1978 United States Senate special election in Alabama
← 1974 November 7, 1978 1980 →
 
Nominee Donald W. Stewart James D. Martin
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 401,852 316,170
Percentage 54.93% 43.22%
County results
Stewart:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Martin:      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election

Maryon Pittman Allen
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Donald W. Stewart
Democratic

Democratic primary first round results by county
  Pittman Allen
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Stewart
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Taylor
  •   60–70%
  •   40–50%
  Wiley
  •   40–50%
Democratic primary runoff results by county
  Stewart
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Pittman Allen
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
Republican primary results by county
  Nichols
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  •   >90%
  McCary
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   80–90%
  •   >90%
  No Vote
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The 1978 United States Senate special election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1978. It was a special election to fill the seat which had been held by Senator Jim Allen, who died on June 1. His widow Maryon was appointed on June 8 by governor George Wallace to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held.[1]

Democratic state senator Donald W. Stewart defeated Allen in the Democratic primary then defeated former Republican Congressman James D. Martin to serve the remaining two years of the term.

Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 5, 1978, with the Democratic runoff held on September 26, 1978.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Primary election results[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maryon Pittman Allen (incumbent) 334,156 44.51%
Democratic Donald W. Stewart 259,795 34.61%
Democratic Ted Taylor 70,894 9.44%
Democratic Dan Wiley 66,689 8.88%
Democratic Gene Myracle 19,166 2.55%
Total votes 750,700 100.00%
Primary runoff election results[5][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Donald W. Stewart 502,346 57.20%
Democratic Maryon Pittman Allen (incumbent) 375,894 42.80%
Total votes 878,240 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Primary election results[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George W. Nichols 15,637 72.47%
Republican Elvin McCary 5,941 27.53%
Total votes 21,578 100.00%

Withdrew

Nichols withdrew from the race in order that James D. Martin, former U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district, who had been nominated to run in the concurrent regular Senate election, could switch races.[10]

General election

Results

United States Senate special election in Alabama, 1978[11][12][13][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Donald W. Stewart 401,852 54.93%
Republican James D. Martin 316,170 43.22%
Libertarian Michael R. A. Erdey 6,006 0.82%
Prohibition A. J. Killingsworth 5,814 0.80%
Peace and Freedom Joseph T. Robino 1,768 0.24%
Majority 85,682 11.74%
Turnout 731,610
Democratic hold

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ^ "Maryon Pittman Allen", Women in Congress (website), Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, archived from the original on January 1, 2012, retrieved March 3, 2012
  2. ^ "Myracle to file". Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. June 15, 1978. p. 35. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "Who is Ted Taylor?". The Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. July 27, 1978. p. 18. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  4. ^ "Wiley: Mrs. Allen okay after all". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. September 16, 1978. p. 8. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 104.
  6. ^ "AL US Senate – Special D Primary, 1978". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "AL US Senate – Special D Primary Runoff, 1978". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  8. ^ "Former Democrats McCary, Nichols vie for GOP nomination to Sen. Allen's seat". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. August 27, 1978. p. 14. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  9. ^ "AL US Senate – Special R Primary, 1978". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  10. ^ "Martin to switch to Stewart race?". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. October 2, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  11. ^ "AL US Senate - Special Election, 1978". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  12. ^ Scammon, Richard M.; McGillivray, Alice V.., eds. (November 30, 1979). America Votes 13: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1978. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. (published 1979). p. 37. ISBN 9780871871831.
  13. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 81.
  14. ^ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1979). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
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