1960 United States presidential election in Alaska
November 8, 1960
 
Nominee Richard Nixon John F. Kennedy
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California Massachusetts
Running mate Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Lyndon B. Johnson
Electoral vote 3 0
Popular vote 30,953 29,809
Percentage 50.94% 49.06%
President before election

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican

 Elected President

John F. Kennedy
Democratic

The 1960 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 8, 1960, as part of the nationwide presidential election. This was the first presidential election that Alaska participated in.[1] Voters chose three representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Alaska was narrowly won by incumbent Vice-President Richard Nixon (R-California) with 50.9% of the popular vote against U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) with 49.1%; a 1.8% margin.[1] Prior to the election, The New York Times declared Kennedy the favorite in the state.[2]

Interior Department Chief Legal Officer (Solicitor) Ted Stevens managed Nixon's campaign in the state, being key to Nixon's narrow victory in what was then a solidly Democratic state[3] which hadn't elected a Republican to state-wide office since James Wickersham was elected at-large Territorial Delegate in 1930.[4] Stevens would become a U.S. Senator 8 years later.[5]

This is the only time a Democrat was elected without carrying Bethel.

Results

1960 United States presidential election in Alaska[1]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Richard Nixon 30,953 50.94% 3
Democratic John F. Kennedy 29,809 49.06% 0
Totals 60,762 100.00% 3

Electors

With statehood, Alaska was given three votes in the Electoral College. This has continued to be the case to the present day. Alaska's electors in 1960 were:

  1. Charles D. Jones, of Nome
  2. Milton D. Snodgrass, of Palmer
  3. Sylvia Ringstad, of Fairbanks[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1960
  2. ↑ "Nixon Will Stump Alaska Today, But Kennedy Is Favorite There". The New York Times. November 6, 1960. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  3. ↑ Chinn, Ronald E. “The 1968 Election in Alaska.” The Western Political Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 3, 1969, pp. 456–61. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/446336. Accessed 7 Apr. 2023.
  4. ↑ "Our Campaigns - AK Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 04, 1930".
  5. ↑ Anchorage Daily News. "From Mr. Alaska to Uncle Ted: How Stevens became Alaska's most influential leadery". Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ 1960 Alaska Electoral Dinner Invitation

Bibliography


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