1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election
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The 1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect a Governor of South Dakota. It was the last election in South Dakota to elect the governor for a two-year term after a 1972 state constitutional amendment established a four-year term.[1] Democratic nominee Richard F. Kneip was re-elected, defeating Republican nominee Carveth Thompson despite incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon winning the state with 54% of the vote on the same ballot.
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November 7, 1972
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 County results Kneip: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Thompson: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary
Candidates
- Richard F. Kneip, incumbent Governor of South Dakota
Republican primary
Candidates
- Carveth Thompson, member of the South Dakota House of Representatives
- Simon W. Chance
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carveth Thompson | 65,538 | 72.41 | |
| Republican | Simon W. Chance | 24,975 | 27.59 | |
| Total votes | 90,513 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard F. Kneip (inc.) | 185,012 | 60.03 | |
| Republican | Carveth Thompson | 123,165 | 39.97 | |
| Total votes | 308,177 | 100.00 | ||
| Majority | 61,847 | 20.06 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||