1978 Kansas gubernatorial election

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 and until 2022, this was the last gubernatorial election where a Democratic governor was elected during the tenure of a Democratic president.

Primary elections
Primary elections were held on August 1, 1978.

Candidates

 * John W. Carlin, Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives
 * Bert Chaney
 * Harry G. Wiles

Candidates

 * Robert Frederick Bennett, incumbent Governor
 * Robert R. "Bob" Sanders
 * Harold Knight

Candidates
Major party candidates
 * John W. Carlin, Democratic
 * Robert Frederick Bennett, Republican

Other candidates
 * Frank W. Shelton Jr., American
 * Berry Beets, Prohibition