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1984 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

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1984 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

← 1980 November 6, 1984 1988 →
 
Nominee Ronald Reagan Walter Mondale
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California Minnesota
Running mate George H. W. Bush Geraldine Ferraro
Electoral vote 11 0
Popular vote 1,198,800 995,847
Percentage 54.19% 45.02%

County Results

President before election

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elected President

Ronald Reagan
Republican

The 1984 United States presidential election in Wisconsin took place on November 6, 1984. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1984 United States presidential election. State voters chose 11 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States.

Wisconsin was won by incumbent United States President Ronald Reagan of California, who was running against former Vice President Walter Mondale of Minnesota. Reagan ran for a second time with incumbent Vice President and former C.I.A. Director George H. W. Bush of Texas, and Mondale ran with Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York, the first major party female candidate for the vice presidency. This would be the last time Wisconsin would vote for a Republican in a presidential election until Donald Trump won the state in 2016, and the last time Wisconsin would vote for a Republican with a majority of the vote.[1] Reagan also remains the last Republican to win the state twice.

The presidential election of 1984 was a very partisan election for Wisconsin, with over 99 percent of the electorate voting only either Democratic or Republican, though eight additional parties appeared on the ballot.[2] Reagan carried a majority in most of Wisconsin's counties, whereas Mondale carried a majority in ten, mostly in the far northwest of the state, along the Lake Superior coast and across from Minnesota's Iron Range, along with Milwaukee County, Dane County, Kenosha County, and almost entirely Native American Menominee County. Two relatively geographically isolated rural counties--Pepin County in west-central Wisconsin and Portage County in central Wisconsin—rounded out the list; these were Mondale's two weakest wins. One county, Polk County in the northwest, gave neither nominee a majority, but gave Reagan a plurality.

Reagan posted strong wins along the whole of eastern Wisconsin, apart from Manitowoc, Sheboygan, and Racine Counties, and the two Mondale wins in Milwaukee and Kenosha. He posted a particularly strong win in suburban Waukesha County, which he won by over thirty points. In western Wisconsin, Reagan won most of the counties but his margins tended to be weaker. Wisconsin weighed in for this election as 9 points more Democratic than the national average. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Eau Claire County, La Crosse County, Rock County, and Iowa County voted for a Republican presidential candidate, as well as the last election in which a Republican candidate won more than 40% of the vote in either Dane County or Milwaukee County, both of which have voted Democratic in increasingly large margins since.[1]

Reagan won the election in Wisconsin by a 9-point margin. While a sound victory, this made Wisconsin 9.1% more Democratic than the nation, signaling the consolidation of a new Democratic base in the Upper Midwest.[3] Before 1976, Wisconsin had tended to lean Republican in close elections, voting narrowly for Nixon in 1960 and 1968. In 1976, it narrowly, but surprisingly,[4] voted for Carter. Four years later, Wisconsin would become one of only ten states to back Michael Dukakis, the first time since 1848 it backed a losing Democrat, with it also being the first election since 1960 where it would back the overall losing candidate too.

Results

[edit]
1984 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Ronald Reagan (incumbent) 1,198,800 54.19% 11
Democratic Walter Mondale 995,847 45.02% 0
Libertarian David Bergland 4,884 0.22% 0
Constitution Bob Richards 3,864 0.17% 0
Independent Lyndon LaRouche 3,791 0.17% 0
Independent Sonia Johnson 1,456 0.07% 0
Independent Dennis L. Serrette 1,007 0.05% 0
Write-Ins 706 0.03% 0
Independent Larry Holmes 619 0.03% 0
Independent Gus Hall 597 0.03% 0
Independent Melvin Mason 445 0.02% 0
Totals 2,212,016 100.0% 11

Results by county

[edit]
County Ronald Reagan
Republican
Walter Mondale
Democratic
David Bergland
Libertarian
Bob Richards
Constitution
Lyndon LaRouche
Independent
Various candidates
Other parties
Margin Total votes cast[5]
# % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Adams 3,645 56.85% 2,715 42.34% 6 0.09% 11 0.17% 29 0.45% 6 0.09% 930 14.51% 6,412
Ashland 3,517 42.54% 4,680 56.60% 25 0.30% 13 0.16% 11 0.13% 22 0.27% -1,163 -14.06% 8,268
Barron 9,587 53.94% 8,061 45.36% 27 0.15% 44 0.25% 38 0.21% 15 0.08% 1,526 8.58% 17,772
Bayfield 3,474 45.91% 4,034 53.31% 14 0.19% 13 0.17% 22 0.29% 10 0.13% -560 -7.40% 7,567
Brown 51,202 62.44% 30,218 36.85% 212 0.26% 122 0.15% 132 0.16% 117 0.14% 20,984 25.59% 82,003
Buffalo 3,325 52.74% 2,921 46.34% 13 0.21% 17 0.27% 16 0.25% 12 0.19% 404 6.40% 6,304
Burnett 3,528 51.01% 3,331 48.16% 18 0.26% 16 0.23% 13 0.19% 10 0.14% 197 2.85% 6,916
Calumet 8,970 64.57% 4,736 34.09% 15 0.11% 83 0.60% 53 0.38% 35 0.25% 4,234 30.48% 13,892
Chippewa 10,986 51.45% 10,202 47.78% 46 0.22% 39 0.18% 60 0.28% 18 0.08% 784 3.67% 21,351
Clark 8,099 58.24% 5,647 40.61% 30 0.22% 36 0.26% 78 0.56% 16 0.12% 2,452 17.63% 13,906
Columbia 11,662 58.52% 8,125 40.77% 34 0.17% 52 0.26% 40 0.20% 14 0.07% 3,537 17.75% 19,927
Crawford 4,412 55.87% 3,436 43.51% 20 0.25% 4 0.05% 20 0.25% 5 0.06% 976 12.36% 7,897
Dane 74,823 43.84% 94,659 55.46% 537 0.31% 101 0.06% 145 0.08% 420 0.25% -19,836 -11.62% 170,685
Dodge 20,458 64.41% 11,052 34.80% 56 0.18% 84 0.26% 82 0.26% 29 0.09% 9,406 29.61% 31,761
Door 8,264 67.35% 3,916 31.91% 38 0.31% 10 0.08% 21 0.17% 22 0.18% 4,348 35.44% 12,271
Douglas 7,066 32.92% 14,291 66.58% 26 0.12% 28 0.13% 25 0.12% 28 0.13% -7,225 -33.66% 21,464
Dunn 8,473 51.80% 7,712 47.15% 63 0.39% 49 0.30% 25 0.15% 36 0.22% 761 4.65% 16,358
Eau Claire 20,401 51.09% 19,347 48.45% 65 0.16% 30 0.08% 51 0.13% 35 0.09% 1,054 2.64% 39,929
Florence 1,227 58.01% 870 41.13% 2 0.09% 4 0.19% 8 0.38% 4 0.19% 357 16.88% 2,115
Fond du Lac 26,069 64.61% 13,983 34.66% 74 0.18% 77 0.19% 78 0.19% 65 0.16% 12,086 29.95% 40,346
Forest 2,296 50.53% 2,214 48.72% 9 0.20% 6 0.13% 16 0.35% 3 0.07% 82 1.81% 4,544
Grant 13,430 62.58% 7,892 36.78% 41 0.19% 27 0.13% 47 0.22% 23 0.11% 5,538 25.80% 21,460
Green 7,827 63.65% 4,367 35.52% 28 0.23% 27 0.22% 34 0.28% 13 0.11% 3,460 28.13% 12,296
Green Lake 6,198 71.11% 2,441 28.01% 22 0.25% 15 0.17% 29 0.33% 11 0.13% 3,757 43.10% 8,716
Iowa 4,983 56.01% 3,843 43.19% 30 0.34% 9 0.10% 21 0.24% 11 0.12% 1,140 12.82% 8,897
Iron 1,667 45.63% 1,967 53.85% 7 0.19% 5 0.14% 4 0.11% 3 0.08% -300 -8.22% 3,653
Jackson 4,386 55.81% 3,427 43.61% 7 0.09% 13 0.17% 17 0.22% 9 0.11% 959 12.20% 7,859
Jefferson 17,780 61.77% 10,788 37.48% 85 0.30% 49 0.17% 50 0.17% 32 0.11% 6,992 24.29% 28,784
Juneau 5,629 63.62% 3,152 35.62% 15 0.17% 18 0.20% 27 0.31% 7 0.08% 2,477 28.00% 8,848
Kenosha 26,118 46.89% 29,233 52.49% 118 0.21% 74 0.13% 87 0.16% 65 0.12% -3,115 -5.60% 55,695
Kewaunee 5,705 61.94% 3,444 37.39% 11 0.12% 21 0.23% 21 0.23% 8 0.09% 2,261 24.55% 9,210
La Crosse 25,721 58.77% 17,787 40.64% 104 0.24% 51 0.12% 48 0.11% 58 0.13% 7,934 18.13% 43,769
Lafayette 4,584 60.43% 2,961 39.03% 15 0.20% 6 0.08% 14 0.18% 6 0.08% 1,623 21.40% 7,586
Langlade 5,830 60.91% 3,675 38.39% 26 0.27% 16 0.17% 17 0.18% 8 0.08% 2,155 22.52% 9,572
Lincoln 6,682 55.08% 5,353 44.12% 30 0.25% 22 0.18% 30 0.25% 15 0.12% 1,329 10.96% 12,132
Manitowoc 19,639 52.54% 17,250 46.15% 92 0.25% 221 0.59% 114 0.31% 60 0.16% 2,389 6.39% 37,376
Marathon 27,080 55.64% 20,128 41.36% 115 0.24% 74 0.15% 135 0.28% 1,138 2.34% 6,952 14.28% 48,670
Marinette 11,444 62.35% 6,798 37.04% 32 0.17% 29 0.16% 27 0.15% 23 0.13% 4,646 25.31% 18,353
Marquette 3,406 61.79% 2,032 36.87% 16 0.29% 39 0.71% 15 0.27% 4 0.07% 1,374 24.92% 5,512
Menominee 392 31.84% 832 67.59% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 6 0.49% 1 0.08% -440 -35.75% 1,231
Milwaukee 196,290 42.86% 259,144 56.58% 875 0.19% 590 0.13% 493 0.11% 625 0.14% -62,854 -13.72% 458,017
Monroe 8,227 59.26% 5,567 40.10% 23 0.17% 17 0.12% 36 0.26% 14 0.10% 2,660 19.16% 13,884
Oconto 8,714 61.70% 5,289 37.45% 25 0.18% 41 0.29% 33 0.23% 22 0.16% 3,425 24.25% 14,124
Oneida 9,787 59.79% 6,417 39.20% 57 0.35% 44 0.27% 50 0.31% 14 0.09% 3,370 20.59% 16,369
Outagamie 36,773 64.54% 19,790 34.73% 108 0.19% 109 0.19% 99 0.17% 100 0.18% 16,983 29.81% 56,979
Ozaukee 23,898 68.48% 10,765 30.85% 80 0.23% 80 0.23% 49 0.14% 24 0.07% 13,133 37.63% 34,896
Pepin 1,555 48.56% 1,629 50.87% 8 0.25% 3 0.09% 4 0.12% 3 0.09% -74 -2.31% 3,202
Pierce 7,612 50.74% 7,289 48.58% 17 0.11% 24 0.16% 33 0.22% 28 0.19% 323 2.16% 15,003
Polk 8,106 49.82% 8,034 49.38% 25 0.15% 45 0.28% 37 0.23% 22 0.14% 72 0.44% 16,269
Portage 13,605 48.28% 14,399 51.10% 58 0.21% 34 0.12% 41 0.15% 42 0.15% -794 -2.82% 28,179
Price 4,289 54.62% 3,479 44.31% 21 0.27% 26 0.33% 29 0.37% 8 0.10% 810 10.31% 7,852
Racine 42,092 52.84% 36,955 46.39% 236 0.30% 180 0.23% 114 0.14% 86 0.11% 5,137 6.45% 79,663
Richland 4,858 62.66% 2,844 36.68% 23 0.30% 4 0.05% 11 0.14% 13 0.17% 2,014 25.98% 7,753
Rock 32,491 54.76% 26,433 44.55% 150 0.25% 78 0.13% 96 0.16% 86 0.14% 6,058 10.21% 59,334
Rusk 4,061 50.90% 3,843 48.16% 18 0.23% 24 0.30% 24 0.30% 9 0.11% 218 2.74% 7,979
Sauk 11,069 60.44% 7,158 39.09% 29 0.16% 17 0.09% 25 0.14% 15 0.08% 3,911 21.35% 18,313
Sawyer 3,913 56.14% 2,982 42.78% 17 0.24% 24 0.34% 23 0.33% 11 0.16% 931 13.36% 6,970
Shawano 10,635 65.55% 5,469 33.71% 24 0.15% 47 0.29% 35 0.22% 15 0.09% 5,166 31.84% 16,225
Sheboygan 26,345 55.05% 21,112 44.12% 112 0.23% 136 0.28% 77 0.16% 71 0.15% 5,233 10.93% 47,853
St. Croix 11,367 52.54% 10,127 46.81% 42 0.19% 26 0.12% 49 0.23% 24 0.11% 1,240 5.73% 21,635
Taylor 4,918 59.48% 3,271 39.56% 15 0.18% 15 0.18% 37 0.45% 13 0.16% 1,647 19.92% 8,269
Trempealeau 6,008 52.24% 5,407 47.02% 22 0.19% 25 0.22% 28 0.24% 10 0.09% 601 5.22% 11,500
Vernon 6,469 55.75% 5,051 43.53% 26 0.22% 12 0.10% 33 0.28% 12 0.10% 1,418 12.22% 11,603
Vilas 5,965 66.09% 2,940 32.57% 13 0.14% 17 0.19% 20 0.22% 71 0.79% 3,025 33.52% 9,026
Walworth 20,595 67.06% 9,877 32.16% 83 0.27% 54 0.18% 57 0.19% 44 0.14% 10,718 34.90% 30,710
Washburn 3,848 54.38% 3,188 45.05% 10 0.14% 13 0.18% 12 0.17% 5 0.07% 660 9.33% 7,076
Washington 25,279 65.54% 12,966 33.61% 94 0.24% 112 0.29% 84 0.22% 38 0.10% 12,313 31.93% 38,573
Waukesha 92,426 65.71% 47,313 33.64% 327 0.23% 268 0.19% 202 0.14% 124 0.09% 45,113 32.07% 140,660
Waupaca 13,097 68.33% 5,895 30.76% 31 0.16% 73 0.38% 48 0.25% 23 0.12% 7,202 37.57% 19,167
Waushara 5,769 66.79% 2,782 32.21% 24 0.28% 25 0.29% 30 0.35% 7 0.08% 2,987 34.58% 8,637
Winnebago 39,014 62.74% 22,791 36.65% 102 0.16% 100 0.16% 90 0.14% 86 0.14% 16,223 26.09% 62,183
Wood 20,525 62.42% 12,118 36.85% 65 0.20% 46 0.14% 86 0.26% 42 0.13% 8,407 25.57% 32,882
Totals 1,198,800 54.19% 995,847 45.02% 4,884 0.22% 3,864 0.17% 3,791 0.17% 4,830 0.22% 202,953 9.17% 2,212,016

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  2. ^ "1984 Presidential General Election Results – Wisconsin". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  3. ^ "CQ Almanac Online Edition". library.cqpress.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. ^ "CQ Almanac Online Edition". library.cqpress.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  5. ^ "WI US President Race, November 06, 1984". Our Campaigns.