For related races, see 1965 United States gubernatorial elections.
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In the 1965 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Albertis Harrison, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Linwood Holton, an attorney from Roanoke, was nominated by the Republican Party to run against Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Mills Godwin.

George Lincoln Rockwell, an avowed White Supremacist and founder/leader of the American Nazi Party, ran as an independent candidate.

Candidates

Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1965[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mills E. Godwin Jr. 296,526 47.89% -15.96%
Republican A. Linwood Holton Jr. 212,207 37.71% +1.56%
Conservative Party of Virginia (1965) William J. Story Jr. 75,307 13.38% +13.38%
Independent George Lincoln Rockwell 5,730 1.02%
Write-ins 19 <0.01%
Majority 84,319 14.98% -12.73%
Turnout 562,789
Democratic hold Swing

Godwin won the election with a plurality over Holton and Story. Story's strength mainly came at the expense of the Democrats as counties that had been won by Democrats with 60-70% shrank to 40-50% in Eastern Virginia. Story ran best in the Piedmont region of the state, while Holton ran best near the Appalachian counties in the state.

County/City Mills E. Godwin, Jr Linwood Holton William J. Story George L. Rockwell Total Votes Cast
Votes Percent Votes Percent Votes Percent Votes Percent
ACCOMACK COUNTY 2,284 65.7% 892 25.6% 255 7.3% 47 1.4% 3,478
ALBEMARLE COUNTY 2,108 51.3% 1,495 36.4% 438 10.7% 66 1.6% 4,108
ALEXANDRIA CITY 5,077 47.2% 5,269 49.0% 283 2.6% 122 1.1% 10,752
ALLEGHANY COUNTY 903 55.7% 583 35.9% 110 6.8% 26 1.6% 1,622
AMELIA COUNTY 627 2.8% 156 16.2% 762 79.2% 17 1.8% 1,562
AMHERST COUNTY 1,553 52.2% 629 21.0% 759 25.3% 45 1.5% 2,986
APPOMATTOX COUNTY 1,216 59.4% 247 12.1% 559 27.3% 24 1.2% 2,046
ARLINGTON COUNTY 11,193 36.0% 13,079 58.1% 1,026 3.3% 303 2.6% 25,601
AUGUSTA COUNTY 2,503 44.0% 2,914 51.2% 211 3.7% 67 1.2% 5,695
BATH COUNTY 411 57.3% 248 34.6% 51 7.1% 7 1.0% 717
BEDFORD COUNTY 2,053 45.2% 1,513 33.3% 847 18.7% 128 2.8% 4,541
BLAND COUNTY 542 53.8% 410 40.7% 39 3.9% 16 1.6% 1,007
BOTETOURT COUNTY 1,143 35.8% 1,367 58.4% 169 5.3% 18 0.6% 2,697
BRISTOL CITY 1,156 61.5% 710 37.7% 12 0.6% 3 0.2% 1,881
BRUNSWICK COUNTY 672 25.3% 518 19.5% 1,447 54.5% 19 0.7% 2,656
BUCHANAN COUNTY 2,776 61.5% 1,557 34.5% 56 1.2% 128 2.8% 4,517
BUCKINGHAM COUNTY 1,013 68.8% 205 13.9% 248 16.8% 9 0.6% 1,475
BUENA VISTA CITY 501 36.5% 310 59.0% 57 4.2% 5 0.4% 873
CAMPBELL COUNTY 1,662 39.4% 1,267 30.1% 1,194 28.3% 92 2.2% 4,215
CAROLINE COUNTY 835 53.6% 225 14.5% 493 31.7% 4 0.3% 1,557
CARROLL COUNTY 1,439 32.2% 2,895 64.7% 92 2.1% 46 1.0% 4,472
CHARLES CITY COUNTY 598 78.0% 88 11.5% 77 10.0% 4 0.5% 767
CHARLOTTE COUNTY 661 37.3% 238 13.4% 851 48.0% 23 1.3% 1,773
CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY 2,705 50.3% 1,997 37.1% 613 11.4% 56 1.2% 5,371
CHESAPEAKE CITY 5,124 47.8% 2,124 19.8% 3,353 31.3% 114 1.1% 10,715
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY 4,314 29.4% 4,634 31.6% 5,656 38.6% 67 0.5% 14,671
CLARKE COUNTY 608 67.6% 255 28.3% 20 2.2% 17 1.9% 900
CLIFTON FORGE CITY 761 56.2% 483 35.7% 95 7.0% 14 1.0% 1,353
COLONIAL HEIGHTS CITY 1,088 42.8% 604 23.7% 833 32.7% 20 0.8% 2,545
COVINGTON CITY 1,273 61.4% 669 32.3% 101 4.9% 29 1.4% 2,072
CRAIG COUNTY 482 58.7% 319 38.9% 19 2.3% 1 0.1% 821
CULPEPER COUNTY 1,454 68.4% 552 26.0% 80 3.8% 41 1.9% 2,127
CUMBERLAND COUNTY 591 50.0% 110 9.3% 477 40.3% 5 0.4% 1,183
DANVILLE CITY 2,420 45.1% 1,247 23.2% 1,651 30.8% 50 0.9% 5,368
DICKENSON COUNTY 1,369 53.1% 1,153 44.7% 21 0.8% 36 1.4% 2,579
DINWIDDIE COUNTY 1,313 54.3% 267 11.0% 826 34.0% 13 0.7% 2,419
ESSEX COUNTY 331 43.3% 142 18.6% 290 38.0% 1 0.1% 764
FAIRFAX COUNTY 16,974 42.7% 20,917 52.6% 1,055 2.7% 346 2.1% 39,293
FAIRFAX CITY 1,006 49.1% 962 46.9% 67 3.3% 15 0.7% 2,050
FALLS CHURCH CITY 980 45.7% 1,090 50.9% 54 2.5% 19 0.9% 2,143
FAUQUIER COUNTY 1,850 67.6% 809 29.6% 55 2.0% 21 0.8% 2,735
FLOYD COUNTY 623 32.0% 1,261 64.9% 48 2.5% 12 0.6% 1,944
FLUVANNA COUNTY 441 46.5% 195 20.6% 300 31.6% 12 1.3% 948
FRANKLIN COUNTY 2,298 53.1% 1,654 38.2% 283 6.5% 90 2.1% 4,325
FRANKLIN CITY 838 59.4% 246 17.4% 317 22.5% 9 0.6% 1,410
FREDERICK COUNTY 1,168 56.3% 827 39.9% 57 2.7% 22 1.1% 2,074
FREDERICKSBURG CITY 1,584 58.9% 962 35.7% 104 3.9% 41 1.5% 2,691
GALAX CITY 634 49.6% 592 46.4% 47 3.7% 4 0.3% 1,277
GILES COUNTY 1,606 44.6% 1,348 51.3% 134 3.7% 16 0.4% 3,104
GLOUCESTER COUNTY 936 53.9% 485 28.0% 299 17.2% 15 0.9% 1,735
GOOCHLAND COUNTY 859 51.2% 251 15.0% 557 33.2% 11 0.7% 1,678
GRAYSON COUNTY 2,209 48.5% 2,240 49.2% 81 1.8% 26 0.6% 4,556
GREENE COUNTY 305 39.7% 370 48.1% 57 7.4% 37 4.8% 769
GREENSVILLE COUNTY 1,068 28.3% 1,441 38.2% 1,182 31.4% 78 2.1% 3,769
HALIFAX COUNTY 1,578 45.5% 954 27.5% 852 24.6% 83 2.4% 3,467
HAMPTON CITY 5,205 51.8% 4,025 40.1% 724 7.2% 92 0.9% 10,046
HANOVER COUNTY 1,636 40.8% 1,235 30.8% 1,099 27.4% 42 1.0% 4,012
HARRISONBURG CITY 1,122 46.1% 1,245 51.2% 50 2.1% 15 0.7% 2,432
HENRICO COUNTY 8,311 35.9% 8,814 38.1% 5,875 25.4% 137 0.6% 23,144
HENRY COUNTY 1,879 53.3% 1,229 34.9% 359 10.2% 58 1.6% 3,525
HIGHLAND COUNTY 329 44.3% 381 51.3% 22 3.0% 10 1.3% 742
HOPEWELL CITY 2,262 55.6% 1,109 27.2% 551 16.0% 49 1.2% 3,971
ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY 1,592 63.8% 511 20.5% 382 15.3% 12 0.5% 2,497
JAMES CITY COUNTY 607 49.4% 439 35.7% 151 13.1% 21 1.7% 1,218
KING AND QUEEN COUNTY 328 52.4% 91 14.5% 187 29.9% 20 3.2% 626
KING GEORGE COUNTY 595 64.2% 278 30.0% 37 4.0% 17 1.8% 927
KING WILLIAM COUNTY 630 55.3% 202 17.7% 308 27.0% 9 0.0% 1,149
LANCASTER COUNTY 688 48.7% 450 31.8% 261 18.5% 15 1.1% 1,414
LEE COUNTY 2,583 67.5% 1,118 29.2% 33 1.0% 86 2.2% 3,820
LOUDOUN COUNTY 1,847 58.4% 1,171 37.0% 87 2.8% 53 1.7% 3,162
LOUISA COUNTY 890 46.9% 307 16.2% 572 35.4% 27 1.4% 1,797
LUNENBURG COUNTY 993 40.6% 200 8.2% 1,247 51.0% 7 0.3% 2,447
LYNCHBURG CITY 3,864 64.1% 3,422 24.8% 1,422 10.3% 112 0.8% 8,821
MADISON COUNTY 500 50.2% 376 37.7% 97 9.7% 24 2.4% 997
MARTINSVILLE CITY 1,581 51.9% 1,168 38.4% 257 8.8% 28 0.9% 3,034
MATHEWS COUNTY 780 54.5% 482 33.7% 159 11.1% 11 0.8% 1,432
MECKLENBURG COUNTY 1,439 39.0% 663 18.0% 1,549 42.0% 36 1.0% 3,687
MIDDLESEX COUNTY 541 51.7% 193 18.4% 299 28.6% 14 1.3% 1,047
MONTGOMERY COUNTY 2,196 38.1% 3,263 56.6% 269 4.7% 42 0.7% 5,770
NANSEMOND COUNTY 3,441 71.9% 697 14.6% 628 13.1% 20 0.4% 4,786
NELSON COUNTY 793 64.7% 227 18.5% 121 9.9% 34 6.9% 1,176
NEW KENT COUNTY 314 41.5% 188 24.8% 250 33.0% 5 0.7% 757
NEWPORT NEWS CITY 7,264 56.3% 4,405 34.1% 1,059 8.3% 174 1.3% 12,902
NORFOLK CITY 12,419 51.6% 7,315 32.5% 3,663 15.2% 150 0.6% 23,547
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY 958 56.6% 492 29.1% 237 14.0% 5 0.3% 1,692
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY 549 47.9% 394 34.4% 197 17.2% 7 0.6% 1,147
NORTON CITY 343 48.8% 355 50.5% 1 0.1% 4 0.6% 703
NOTTOWAY COUNTY 1,054 33.6% 178 5.7% 1,391 60.2% 18 0.6% 2,641
ORANGE COUNTY 892 54.6% 490 30.0% 228 14.0% 24 1.5% 1,634
PAGE COUNTY 1,992 45.5% 2,250 51.3% 75 1.7% 65 1.5% 4,382
PATRICK COUNTY 935 60.2% 550 35.4% 57 3.7% 12 0.8% 1,554
PETERSBURG CITY 2,790 58.7% 897 18.9% 1,047 22.0% 17 0.4% 4,751
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY 2,334 45.2% 1,033 21.0% 1,644 31.9% 98 1.9% 5,109
PORTSMOUTH CITY 7,206 60.3% 2,639 22.1% 1,997 16.7% 112 0.9% 11,954
POWHATAN COUNTY 546 41.7% 125 9.6% 636 48.6% 1 0.1% 1,308
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY 1,085 42.0% 236 9.1% 1,242 48.1% 18 0.7% 2,581
PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY 1,169 52.3% 490 21.9% 564 25.2% 14 0.6% 2,237
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY 2,392 61.4% 1,364 35.0% 81 2.1% 57 1.5% 3,894
PULASKI COUNTY 1,865 49.3% 1,669 44.1% 224 5.9% 26 0.7% 3,784
RADFORD CITY 1,307 47.4% 1,335 48.4% 97 3.5% 17 0.6% 2,756
RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY 355 65.3% 173 31.8% 8 1.5% 8 1.5% 544
RICHMOND COUNTY 328 49.2% 197 29.6% 132 19.8% 9 1.4% 666
RICHMOND CITY 18,032 55.3% 8,798 27.0% 5,613 17.2% 180 0.6% 32,623
ROANOKE COUNTY 3,470 31.4% 7,032 63.6% 492 4.4% 70 0.6% 11,064
ROANOKE CITY 5,888 35.1% 9,947 59.3% 816 4.9% 114 0.7% 16,766
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY 1,206 43.8% 1,309 47.5% 223 8.1% 18 0.7% 2,756
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY 2,302 40.8% 3,089 54.7% 189 3.3% 64 1.1% 5,644
RUSSELL COUNTY 1,797 45.2% 2,064 51.9% 75 1.9% 44 1.1% 3,980
SCOTT COUNTY 1,909 37.4% 3,032 59.4% 76 1.5% 88 1.7% 5,105
SHENANDOAH COUNTY 1,900 38.2% 2,896 58.3% 122 2.5% 52 1.0% 4,970
SMYTH COUNTY 1,843 41.7% 2,467 55.8% 72 1.6% 40 0.9% 4,422
S. BOSTON CITY 490 31.7% 323 53.2% 224 14.5% 9 0.6% 1,046
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY 1,284 45.1% 289 10.2% 1,262 44.3% 11 0.4% 2,846
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1,326 58.0% 586 30.0% 169 7.4% 104 4.6% 2,185
STAFFORD COUNTY 1,719 55.1% 1,117 35.8% 97 3.1% 138 6.0% 3,071
STAUNTON CITY 2,062 50.5% 1,804 44.2% 173 4.2% 43 1.1% 4,082
SUFFOLK CITY 1,453 71.1% 382 18.7% 204 10.0% 5 0.2% 2,045
SURRY COUNTY 472 27.6% 606 35.4% 623 36.4% 9 0.5% 1,710
SUSSEX COUNTY 931 35.1% 584 22.0% 1,130 42.6% 9 0.3% 2,654
TAZEWELL COUNTY 2,736 54.0% 2,153 42.5% 111 2.2% 57 1.3% 5,057
VIRGINIA BEACH CITY 6,224 37.9% 3,718 53.0% 1,445 8.8% 48 0.3% 11,435
WARREN COUNTY 1,490 58.8% 903 35.6% 109 4.3% 33 1.3% 2,535
WASHINGTON COUNTY 2,642 48.0% 2,772 50.4% 40 0.7% 48 0.9% 5,502
WAYNESBORO CITY 1,275 43.8% 1,499 51.5% 116 4.0% 21 0.7% 2,911
WESTMORELAND COUNTY 509 53.7% 314 33.1% 108 11.4% 17 1.8% 948
WILLIAMSBURG CITY 479 45.4% 483 45.8% 85 8.1% 8 0.8% 1,055
WINCHESTER CITY 1,100 59.9% 675 36.8% 49 2.7% 12 0.7% 1,836
WISE COUNTY 3,175 78.6% 2,186 21.0% 15 0.1% 23 0.2% 5,399
WYTHE COUNTY 1,932 48.2% 1,844 46.0% 186 4.6% 43 1.1% 4,005
YORK COUNTY 1,435 46.9% 1,289 42.1% 287 9.4% 50 1.6% 3,061
TOTALS 269,526 47.5% 212,207 38.3% 75,307 13.0% 5,730 1.2% 562,789

References

  1. ^ Jack R. Hunter, http://scholarship.richmond.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1350&context=masters-theses