1970 Ohio State Treasurer election
November 3, 1970
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County results Donahey: 50–60% 60–70% Turner: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Ohio |
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The 1970 Ohio State Treasurer election was held on November 3, 1970, to elect the Ohio State Treasurer. Republican incumbent Ohio State Treasurer John D. Herbert chose not to run for re-election to a third term, instead unsuccessfully running for Ohio Attorney General. Primaries were held on May 5, 1970. Democrat Gertrude Walton Donahey won the election, defeating Ohio State Senator Robin Turner by eleven percentage points.
With her victory, Donahey become the first woman to be elected to executive statewide office in Ohio and the second woman to be elected to statewide office following Florence E. Allen.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Robin Turner, Ohio State Senator (1963–1973)
- Ralph J. Perk Jr.
- David S. Holcomb
- Dale Davis
- Anthony B. Baldwin
Campaign
Turner won the Republican nomination in a crowded primary by a razor thin margin of 0.47 percentage points.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robin Turner | 184,371 | 24.47% | |
| Republican | Ralph J. Perk Jr. | 180,796 | 24% | |
| Republican | David S. Holcomb | 146,163 | 19.40% | |
| Republican | Dale Davis | 144,813 | 19.22% | |
| Republican | Anthony B. Baldwin | 97,308 | 12.91% | |
| Total votes | 753,451 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Gertrude Walton Donahey
- James H. Bell, Cleveland City Council Member
- Dennis E. Thompson
Campaign
Donahey won the Democratic nomination by a comfortable margin of nine percentage points over her two opponents.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gertrude Walton Donahey | 321,889 | 43.91% | |
| Democratic | James H. Bell | 255,422 | 34.84% | |
| Democratic | Dennis E. Thompson | 155,781 | 21.25% | |
| Total votes | 733,092 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Gertrude Walton Donahey (Democratic)
- Robin Turner, Ohio State Senator (1963–1973) (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gertrude Walton Donahey | 1,591,959 | 55.60% | +14.45 | |
| Republican | Robin Turner | 1,271,470 | 44.40% | −14.45 | |
| Total votes | 2,863,429 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
References
- ^ "Republican Primary: May 5, 1970 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ^ "Democratic Primary: May 5, 1970 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ^ "General Election: November 3, 1970 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved November 9, 2025.