated Volpe by 4,431 votes. Peabody's slim margin of victory prompted a recount.^[7] On December 20, Volpe conceded the election to Peabody.^[8]

1962 Massachusetts gubernatorial election ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Endicott Peabody	1,052,322	49.92%
	Republican	John A. Volpe (incumbent)	1,047,891	49.71%
	Socialist Labor	Henning A. Blomen	5,477	0.26%
	Prohibition	Guy S. Williams	2,394	0.11%

Lieutenant Governor[]

Bellotti defeated Perry in the Lt. gubernatorial general election.^[10]

1962 Massachusetts Lt. gubernatorial election ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Francis X. Bellotti	1,037,704	51.42%
	Republican	Francis W. Perry	970,157	48.07%
	Socialist Labor	Francis A. Votano	8,666	0.43%
	Prohibition	Gaetano T. Maratea	1,508	0.08%

See also[]

• 1961–1962 Massachusetts legislature

References[]