1968 general election

The 1968 statewide general election was held on Tuesday November 5, 1968 to determine Alabama's electors for President of the United States along with numerous state and county offices.

The 1968 election was notable for the participation of former Alabama Governor George Wallace, who resigned in May to campaign as the candidate of the American Independent Party, hoping to carry enough electoral votes to force the election into the U.S. House of Representatives, where Southern Democrats might win concessions in the party's Civil Rights platform.

Wallace ran in Alabama as the candidate of the Alabama Democratic Party, which was then not aligned with the national party. Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey appeared on state ballots as the nominee of the Alabama Independent Democratic Party instead. Ultimately Republican nominee Richard Nixon won enough electoral votes to claim an outright victory.

Overall voter turnout in the election was heavy, with 2,127,564 people, or 63.9% of the state's 3,330,802 eligible voters, casting ballots. 13,601 of those ballots did not include a choice for president. The weather was clear and mild as the state was experiencing a period of extreme drought. Few problems were reported at polling locations.

Federal offices

• President and Vice President of the United States
  • George Wallace and Curtis LeMay (Alabama Democratic Party): 691,425 votes (65.9%), winner of 10 electoral votes
  • Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie (Alabama Independent Democratic Party): 196,579 votes (18.7%)
  • Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew (Republican Party): 146,923 votes (14.0%)
  • E. Harold Munn and Rolland Fisher (Prohibition Party): 4,022 votes (0.4%)

• United States Senate
  • James Allen (D)
  • Perry Hooper Sr (R)

• United States House of Representatives for the 3rd Congressional District
  • George Andrews (Ala. Dem., incumbent) 90.8%, winner
  • Wilbur Johnston (Ala. Ind. Dem.) 8.4%
  • Ralph Price (Ind.) 0.8%

• United States House of Representatives for the 4th Congressional District
  • Bill Nichols (Ala. Dem., incumbent) 80.0%, winner
  • Robert M. Kerr (R) 11.5%
  • T. J. Clemons (Ala. Ind. Dem.) 8.5%

• United States House of Representatives for the 6th Congressional District
  • John Buchanan Jr (R, incumbent) 59.3%, winner
  • Quinton Bowers (Ala. Dem.) 29.6%
  • Thomas Wrenn (Ala. Ind. Dem.) 11.1%

• United States House of Representatives for the 7th Congressional District
  • Tom Bevill (Ala. Dem., incumbent) 76.1%, winner
  • Jodie Connell (R) 21.5%
  • James Bane (Ala. Ind. Dem.) 1.6%
  • A. V. Stone (Ala. Ind.) 0.8%

Statewide amendments

• Proposed Amendment One to limit holders of the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to no more than two consecutive 4-year terms.
  • Yes: 243,578 votes (59.3%), passed
  • No: 166,949 votes (40.7%)

• Proposed Amendment Two to authorize the Alabama State Legislature to reorganized the Jefferson County Circuit Court.
  • Yes: 175,653 votes (60.4%), passed
  • No: 115,140 votes (39.6%)

References

• State of Alabama Department of Archives and History (1971) "General Election November 5, 1968" in Alabama Official and Statistical Register 1971
• "1968 United States presidential election in Alabama." (June 27, 2024) Wikipedia - accessed July 22, 2024
• Gore, Leada (July 22, 2024) "‘Most influential loser:’ Biden, Johnson, Wallace and how an Alabamian almost changed history." AL.com