1944 Nebraska gubernatorial election

Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of Nebraska

← 1942

November 7, 1944

1946 →


Nominee	Dwight Griswold	George W. Olsen
Party	Republican	Democratic
Popular vote	410,136	128,760
Percentage	76.1%	23.9%

County results
Griswold: 60-70% 70-80% 80-90%

Governor before election

Dwight Griswold
Republican

Elected Governor

Dwight Griswold
Republican

Elections in Nebraska

Federal offices

Presidential elections
1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 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 primaries
Democratic 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate elections
1867 1869 1870 1875 1877 1880 1883 1886 1888 1889 1893 1895 1899 1899 sp 1901 1901 sp 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1952 sp 1954 1954 sp 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2024 sp 2026
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1889 2nd sp 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1899 6th sp 1900 1902 1904 1905 1st sp 1906 1908 1910 1911 3rd sp 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1st sp 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1st sp 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1951 3rd sp 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st sp 2024

State government

State elections
2010 2014 2018 2020
Gubernatorial elections
1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 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 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 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 1970
Secretary of State elections
2022
Attorney General elections
2022
State Legislature elections
2018 2020 2022 2024

Ballot measures

2000: Initiative 416

Lincoln

Mayoral elections
2019 2023

Omaha

Mayoral elections
1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021

Government

The 1944 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1944, and featured incumbent Governor Dwight Griswold, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee, busboy George W. Olsen, to win a third and final two-year term in office.

Democratic primary

Candidates

P. J. Heaton, Sidney City Attorney
George W. Olsen, busboy at Glenn L. Martin Bomber Plant cafeteria and unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1932^[1]^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results^[3]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	George W. Olsen	20,000	50.45
Democratic	P. J. Heaton	19,626	49.50
Democratic	Write-in	20	0.05

Republican primary

Candidates

William R. Brooks
Dwight Griswold, incumbent Governor

Results

Republican primary results^[3]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Dwight Griswold (incumbent)	74,359	84.79
Republican	William R. Brooks	13,336	15.21
Republican	Write-in	1	>0.01

General election

Results

Nebraska gubernatorial election, 1944^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dwight Griswold (incumbent)	410,136	76.11%
	Democratic	George W. Olsen	128,760	23.89%
Total votes			538,896	100.0%
	Republican hold

References

^ "G. W. Olsen makes his platform public Plattsmouth". Nebraska State Journal. April 29, 1944. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
^ Rische, Thomas (April 2, 1986). "What's in a Name? Favoritism, Prejudice". New York Times. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Frank Marsh (Sr.). "Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board Primary Election April 11, 1944, General Election November 7, 1944" (PDF). Retrieved September 29, 2017.

v t e (1942←) 1944 United States elections (→1946)
President	1944 United States presidential election Democratic primaries Republican primaries Democratic convention Republican convention
U.S. Senate	Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Indiana (special) Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts (special) Missouri Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey (special) New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Oregon (special) Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vermont Washington Wisconsin
U.S. House	Alabama Alaska Territory Arizona Arkansas California Colorado 1st sp Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Territory Idaho Illinois 19th sp Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York 4th sp 11th sp 21st sp North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma 2nd sp Oregon Pennsylvania 2nd sp 17th sp Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina 2nd sp South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia 2nd sp Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
State governors	Arizona Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Lt. Gov Missouri Lt. Gov Montana Nebraska Lt. Gov New Hampshire New Mexico North Carolina Lt. Gov North Dakota Ohio Rhode Island South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
State legislatures	Iowa Senate