1932 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 8, 1932.

1932 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 8, 1932 (1932-11-08)
Turnout	36.82% (total pop.)
Nominee Joseph B. Ely William S. Youngman Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 825,479 704,576 Percentage 52.76% 45.03%
Governor before election Joseph B. Ely Democratic Elected Governor Joseph B. Ely Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Joseph B. Ely was re-elected to a second term in office. This was the only election between 1910 and 1944 in which the Democratic candidate received a majority of the popular vote.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Joseph B. Ely, incumbent Governor

Results

Governor Ely was unopposed for re-nomination.

1932 Democratic gubernatorial primary[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph B. Ely	255,290	99.99%
	Write-in	All others	19	0.01%
Total votes			255,309	100.00%

Lt. Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Edward P. Barry, former Lieutenant Governor
• David J. Brickley
• Raymond A. Fitzgerald
• William I. Hennessey
• Francis E. Kelly, Member of the Boston City Council
• John F. Malley
• Michael C. O'Neill
• John E. Swift, law associate of Senator David I. Walsh and Supreme Director of the Knights of Columbus[2]

Results

1932 Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John E. Swift	69,678	22.53%
	Democratic	Edward P. Barry	68,607	22.18%
	Democratic	Michael C. O'Neill	36,694	11.87%
	Democratic	Raymond A. Fitzgerald	36,155	11.69%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly	31,467	10.18%
	Democratic	David J. Brickley	30,900	9.99%
	Democratic	William E. Hennessey	19,237	6.22%
	Democratic	John F. Malley	16,510	5.34%
	Write-in	All others	5	0.00%
Total votes			309,253	100.00%

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Walter E. Brownell, Corporation Counsel of Boston[2]
• Frank A. Goodwin, former Registrar of Motor Vehicles and candidate for Governor in 1928
• E. Mark Sullivan, attorney[2]
• William S. Youngman, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts

Results

1932 Republican gubernatorial primary[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William S. Youngman	209,372	50.12%
	Republican	Frank A. Goodwin	178,676	42.77%
	Republican	E. Mark Sullivan	18,119	4.34%
	Republican	Walter E. Brownell	11,541	2.76%
	Write-in	All others	4	0.00%
Total votes			417,712	100.00%

Lt. Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Gaspar G. Bacon, President of the Massachusetts Senate[2]
• Chester I. Campbell, Member of the Governor's Council[2]

Results

1932 Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gaspar G. Bacon	230,453	58.33%
	Republican	Chester I. Campbell	164,627	41.67%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%
Total votes			395,082	100.00%

General election

Results

1932 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Joseph B. Ely	825,479	52.76%	3.22
	Republican	William S. Youngman	704,576	48.18%	3.15
	Socialist	Alfred B. Lewis	24,503	0.67%	0.90
	Communist	John J. Ballam	6,118	0.39%	0.02
	Socialist Labor	Charles S. Oram	3,811	0.24%	0.95
	Write-in	All others	74	0.01%	0.01
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. Election Statistics 1932, p. 168.
2. "Returns from Bay State are Not Complete" (PDF). Ogdensburg Republican-Journal. 21 September 1932. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
3. Election Statistics 1932, p. 174.
4. Election Statistics 1932, p. 95.
5. Election Statistics 1932, p. 98.
6. "MA Governor, 1932". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
7. Election Statistics 1932, p. 261.

Bibliography

Frederic W. Cook, Secretary of the Commonwealth (1932). Election Statistics, 1931–32. Boston, MA.

See also