1978 Kansas gubernatorial election

1978 Kansas gubernatorial election

← 1974 November 7, 1978 1982 →
 
Nominee John W. Carlin Robert F. Bennett
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Paul Dugan Larry Montgomery
Popular vote 363,835 348,015
Percentage 49.4% 47.3%

County results
Carlin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Bennett:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Robert Frederick Bennett
Republican

Elected Governor

John W. Carlin
Democratic

The 1978 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic nominee John W. Carlin defeated incumbent Republican Robert Frederick Bennett with 49.4% of the vote.

As of 2024, this marks the last occasion in which the following counties have voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election: Gray, Hamilton, and Ness[original research?] and until 2022, this was the last gubernatorial election where a Democratic governor was elected during the tenure of a Democratic president.