1966 United States gubernatorial elections

1966 United States gubernatorial elections
November 8, 1966
35 governorships
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 33 17
Seats after 25 25
Seat change Decrease8 Increase8
Seats up 20 15
Seats won 12 23
1966 Alabama gubernatorial election1966 Alaska gubernatorial election1966 Arizona gubernatorial election1966 Arkansas gubernatorial election1966 California gubernatorial election1966 Colorado gubernatorial election1966 Connecticut gubernatorial election1966 Florida gubernatorial election1966 Georgia gubernatorial election1966 Hawaii gubernatorial election1966 Idaho gubernatorial election1966 Iowa gubernatorial election1966 Kansas gubernatorial election1966 Maine gubernatorial election1966 Maryland gubernatorial election1966 Massachusetts gubernatorial election1966 Michigan gubernatorial election1966 Minnesota gubernatorial election1966 Nebraska gubernatorial election1966 Nevada gubernatorial election1966 New Hampshire gubernatorial election1966 New Mexico gubernatorial election1966 New York gubernatorial election1966 Ohio gubernatorial election1966 Oklahoma gubernatorial election1966 Oregon gubernatorial election1966 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election1966 Rhode Island gubernatorial election1966 South Carolina gubernatorial election1966 South Dakota gubernatorial election1966 Tennessee gubernatorial election1966 Texas gubernatorial election1966 Vermont gubernatorial election1966 Wisconsin gubernatorial election1966 Wyoming gubernatorial election
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Republican hold      Republican gain
     No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held on Tuesday November 8, in 35 states. 12 Democratic governors and 23 Republican governors won election, bringing the partisan reflection of the U.S. states to 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans. This election coincided with the Senate and the House elections. As of 2026, this is the last time the amount of governorships each party held was tied.

Race summary

State Governor Party First
elected		 Status Candidates
Alabama George Wallace Democratic 1962 Incumbent term-limited.
Democratic hold.
Alaska William A. Egan Democratic 1958 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Arizona Sam Goddard Jr. Democratic 1964 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Arkansas Orval Faubus Democratic 1954 Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
California Pat Brown Democratic 1958 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Colorado John A. Love Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut John N. Dempsey Democratic 1961[a] Incumbent re-elected.
Florida W. Haydon Burns Democratic 1964 Incumbent lost renomination.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Georgia Carl Sanders Democratic 1962 Incumbent term-limited.
Democratic hold.

[9]

Hawaii John A. Burns Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
Idaho Robert E. Smylie Republican 1954 Incumbent lost renomination.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Don Samuelson (Republican) 41.4%
  • ▌Cecil Andrus (Republican) 37.1%
  • ▌Perry Swisher (Independent) 12.2%
  • ▌Philip Jungert (Independent) 9.2%
  • ▌Don Walker (Independent) 0.1%[11]
Iowa Harold Hughes Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Harold Hughes (Democratic) 55.3%
  • ▌William G. Murray (Republican) 44.2%
  • ▌David B. Quiner (American Constitution) 0.4%
  • ▌Charles Sloca (Iowa) 0.1%[12]
Kansas William H. Avery Republican 1964 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Maine John H. Reed Republican 1959[b] Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Maryland J. Millard Tawes Democratic 1958 Incumbent term-limited.
Republican gain.
Massachusetts John A. Volpe Republican 1960
1964		 Incumbent re-elected.
Michigan George W. Romney Republican 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
Minnesota Karl Rolvaag Democratic 1962 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Nebraska Frank B. Morrison Democratic 1960 Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
Nevada Grant Sawyer Democratic 1958 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
New Hampshire John W. King Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
New Mexico Jack M. Campbell Democratic 1962 Incumbent term-limited.
Republican gain.
  • ▌Green tickY David Cargo (Republican) 51.7%
  • ▌Thomas E. Lusk (Democratic) 48.2%[22]
New York Nelson Rockefeller Republican 1958 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio Jim Rhodes Republican 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
Oklahoma Henry Bellmon Republican 1962 Incumbent term-limited.
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Dewey F. Bartlett (Republican) 55.7%
  • ▌Preston J. Moore (Democratic) 43.8%
  • ▌Harry E. Ingram (Independent) 0.6%[25]
Oregon Mark Hatfield Republican 1958 Incumbent term-limited.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania William Scranton Republican 1962 Incumbent term-limited.
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Raymond P. Shafer (Republican) 52.1%
  • ▌Milton Shapp (Democratic) 46.2%
  • ▌Edward S. Swartz (Constitutional) 1.4%
  • ▌George S. Taylor (Socialist Labor) 0.4%[27]
Rhode Island John Chafee Republican 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Chafee (Republican) 63.3%
  • ▌Horace E. Hobbs (Democratic) 36.7%[28]
South Carolina Robert Evander McNair Democratic 1965[c] Incumbent elected to full term.
South Dakota Nils Boe Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee Frank G. Clement Democratic 1952
1962		 Incumbent term-limited.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Buford Ellington (Democratic) 81.2%
  • ▌H.L. Crowder (Independent) 9.8%
  • ▌Charlie Moffett (Independent) 7.7%
  • ▌Charles Gordon Vick (Independent) 1.3%[31]
Texas John Connally Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Connally (Republican) 72.8%
  • ▌Thomas Everton Kennedy (Republican) 25.8%
  • ▌Tommye Gillespie (Constitution) 0.7%
  • ▌Brad Logan (Conservative) 0.7%[32]
Vermont Philip H. Hoff Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin Warren P. Knowles Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected.
Wyoming Clifford Hansen Republican 1962 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.

Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

  1. Georgia, -0.3%[d]
  2. Alaska, 1.6%
  3. Hawaii, 2.2%
  4. New Mexico, 3.5%
  5. Idaho, 4.3%
  6. Nevada, 4.3%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. Minnesota, 5.7%
  2. Pennsylvania, 5.9%
  3. Maine, 6.2%
  4. New York, 6.5%
  5. Wisconsin, 7.4%
  6. Arizona, 7.6%
  7. New Hampshire, 8.0%
  8. Wyoming, 8.6%
  9. Arkansas, 8.8%
  10. Maryland, 8.9%

Red denotes states won by Republicans. Blue denotes states won by Democrats.


Alabama

Until 1968, Alabama governors were not allowed two successive terms. To circumvent this, Wallace used his wife Lurleen as his stand-in. She died in 1968.[36][37]

Alaska

Egan was defeated in 1966, but would be re-elected in 1970 (see 1970 United States gubernatorial elections).

Arizona

Arizona operated on governors serving two-year terms until 1970, when Jack Richard Williams was the first governor to be elected to a four-year term.[38][39] He had previously been elected governor for two two-year terms in 1966.[40] and in 1968.[41] Arizona made the switch official from two-year to four-year terms in 1968 with an amendment.[42]

Arizona not only adopted a four-year term for governors starting in the general election of 1970, but also adopted a two consecutive term limit in 1992.[43]

Arkansas

Arkansas had two-year terms for governors until 1984, when they switched to four-year terms with Amendment 63.[44]

Winthrop Rockefeller was elected the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.[45] He became the first Republican governor of any former Confederate State since Alfred A. Taylor of Tennessee was defeated in 1922.

California

Incumbent governor Pat Brown (Democrat) was defeated in his bid for a third term by future U.S. president Ronald Reagan (Republican).

Florida

William Haydon Burns was elected in 1964 for a two-year term because Florida shifted their governors' races from presidential years to midterm years. Starting in 1966, Florida held their four-year gubernatorial races in midterm years.[46]

Kirk was the first Republican governor in the 20th century.[47]

In 1968, Florida adopted a new state constitution, and the governor now had the option to serve two four-year terms in a row.[48][49]

Georgia

Maddox was elected by the State Legislature, and Callaway was the first Republican nominee for governor since 1876.[9]

Oklahoma

During Henry Bellmon's first term (1963–1967), the Oklahoma Constitution was changed to allow its governor to serve consecutive terms. However, the rule change did not apply to Bellmon. Thus, he was not eligible to serve a second term. He later served another term, from 1987 to 1991.[50]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Dempsey took office in 1961 after his predecessor (Abraham Ribicoff) resigned. He was subsequently elected in the 1962 Connecticut gubernatorial election.
  2. ↑ Reed became governor in 1959 after his predecessor (Clinton Clauson) died. He was subsequently elected in 1960 and 1962.
  3. ↑ McNair became governor in 1965 when his predecessor (Donald S. Russell) resigned.
  4. ↑ Bo Callaway (R) won the popular vote 48.4–48.1%, but the Georgia State Assembly voted Lester Maddox (D) as the winner of the election after appeals were made.

References

  1. ↑ "AL Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  2. ↑ "AK Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  3. ↑ "AZ Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ "AR Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ "CA Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  6. ↑ "CO Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  7. ↑ "CT Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  8. ↑ "FL Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "GA Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  10. ↑ "HI Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  11. ↑ "ID Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  12. ↑ "IA Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  13. ↑ "KS Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  14. ↑ "ME Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  15. ↑ "MD Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  16. ↑ "MA Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  17. ↑ "MI Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  18. ↑ "MN Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  19. ↑ "NE Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  20. ↑ "NV Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  21. ↑ "NH Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  22. ↑ "NM Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  23. ↑ "NY Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  24. ↑ "OH Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  25. ↑ "OK Governor". Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  26. ↑ "OR Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  27. ↑ "PA Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  28. ↑ "RI Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  29. ↑ "SC Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  30. ↑ "SD Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  31. ↑ "TN Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  32. ↑ Texas Almanac, 1968-1969, book, 1967; Dallas, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth113809/: accessed February 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu
  33. ↑ "VT Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  34. ↑ "WI Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  35. ↑ "WY Governor". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Office of the Governor". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  37. ↑ "Lurleen B. Wallace (1967-68)". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  38. ↑ "AZ Governor". Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  39. ↑ "Arizona Governor John "Jack" R. Williams". Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  40. ↑ "AZ Governor". Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  41. ↑ "Az Governor". Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  42. ↑ David R. Berman (1998). Arizona Politics and Government: The Quest for Autonomy, Democracy, and Development. University of Nebraska Press. p. 112. ISBN 9780803261464. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  43. ↑ "Term limits on executive department and state officers". Archived from the original on November 14, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Office of the Governor". Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  45. ↑ "History and Timeline". Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  46. ↑ "William Haydon Burns". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  47. ↑ Bauerlein, David (September 28, 2011). "Colorful former Gov. Claude Kirk Jr. 'knew no limits'". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved November 4, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  48. ↑ "Florida's Constitutional Government". Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  49. ↑ "The Florida Constitution". Archived from the original on October 30, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Oklahoma Governor Henry Louis Bellmon". Retrieved November 9, 2013.
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