| Election Name: | 1978 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Nevada |
| Flag Year: | 1929 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1974 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1974 |
| Next Election: | 1982 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1982 |
| Image1: | File:Robert List (NV) (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Robert List |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 108,097 |
| Percentage1: | 56.2% |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Nominee2: | Robert E. Rose |
| Popular Vote2: | 76,361 |
| Percentage2: | 39.7% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Mike O'Callaghan |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Robert List |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1978 Nevada gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic governor Mike O'Callaghan was term limited. Republican nominee Robert List was elected Governor of Nevada, defeating Democratic nominee Robert E. Rose. Jack Lund Schofield unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.
Primary elections were held on September 12, 1978.[1]
| County | Robert List Republican | Robert E. Rose Democratic | Thomas F. Jefferson Independent American | None of These Candidates | John W. Grayson, Jr. Libertarian | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Carson City | 6,721 | 64.30% | 3,250 | 31.09% | 159 | 1.52% | 257 | 2.46% | 66 | 0.63% | 3,471 | 33.21% | 10,453 | ||||||||||||
| Churchill | 2,692 | 60.44% | 1,410 | 31.66% | 238 | 5.34% | 81 | 1.82% | 33 | 0.74% | 1,282 | 28.78% | 4,454 | ||||||||||||
| Clark | 51,708 | 53.53% | 42,472 | 43.97% | 581 | 0.60% | 1,107 | 1.15% | 734 | 0.76% | 9,236 | 9.56% | 96,602 | ||||||||||||
| Douglas | 3,523 | 63.39% | 1,742 | 31.34% | 120 | 2.16% | 127 | 2.28% | 46 | 0.83% | 1,781 | 32.04% | 5,558 | ||||||||||||
| Elko | 3,162 | 64.61% | 1,380 | 28.20% | 265 | 5.41% | 57 | 1.16% | 30 | 0.61% | 1,782 | 36.41% | 4,894 | ||||||||||||
| Esmeralda | 258 | 53.09% | 188 | 38.68% | 28 | 5.76% | 10 | 2.06% | 2 | 0.41% | 70 | 14.40% | 486 | ||||||||||||
| Eureka | 314 | 61.45% | 154 | 30.14% | 24 | 4.70% | 6 | 1.17% | 13 | 2.54% | 160 | 31.31% | 511 | ||||||||||||
| Humboldt | 1,420 | 55.53% | 954 | 37.31% | 103 | 4.03% | 71 | 2.78% | 9 | 0.35% | 466 | 18.22% | 2,557 | ||||||||||||
| Lander | 735 | 52.88% | 567 | 40.79% | 60 | 4.32% | 18 | 1.29% | 10 | 0.72% | 168 | 12.09% | 1,390 | ||||||||||||
| Lincoln | 888 | 57.44% | 579 | 37.45% | 41 | 2.65% | 20 | 1.29% | 18 | 1.16% | 309 | 19.99% | 1,546 | ||||||||||||
| Lyon | 2,331 | 54.69% | 1,658 | 38.90% | 166 | 3.89% | 86 | 2.02% | 21 | 0.49% | 673 | 15.79% | 4,262 | ||||||||||||
| Mineral | 1,108 | 46.21% | 1,061 | 44.25% | 169 | 7.05% | 53 | 2.21% | 7 | 0.29% | 47 | 1.96% | 2,398 | ||||||||||||
| Nye | 1,553 | 51.80% | 1,300 | 43.36% | 99 | 3.30% | 26 | 0.87% | 20 | 0.67% | 253 | 8.44% | 2,998 | ||||||||||||
| Pershing | 630 | 48.54% | 562 | 43.30% | 67 | 5.16% | 25 | 1.93% | 14 | 1.08% | 68 | 5.24% | 1,298 | ||||||||||||
| Storey | 329 | 40.67% | 428 | 52.90% | 26 | 3.21% | 20 | 2.47% | 6 | 0.74% | -99 | -12.24% | 809 | ||||||||||||
| Washoe | 28,759 | 58.78% | 17,570 | 35.91% | 947 | 1.94% | 1,204 | 2.46% | 444 | 0.91% | 11,189 | 22.87% | 48,924 | ||||||||||||
| White Pine | 1,966 | 59.49% | 1,086 | 32.86% | 189 | 5.72% | 50 | 1.51% | 14 | 0.42% | 880 | 26.63% | 3,305 | ||||||||||||
| Totals | 108,097 | 56.17% | 76,361 | 39.68% | 3,282 | 1.71% | 3,218 | 1.67% | 1,487 | 0.77% | 31,736 | 16.49% | 192,445 | ||||||||||||