1966 Maine gubernatorial election

The 1966 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1966. Incumbent Republican Governor John Reed, had been elected to finish the term of Clinton Clauson in 1960, was then re-elected in 1962 and became the state's first four-year Governor. Reed was seeking a second full four-year term, and was challenged by Democrat Kenneth M. Curtis, having defeated James Erwin for the Republican nomination. Curtis defeated Reed, beginning a twenty-year period of Republican isolation from the Blaine House.

1966 Maine gubernatorial election

← 1962 November 8, 1966 1970 →
 
Nominee Kenneth M. Curtis John H. Reed
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 172,036 151,802
Percentage 53.1% 46.9%

County results
Curtis:      50–60%      60–70%
Reed:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

John H. Reed
Republican

Elected Governor

Kenneth M. Curtis
Democratic

This was the last gubernatorial election in Maine in which a non-incumbent candidate won with a majority of the vote, until Janet Mills won with 50.8% of the vote in 2018. As of 2023, Reed is the most recent incumbent governor to lose re-election; all succeeding Governors have been re-elected, with the exception of James B. Longley, who did not run for re-election in 1978, holding himself to a one-term promise.

Results

edit
Maine gubernatorial election results[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Kenneth M. Curtis 172,036 53.12%
Republican John H. Reed (Incumbent) 151,802 46.88%
Majority 20,234 6.24%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Guide to US Elections, Fifth Edition, Volume II. CQ Press. 2005. pp. 1497–1499. ISBN 978-1-56802-981-8. Retrieved May 6, 2009.