1928 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

November 6, 1928


Nominee	Walter J. Kohler Sr.	Albert G. Schmedeman
Party	Republican	Democratic
Popular vote	547,738	394,368
Percentage	55.38%	39.87%

County results

Kohler: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%

Schmedeman: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%

Governor before election

Fred R. Zimmerman
Republican

Elected Governor

Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Republican

Federal government

Presidential elections
1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 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 2000 2004 2008 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate elections
Class 1 1848 1851 1857 1863 1869 1875 1881 1887 1893 1899 1905 1911 1916 1922 1925 sp 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1957 sp 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 2024 Class 3 1848 1849 1855 1861 1867 1872 1879 1881 sp 1885 1890 1891 1897 1903 1907 sp 1909 1914 1918 sp 1920 1926 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1982 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1863 2nd sp 1864 1866 1868 1870 2nd sp 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 5th sp 1887 8th sp 1888 1890 1892 1893 4th sp 1894 7th sp 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 2nd sp 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 6th sp 11th sp 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 6th sp 1931 1st sp 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1941 1st sp 1942 1944 1946 1947 2nd sp 1948 1950 1952 1953 9th sp 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 7th sp 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1979 6th sp 1980 1982 1984 4th sp 1986 1988 1990 1992 1993 1st sp 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 7th sp 2022 2024 8th sp 2026

State government

General elections
1925 1995 2000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027
Gubernatorial elections
1848 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 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 1968 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2012 (recall) 2014 2018 2022 2026
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
1848 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 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 1968 2012 (recall)
Secretary of State elections
1978 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Attorney General elections
2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Treasurer elections
2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Superintendent elections
1925 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
State Senate elections
1934 1996 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2011 (recall) 2012 (recall) 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026
State Assembly elections
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026
Supreme Court elections
1852 (3) 1855 1859 1860 sp. 1861 1863 1865 1867 1868 sp. (2) 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 (2) 1878 1879 1881 (2) 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1892 sp. 1893 1895 1896 sp. 1897 1898 sp. 1899 (2) 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 sp. 1909 1911 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 sp. 1919 1921 1922 sp. 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1929 1930 sp. 1931 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1939 1941 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 sp. 1951 1952 sp. 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2023 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2033 2035

Milwaukee

County Executive elections
1988 1992 1996 2000 2002 sp 2004 2008 2011 sp 2012 2016 2020 2024
Milwaukee Mayoral elections
1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 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 2022 sp 2024

The 1928 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1928. Primary elections were held on September 4, 1928. Incumbent Republican Governor Fred R. Zimmerman was defeated in the Republican primary. Republican nominee Walter J. Kohler Sr. defeated Democratic nominee Albert G. Schmedeman with 55.38% of the vote.

Primary election

Republican party

Candidates

Joseph D. Beck, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
John E. Ferris, Independent Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1924
Walter J. Kohler Sr., industrialist
Fred R. Zimmerman, incumbent Governor

Results

Republican primary results^[1]^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Walter J. Kohler Sr.	224,421	43.66%
	Republican	Joseph D. Beck	203,359	39.56%
	Republican	Fred R. Zimmerman (incumbent)	82,837	16.11%
	Republican	John E. Ferris	3,448	0.67%
Total votes			514,065	100.00%

Democratic party

Candidates

Albert G. Schmedeman, mayor of Madison

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Albert G. Schmedeman	41,459	100.00%
Total votes			41,459	100.00%

Socialist party

Candidates

Oscar Ameringer (withdrew), newspaper editor^[a]
Otto R. Hauser, realtor^[3]

Results

Socialist primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Socialist	Otto R. Hauser	12,013	100.00%
Total votes			12,013	100.00%

Prohibition primary

Candidates

Adolph R. Bucknam, Prohibition nominee for U.S. Senate in 1922 and for Governor in 1924
Jane H. Robinson^[4]

Results

Prohibition primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Prohibition	Adolph R. Bucknam	527	52.49%
	Prohibition	Jane H. Robinson	477	47.51%
Total votes			1,004	100.00%

Other party nominations

Joseph Ehrhardt, Socialist Labor
Alvar J. Hayes, Workers

General election

Results

1928 Wisconsin gubernatorial election^[5]^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Walter J. Kohler Sr.	547,738	55.38%	−8.09%
	Democratic	Albert G. Schmedeman	394,368	39.87%	+26.73%
	Socialist	Otto R. Hauser	36,924	3.73%	−3.55%
	Prohibition	Adolph R. Bucknam	6,477	0.65%	−0.67%
	Socialist Labor^[b]	Joseph Ehrhardt	1,938	0.20%	−0.63%
	Workers^[c]	Alvar J. Hayes	1,420	0.14%
		Scattering	278	0.03%
Majority			153,370	15.51%
Total votes			989,143	100.00%
	Republican hold		Swing	-34.12%

Results by county

County^[5]^[6]	Walter J. Kohler Sr. Republican		Albert G. Schmedeman Democratic		Otto R. Hauser Socialist		Adolph R. Bucknam Prohibition		All Others Various		Margin		Total votes cast
County^[5]^[6]	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	Total votes cast
Adams	1,418	59.43%	903	37.85%	22	0.92%	32	1.34%	11	0.46%	515	21.58%	2,386
Ashland	3,811	53.88%	3,045	43.05%	106	1.50%	56	0.79%	55	0.78%	766	10.83%	7,073
Barron	7,343	67.71%	3,132	28.88%	91	0.84%	176	1.62%	102	0.94%	4,211	38.83%	10,844
Bayfield	3,411	69.74%	1,233	25.21%	73	1.49%	47	0.96%	127	2.60%	2,178	44.53%	4,891
Brown	10,965	44.10%	13,532	54.42%	225	0.90%	112	0.45%	30	0.12%	-2,567	-10.32%	24,864
Buffalo	2,923	63.96%	1,559	34.11%	25	0.55%	41	0.90%	22	0.48%	1,364	29.85%	4,570
Burnett	2,735	78.52%	641	18.40%	47	1.35%	26	0.75%	34	0.98%	2,094	60.12%	3,483
Calumet	2,087	33.76%	3,987	64.50%	54	0.87%	45	0.73%	8	0.13%	-1,900	-30.74%	6,181
Chippewa	7,690	59.23%	5,060	38.97%	57	0.44%	101	0.78%	76	0.59%	2,630	20.26%	12,984
Clark	6,903	65.37%	3,288	31.14%	176	1.67%	108	1.02%	85	0.80%	3,615	34.23%	10,560
Columbia	7,021	56.94%	5,144	41.72%	65	0.53%	80	0.65%	20	0.16%	1,877	15.22%	12,330
Crawford	3,288	51.17%	3,072	47.81%	12	0.19%	42	0.65%	12	0.19%	216	3.36%	6,426
Dane	19,477	45.18%	23,376	54.23%	89	0.21%	137	0.32%	28	0.06%	-3,899	-9.04%	43,107
Dodge	8,762	46.90%	9,496	50.83%	269	1.44%	106	0.57%	48	0.26%	-734	-3.93%	18,681
Door	3,774	65.88%	1,784	31.14%	32	0.56%	84	1.47%	55	0.96%	1,990	34.74%	5,729
Douglas	11,745	70.23%	4,435	26.52%	139	0.83%	89	0.53%	315	1.88%	7,310	43.71%	16,723
Dunn	6,770	77.95%	1,655	19.06%	48	0.55%	123	1.42%	89	1.02%	5,115	58.89%	8,685
Eau Claire	9,617	70.13%	3,824	27.88%	57	0.42%	101	0.74%	115	0.84%	5,793	42.24%	13,714
Florence	1,139	81.42%	223	15.94%	3	0.21%	8	0.57%	26	1.86%	916	65.48%	1,399
Fond du Lac	12,083	49.40%	11,944	48.83%	157	0.64%	223	0.91%	53	0.22%	139	0.57%	24,460
Forest	2,224	67.68%	974	29.64%	22	0.67%	33	1.00%	33	1.00%	1,250	38.04%	3,286
Grant	9,829	60.65%	6,185	38.16%	42	0.26%	113	0.70%	38	0.23%	3,644	22.48%	16,207
Green	4,791	60.28%	2,997	37.71%	27	0.34%	117	1.47%	16	0.20%	1,794	22.57%	7,948
Green Lake	2,895	51.20%	2,661	47.06%	36	0.64%	45	0.80%	17	0.30%	234	4.14%	5,654
Iowa	4,683	55.33%	3,654	43.17%	17	0.20%	102	1.21%	8	0.09%	1,029	12.16%	8,464
Iron	1,746	64.81%	790	29.32%	20	0.74%	19	0.71%	119	4.42%	956	35.49%	2,694
Jackson	3,880	71.72%	1,406	25.99%	28	0.52%	65	1.20%	31	0.57%	2,474	45.73%	5,410
Jefferson	7,335	49.41%	7,340	49.44%	77	0.52%	73	0.49%	21	0.14%	-5	-0.03%	14,846
Juneau	3,620	58.93%	2,433	39.61%	40	0.65%	39	0.63%	11	0.18%	1,187	19.32%	6,143
Kenosha	12,049	54.44%	9,474	42.80%	443	2.00%	71	0.32%	96	0.43%	2,575	11.63%	22,133
Kewaunee	1,906	36.19%	3,292	62.50%	20	0.38%	32	0.61%	17	0.32%	-1,386	-26.31%	5,267
La Crosse	11,471	58.27%	8,101	41.15%	37	0.19%	63	0.32%	13	0.07%	3,370	17.12%	19,685
Lafayette	4,631	53.97%	3,867	45.07%	11	0.13%	54	0.63%	17	0.20%	764	8.90%	8,580
Langlade	4,048	52.98%	3,470	45.41%	41	0.54%	74	0.97%	8	0.10%	578	7.56%	7,641
Lincoln	4,044	56.86%	2,929	41.18%	50	0.70%	62	0.87%	27	0.38%	1,115	15.68%	7,112
Manitowoc	6,746	37.32%	10,900	60.30%	279	1.54%	106	0.59%	45	0.25%	-4,154	-22.98%	18,076
Marathon	10,279	49.60%	10,052	48.51%	223	1.08%	133	0.64%	36	0.17%	227	1.10%	20,723
Marinette	7,134	64.06%	3,739	33.58%	186	1.67%	61	0.55%	16	0.14%	3,395	30.49%	11,136
Marquette	2,168	58.90%	1,439	39.09%	20	0.54%	53	1.44%	1	0.03%	729	19.80%	3,681
Milwaukee	91,381	44.48%	82,833	40.32%	30,064	14.63%	666	0.32%	511	0.25%	8,548	4.16%	205,455
Monroe	5,488	60.02%	3,458	37.82%	54	0.59%	137	1.50%	7	0.08%	2,030	22.20%	9,144
Oconto	4,944	56.69%	3,647	41.82%	45	0.52%	67	0.77%	18	0.21%	1,297	14.87%	8,721
Oneida	3,348	62.54%	1,846	34.49%	91	1.70%	45	0.84%	23	0.43%	1,502	28.06%	5,353
Outagamie	12,763	52.10%	11,491	46.91%	115	0.47%	98	0.40%	28	0.11%	1,272	5.19%	24,495
Ozaukee	2,224	36.60%	3,736	61.49%	88	1.45%	24	0.39%	4	0.07%	-1,512	-24.88%	6,076
Pepin	2,020	68.24%	875	29.56%	21	0.71%	24	0.81%	20	0.68%	1,145	38.68%	2,960
Pierce	6,471	74.61%	1,986	22.90%	56	0.65%	89	1.03%	71	0.82%	4,485	51.71%	8,673
Polk	6,621	77.22%	1,709	19.93%	70	0.82%	104	1.21%	70	0.82%	4,912	57.29%	8,574
Portage	5,176	44.21%	6,422	54.85%	49	0.42%	44	0.38%	18	0.15%	-1,246	-10.64%	11,709
Price	3,421	64.72%	1,689	31.95%	51	0.96%	53	1.00%	72	1.36%	1,732	32.77%	5,286
Racine	20,111	68.96%	8,356	28.65%	363	1.24%	174	0.60%	158	0.54%	11,755	40.31%	29,162
Richland	5,248	68.40%	2,298	29.95%	21	0.27%	86	1.12%	19	0.25%	2,950	38.45%	7,672
Rock	20,536	69.14%	8,822	29.70%	86	0.29%	232	0.78%	24	0.08%	11,714	39.44%	29,700
Rusk	3,436	70.14%	1,191	24.31%	95	1.94%	100	2.04%	77	1.57%	2,245	45.83%	4,899
Sauk	6,834	54.96%	5,407	43.48%	36	0.29%	130	1.05%	28	0.23%	1,427	11.48%	12,435
Sawyer	2,068	72.18%	734	25.62%	28	0.98%	27	0.94%	8	0.28%	1,334	46.56%	2,865
Shawano	5,283	59.75%	3,343	37.81%	76	0.86%	95	1.07%	45	0.51%	1,940	21.94%	8,842
Sheboygan	14,586	58.43%	9,492	38.02%	702	2.81%	135	0.54%	49	0.20%	5,094	20.41%	24,964
St. Croix	6,578	62.48%	3,789	35.99%	59	0.56%	82	0.78%	20	0.19%	2,789	26.49%	10,528
Taylor	2,847	60.81%	1,614	34.47%	123	2.63%	61	1.30%	37	0.79%	1,233	26.33%	4,682
Trempealeau	5,079	62.54%	2,950	36.33%	17	0.21%	49	0.60%	26	0.32%	2,129	26.22%	8,121
Vernon	6,042	67.09%	2,847	31.61%	13	0.14%	92	1.02%	12	0.13%	3,195	35.48%	9,006
Vilas	1,836	73.32%	551	22.00%	52	2.08%	16	0.64%	49	1.96%	1,285	51.32%	2,504
Walworth	9,996	72.10%	3,666	26.44%	44	0.32%	135	0.97%	23	0.17%	6,330	45.66%	13,864
Washburn	2,746	71.47%	897	23.35%	105	2.73%	54	1.41%	40	1.04%	1,849	48.13%	3,842
Washington	4,437	45.16%	5,158	52.50%	182	1.85%	32	0.33%	16	0.16%	-721	-7.34%	9,825
Waukesha	12,767	64.06%	6,649	33.36%	382	1.92%	107	0.54%	25	0.13%	6,118	30.70%	19,930
Waupaca	8,069	68.17%	3,394	28.68%	124	1.05%	126	1.06%	123	1.04%	4,675	39.50%	11,836
Waushara	3,553	69.07%	1,488	28.93%	30	0.58%	38	0.74%	35	0.68%	2,065	40.14%	5,144
Winnebago	16,351	61.80%	9,736	36.80%	170	0.64%	179	0.68%	21	0.08%	6,615	25.00%	26,457
Wood	7,037	55.66%	5,258	41.59%	146	1.15%	124	0.98%	78	0.62%	1,779	14.07%	12,643
Total	547,738	55.38%	394,368	39.87%	36,924	3.73%	6,477	0.65%	3,636	0.37%	153,370	15.51%	989,143

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

Ameringer was selected at the Socialist convention, prior to the primary. He withdrew before the primary took place and was replaced with Hauser by the state executive committee.^[3]
"Independent Labor"
"Independent Workers"

References

Anderson, William J.; Anderson, William A., eds. (1929). "Summary of Vote For Governor - Primary Election, Sept. 4, 1928". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer. p. 736.
"WI Governor, 1928 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
"Politics". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. June 27, 1928. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
"County Clerk's List of Candidates". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. August 13, 1928. p. 6. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers - Election of State Officers - November 6, 1928
Anderson, William J.; Anderson, William A., eds. (1929). "Summary Vote For Governor". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer. p. 573.

Bibliography

Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
Anderson, William J.; Anderson, William A., eds. (1929). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer.