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1974 Georgia gubernatorial election

← 1970 November 5, 1974 1978 →

Nominee George Busbee Ronnie Thompson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 646,777 289,113 Percentage 69.1% 30.9%

County results Busbee:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Thompson:      50–60%

Governor before election Jimmy Carter Democratic Elected Governor George Busbee Democratic

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The 1974 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974. Under Georgia's constitution at the time, incumbent Democratic governor Jimmy Carter was ineligible to serve a second consecutive term. He was elected President of the United States in the 1976 presidential election. George Busbee was elected as the 77th Governor of Georgia.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

Nominee

• George Busbee, state representative

Eliminated in runoff

• Lester Maddox, lieutenant governor (1971–1975) and former governor (1967–1971)

Eliminated in primary

• David H. Gambrell, former U.S. senator from Georgia (1971–1972)
• Bud Herrin
• Thomas J. Irwin
• Harry C. Jackson, former state senator (1961–1973)
• Bert Lance, businessman
• B. J. Parker
• Robert A. Rowan, state senator (1963–1975)
• George T. Smith, former lieutenant governor (1967–1971)
• Jennings Thompson
• Ronnie Thompson, Mayor of Macon, Georgia (1967–1975)

Democratic primary election results

Democratic runoff results

Republican nomination

Candidates

Nominee

• Ronnie Thompson, Mayor of Macon, Georgia (1967–1975)

Eliminated in runoff

• Harold Dye, army veteran

Eliminated in primary

• W. M. "Bill" Coolidge
• Harry Geisinger, state representative (1969–1975)
• George Lankford

Republican primary election results

Republican runoff results

General election results

In a year marred for the Republicans by Richard Nixon's resignation just three months earlier, alongside the continued domination of Georgia by the Democratic Party and Thompson's dividing of the GOP (a move which inspired many prominent figures in the Georgia party to refrain from openly supporting him), Busbee was elected in a landslide. Douglas and Clayton County were the only two counties where Thompson won the most votes. Two years later, a revision of the Georgia Constitution was done that included a rule to allow a Governor to be elected to a second consecutive term. Subsequently, Busbee ran for Governor again four years later. Zell Miller was elected as lieutenant governor, serving for 16 years. As of 2022, this is the last time that Clayton County voted for the Republican candidate for governor.

References

1. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Primary Race - Aug 13, 1974". Our Campaigns.
2. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Runoff Race - Sep 03, 1974". Our Campaigns.
3. "Our%20Campaigns%20-%20GA%20Governor%20-%20R%20Primary%20Race%20-%20Aug%2013,%201974". Our Campaigns.
4. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - R Runoff Race - Sep 03, 1974". Our Campaigns.
5. 1974 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Georgia
6. "1974 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Georgia".

• Georgia (U.S. state) gubernatorial elections
• 1974 United States gubernatorial elections
• 1974 Georgia (U.S. state) elections
• November 1974 events in the United States
• August 1974 events in the United States
• September 1974 events in the United States