The 1912 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912. Primary elections were held on September 3, 1912.
Incumbent Republican Governor Francis E. McGovern defeated Democratic nominee John C. Karel and Social-Democratic nominee Carl D. Thompson, with 45.54% of the vote. This was the closest gubernatorial election in Wisconsin during the Fourth Party System and one of only two decided by single digits during that era.
This was the tenth consecutive Republican victory in Wisconsin, breaking the previous record of nine consecutive wins that ran from 1855 through 1871. This streak would eventually reach 19 consecutive Republican wins before being broken in 1932.
Primary election
Republican party
Candidates
- Francis E. McGovern, incumbent Governor
Democratic party
Candidates
- John C. Karel, Milwaukee County Court judge
- Adolph J. Schmitz, lawyer, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1894, Democratic nominee for Governor in 1910
Candidates
- Carl D. Thompson, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Prohibition party
Candidates
- Charles L. Hill, Prohibition nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1910
General election
Results by county
Karel was the first Democrat since George W. Peck in 1890 to carry Racine County. Additionally, Forest County, Portage County, Sheboygan County, and Waukesha County voted Democratic for the first time since 1892. After this election, Forest County, Marathon County, and Milwaukee County would not vote Democratic again until 1932.
Portage County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1873. Additionally, Waukesha County, Forest County, and Sheboygan County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1884, 1886, and 1888, respectively.
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Crawford
- Fond du Lac
- Forest
- Green Lake
- Langlade
- Portage
- Racine
- Sheboygan
- Waukesha