| Elections in Virginia |
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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.
Godwin won the election with a plurality over Holton and Story. Story's strength mainly came at the expense of the Democrats as counties in Eastern Virginia that had been won by Democrats with sixty to seventy percent shrank to forty or fifty percent. Story ran best in the Piedmont region of the state, while Holton ran best in the traditionally Republican Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia.
Candidates
- Mills E. Godwin, Jr., Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (D)
- A. Linwood Holton, Jr., attorney from Roanoke (R)
- William J. Story, Jr., assistant superintendent of Chesapeake City Public Schools (C)
- George Lincoln Rockwell, Independent
Results
| 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% | |
| American Nazi Party | 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 | ||||
Results by county
| 1965 Virginia gubernatorial election by county or independent city[2] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills Edwin Godwin jr. Democratic |
Abner Linwood Holton jr. Republican |
William J. Story Jr. Conservative |
George Lincoln Rockwell Independent |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 2,284 | 65.67% | 892 | 25.65% | 255 | 7.33% | 47 | 1.35% | 1,392 | 40.02% | 3,478 |
| Albemarle County | 2,108 | 51.31% | 1,495 | 36.39% | 438 | 10.66% | 66 | 1.61% | 613 | 14.92% | 4,107 |
| Alleghany County | 903 | 55.67% | 583 | 35.94% | 110 | 6.78% | 26 | 1.60% | 320 | 19.73% | 1,622 |
| Amelia County | 627 | 40.14% | 156 | 9.99% | 762 | 48.78% | 17 | 1.09% | -135[a] | -8.64% | 1,562 |
| Amherst County | 1,553 | 52.01% | 629 | 21.06% | 759 | 25.42% | 45 | 1.51% | 794[a] | 26.59% | 2,986 |
| Appomattox County | 1,216 | 59.43% | 247 | 12.07% | 559 | 27.32% | 24 | 1.17% | 657[a] | 32.11% | 2,046 |
| Arlington County | 11,193 | 43.72% | 13,079 | 51.09% | 1,026 | 4.01% | 303 | 1.18% | -1,886 | -7.37% | 25,601 |
| Augusta County | 2,503 | 43.95% | 2,914 | 51.17% | 211 | 3.71% | 67 | 1.18% | -411 | -7.22% | 5,695 |
| Bath County | 411 | 57.32% | 248 | 34.59% | 51 | 7.11% | 7 | 0.98% | 163 | 22.73% | 717 |
| Bedford County | 2,053 | 45.21% | 1,513 | 33.32% | 847 | 18.65% | 128 | 2.82% | 540 | 11.89% | 4,541 |
| Bland County | 542 | 53.82% | 410 | 40.71% | 39 | 3.87% | 16 | 1.59% | 132 | 13.11% | 1,007 |
| Botetourt County | 1,143 | 42.38% | 1,367 | 50.69% | 169 | 6.27% | 18 | 0.67% | -224 | -8.31% | 2,697 |
| Brunswick County | 672 | 25.30% | 518 | 19.50% | 1,447 | 54.48% | 19 | 0.72% | -775[a] | -29.18% | 2,656 |
| Buchanan County | 2,776 | 61.46% | 1,557 | 34.47% | 56 | 1.24% | 128 | 2.83% | 1,219 | 26.99% | 4,517 |
| Buckingham County | 1,013 | 68.68% | 205 | 13.90% | 248 | 16.81% | 9 | 0.61% | 765[a] | 51.86% | 1,475 |
| Campbell County | 1,662 | 39.43% | 1,267 | 30.06% | 1,194 | 28.33% | 92 | 2.18% | 395 | 9.37% | 4,215 |
| Caroline County | 835 | 53.63% | 225 | 14.45% | 493 | 31.66% | 4 | 0.26% | 342[a] | 21.97% | 1,557 |
| Carroll County | 1,439 | 32.18% | 2,895 | 64.74% | 92 | 2.06% | 46 | 1.03% | -1,456 | -32.56% | 4,472 |
| Charles City County | 598 | 77.97% | 88 | 11.47% | 77 | 10.04% | 4 | 0.52% | 510 | 66.49% | 767 |
| Charlotte County | 661 | 37.28% | 238 | 13.42% | 851 | 48.00% | 23 | 1.30% | -190[a] | -10.72% | 1,773 |
| Chesterfield County | 4,314 | 29.40% | 4,634 | 31.59% | 5,656 | 38.55% | 67 | 0.46% | -1,022[b] | -6.97% | 14,671 |
| Clarke County | 608 | 67.56% | 255 | 28.33% | 20 | 2.22% | 17 | 1.89% | 353 | 39.22% | 900 |
| Craig County | 482 | 58.71% | 319 | 38.86% | 19 | 2.31% | 1 | 0.12% | 163 | 19.85% | 821 |
| Culpeper County | 1,454 | 68.36% | 552 | 25.95% | 80 | 3.76% | 41 | 1.93% | 902 | 42.41% | 2,127 |
| Cumberland County | 591 | 49.96% | 110 | 9.30% | 477 | 40.32% | 5 | 0.42% | 114[a] | 9.64% | 1,183 |
| Dickenson County | 1,369 | 53.08% | 1,153 | 44.71% | 21 | 0.81% | 36 | 1.40% | 216 | 8.38% | 2,579 |
| Dinwiddie County | 1,313 | 54.28% | 267 | 11.04% | 826 | 34.15% | 13 | 0.54% | 487[a] | 20.13% | 2,419 |
| Essex County | 331 | 43.32% | 142 | 18.59% | 290 | 37.96% | 1 | 0.13% | 41[a] | 5.37% | 764 |
| Fairfax County | 16,974 | 43.20% | 20,917 | 53.23% | 1,055 | 2.68% | 346 | 0.88% | -3,943 | -10.03% | 39,292 |
| Fauquier County | 1,850 | 67.64% | 809 | 29.58% | 55 | 2.01% | 21 | 0.77% | 1,041 | 38.06% | 2,735 |
| Floyd County | 623 | 32.05% | 1,261 | 64.87% | 48 | 2.47% | 12 | 0.62% | -638 | -32.82% | 1,944 |
| Fluvanna County | 441 | 46.52% | 195 | 20.57% | 300 | 31.65% | 12 | 1.27% | 141[a] | 14.87% | 948 |
| Franklin County | 2,298 | 53.13% | 1,654 | 38.24% | 283 | 6.54% | 90 | 2.08% | 644 | 14.89% | 4,325 |
| Frederick County | 1,168 | 56.32% | 827 | 39.87% | 57 | 2.75% | 22 | 1.06% | 341 | 16.44% | 2,074 |
| Giles County | 1,606 | 51.74% | 1,348 | 43.43% | 134 | 4.32% | 16 | 0.52% | 258 | 8.31% | 3,104 |
| Gloucester County | 936 | 53.95% | 485 | 27.95% | 299 | 17.23% | 15 | 0.86% | 451 | 25.99% | 1,735 |
| Goochland County | 859 | 51.19% | 251 | 14.96% | 557 | 33.19% | 11 | 0.66% | 302[a] | 18.00% | 1,678 |
| Grayson County | 2,209 | 48.49% | 2,240 | 49.17% | 81 | 1.78% | 26 | 0.57% | -31 | -0.68% | 4,556 |
| Greene County | 305 | 39.66% | 370 | 48.11% | 57 | 7.41% | 37 | 4.81% | -65 | -8.45% | 769 |
| Greensville County | 1,068 | 28.34% | 1,441 | 38.23% | 1,182 | 31.36% | 78 | 2.07% | 259[b] | 6.87% | 3,769 |
| Halifax County | 1,578 | 45.51% | 954 | 27.52% | 852 | 24.57% | 83 | 2.39% | 624 | 18.00% | 3,467 |
| Hanover County | 1,636 | 40.78% | 1,235 | 30.78% | 1,099 | 27.39% | 42 | 1.05% | 401 | 10.00% | 4,012 |
| Henrico County | 8,311 | 35.91% | 8,814 | 38.08% | 5,875 | 25.38% | 137 | 0.59% | -503 | -2.17% | 23,137 |
| Henry County | 1,879 | 53.30% | 1,229 | 34.87% | 359 | 10.18% | 58 | 1.65% | 650 | 18.44% | 3,525 |
| Highland County | 329 | 44.34% | 381 | 51.35% | 22 | 2.96% | 10 | 1.35% | -52 | -7.01% | 742 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1,592 | 63.76% | 511 | 20.46% | 382 | 15.30% | 12 | 0.48% | 1,081 | 43.29% | 2,497 |
| James City County | 607 | 49.84% | 439 | 36.04% | 151 | 12.40% | 21 | 1.72% | 168 | 13.79% | 1,218 |
| King and Queen County | 328 | 52.40% | 91 | 14.54% | 187 | 29.87% | 20 | 3.19% | 141[a] | 22.52% | 626 |
| King George County | 595 | 64.19% | 278 | 29.99% | 37 | 3.99% | 17 | 1.83% | 317 | 34.20% | 927 |
| King William County | 630 | 54.83% | 202 | 17.58% | 308 | 26.81% | 9 | 0.78% | 322[a] | 28.02% | 1,149 |
| Lancaster County | 688 | 48.66% | 450 | 31.82% | 261 | 18.46% | 15 | 1.06% | 238 | 16.83% | 1,414 |
| Lee County | 2,583 | 67.62% | 1,118 | 29.27% | 33 | 0.86% | 86 | 2.25% | 1,465 | 38.35% | 3,820 |
| Loudoun County | 1,847 | 58.41% | 1,171 | 37.03% | 87 | 2.75% | 53 | 1.68% | 676 | 21.38% | 3,158 |
| Louisa County | 890 | 49.53% | 307 | 17.08% | 572 | 31.83% | 27 | 1.50% | 318[a] | 17.70% | 1,796 |
| Lunenburg County | 993 | 40.58% | 200 | 8.17% | 1,247 | 50.96% | 7 | 0.29% | -254[a] | -10.38% | 2,447 |
| Madison County | 500 | 50.15% | 376 | 37.71% | 97 | 9.73% | 24 | 2.41% | 124 | 12.44% | 997 |
| Mathews County | 780 | 54.47% | 482 | 33.66% | 159 | 11.10% | 11 | 0.77% | 298 | 20.81% | 1,432 |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,439 | 39.03% | 663 | 17.98% | 1,549 | 42.01% | 36 | 0.98% | -110[a] | -2.98% | 3,687 |
| Middlesex County | 541 | 51.67% | 193 | 18.43% | 299 | 28.56% | 14 | 1.34% | 242[a] | 23.11% | 1,047 |
| Montgomery County | 2,196 | 38.06% | 3,263 | 56.55% | 269 | 4.66% | 42 | 0.73% | -1,067 | -18.49% | 5,770 |
| Nansemond County | 3,441 | 71.90% | 697 | 14.56% | 628 | 13.12% | 20 | 0.42% | 2,744 | 57.33% | 4,786 |
| Nelson County | 793 | 67.43% | 227 | 19.30% | 121 | 10.29% | 34 | 2.89% | 566 | 48.13% | 1,175 |
| New Kent County | 314 | 41.48% | 188 | 24.83% | 250 | 33.03% | 5 | 0.66% | 64[a] | 8.45% | 757 |
| Northampton County | 958 | 56.62% | 492 | 29.08% | 237 | 14.01% | 5 | 0.30% | 466 | 27.54% | 1,692 |
| Northumberland County | 549 | 47.86% | 394 | 34.35% | 197 | 17.18% | 7 | 0.61% | 155 | 13.51% | 1,147 |
| Nottoway County | 1,054 | 39.91% | 178 | 6.74% | 1,391 | 52.67% | 18 | 0.68% | -337[a] | -12.76% | 2,641 |
| Orange County | 892 | 54.59% | 490 | 29.99% | 228 | 13.95% | 24 | 1.47% | 402 | 24.60% | 1,634 |
| Page County | 1,992 | 45.46% | 2,250 | 51.35% | 75 | 1.71% | 65 | 1.48% | -258 | -5.89% | 4,382 |
| Patrick County | 935 | 60.17% | 550 | 35.39% | 57 | 3.67% | 12 | 0.77% | 385 | 24.77% | 1,554 |
| Pittsylvania County | 2,334 | 45.68% | 1,033 | 20.22% | 1,644 | 32.18% | 98 | 1.92% | 690[a] | 13.51% | 5,109 |
| Powhatan County | 546 | 41.74% | 125 | 9.56% | 636 | 48.62% | 1 | 0.08% | -90[a] | -6.88% | 1,308 |
| Prince Edward County | 1,085 | 42.04% | 236 | 9.14% | 1,242 | 48.12% | 18 | 0.70% | -157[a] | -6.08% | 2,581 |
| Prince George County | 1,169 | 52.26% | 490 | 21.90% | 564 | 25.21% | 14 | 0.63% | 605[a] | 27.05% | 2,237 |
| Prince William County | 2,392 | 61.43% | 1,364 | 35.03% | 81 | 2.08% | 57 | 1.46% | 1,028 | 26.40% | 3,894 |
| Pulaski County | 1,865 | 49.29% | 1,669 | 44.11% | 224 | 5.92% | 26 | 0.69% | 196 | 5.18% | 3,784 |
| Rappahannock County | 355 | 65.26% | 173 | 31.80% | 8 | 1.47% | 8 | 1.47% | 182 | 33.46% | 544 |
| Richmond County | 328 | 49.25% | 197 | 29.58% | 132 | 19.82% | 9 | 1.35% | 131 | 19.67% | 666 |
| Roanoke County | 3,470 | 31.36% | 7,032 | 63.56% | 492 | 4.45% | 70 | 0.63% | -3,562 | -32.19% | 11,064 |
| Rockbridge County | 1,206 | 43.76% | 1,309 | 47.50% | 223 | 8.09% | 18 | 0.65% | -103 | -3.74% | 2,756 |
| Rockingham County | 2,302 | 40.79% | 3,089 | 54.73% | 189 | 3.35% | 64 | 1.13% | -787 | -13.94% | 5,644 |
| Russell County | 1,797 | 45.15% | 2,064 | 51.86% | 75 | 1.88% | 44 | 1.11% | -267 | -6.71% | 3,980 |
| Scott County | 1,909 | 37.39% | 3,032 | 59.39% | 76 | 1.49% | 88 | 1.72% | -1,123 | -22.00% | 5,105 |
| Shenandoah County | 1,900 | 38.23% | 2,896 | 58.27% | 122 | 2.45% | 52 | 1.05% | -996 | -20.04% | 4,970 |
| Smyth County | 1,843 | 41.68% | 2,467 | 55.79% | 72 | 1.63% | 40 | 0.90% | -624 | -14.11% | 4,422 |
| Southampton County | 1,284 | 45.12% | 289 | 10.15% | 1,262 | 44.34% | 11 | 0.39% | 22[a] | 0.77% | 2,846 |
| Spotsylvania County | 1,326 | 60.69% | 586 | 26.82% | 169 | 7.73% | 104 | 4.76% | 740 | 33.87% | 2,185 |
| Stafford County | 1,719 | 55.98% | 1,117 | 36.37% | 97 | 3.16% | 138 | 4.49% | 602 | 19.60% | 3,071 |
| Surry County | 472 | 27.60% | 606 | 35.44% | 623 | 36.43% | 9 | 0.53% | -17[b] | -0.99% | 1,710 |
| Sussex County | 931 | 35.08% | 584 | 22.00% | 1,130 | 42.58% | 9 | 0.34% | -199[a] | -7.50% | 2,654 |
| Tazewell County | 2,736 | 54.10% | 2,153 | 42.57% | 111 | 2.19% | 57 | 1.13% | 583 | 11.53% | 5,057 |
| Warren County | 1,490 | 58.78% | 903 | 35.62% | 109 | 4.30% | 33 | 1.30% | 587 | 23.16% | 2,535 |
| Washington County | 2,642 | 48.02% | 2,772 | 50.38% | 40 | 0.73% | 48 | 0.87% | -130 | -2.36% | 5,502 |
| Westmoreland County | 509 | 53.69% | 314 | 33.12% | 108 | 11.39% | 17 | 1.79% | 195 | 20.57% | 948 |
| Wise County | 3,175 | 58.81% | 2,186 | 40.49% | 15 | 0.28% | 23 | 0.43% | 989 | 18.32% | 5,399 |
| Wythe County | 1,932 | 48.24% | 1,844 | 46.04% | 186 | 4.64% | 43 | 1.07% | 88 | 2.20% | 4,005 |
| York County | 1,435 | 46.88% | 1,289 | 42.11% | 287 | 9.38% | 50 | 1.63% | 146 | 4.77% | 3,061 |
| Alexandria City | 5,077 | 47.22% | 5,269 | 49.00% | 283 | 2.63% | 122 | 1.13% | -192 | -1.79% | 10,751 |
| Bristol City | 1,156 | 61.46% | 710 | 37.75% | 12 | 0.64% | 3 | 0.16% | 446 | 23.71% | 1,881 |
| Buena Vista City | 501 | 57.39% | 310 | 35.51% | 57 | 6.53% | 5 | 0.57% | 191 | 21.88% | 873 |
| Charlottesville City | 2,705 | 50.36% | 1,997 | 37.18% | 613 | 11.41% | 56 | 1.04% | 708 | 13.18% | 5,371 |
| Chesapeake City | 5,124 | 47.82% | 2,124 | 19.82% | 3,353 | 31.29% | 114 | 1.06% | 1,771[a] | 16.53% | 10,715 |
| Clifton Forge City | 761 | 56.25% | 483 | 35.70% | 95 | 7.02% | 14 | 1.03% | 278 | 20.55% | 1,353 |
| Colonial Heights City | 1,088 | 42.75% | 604 | 23.73% | 833 | 32.73% | 20 | 0.79% | 255[a] | 10.02% | 2,545 |
| Covington City | 1,273 | 61.44% | 669 | 32.29% | 101 | 4.87% | 29 | 1.40% | 604 | 29.15% | 2,072 |
| Danville City | 2,420 | 45.08% | 1,247 | 23.23% | 1,651 | 30.76% | 50 | 0.93% | 769[a] | 14.33% | 5,368 |
| Fairfax City | 1,006 | 49.07% | 962 | 46.93% | 67 | 3.27% | 15 | 0.73% | 44 | 2.15% | 2,050 |
| Falls Church City | 980 | 45.73% | 1,090 | 50.86% | 54 | 2.52% | 19 | 0.89% | -110 | -5.13% | 2,143 |
| Franklin City | 838 | 59.43% | 246 | 17.45% | 317 | 22.48% | 9 | 0.64% | 521[a] | 36.95% | 1,410 |
| Fredericksburg City | 1,584 | 58.86% | 962 | 35.75% | 104 | 3.86% | 41 | 1.52% | 622 | 23.11% | 2,691 |
| Galax City | 634 | 49.65% | 592 | 46.36% | 47 | 3.68% | 4 | 0.31% | 42 | 3.29% | 1,277 |
| Hampton City | 5,205 | 51.81% | 4,025 | 40.07% | 724 | 7.21% | 92 | 0.92% | 1,180 | 11.75% | 10,046 |
| Harrisonburg City | 1,122 | 46.13% | 1,245 | 51.19% | 50 | 2.06% | 15 | 0.62% | -123 | -5.06% | 2,432 |
| Hopewell City | 2,262 | 56.96% | 1,109 | 27.93% | 551 | 13.88% | 49 | 1.23% | 1,153 | 29.04% | 3,971 |
| Lynchburg City | 3,864 | 43.80% | 3,422 | 38.79% | 1,422 | 16.12% | 112 | 1.27% | 442 | 5.01% | 8,820 |
| Martinsville City | 1,581 | 52.11% | 1,168 | 38.50% | 257 | 8.47% | 28 | 0.92% | 413 | 13.61% | 3,034 |
| Newport News City | 7,264 | 56.30% | 4,405 | 34.14% | 1,059 | 8.21% | 174 | 1.35% | 2,859 | 22.16% | 12,902 |
| Norfolk City | 12,419 | 52.74% | 7,315 | 31.07% | 3,663 | 15.56% | 150 | 0.64% | 5,104 | 21.68% | 23,547 |
| Norton City | 343 | 48.79% | 355 | 50.50% | 1 | 0.14% | 4 | 0.57% | -12 | -1.71% | 703 |
| Petersburg City | 2,790 | 58.72% | 897 | 18.88% | 1,047 | 22.04% | 17 | 0.36% | 1,743[a] | 36.69% | 4,751 |
| Portsmouth City | 7,206 | 60.28% | 2,639 | 22.08% | 1,997 | 16.71% | 112 | 0.94% | 4,567 | 38.20% | 11,954 |
| Radford City | 1,307 | 47.42% | 1,335 | 48.44% | 97 | 3.52% | 17 | 0.62% | -28 | -1.02% | 2,756 |
| Richmond City | 18,032 | 55.27% | 8,798 | 26.97% | 5,613 | 17.21% | 180 | 0.55% | 9,234 | 28.31% | 32,623 |
| Roanoke City | 5,888 | 35.12% | 9,947 | 59.33% | 816 | 4.87% | 114 | 0.68% | -4,059 | -24.21% | 16,765 |
| South Boston City | 490 | 46.85% | 323 | 30.88% | 224 | 21.41% | 9 | 0.86% | 167 | 15.97% | 1,046 |
| Staunton City | 2,062 | 50.51% | 1,804 | 44.19% | 173 | 4.24% | 43 | 1.05% | 258 | 6.32% | 4,082 |
| Suffolk City | 1,453 | 71.05% | 382 | 18.68% | 204 | 9.98% | 5 | 0.24% | 1,071 | 52.37% | 2,044 |
| Virginia Beach City | 6,224 | 54.43% | 3,718 | 32.51% | 1,445 | 12.64% | 48 | 0.42% | 2,506 | 21.92% | 11,435 |
| Waynesboro City | 1,275 | 43.80% | 1,499 | 51.49% | 116 | 3.98% | 21 | 0.72% | -224 | -7.69% | 2,911 |
| Williamsburg City | 479 | 45.40% | 483 | 45.78% | 85 | 8.06% | 8 | 0.76% | -4 | -0.38% | 1,055 |
| Winchester City | 1,100 | 59.91% | 675 | 36.76% | 49 | 2.67% | 12 | 0.65% | 425 | 23.15% | 1,836 |
| Totals | 269,526 | 47.89% | 212,207 | 37.71% | 75,307 | 13.38% | 5,730 | 1.02% | 57,319 | 10.18% | 562,770 |
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae In this county or city where Holton ran third behind Godwin and Story, margin given is Godwin vote minus Story vote and percentage margin Godwin percentage minus Story percentage.
- ^ a b c In this county or city where Godwin ran third behind both Holton and Story, margin given is Holton vote minus Story vote and percentage margin Holton percentage minus Story percentage.