1970 California gubernatorial election facts for kids
The California gubernatorial election of 1970 was an important event in California history. It happened on November 3, 1970. In this election, people voted for the leader of their state, called the governor. The person who was already governor, Ronald Reagan from the Republican Party, wanted to be governor again. He ran against Jesse "Big Daddy" Unruh, a Democrat who was also a powerful leader in the state government.
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What is a Gubernatorial Election?
A gubernatorial election is when people in a state vote for their governor. The governor is like the president of a state. They are in charge of the state government and make important decisions. In the United States, governors are elected for a certain number of years. The person who is already in office is called the incumbent.
Who Were the Main Candidates?
In the 1970 California election, two main candidates ran for governor. They were Ronald Reagan and Jesse Unruh. Both were well-known figures in California politics.
Ronald Reagan's Background
Ronald Reagan was the current governor of California. He belonged to the Republican Party. Before becoming governor, he was a famous actor. He had been elected governor for the first time in 1966. Many people liked his ideas about how to run the state.
Jesse Unruh's Background
Jesse Unruh was a leader from the Democratic Party. He was known as "Big Daddy" Unruh. At the time of the election, he was the Speaker of the Assembly. The Assembly is a part of the state's law-making body. Being Speaker means he was a very powerful person in the state government.
The Election Results
On November 3, 1970, people cast their votes. Ronald Reagan won the election and was re-elected as governor. He received 3,439,174 votes. This was about 52.83% of all the votes. Jesse Unruh received 2,938,607 votes. This was about 45.14% of the total votes. Reagan won by a clear margin.
How Votes Were Counted
After people voted, all the votes were counted carefully. The candidate with the most votes wins the election. In this case, Ronald Reagan received more votes than Jesse Unruh. This meant he would continue to be the governor of California.
