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 County and independent city results Stanley: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Dalton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Virginia |
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In the 1953 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor John S. Battle, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits.
For the previous five decades Virginia had almost completely disenfranchised its black and poor white populations through the use of a cumulative poll tax and literacy tests. [1] So restricted was suffrage in this period that it has been calculated that a third of Virginia's electorate during the first half of the twentieth century comprised state employees and officeholders. [1] This limited electorate allowed Virginian politics to be controlled for four decades by the Byrd Organization, as progressive "antiorganization" factions were rendered impotent by the inability of almost all their potential electorate to vote. [2] Historical fusion with the “Readjuster” Democrats, [3] defection of substantial proportions of the Northeast-aligned white electorate of the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia over free silver, [4] and an early move towards a "lily white" Jim Crow party [3] meant Republicans retained a small but permanent number of legislative seats and local offices in the western part of the state. [5]
From the 1940s the state's politics would be transformed by in-migration from the Northeast to Washington suburbs, which the preceding fall allowed the Republicans to win the state with a margin slightly exceeding their national one, and to elect three Congressmen. All this gave expectations of further GOP growth, [6] especially considering the troubles the Organization had in the previous gubernatorial primary. [7] [8] The victory in a special election of loyal Byrd machine leader William M. Tuck produced debate whether that election was merely a repeat of 1928, as argued by The Daily Press in June [9] or whether there was a major danger for the Democratic Party as suggested in April by The Evening Sun. [10] Virginia's Republicans, however, were always hopeful that the election would not repeat that of 1929. [11] After initially declining to run – with Nile Straughan of Fredericksburg the expected nominee [12] – State Senator Theodore Roosevelt Dalton was unanimously nominated by the GOP on June 21. [13]
Dalton campaigned hard throughout the fall, arguing for such reforms as updated election laws, popular election of school boards, more funds for metal health and greater emphasis upon manufacturing. [14] Dalton was widely questioned by his Byrd opponent on the poll tax issue, [15] but a poll late in September showed that his reforms were widely supported by legislative candidates according to the Virginia League of Women Voters. [16]
The campaign would intensify in the final week of September, as Stanley became increasingly critical of Dalton's proposals. [17] Later in October Senator Byrd would claim Dalton was running on a combination of failed bond plans from the neighbouring states of North Carolina and Maryland. [18]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas B. Stanley | 150,499 | 65.95% | ||
| Democratic | Charles R. Fenwick | 77,715 | 34.05% | ||
| Majority | |||||
| Turnout | 413,999 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas B. Stanley | 226,998 | 54.83% | −15.60% | |
| Republican | Theodore Roosevelt Dalton | 183,328 | 44.28% | +16.84% | |
| Independent | Howard Carwile | 3,673 | 0.89% | ||
| Majority | 43,670 | 10.55% | −32.44% | ||
| Turnout | 413,999 | +57.84% | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
| Thomas Bahnson Stanley Democratic | Theodore Roosevelt Dalton Republican | Howard Hearnes Carwile Independent | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 1,866 | 66.29% | 922 | 32.75% | 27 | 0.96% | 944 | 33.53% | 2,815 |
| Albemarle County | 1,521 | 60.50% | 983 | 39.10% | 10 | 0.40% | 538 | 21.40% | 2,514 |
| Alleghany County | 551 | 47.50% | 607 | 52.33% | 2 | 0.17% | -56 | -4.83% | 1,160 |
| Amelia County | 715 | 66.08% | 365 | 33.73% | 2 | 0.18% | 350 | 32.35% | 1,082 |
| Amherst County | 1,527 | 70.17% | 643 | 29.55% | 6 | 0.28% | 884 | 40.63% | 2,176 |
| Appomattox County | 1,377 | 84.12% | 259 | 15.82% | 1 | 0.06% | 1,118 | 68.30% | 1,637 |
| Arlington County | 8,405 | 42.23% | 10,903 | 54.78% | 595 | 2.99% | -2,498 | -12.55% | 19,903 |
| Augusta County | 1,828 | 56.86% | 1,376 | 42.80% | 11 | 0.34% | 452 | 14.06% | 3,215 |
| Bath County | 498 | 50.15% | 486 | 48.94% | 9 | 0.91% | 12 | 1.21% | 993 |
| Bedford County | 2,427 | 64.04% | 1,347 | 35.54% | 16 | 0.42% | 1,080 | 28.50% | 3,790 |
| Bland County | 751 | 46.30% | 858 | 52.90% | 13 | 0.80% | -107 | -6.60% | 1,622 |
| Botetourt County | 1,261 | 47.60% | 1,380 | 52.10% | 8 | 0.30% | -119 | -4.49% | 2,649 |
| Brunswick County | 1,595 | 83.33% | 317 | 16.56% | 2 | 0.10% | 1,278 | 66.77% | 1,914 |
| Buchanan County | 2,707 | 55.26% | 2,126 | 43.40% | 66 | 1.35% | 581 | 11.86% | 4,899 |
| Buckingham County | 864 | 73.10% | 310 | 26.23% | 8 | 0.68% | 554 | 46.87% | 1,182 |
| Campbell County | 1,950 | 66.15% | 985 | 33.41% | 13 | 0.44% | 965 | 32.73% | 2,948 |
| Caroline County | 926 | 75.59% | 289 | 23.59% | 10 | 0.82% | 637 | 52.00% | 1,225 |
| Carroll County | 1,597 | 34.71% | 2,992 | 65.03% | 12 | 0.26% | -1,395 | -30.32% | 4,601 |
| Charles City County | 538 | 80.90% | 114 | 17.14% | 13 | 1.95% | 424 | 63.76% | 665 |
| Charlotte County | 1,496 | 82.56% | 310 | 17.11% | 6 | 0.33% | 1,186 | 65.45% | 1,812 |
| Chesterfield County | 2,412 | 54.99% | 1,943 | 44.30% | 31 | 0.71% | 469 | 10.69% | 4,386 |
| Clarke County | 689 | 78.03% | 191 | 21.63% | 3 | 0.34% | 498 | 56.40% | 883 |
| Craig County | 428 | 62.76% | 251 | 36.80% | 3 | 0.44% | 177 | 25.95% | 682 |
| Culpeper County | 1,107 | 68.84% | 494 | 30.72% | 7 | 0.44% | 613 | 38.12% | 1,608 |
| Cumberland County | 580 | 69.88% | 243 | 29.28% | 7 | 0.84% | 337 | 40.60% | 830 |
| Dickenson County | 2,773 | 50.27% | 2,684 | 48.66% | 59 | 1.07% | 89 | 1.61% | 5,516 |
| Dinwiddie County | 1,302 | 83.57% | 253 | 16.24% | 3 | 0.19% | 1,049 | 67.33% | 1,558 |
| Essex County | 542 | 72.65% | 196 | 26.27% | 8 | 1.07% | 346 | 46.38% | 746 |
| Fairfax County | 5,425 | 44.37% | 6,658 | 54.45% | 144 | 1.18% | -1,233 | -10.08% | 12,227 |
| Fauquier County | 1,686 | 75.34% | 547 | 24.44% | 5 | 0.22% | 1,139 | 50.89% | 2,238 |
| Floyd County | 570 | 31.05% | 1,261 | 68.68% | 5 | 0.27% | -691 | -37.64% | 1,836 |
| Fluvanna County | 654 | 68.55% | 297 | 31.13% | 3 | 0.31% | 357 | 37.42% | 954 |
| Franklin County | 1,921 | 55.09% | 1,560 | 44.74% | 6 | 0.17% | 361 | 10.35% | 3,487 |
| Frederick County | 1,457 | 78.29% | 385 | 20.69% | 19 | 1.02% | 1,072 | 57.60% | 1,861 |
| Giles County | 1,599 | 48.43% | 1,692 | 51.24% | 11 | 0.33% | -93 | -2.82% | 3,302 |
| Gloucester County | 893 | 70.09% | 370 | 29.04% | 11 | 0.86% | 523 | 41.05% | 1,274 |
| Goochland County | 738 | 68.33% | 338 | 31.30% | 4 | 0.37% | 400 | 37.04% | 1,080 |
| Grayson County | 3,336 | 45.83% | 3,893 | 53.48% | 50 | 0.69% | -557 | -7.65% | 7,279 |
| Greene County | 230 | 51.00% | 219 | 48.56% | 2 | 0.44% | 11 | 2.44% | 451 |
| Greensville County | 1,083 | 75.42% | 336 | 23.40% | 17 | 1.18% | 747 | 52.02% | 1,436 |
| Halifax County | 2,979 | 82.70% | 608 | 16.88% | 15 | 0.42% | 2,371 | 65.82% | 3,602 |
| Hanover County | 1,373 | 56.16% | 1,052 | 43.03% | 20 | 0.82% | 321 | 13.13% | 2,445 |
| Henrico County | 4,301 | 45.44% | 5,110 | 53.98% | 55 | 0.58% | -809 | -8.55% | 9,466 |
| Henry County | 2,131 | 54.91% | 1,724 | 44.42% | 26 | 0.67% | 407 | 10.49% | 3,881 |
| Highland County | 473 | 59.42% | 321 | 40.33% | 2 | 0.25% | 152 | 19.10% | 796 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1,066 | 65.40% | 546 | 33.50% | 18 | 1.10% | 520 | 31.90% | 1,630 |
| James City County | 263 | 48.70% | 269 | 49.81% | 8 | 1.48% | -6 | -1.11% | 540 |
| King and Queen County | 326 | 72.93% | 107 | 23.94% | 14 | 3.13% | 219 | 48.99% | 447 |
| King George County | 509 | 65.34% | 257 | 32.99% | 13 | 1.67% | 252 | 32.35% | 779 |
| King William County | 557 | 69.97% | 225 | 28.27% | 14 | 1.76% | 332 | 41.71% | 796 |
| Lancaster County | 580 | 52.02% | 508 | 45.56% | 27 | 2.42% | 72 | 6.46% | 1,115 |
| Lee County | 3,167 | 45.69% | 3,587 | 51.75% | 177 | 2.55% | -420 | -6.06% | 6,931 |
| Loudoun County | 1,986 | 72.85% | 699 | 25.64% | 41 | 1.50% | 1,287 | 47.21% | 2,726 |
| Louisa County | 1,046 | 66.97% | 495 | 31.69% | 21 | 1.34% | 551 | 35.28% | 1,562 |
| Lunenburg County | 1,175 | 77.40% | 336 | 22.13% | 7 | 0.46% | 839 | 55.27% | 1,518 |
| Madison County | 578 | 61.82% | 350 | 37.43% | 7 | 0.75% | 228 | 24.39% | 935 |
| Mathews County | 517 | 55.18% | 414 | 44.18% | 6 | 0.64% | 103 | 10.99% | 937 |
| Mecklenburg County | 2,199 | 77.95% | 608 | 21.55% | 14 | 0.50% | 1,591 | 56.40% | 2,821 |
| Middlesex County | 542 | 66.75% | 267 | 32.88% | 3 | 0.37% | 275 | 33.87% | 812 |
| Montgomery County | 1,708 | 35.64% | 3,074 | 64.14% | 11 | 0.23% | -1,366 | -28.50% | 4,793 |
| Nelson County | 799 | 71.98% | 305 | 27.48% | 6 | 0.54% | 494 | 44.50% | 1,110 |
| New Kent County | 343 | 64.35% | 174 | 32.65% | 16 | 3.00% | 169 | 31.71% | 533 |
| Norfolk County | 4,442 | 57.74% | 3,207 | 41.69% | 44 | 0.57% | 1,235 | 16.05% | 7,693 |
| Northampton County | 1,295 | 79.35% | 329 | 20.16% | 8 | 0.49% | 966 | 59.19% | 1,632 |
| Northumberland County | 477 | 51.02% | 444 | 47.49% | 14 | 1.50% | 33 | 3.53% | 935 |
| Nottoway County | 1,438 | 73.59% | 503 | 25.74% | 13 | 0.67% | 935 | 47.85% | 1,954 |
| Orange County | 1,039 | 65.43% | 537 | 33.82% | 12 | 0.76% | 502 | 31.61% | 1,588 |
| Page County | 1,593 | 61.96% | 955 | 37.15% | 23 | 0.89% | 638 | 24.82% | 2,571 |
| Patrick County | 1,720 | 72.30% | 653 | 27.45% | 6 | 0.25% | 1,067 | 44.85% | 2,379 |
| Pittsylvania County | 3,784 | 73.86% | 1,317 | 25.71% | 22 | 0.43% | 2,467 | 48.16% | 5,123 |
| Powhatan County | 572 | 69.42% | 247 | 29.98% | 5 | 0.61% | 325 | 39.44% | 824 |
| Prince Edward County | 1,120 | 71.43% | 441 | 28.13% | 7 | 0.45% | 679 | 43.30% | 1,568 |
| Prince George County | 571 | 72.74% | 209 | 26.62% | 5 | 0.64% | 362 | 46.11% | 785 |
| Prince William County | 1,382 | 72.51% | 517 | 27.12% | 7 | 0.37% | 865 | 45.38% | 1,906 |
| Princess Anne County | 2,200 | 56.77% | 1,663 | 42.92% | 12 | 0.31% | 537 | 13.86% | 3,875 |
| Pulaski County | 1,620 | 41.08% | 2,316 | 58.72% | 8 | 0.20% | -696 | -17.65% | 3,944 |
| Rappahannock County | 616 | 80.10% | 153 | 19.90% | 0 | 0.00% | 463 | 60.21% | 769 |
| Richmond County | 363 | 57.80% | 260 | 41.40% | 5 | 0.80% | 103 | 16.40% | 628 |
| Roanoke County | 2,184 | 34.71% | 4,092 | 65.03% | 16 | 0.25% | -1,908 | -30.32% | 6,292 |
| Rockbridge County | 1,162 | 50.02% | 1,154 | 49.68% | 7 | 0.30% | 8 | 0.34% | 2,323 |
| Rockingham County | 2,561 | 63.87% | 1,393 | 34.74% | 56 | 1.40% | 1,168 | 29.13% | 4,010 |
| Russell County | 2,845 | 53.92% | 2,406 | 45.60% | 25 | 0.47% | 439 | 8.32% | 5,276 |
| Scott County | 1,896 | 33.70% | 3,640 | 64.70% | 90 | 1.60% | -1,744 | -31.00% | 5,626 |
| Shenandoah County | 2,079 | 48.79% | 2,160 | 50.69% | 22 | 0.52% | -81 | -1.90% | 4,261 |
| Smyth County | 2,147 | 43.50% | 2,749 | 55.69% | 40 | 0.81% | -602 | -12.20% | 4,936 |
| Southampton County | 1,431 | 71.98% | 545 | 27.41% | 12 | 0.60% | 886 | 44.57% | 1,988 |
| Spotsylvania County | 878 | 61.40% | 540 | 37.76% | 12 | 0.84% | 338 | 23.64% | 1,430 |
| Stafford County | 609 | 48.10% | 650 | 51.34% | 7 | 0.55% | -41 | -3.24% | 1,266 |
| Surry County | 596 | 81.20% | 135 | 18.39% | 3 | 0.41% | 461 | 62.81% | 734 |
| Sussex County | 1,256 | 84.24% | 222 | 14.89% | 13 | 0.87% | 1,034 | 69.35% | 1,491 |
| Tazewell County | 2,072 | 51.76% | 1,908 | 47.66% | 23 | 0.57% | 164 | 4.10% | 4,003 |
| Warren County | 1,163 | 65.04% | 614 | 34.34% | 11 | 0.62% | 549 | 30.70% | 1,788 |
| Warwick County | 1,631 | 48.15% | 1,723 | 50.87% | 33 | 0.97% | -92 | -2.72% | 3,387 |
| Washington County | 2,237 | 50.98% | 2,118 | 48.27% | 33 | 0.75% | 119 | 2.71% | 4,388 |
| Westmoreland County | 650 | 61.15% | 410 | 38.57% | 3 | 0.28% | 240 | 22.58% | 1,063 |
| Wise County | 4,876 | 62.05% | 2,928 | 37.26% | 54 | 0.69% | 1,948 | 24.79% | 7,858 |
| Wythe County | 2,586 | 43.38% | 3,350 | 56.20% | 25 | 0.42% | -764 | -12.82% | 5,961 |
| York County | 749 | 51.91% | 667 | 46.22% | 27 | 1.87% | 82 | 5.68% | 1,443 |
| Alexandria City | 4,716 | 54.19% | 3,899 | 44.81% | 87 | 1.00% | 817 | 9.39% | 8,702 |
| Bristol City | 1,129 | 64.26% | 626 | 35.63% | 2 | 0.11% | 503 | 28.63% | 1,757 |
| Buena Vista City | 406 | 57.18% | 295 | 41.55% | 9 | 1.27% | 111 | 15.63% | 710 |
| Charlottesville City | 1,971 | 53.11% | 1,731 | 46.65% | 9 | 0.24% | 240 | 6.47% | 3,711 |
| Clifton Forge City | 761 | 51.25% | 719 | 48.42% | 5 | 0.34% | 42 | 2.83% | 1,485 |
| Colonial Heights City | 714 | 68.13% | 325 | 31.01% | 9 | 0.86% | 389 | 37.12% | 1,048 |
| Covington City | 884 | 47.15% | 985 | 52.53% | 6 | 0.32% | -101 | -5.39% | 1,875 |
| Danville City | 3,570 | 69.97% | 1,484 | 29.09% | 48 | 0.94% | 2,086 | 40.89% | 5,102 |
| Falls Church City | 597 | 41.49% | 809 | 56.22% | 33 | 2.29% | -212 | -14.73% | 1,439 |
| Fredericksburg City | 1,016 | 60.87% | 646 | 38.71% | 7 | 0.42% | 370 | 22.17% | 1,669 |
| Hampton City | 2,905 | 50.42% | 2,808 | 48.73% | 49 | 0.85% | 97 | 1.68% | 5,762 |
| Harrisonburg City | 1,380 | 60.71% | 869 | 38.23% | 24 | 1.06% | 511 | 22.48% | 2,273 |
| Hopewell City | 1,130 | 56.27% | 866 | 43.13% | 12 | 0.60% | 264 | 13.15% | 2,008 |
| Lynchburg City | 3,381 | 61.07% | 2,138 | 38.62% | 17 | 0.31% | 1,243 | 22.45% | 5,536 |
| Martinsville City | 1,568 | 52.08% | 1,424 | 47.29% | 19 | 0.63% | 144 | 4.78% | 3,011 |
| Newport News City | 2,264 | 56.29% | 1,721 | 42.79% | 37 | 0.92% | 543 | 13.50% | 4,022 |
| Norfolk City | 7,181 | 46.80% | 8,075 | 52.62% | 89 | 0.58% | -894 | -5.83% | 15,345 |
| Petersburg City | 2,225 | 70.46% | 903 | 28.59% | 30 | 0.95% | 1,322 | 41.86% | 3,158 |
| Portsmouth City | 4,397 | 61.57% | 2,672 | 37.41% | 73 | 1.02% | 1,725 | 24.15% | 7,142 |
| Radford City | 736 | 27.44% | 1,939 | 72.30% | 7 | 0.26% | -1,203 | -44.85% | 2,682 |
| Richmond City | 16,409 | 54.33% | 13,278 | 43.96% | 517 | 1.71% | 3,131 | 10.37% | 30,204 |
| Roanoke City | 6,469 | 40.32% | 9,538 | 59.44% | 39 | 0.24% | -3,069 | -19.13% | 16,046 |
| South Norfolk City | 1,315 | 57.65% | 923 | 40.46% | 43 | 1.89% | 392 | 17.19% | 2,281 |
| Staunton City | 1,405 | 48.50% | 1,482 | 51.16% | 10 | 0.35% | -77 | -2.66% | 2,897 |
| Suffolk City | 1,018 | 59.53% | 681 | 39.82% | 11 | 0.64% | 337 | 19.71% | 1,710 |
| Virginia Beach City | 847 | 58.74% | 593 | 41.12% | 2 | 0.14% | 254 | 17.61% | 1,442 |
| Warwick City | 1,631 | 48.15% | 1,723 | 50.87% | 33 | 0.97% | -92 | -2.72% | 3,387 |
| Waynesboro City | 916 | 48.01% | 980 | 51.36% | 12 | 0.63% | -64 | -3.35% | 1,908 |
| Winchester City | 1,758 | 80.02% | 434 | 19.75% | 5 | 0.23% | 1,324 | 60.26% | 2,197 |
| Totals | 226,998 | 54.83% | 183,328 | 44.28% | 3,680 | 0.89% | 43,670 | 10.55% | 414,006 |
No polls were taken despite the expectations of Republican gains related to the previous year's presidential election. However, in a record gubernatorial vote [21] — though still less than two-thirds that polled at the previous year's presidential election – Stanley won comfortably by just over ten percentage points. This was nonetheless the best Republican gubernatorial performance in Virginia since 1885 when most blacks and poor whites remained enfranchised.
As of 2021, this is the last time that the city of Norfolk voted Republican for Governor.
