Vice President Richard M. Nixon today formally conceded the election to Sen. John F. Kennedy. The dramatic concession announcement came at 9:47 a.m. Wednesday a few minutes after Kennedy had cinched election by winning Minnesota’s 11 electoral votes. Kennedy became the youngest man and the first Roman Catholic ever elected to the nation’s highest office. The unofficial popular vote gave Kennedy 50.4 percent and Nixon 49.6 percent. With California and Illinois still undecided it was possible for Kennedy to wind up with a wide electoral vote margin.
After all votes were counted, Kennedy won a 303 to 219 Electoral College victory and won the popular vote by 112,827, a margin of 0.17 percent.
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Republicans did well in state and county elections. John Glades of Yates Center was elected state senator, defeating Iola Democrat Clarence Robinson; Bob Finney of Humboldt became state representative, defeating Iola Democrat D.A. McDonald. Other Republicans running unopposed were District Judge Spencer Gard, Mrs. Maxine Abbott, county clerk, Robert Talkington, county attorney, Dr. Gerald Pees, coroner, Ena Ammon, register of deeds; Frances Anderson, treasurer; Leslie Norton, probate judge; Ray Emmons, sheriff; Jeanne Smith, clerk of the district court; Charley Burrows, commissioner; Lloyd Baxley, commissioner. Democrats John Franklin wasn’t up for re-election, County Clerk Maxine Abbott didn’t have an opponent and Mrs. Mabel Sage won re-election with a solid 600-vote margin.
Kansans approved constitutional amendments that will give cities home rule authority and allow them to design their own governments and another that provides for continuity in case of enemy attack. They turned back a third amendment that would have raised legislative pay and expense allowance.
