# 1969 Virginia gubernatorial election

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vte :
In the 1969 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr., a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. A. Linwood Holton, Jr., an attorney from Roanoke, was nominated again by the Republican Party to run against former United States Ambassador to Australia, Democratic candidate William C. Battle.
The Democrats had held the governor's mansion for 84 years since 1885, and Holton's victory was considered a historic upset at the time. This was the first election in which Republicans won a gubernatorial election in the state.
Godwin would later successfully run for reelection as a republican in 1973.

## Democratic nomination
### Candidates

* William C. Battle, former U. S. Ambassador to Australia and son of former Governor John S. Battle
* Henry Howell, State Senator from Norfolk
* Fred G. Pollard, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and former State Delegate from Richmond

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William C. Battle | 158,956 | 39.6% |
| | Democratic | Henry Howell | 154,617 | 37.0% |
| | Democratic | Fred G. Pollard | 95,057 | 23.4% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 408,630 | 100.00% |
Democratic primary runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William C. Battle | 226,108 | 51.7% |
| | Democratic | Henry Howell | 207,505 | 48.3% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 433,613 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* William C. Battle, former U. S. Ambassador to Australia and son of former Governor John S. Battle (Democratic)
* Linwood Holton, Roanoke attorney (Republican)
* Beverly McDowell (Conservative)
* William Pennington (American Independent)
* George Walker (Independent)

### Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1969 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | A. Linwood Holton, Jr. | 480,869 | 52.51% | +14.80% |
| | Democratic | William C. Battle | 415,695 | 45.39% | −2.50% |
| | Conservative | Beverly McDowell | 10,596 | 1.16% | −12.22% |
| | American Independent | William Pennington | 7,382 | 0.81% | +0.81% |
| | Independent | George Walker | 1,182 | 0.13% | |
| | Write-ins | | 317 | <0.01% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65,174 | 7.12% | −7.86% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 915,764 | | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |