A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 3, 1942. All of the state's executive officers—the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction—were up for election. Like the 1938 elections, this year's elections were something of a mixed bag for both parties. Democratic secretary of state Lester C. Hunt successfully defeated Republican governor Nels H. Smith for re-election, but Republicans flipped the secretary of state's office in Hunt's absence. The other incumbents—State Auditor William M. Jack, a Democrat, and Superintendent Esther L. Anderson, a Republican—were re-elected, and Republicans held onto the state treasurer's office.

Elections in Wyoming
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential caucuses Democratic 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1890 1895 1895 sp 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1930 sp 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1954 sp 1958 1960 1962 sp 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2008 sp 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1989 sp 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
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Governor

After defeating his predecessor, Democrat Leslie A. Miller, by a wide margin in 1938, Republican governor Nels H. Smith faced a tough challenge to his re-election in Secretary of State Lester C. Hunt, the Democratic nominee. Ultimately, Hunt narrowly defeated Smith, winning the first of his two terms as governor.

Secretary of State

Secretary of State Lester C. Hunt opted to challenge Republican governor Nels H. Smith for re-election rather than seek a third term as secretary of state, thereby creating an open seat. Susan J. Quealey, a leader in the state Democratic Party, narrowly won the primary over State Representative Raymond E. Morris. In the general election, she faced State Treasurer Mart T. Christensen, and lost to him in a landslide. Fewer than two years into Christensen's term, however, he would die in office; Governor Hunt appointed State Auditor William M. Jack as his replacement.

Auditor

Incumbent Democratic Auditor William M. Jack ran for re-election to a third term. After winning a contested Democratic primary against C. A. Johnson, a former state employee, he faced State Representative Everett T. Copenhaver in the general election. Building on his track record of decisive victories, Jack defeated Copenhaver relatively easily, winning 55% of the vote to Copenhaver's 45%. During Jack's third term, he was appointed by Governor Hunt as the successor to the late Secretary of State Mart T. Christensen, who died in office. Governor Hunt would, in turn, appoint Carl Robinson as Jack's successor.

Treasurer

Incumbent Republican state treasurer Mart T. Christensen was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, and instead successfully ran for secretary of state. The open seat became a contest between two former presiding officers of the state legislature: Democratic nominee Henry D. Watenpaugh, the Director of the State Office of Government Reports and the Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1935 to 1937, and Republican nominee Earl Wright, the President of the Wyoming State Senate. Despite the strength of both candidates, Wright ended up defeating Watenpaugh comfortably, holding the office for the Republican Party.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Republican superintendent of public instruction Esther L. Anderson ran for re-election to a second term. She was opposed by Democratic nominee Albert L. Keeney, the superintendent of schools in the town of Superior. Keeney proved little challenge to Anderson, who overwhelmingly defeated him for re-election and won the highest percentage of the vote of any statewide candidate in Wyoming that year.

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