United States presidential election in California, 1960

United States presidential election in California, 1960

← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Nominee Richard Nixon John F. Kennedy Party Republican Democratic Home state California Massachusetts Running mate Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Lyndon B. Johnson Electoral vote 32 0 Popular vote 3,259,722 3,224,099 Percentage 50.10% 49.55%
County Results   Kennedy—60-70%   Kennedy—50-60%   Kennedy—<50%   Nixon—<50%   Nixon—50-60%   Nixon—60-70%   Nixon—70-80%
President before election Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican Elected President John F. Kennedy Democratic

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican

John F. Kennedy
Democratic

The 1960 United States presidential election in California refers to California's participation in the 1960 United States presidential election. California voted for the Republican nominee, Vice President Richard Nixon, over the Democratic nominee, Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy. Although California was Nixon's home state, which he represented in the House and Senate, and initial political base, his margin of victory over Kennedy turned out to be extremely narrow; in fact, it was the closest of the states that Nixon won in 1960. On the morning of November 9, the NBC victory desk erroneously projected California to Kennedy.