# 1972 United States presidential election in Alabama

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The 1972 United States presidential election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent President Richard Nixon won Alabama, winning 72.43% of the vote to George McGovern's 25.54%. As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last election in which Dallas County, Hale County, Russell County, and Perry County in the Black Belt voted for the Republican candidate, and stands as the strongest ever performance by a Republican presidential candidate in the state.
83% of white voters supported Nixon while 14% supported McGovern. Nixon would also be the first presidential candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 to win both Alabama and the election. Alabama and Tennessee were the only states where McGovern won any county that voted for George Wallace in 1968.

## Results

1972 United States presidential election in Alabama :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Richard Nixon (inc.) | 728,701 | 72.43% | +58.44% |
| | Democratic | George McGovern | 219,108 | 21.73% | +21.73% |
| | National Democratic (Ala.) | George McGovern | 36,560 | 3.62% | −15.10% |
| | American Independent | John G. Schmitz | 11,355 | 1.13% | −65.87% |
| | Prohibition | E. Harold Munn | 7,872 | 0.79% | +0.43% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,006,093 | 100% | |

### Results by presidential elector

General election results :
| Party | Party | Pledged to | Elector | Votes |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Bentley Owens | 728,701 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Jerry Crabtree | 728,209 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Owen Leach | 727,271 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | B. Ray Holland | 727,098 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Bert Nettles | 727,034 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Jeff Sessions, Jr. | 726,434 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Ann Smith Bedsole | 726,374 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Ruth S. Sullivan | 723,075 |
| | Republican Party | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | Doug Hale | 723,043 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Albert Raines | 219,108 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Carl Elliott | 217,576 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Ryan deGraffenried | 216,410 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Lucius Amerson | 212,078 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Barret Sheldon, Sr. | 212,023 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | J. E. Brantley | 211,562 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Leola Williams | 211,220 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Barney Weeks | 211,158 |
| | Democratic Party | George McGovern | Ray Hartwell | 210,895 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | J. H. Davis | 38,324 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | J. W. Flowers | 37,815 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Wadine V. Williams | 36,560 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Freddie C. Rogers | 36,230 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Jo Crawford | 36,210 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Charlie Burgess | 36,061 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | John Hulett | 35,941 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Alex Hurder | 35,498 |
| | National Democratic Party of Alabama | George McGovern | Yvonne Gannon | 33,823 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | June Carter | 11,918 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | Cloyd V. Smith | 11,674 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | Margaret Tyson Badham | 11,621 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | S. L. Ledbetter | 11,510 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | William G. Mori | 11,355 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | T. F. Randolph | 11,298 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | Ronnie Helms | 11,183 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | Michaels S. "Mike" Vaugh | 11,101 |
| | American Independent Party | John G. Schmitz | H. Radue | 10,832 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | W. C. Bentley | 8,551 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Geraldine Hughes | 8,524 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Pres Waldrop | 8,451 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Thomas E. Lee | 8,375 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Nannie Myrtle Pegues | 8,322 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Clara Miller | 8,315 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Lois Butterworth | 8,060 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Robert Argo | 7,946 |
| | Prohibition Party | E. Harold Munn | Ira Pegues | 7,872 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,006,602 |

### Results by county

| County | Richard Nixon Republican | Richard Nixon Republican | George McGovern Democratic | George McGovern Democratic | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Autauga | 5,367 | 75.17% | 1,593 | 22.31% | 180 | 2.52% | 3,774 | 52.86% | 7,140 |
| Baldwin | 15,104 | 82.20% | 2,923 | 15.91% | 348 | 1.89% | 12,181 | 66.29% | 18,375 |
| Barbour | 4,985 | 70.92% | 1,846 | 26.26% | 198 | 2.82% | 3,139 | 44.66% | 7,029 |
| Bibb | 3,332 | 78.44% | 837 | 19.70% | 79 | 1.86% | 2,495 | 58.74% | 4,248 |
| Blount | 6,486 | 79.36% | 1,582 | 19.36% | 105 | 1.28% | 4,904 | 60.00% | 8,173 |
| Bullock | 2,178 | 47.44% | 2,321 | 50.56% | 92 | 2.00% | -143 | -3.12% | 4,591 |
| Butler | 4,685 | 76.45% | 1,401 | 22.86% | 42 | 0.69% | 3,284 | 53.59% | 6,128 |
| Calhoun | 20,364 | 76.93% | 5,832 | 22.03% | 275 | 1.04% | 14,532 | 54.90% | 26,471 |
| Chambers | 8,716 | 79.21% | 2,076 | 18.87% | 211 | 1.92% | 6,640 | 60.34% | 11,003 |
| Cherokee | 3,179 | 71.89% | 1,182 | 26.73% | 61 | 1.38% | 1,997 | 45.16% | 4,422 |
| Chilton | 7,349 | 82.88% | 1,356 | 15.29% | 162 | 1.83% | 5,993 | 67.59% | 8,867 |
| Choctaw | 3,055 | 60.74% | 1,934 | 38.45% | 41 | 0.82% | 1,121 | 22.29% | 5,030 |
| Clarke | 5,256 | 70.89% | 2,031 | 27.39% | 127 | 1.71% | 3,225 | 43.50% | 7,414 |
| Clay | 3,948 | 88.24% | 507 | 11.33% | 19 | 0.42% | 3,441 | 76.91% | 4,474 |
| Cleburne | 3,420 | 85.20% | 581 | 14.47% | 13 | 0.32% | 2,839 | 70.73% | 4,014 |
| Coffee | 9,076 | 80.06% | 2,160 | 19.05% | 100 | 0.88% | 6,916 | 61.01% | 11,336 |
| Colbert | 11,215 | 67.71% | 4,811 | 29.04% | 538 | 3.25% | 6,404 | 38.67% | 16,564 |
| Conecuh | 3,214 | 74.81% | 1,042 | 24.26% | 40 | 0.93% | 2,172 | 50.55% | 4,296 |
| Coosa | 2,672 | 77.20% | 773 | 22.33% | 16 | 0.46% | 1,899 | 54.87% | 3,461 |
| Covington | 9,278 | 85.27% | 1,547 | 14.22% | 56 | 0.51% | 7,731 | 71.05% | 10,881 |
| Crenshaw | 3,129 | 72.87% | 1,085 | 25.27% | 80 | 1.86% | 2,044 | 47.60% | 4,294 |
| Cullman | 14,390 | 79.54% | 3,571 | 19.74% | 130 | 0.72% | 10,819 | 59.80% | 18,091 |
| Dale | 8,346 | 83.14% | 1,594 | 15.88% | 98 | 0.98% | 6,752 | 67.26% | 10,038 |
| Dallas | 8,644 | 60.53% | 5,427 | 38.00% | 209 | 1.46% | 3,217 | 22.53% | 14,280 |
| DeKalb | 9,434 | 71.27% | 3,759 | 28.40% | 44 | 0.33% | 5,675 | 42.87% | 13,237 |
| Elmore | 8,461 | 79.90% | 1,891 | 17.86% | 238 | 2.25% | 6,570 | 62.04% | 10,590 |
| Escambia | 7,883 | 82.19% | 1,598 | 16.66% | 110 | 1.15% | 6,285 | 65.53% | 9,591 |
| Etowah | 20,851 | 72.95% | 7,372 | 25.79% | 358 | 1.25% | 13,479 | 47.16% | 28,581 |
| Fayette | 4,240 | 83.53% | 836 | 16.47% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,404 | 67.06% | 5,076 |
| Franklin | 5,877 | 75.23% | 1,840 | 23.55% | 95 | 1.22% | 4,037 | 51.68% | 7,812 |
| Geneva | 5,851 | 84.33% | 1,049 | 15.12% | 38 | 0.55% | 4,802 | 69.21% | 6,938 |
| Greene | 1,404 | 29.65% | 3,235 | 68.32% | 96 | 2.03% | -1,831 | -38.67% | 4,735 |
| Hale | 2,859 | 59.22% | 1,779 | 36.85% | 190 | 3.94% | 1,080 | 22.37% | 4,828 |
| Henry | 3,414 | 79.56% | 853 | 19.88% | 24 | 0.56% | 2,561 | 59.68% | 4,291 |
| Houston | 12,622 | 83.46% | 2,358 | 15.59% | 144 | 0.95% | 10,264 | 67.87% | 15,124 |
| Jackson | 6,202 | 65.91% | 2,985 | 31.72% | 223 | 2.37% | 3,217 | 34.19% | 9,410 |
| Jefferson | 135,095 | 68.05% | 57,288 | 28.86% | 6,145 | 3.10% | 77,807 | 39.19% | 198,528 |
| Lamar | 3,283 | 80.56% | 766 | 18.80% | 26 | 0.64% | 2,517 | 61.76% | 4,075 |
| Lauderdale | 14,410 | 71.66% | 5,112 | 25.42% | 586 | 2.91% | 9,298 | 46.24% | 20,108 |
| Lawrence | 4,433 | 75.61% | 1,416 | 24.15% | 14 | 0.24% | 3,017 | 51.46% | 5,863 |
| Lee | 11,571 | 74.94% | 3,622 | 23.46% | 248 | 1.61% | 7,949 | 51.48% | 15,441 |
| Limestone | 6,188 | 73.21% | 2,079 | 24.60% | 185 | 2.19% | 4,109 | 48.61% | 8,452 |
| Lowndes | 1,990 | 42.69% | 2,559 | 54.90% | 112 | 2.40% | -569 | -12.21% | 4,661 |
| Macon | 1,931 | 33.04% | 3,636 | 62.21% | 278 | 4.76% | -1,705 | -29.17% | 5,845 |
| Madison | 38,899 | 73.42% | 13,108 | 24.74% | 977 | 1.84% | 25,791 | 48.68% | 52,984 |
| Marengo | 5,156 | 65.05% | 2,645 | 33.37% | 125 | 1.58% | 2,511 | 31.68% | 7,926 |
| Marion | 5,927 | 85.38% | 986 | 14.20% | 29 | 0.42% | 4,941 | 71.18% | 6,942 |
| Marshall | 12,090 | 74.45% | 3,894 | 23.98% | 254 | 1.56% | 8,196 | 50.47% | 16,238 |
| Mobile | 62,639 | 73.15% | 20,694 | 24.17% | 2,301 | 2.69% | 41,945 | 48.98% | 85,634 |
| Monroe | 5,155 | 74.82% | 1,636 | 23.74% | 99 | 1.44% | 3,519 | 51.08% | 6,890 |
| Montgomery | 35,353 | 71.86% | 12,723 | 25.86% | 1,121 | 2.28% | 22,630 | 46.00% | 49,197 |
| Morgan | 18,100 | 76.85% | 5,004 | 21.25% | 449 | 1.91% | 13,096 | 55.60% | 23,553 |
| Perry | 2,800 | 49.13% | 2,718 | 47.69% | 181 | 3.18% | 82 | 1.44% | 5,699 |
| Pickens | 4,071 | 67.33% | 1,933 | 31.97% | 42 | 0.69% | 2,138 | 35.36% | 6,046 |
| Pike | 5,690 | 76.66% | 1,624 | 21.88% | 108 | 1.46% | 4,066 | 54.78% | 7,422 |
| Randolph | 4,427 | 75.14% | 1,330 | 22.57% | 135 | 2.29% | 3,097 | 52.57% | 5,892 |
| Russell | 6,034 | 66.73% | 2,644 | 29.24% | 365 | 4.04% | 3,390 | 37.49% | 9,043 |
| St. Clair | 6,952 | 79.82% | 1,538 | 17.66% | 220 | 2.53% | 5,414 | 62.16% | 8,710 |
| Shelby | 9,390 | 81.24% | 1,859 | 16.08% | 309 | 2.67% | 7,531 | 65.16% | 11,558 |
| Sumter | 2,686 | 49.19% | 2,737 | 50.12% | 38 | 0.70% | -51 | -0.93% | 5,461 |
| Talladega | 12,763 | 73.12% | 4,567 | 26.16% | 125 | 0.72% | 8,196 | 46.96% | 17,455 |
| Tallapoosa | 8,535 | 78.71% | 2,113 | 19.49% | 195 | 1.80% | 6,422 | 59.22% | 10,843 |
| Tuscaloosa | 21,172 | 70.15% | 8,272 | 27.41% | 735 | 2.44% | 12,900 | 42.74% | 30,179 |
| Walker | 14,581 | 78.79% | 3,724 | 20.12% | 202 | 1.09% | 10,857 | 58.67% | 18,507 |
| Washington | 3,282 | 74.73% | 1,096 | 24.95% | 14 | 0.32% | 2,186 | 49.78% | 4,392 |
| Wilcox | 2,641 | 44.42% | 3,254 | 54.74% | 50 | 0.84% | -613 | -10.32% | 5,945 |
| Winston | 4,971 | 86.14% | 779 | 13.50% | 21 | 0.36% | 4,192 | 72.64% | 5,771 |
| Totals | 728,701 | 72.43% | 256,923 | 25.54% | 20,469 | 2.03% | 471,778 | 46.89% | 1,006,093 |

#### Counties that flipped from American Independent to Republican

* Autauga
* Baldwin
* Barbour
* Bibb
* Blount
* Butler
* Calhoun
* Chambers
* Cherokee
* Chilton
* Choctaw
* Clarke
* Clay
* Cleburne
* Coffee
* Colbert
* Conecuh
* Coosa
* Covington
* Crenshaw
* Cullman
* Dale
* Dallas
* DeKalb
* Elmore
* Escambia
* Etowah
* Fayette
* Franklin
* Geneva
* Hale
* Henry
* Houston
* Jefferson
* Lee
* Jackson
* Lauderdale
* Lawrence
* Limestone
* Madison
* Marengo
* Marion
* Marshall
* Monroe
* Morgan
* Mobile
* Montgomery
* Shelby
* Perry
* Pickens
* Pike
* Randolph
* Russell
* St. Clair
* Talladega
* Tallapoosa
* Tuscaloosa
* Walker
* Washington
* Winston

#### Counties that flipped from American Independent to Democratic

* Bullock
* Lowndes
* Wilcox