Encyclopedia article about the 1966 Georgia gubernatorial election where the General Assembly chose Lester Maddox governor from among three candidates. Former governor Ellis Arnall won a plurality in the Democratic gubernatorial primary but was forced into a runoff with Lester Maddox. Maddox defeated Arnall in a major political upset. In the general election republican candidate Howard Hollis "Bo" Callaway, the first time in modern Georgia history that the Republican Party candidate was seriously considered in the election, won a plurality of votes but was prevented from winning by a write-in vote for Arnall. As a result, the overwhelmingly Democratic General Assembly chose Maddox as the next governor.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata.

If you wish to use content from the NGE site for commercial use, publication, or any purpose other than fair use as defined by law, you must request and receive written permission from the NGE. Such requests may be directed to: Permissions/NGE, University of Georgia Press, 330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602.

Cite as: "The Gubernatorial Election of 1966," New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved [date]: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org.

Forms part of the New Georgia Encyclopedia.