1968 United States presidential election in Mississippi

The 1968 United States presidential election in Mississippi was held on November 5, 1968. Mississippi voters chose seven electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice-President. During the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement dictated Mississippi's politics, with effectively the entire white population vehemently opposed to federal policies of racial desegregation and black voting rights.Crespino, Joseph; In Search of Another Country: Mississippi and the Conservative Counterrevolution, p. 206 Mitchell, Dennis J.; A New History of Mississippi; p. 453 In 1960, the state had been narrowly captured by a slate of unpledged Democratic electors, but in 1964 universal white opposition to the Civil Rights Act and negligible black voter registration meant that white Mississippians turned almost unanimously to Republican Barry Goldwater (apart from a small number in the northeast of the state opposed to Goldwater's strong fiscal conservatism).Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 208, 210 Goldwater's support for "constitutional government and local self-rule"Katagiri, Yasuhiro; The Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission: Civil Rights and States' Rights, p. 203 meant that the absence from the ballot of "states' rights" parties or unpledged electors was unimportant. The Arizona Senator was one of only six Republicans to vote against the Civil Rights Act,Thernstrom, Stephan and Thernstrom, Abigail; America in Black and White: One Nation, Indivisible, p. 151 and so the small electorate of Mississippi supported him almost unanimously.

Following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, federal examiners registered Mississippi blacks as voters in large numbers: African American registration rose from under seven percent to over fifty-nine percent between mid-1965 and 1968.Mickey, Robert; Paths Out of Dixie: The Democratization of Authoritarian Enclaves in America's Deep South, 1944-1972, pp. 289-290 Extreme anger ensued among white Mississippians, because black voting in significant numbers would threaten the entire social fabric of the Black BeltPhillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 253 and was even feared by the few upcountry whites who had stayed loyal to Johnson.Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 264 The anger of Mississippi's whites was seen in the 1967 Democratic gubernatorial primary, when both Black Belt whites and their traditional foes in the upcountry supported conservative John Bell Williams against William Winter, whom it was believed was favored by the newly registered black voters, although no politician in the state would yet openly court black support.Dittmer, John; Local People: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi, p. 417

In addition, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment and resultant abolition of Mississippi's poll tax had allowed large increases in both white and black voter registration,Mickey, Paths out of Dixie, p. 290 with some of these drives run by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Consequently, when segregationist former and future Alabama Governor George Wallace announced in early 1968 that he would mount a third-party candidacy for the Presidency, he had a powerful base in the Deep South. Meanwhile, the Republican Party, under new RNC Chairman Ray C. Bliss, had of necessity moved away from the strident conservatism of Goldwater.Polsky, Andrew J.; The Eisenhower Presidency: Lessons for the Twenty-First Century, p. 34

Given Wallace's reputation on racial issues, it was inevitable that he would be endorsed by Mississippi's established Democratic Party leadership, and this happened in September.Nash, Jere and Taggart, Andy; Mississippi Politics: The Struggle for Power, 1976-2008, p. 29 William Winter, the losing candidate for Governor the previous year, did support Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey, but knew that it would be too risky to actively campaign for him.Bolton, Charles C.; William F. Winter and the New Mississippi: A Biography, p. 150 By August, it was widely accepted that Wallace would carry Mississippi by a large margin,Crespino, In Search of Another Country, p. 221 as apart from a small number of wealthy urban communities he had captured a virtual monopoly of the state's white electorate. Wallace was the only candidate to campaign in the state. Nixon only received 13% of the vote, making Mississippi his worst state in the election.1968 Presidential General Election Results – Mississippi US Election Atlas Among white voters, 83% supported Wallace, 17% supported Nixon, and 0% supported Humphrey.

Predictions The following newspapers gave these predictions about how Mississippi would vote in the 1968 presidential election: SourceRankingAs ofFort Worth Star-Telegram(Flip)September 14, 1968Pensacola News Journal(Flip)September 23, 1968Daily Press(flip)October 11, 1968The Charlotte News(Flip)October 12, 1968The Record(Flip)October 21, 1968Shreveport Times(Flip)November 3, 1968The Selma Times-Journal(Flip)November 3, 1968Fort Lauderdale News(Flip)November 4, 1968

Results 1968 United States presidential election in MississippiPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes American Independent George C. Wallace 415,349 63.46% 7 Democratic Hubert Humphrey 150,644 23.02% 0 Republican Richard Nixon 88,516 13.52% 0 Totals 654,509 100.00% 7 Voter turnout (Voting age/Registered voters) 53%/84%

Results by county County George WallaceAmerican Independent Hubert HumphreyDemocratic Richard NixonRepublican Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % Adams 6,812 50.46% 5,214 38.62% 1,475 10.93% 1,598 11.84% 13,501 Alcorn 6,304 68.63% 1,122 12.21% 1,760 19.16% 4,544 49.47% 9,186 Amite 3,206 62.47% 1,533 29.87% 393 7.66% 1,673 32.60% 5,132 Attala 4,776 68.59% 1,588 22.81% 599 8.60% 3,188 45.78% 6,963 Benton 1,630 61.16% 850 31.89% 185 6.94% 780 29.27% 2,665 Bolivar 5,018 43.62% 4,696 40.82% 1,790 15.56% 322 2.80% 11,504 Calhoun 4,823 87.80% 276 5.02% 394 7.17% 4,429 80.63% 5,493 Carroll 2,131 66.72% 925 28.96% 138 4.32% 1,206 37.76% 3,194 Chickasaw 4,062 78.68% 720 13.95% 381 7.38% 3,342 64.73% 5,163 Choctaw 2,543 80.20% 417 13.15% 211 6.65% 2,126 67.05% 3,171 Claiborne 1,143 32.64% 2,129 60.79% 230 6.57% -986 -28.15% 3,502 Clarke 4,214 78.18% 878 16.29% 298 5.53% 3,336 61.89% 5,390 Clay 3,505 63.62% 1,510 27.41% 494 8.97% 1,995 36.21% 5,509 Coahoma 3,671 33.69% 5,352 49.11% 1,875 17.20% -1,681 -15.42% 10,898 Copiah 4,951 59.09% 2,724 32.51% 704 8.40% 2,227 26.58% 8,379 Covington 3,668 76.35% 691 14.38% 445 9.26% 2,977 61.97% 4,804 DeSoto 5,346 64.13% 1,898 22.77% 1,092 13.10% 3,448 41.36% 8,336 Forrest 9,975 61.48% 2,957 18.22% 3,294 20.30% 6,681 41.18% 16,226 Franklin 2,429 70.57% 782 22.72% 231 6.71% 1,647 47.85% 3,442 George 3,992 91.20% 214 4.89% 171 3.91% 3,778 86.31% 4,377 Greene 2,744 82.53% 449 13.50% 132 3.97% 2,295 69.03% 3,325 Grenada 4,335 61.03% 2,050 28.86% 718 10.11% 2,285 32.17% 7,103 Hancock 4,072 67.41% 904 14.96% 1,065 17.63% 3,007 49.78% 6,041 Harrison 18,157 62.08% 4,549 15.55% 6,542 22.37% 11,615 39.71% 29,248 Hinds 32,366 53.29% 14,880 24.50% 13,488 22.21% 17,486 28.79% 60,734 Holmes 3,008 40.60% 3,881 52.38% 520 7.02% -873 -11.78% 7,409 Humphreys 2,151 59.29% 1,219 33.60% 258 7.11% 932 25.69% 3,628 Issaquena 534 48.33% 527 47.69% 44 3.98% 7 0.64% 1,105 Itawamba 5,204 84.07% 417 6.74% 569 9.19% 4,635 74.88% 6,190 Jackson 15,261 74.67% 2,236 10.94% 2,942 14.39% 12,319 60.28% 20,439 Jasper 3,100 69.51% 987 22.13% 373 8.36% 2,113 47.38% 4,460 Jefferson 1,112 32.90% 2,121 62.75% 147 4.35% -1,009 -29.85% 3,380 Jefferson Davis 2,614 59.73% 1,465 33.48% 297 6.79% 1,149 26.25% 4,376 Jones 12,276 68.22% 2,476 13.76% 3,242 18.02% 9,034 50.20% 17,994 Kemper 2,530 75.48% 655 19.54% 167 4.98% 1,875 55.94% 3,352 Lafayette 3,329 54.20% 1,578 25.69% 1,235 20.11% 1,751 28.51% 6,142 Lamar 4,422 83.14% 351 6.60% 546 10.27% 3,876 72.87% 5,319 Lauderdale 14,842 72.88% 3,195 15.69% 2,328 11.43% 11,647 57.19% 20,365 Lawrence 2,825 72.55% 740 19.00% 329 8.45% 2,085 53.55% 3,894 Leake 4,568 72.32% 1,295 20.50% 453 7.17% 3,273 51.82% 6,316 Lee 9,232 67.55% 1,912 13.99% 2,522 18.45% 6,710 49.10% 13,666 Leflore 5,732 49.28% 4,386 37.71% 1,514 13.02% 1,346 11.57% 11,632 Lincoln 7,276 73.36% 1,585 15.98% 1,057 10.66% 5,691 57.38% 9,918 Lowndes 6,829 61.94% 2,229 20.22% 1,968 17.85% 4,600 41.72% 11,026 Madison 4,071 43.02% 4,515 47.72% 876 9.26% -444 -4.70% 9,462 Marion 5,848 70.18% 1,722 20.66% 763 9.16% 4,126 49.52% 8,333 Marshall 2,794 44.50% 2,907 46.30% 577 9.19% -113 -1.80% 6,278 Monroe 7,856 74.61% 1,506 14.30% 1,167 11.08% 6,350 60.31% 10,529 Montgomery 2,988 68.55% 896 20.56% 475 10.90% 2,092 47.99% 4,359 Neshoba 6,417 82.11% 867 11.09% 531 6.79% 5,550 71.02% 7,815 Newton 5,561 80.57% 799 11.58% 542 7.85% 4,762 68.99% 6,902 Noxubee 2,040 55.75% 1,387 37.91% 232 6.34% 653 17.84% 3,659 Oktibbeha 4,127 57.09% 1,826 25.26% 1,276 17.65% 2,301 31.83% 7,229 Panola 4,133 51.83% 2,743 34.40% 1,098 13.77% 1,390 17.43% 7,974 Pearl River 6,050 73.12% 926 11.19% 1,298 15.69% 4,752 57.43% 8,274 Perry 2,541 79.23% 439 13.69% 227 7.08% 2,102 65.54% 3,207 Pike 5,846 57.57% 2,848 28.05% 1,460 14.38% 2,998 29.52% 10,154 Pontotoc 4,798 78.27% 599 9.77% 733 11.96% 4,065 66.31% 6,130 Prentiss 5,055 81.30% 440 7.08% 723 11.63% 4,332 69.67% 6,218 Quitman 2,443 55.79% 1,502 34.30% 434 9.91% 941 21.49% 4,379 Rankin 9,224 74.85% 1,975 16.03% 1,124 9.12% 7,249 58.82% 12,323 Scott 5,093 75.30% 1,067 15.77% 604 8.93% 4,026 59.53% 6,764 Sharkey 1,188 49.32% 972 40.35% 249 10.34% 216 8.97% 2,409 Simpson 5,064 72.16% 1,079 15.37% 875 12.47% 3,985 56.79% 7,018 Smith 4,367 84.70% 352 6.83% 437 8.48% 3,930 76.22% 5,156 Stone 2,140 78.91% 314 11.58% 258 9.51% 1,826 67.33% 2,712 Sunflower 3,932 51.94% 2,602 34.37% 1,036 13.69% 1,330 17.57% 7,570 Tallahatchie 3,076 59.96% 1,477 28.79% 577 11.25% 1,599 31.17% 5,130 Tate 2,810 61.39% 1,162 25.39% 605 13.22% 1,648 36.00% 4,577 Tippah 4,627 78.70% 663 11.28% 589 10.02% 3,964 67.42% 5,879 Tishomingo 4,569 82.41% 358 6.46% 617 11.13% 3,952 71.28% 5,544 Tunica 783 33.62% 1,133 48.65% 413 17.73% -350 -15.03% 2,329 Union 5,198 76.78% 624 9.22% 948 14.00% 4,250 62.78% 6,770 Walthall 3,186 66.29% 1,233 25.66% 387 8.05% 1,953 40.63% 4,806 Warren 7,217 51.14% 4,503 31.91% 2,392 16.95% 2,714 19.23% 14,112 Washington 6,300 41.12% 5,520 36.03% 3,500 22.85% 780 5.09% 15,320 Wayne 4,089 80.57% 739 14.56% 247 4.87% 3,350 66.01% 5,075 Webster 3,398 84.46% 295 7.33% 330 8.20% 3,068 76.26% 4,023 Wilkinson 1,503 38.35% 2,144 54.71% 272 6.94% -641 -16.36% 3,919 Winston 4,635 76.56% 911 15.05% 508 8.39% 3,724 61.51% 6,054 Yalobusha 2,725 65.50% 873 20.99% 562 13.51% 1,852 44.51% 4,160 Yazoo 4,939 61.28% 2,163 26.84% 958 11.89% 2,776 34.44% 8,060Totals415,34963.46%150,64423.02%88,51613.52%264,70540.44%654,509

Counties that flipped from Republican to American Independent

Adams Bolivar Carroll Coahoma Covington Choctaw Clarke Desoto Forrest Franklin Grenada George Greene Hancock Humphreys Harrison Hinds Jackson Jones Lamar Lauderdale Marshall Lawrence Lincoln Lowndes Marion Neshoba Noxubee Newton Oktibbeha Quitman Sharkey Pearl River Perry Stone Tunica Wilkinson Wayne Webster Alcorn Amite Attala Benton Calhoun Chickasaw Clarke Clay Copiah Issaquena Itawamba Jasper Jefferson Davis Kemper Lafayette Leake Lee Leflore Madison Monroe Montgomery Panola Pike Pontotoc Prentiss Rankin Scott Simpson Smith Sunflower Tallahatchie Tate Tippah Tishomingo Union Walthall Washington Yalobusha Winston Warren Yazoo

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Coahoma Madison Marshall Tunica Claiborne Jefferson

By congressional district Wallace won all 5 congressional districts, all of which were held by Democrats.1972 Almanac of American Politics (1972) by Michael Barone, Grant Ujifusa and Douglas Matthews Wallace would win every congressional district in Mississippi which also happened in Alabama.