United States gubernatorial elections were held on 5 November 1968, in 21 states and one territory, concurrent with the

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

, Senate elections and

presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...

. These were the last gubernatorial elections for

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

to take place in a presidential election year, as all would extend their governors' terms from two to four years.

Arizona

Jack Richard Williams John Richard Williams (October 29, 1909 – August 24, 1998) was an American radio announcer and politician. After gaining public recognition throughout Arizona because of his work in radio, he went on to become a two-term mayor of Phoenix, Ari ...

won re-election against

Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr. Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr. (August 8, 1919February 1, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 12th governor of Arizona from 1965 until 1967. He remained active in politics following his term in office, serving on the Democratic Nati ...

, in a "rematch" election, in which Goddard was trying to get his old job back. This was basically a repeat of the 1966 Arizona governor's race, with Williams winning.

Arkansas

Winthrop Rockefeller Winthrop Rockefeller (May 1, 1912 – February 22, 1973) was an American politician and philanthropist. Rockefeller was the fourth son and fifth child of American financer John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. He is one of the g ...

had already made his mark in 1966, when he was elected as the first Republican governor since 1872 and having the black vote to boot, not to mention challenging the Faubus empire two years before in 1964. Getting re-elected in 1968 was good, but things for Rockefeller went downhill from there.

Delaware

Terry not wanting to take the National Guard out of the black communities in Wilmington played a factor in his defeat, not to mention that Peterson had made it. Peterson would go on to be a legend in Delaware politics in a short time, mainly for his "green" politics.

Illinois

Samuel H. Shapiro was governor temporarily after

Otto Kerner Jr. Otto Kerner Jr. (August 15, 1908 – May 9, 1976) was an American jurist and politician who served as the 33rd governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968 and a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ...

resigned in order to accept appointment to the federal appellate court. Shapiro lost the race to get his own full term. Kerner, would become famous for two things: being the head of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, aka the Kerner Commission, and going to jail over various charges stemming from being a stockholder in a racetrack business.

Indiana

Indiana changed its laws so that governors could have two back-to-back four-year terms beginning in November 1972. Thus, Branigin was not eligible for a second term.

Iowa

Harold Hughes Harold Everett Hughes (February 10, 1922 – October 23, 1996) was the 36th Governor of Iowa from 1963 until 1969, and a United States senator from Iowa from 1969 until 1975. He began his political career as a Republican but changed his affil ...

resigned on January 1, 1969, to run for United States Senate. Robert D. Fulton would serve as governor from January 1 to January 16, 1969, when the new Governor, Robert D. Ray took office. Ray would go on to a political career, while Hughes, inspired by his own battles with alcoholism, made drug/alcohol abuse his focus in the Senate, and later left politics to open an alcoholism treatment center and to do religious work.

Kansas

George Docking George Docking (February 23, 1904 – January 20, 1964) was an American businessman who served as the 35th governor of Kansas (1957–1961). He was a member of the Democratic Party. Biography Born in Clay Center, Kansas, Docking was educated i ...

won re-election. Ultimately, he would set a record by winning four two-year terms. Kansas governors served two-year terms until 1974, when a constitutional amendment was added, creating a four-year term system.

Missouri

In Missouri, during

Warren Hearnes Warren Eastman Hearnes (July 24, 1923 – August 16, 2009) was an American politician who served as the 46th governor of Missouri from 1965 to 1973. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first officeholder eligible to serve two consecutiv ...

' term, the laws were changed so that governors were allowed two back-to-back four-year terms. Thus, by 1968, Hearnes was eligible for another term.

Montana

Tim Babcock Timothy Milford Babcock (October 27, 1919 – April 7, 2015) was an American politician, the 16th Governor of the state of Montana, from 1962 to 1969. Early life Babcock was born in Littlefork, Minnesota, the son of Olive (Rinehart) and Er ...

became governor in January 1962 after his predecessor, Governor Donald Nutter, was killed in a plane crash. Babcock won a full term in the 1964 gubernatorial election.

New Hampshire

King might have run for another term had the 1968 presidential election not gotten in his way. He was an avid President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

supporter, and a "hawk" on Vietnam. So, when Senator

Eugene McCarthy Eugene Joseph McCarthy (March 29, 1916December 10, 2005) was an American politician, writer, and academic from Minnesota. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the United States Senate from 1959 to 1971. ...

dropped into New Hampshire, King didn't hold back, but his attacks didn't work. President Johnson dropped out of the presidential race, and Vice President

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...

joined the race as a result and asked King to run for the Senate. King did, but lost to Republican

Norris Cotton Norris Henry Cotton (May 11, 1900 – February 24, 1989) was an American politician from the state of New Hampshire. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Representative and subsequently as a U.S. Senator. Early life Cotton was ...

New Mexico

David Cargo David Francis Cargo (January 13, 1929 – July 5, 2013) was an American attorney and politician who served as the List of governors of New Mexico, 22nd governor of New Mexico between 1967 and 1971. Early life and education Cargo was born in ...

was re-elected in 1968. Being term-limited in 1970 (see 1970 United States gubernatorial elections), he tried running for other offices, but "Lonesome Dave" never won again.

North Carolina

In North Carolina, governors were not allowed two consecutive terms until 1977.

North Dakota

Governors served two-year terms until 1964, when a constitutional amendment changed it to a four-year term.

West Virginia

In 1970, during Arch Moore’s term, an amendment to the West Virginia constitution allowed governors to serve two consecutive terms. Thus,

Hulett Smith Hulett Carlson Smith (October 21, 1918 – January 15, 2012) was an American politician who served as the 27th Governor of West Virginia from 1965 to 1969. Biography The son of West Virginia Congressman Joe L. Smith, Hulett C. Smith was born in ...

was not eligible for a second term.

Races

References

{{USGovElections November 1968 events in the United States