1926 Alabama gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1926 United States gubernatorial elections.

1926 Alabama gubernatorial election

←  1922 November 2, 1926 1930  →

Nominee Bibb Graves J. A. Bingham Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 93,432 21,605 Percentage 81.22% 18.78%

County results Graves:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Bingham:      50–60%

Governor before election William W. Brandon Democratic Elected Governor Bibb Graves Democratic

The 1926 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1926, in order to elect the governor of Alabama. Democratic incumbent William W. Brandon was term-limited, and could not seek a second consecutive term.

Democratic primary

At the time this election took place, Alabama, as with most other southern states, was solidly Democratic, and the Republican Party had such diminished influence that the Democratic primary was the de facto contest for state offices; after winning the Democratic primary it was a given you would win the general election.^{[ citation needed ]}

Candidates

• Archibald Hill Carmichael, former state senator
• Bibb Graves, candidate for governor in 1922
• Charles S. McDowell, lieutenant governor

Results

Until 1931, the Alabama Democratic Party used the supplementary vote (called the "second choice" system) to decide primary elections. ^[1]

1926 Alabama Democratic gubernatorial primary [2]
Party		Candidate	1st round		2nd round			1st round votesTransfer votes, 2nd round
			Total	Of round	Transfers	Total	Of round
	Democratic	Bibb Graves	61,493	27.62%	21,978	83,471	55.25%	​​
	Democratic	Charles S. McDowell	59,669	26.80%	7,943	67,612	44.75%	​​
	Democratic	Archibald Hill Carmichael	54,072	24.29%				​​
	Democratic	A. G. Patterson	47,411	21.29%				​​

Results

1926 Alabama gubernatorial election ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bibb Graves	93,432	81.22
	Republican	J. A. Bingham	21,605	18.78
Total votes			115,037	100.00
	Democratic hold

References

1. "New Primary Bill Signed". The Enterprise-Chronicle . March 5, 1931. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
2. Owen, Marie B. (1927). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1927. Montgomery, Alabama: The Wilson Printing Company. pp. 362–363. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
3. "AL Governor 1926". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 24, 2016.