1971 Kentucky gubernatorial election

1971 Kentucky gubernatorial election

← 1967 November 2, 1971 1975 →

Nominee Wendell Ford Thomas Emberton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 470,420 412,653 Percentage 50.56% 44.35%

County results Congressional district results Ford:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Emberton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Louie Nunn Republican Elected Governor Wendell Ford Democratic

Elections in Kentucky
Federal government Presidential elections 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 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 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1792 1793 1794 1798 1800 1804 1805 sp 1806 1806 sp 1811 1813 1814 sp 1815 sp 1816 1816 sp 1818 1819 sp 1820 sp 1823 1824 sp 1829 1831 sp 1835 1836 1841 1842 1842 sp 1843 1848 1849 1849 sp 1851 1851 sp 1854 1858 1859 1861 sp 1865 1867 1868 sp 1871 1872 1873 sp 1876 1879 1882 1884 1888 1890 1890 sp 1893 sp 1894 1897 1900 1902 1906 1908 1912 1914 1914 sp 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1930 sp 1932 1936 1938 1940 sp 1942 1944 1946 sp 1948 1950 1950 sp 1952 sp 1954 1956 1956 sp 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1792 1793 1795 1797 1799 1801 1803 1804 1806 1808 1810 5th sp 1812 1813 8th sp 1814 2nd sp 1815 2nd sp 1816 1st sp 1818 1820 1821 8th sp 1822 1824 1825 3rd sp 1826 5th sp 12th sp 1827 11th sp 1828 2nd sp 1829 1831 1833 1834 5th sp 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1854 3rd sp 1855 1857 1859 1861 1862 2nd sp 1863 1865 1866 3rd sp 5th sp 6th sp 1867 3rd sp 1868 1870 3rd sp 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 6th sp 1892 1894 9th sp 10th sp 1896 1898 1899 7th sp 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1923 7th sp 1924 9th sp 1925 3rd sp 1926 1928 1929 3rd sp 1930 2nd sp 1932 1934 1935 4th sp 1936 1937 2nd sp 1938 1940 1942 1943 4th sp 1944 1946 1948 2nd sp 9th sp 1950 1951 6th sp 1952 2nd sp 1953 2nd sp 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1971 6th sp 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 2nd sp 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 6th sp 2006 2008 2010 2012 4th sp 2014 2016 1st sp 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government State elections 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1851 1855 1859 1863 1867 1868 sp 1871 1875 1879 1883 1887 1891 1895 1899 1900 sp 1903 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 2027 Secretary of State elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 Attorney General elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 State Treasurer elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 State Auditor elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 Agriculture Commissioner elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 Senate elections 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special House of Representatives elections 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special Supreme Court elections 2014 2015 sp 2016 2018 2019 sp 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2004 Amendment 1 2022 Amendment 2 2024 Amendment 2
Lexington Mayoral elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Louisville Mayoral elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Government
v t e

The 1971 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1971. Incumbent Republican Louie Nunn, was ineligible for a second term due to term limits, a rule that was later repealed in 1992.^[1]

In the Democratic primary, Lieutenant Governor Wendell Ford ran against former Governor Bert Combs and 6 other opponents. Ford would win in an easy victory that wasn't expected. In the Republican primary, Thomas Emberton easily won his primary and was endorsed by Governor Nunn.^[2]

In the general election, Ford and Emberton were joined by former Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler, running as an Independent, as well as American Party candidate William Smith. The Republicans had hoped that Chandler would help Emberton's chances, but Ford ultimately won the general election.^[3] As of 2022^[update], this is the last time that the Republican candidate has won Jefferson County.