Harold Lee Putnam, October 5, 1896 (El Dorado, Kan.) - September 5, 1979 (Pinellas, Fla.)
VP candidate for United Party (1964)
Running mate with nominee: Grant Van Tilborg (1918-1974)
Popular vote: 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
The United Party ticket of Van Tilborg/Putnam was one of those stealth campaigns. There is very little information out there concerning this political group. Researchers Alan Anderson and Chick Harris reported in 1965:
UNITED PARTY candidates were Grant Van Tilborg and Harold L. Putnam. The platform called for complete expulsion of all groups which tend to break up the "united" effect of the States. More than 100 organizations were listed as undesirable and included such names as: Communist Party, K.K.K., John Birch Society, N.A.A.C.P., AFL-CIO, Socialistic Parties.
VP nominee Harold L. Putnam was an advertising man who also worked for the Hearst newspapers. In addition he was very active with the Sons of the American Revolution having been elected State President in California in 1938 and then nationally the Executive Secretary in 1950, a position he still held during the 1964 election. He was known for leading crusades against "subversive" school textbooks.
The United Party was not on any ballots and no votes were recorded.
Election history: none
Other occupations: soldier (WWI), advertising, Hearst newspapers
Buried: ?
Notes:
Family moved to Los Angeles area from Kansas between 1900-1910. By 1930 he was living in the
Bay Area. After his wife's death in 1965 he retired from the SAR in 1966 and at some point moved
to Florida.
Presbyterian.
