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1966 Georgia gubernatorial election facts for kids

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1966 Georgia gubernatorial election

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

GACountiesGovernor1966.svg
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
Democrat

Elected Governor

Lester Maddox
Democrat

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

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

The primary was held on September 13, 1966.

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