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| Turnout | 62.7% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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 County and independent city results Dalton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Howell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Virginia |
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In the 1977 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr., a Republican, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. John N. Dalton, the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, was nominated by the Republican Party to run against the Democratic nominee, former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Henry Howell.[2]
This was the only instance in Virginia's history in which the Republican Party won the gubernatorial election for a third time consecutively.
As of 2023[update], this was the most recent Virginia gubernatorial election in which a Republican won Richmond, Arlington County and the city of Falls Church, as well as the most recent one in which both major party candidates are now deceased.[original research?]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John N. Dalton | 699,302 | 55.90% | +5.19% | |
| Democratic | Henry Howell | 541,319 | 43.27% | -5.99% | |
| Independent | Alan Ogden | 10,101 | 0.81% | ||
| Write-ins | 218 | 0.02% | |||
| Majority | 157,983 | 12.63% | +11.18% | ||
| Turnout | 1,250,940 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
