1966 Georgia gubernatorial election

election

The 1966 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1966.

1966 Georgia gubernatorial election

← 1962 November 8, 1966 1970 →
 
Nominee Lester Maddox Bo Callaway Ellis Arnall
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Delegate count 182 66
Popular vote 450,626 453,665 69,025
Percentage 46.22% 46.53% 7.08%

County results
Maddox:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Callaway:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Arnall:      30–40%

Governor before election

Carl Sanders
Democratic

Elected Governor

Lester Maddox
Democratic

After an election that exposed divisions within the Georgia Democratic Party (giving the Georgia Republican Party a shot at the Governor's Mansion for the first time in the twentieth century), segregationist Democrat Lester Maddox was elected Governor of Georgia.

The voting also made future President Jimmy Carter well known.

Democratic primary election results change

The primary was held on September 13, 1966.

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ellis Arnall 231,480 29.38
Democratic Lester Maddox 185,672 23.56
Democratic Jimmy Carter 164,562 20.89
Democratic James H. Gray 152,973 19.41
Democratic Garland T. Byrd 152,973 5.08

Pursuant to Georgia law, as no candidate received a majority of votes in the primary, a runoff was held on September 27.

Democratic primary runoff results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lester Maddox 443,055 54.29
Democratic Ellis Arnall 373,004 45.71

References change

  1. "Georgia Official and Statistical Register, 1965–1966 – page 1738". Georgia Official and Statistical Register. Archived from the original on 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  2. "Georgia Official and Statistical Register, 1965–1966 – page 1779". Georgia Official and Statistical Register. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2020-06-24.