1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina

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1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina
Flag of North Carolina (1885-1991).svg
  1972 November 2, 1976 1980  
  Jimmy Carter 1977 cropped.jpg Gerald Ford presidential portrait (cropped 2).jpg
Nominee Jimmy Carter Gerald Ford
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Georgia Michigan
Running mate Walter Mondale Bob Dole
Electoral vote130
Popular vote927,365741,960
Percentage55.27%44.22%

North Carolina Presidential Election Results 1976.svg
1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina results map by congressional district.svg

President before election

Gerald R. Ford
Republican

Elected President

Jimmy Carter
Democratic

The 1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 2, 1976, and was part of the 1976 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

51% of white voters supported Ford while 48% supported Carter. [1] [2] As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last time a Democrat won North Carolina with a majority of the vote, and the last time that North Carolina would vote Democratic in a presidential election until 2008. This is also the last time a Democrat has won Gaston County, Onslow County, Polk County, Johnston County, Iredell County, Alamance County, Rowan County, Craven County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Lincoln County, Surry County, Rutherford County, Carteret County, Stanly County, Beaufort County, Stokes County, McDowell County, Alexander County, Dare County, Macon County, Transylvania County, Cherokee County, Ashe County, Clay County, and Graham County. [3]

Primary Elections

Democratic primary

Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter scored a decisive victory over Alabama Gov. George Wallace in the North Carolina Democratic presidential primary on March 23, 1976, with approximately 53% of the vote to Wallace's 35%. Sen. Scoop Jackson trailed far behind, with approximately 4%. [4] The North Carolina primary was the first in which Carter won an absolute majority and helped seal his ultimate nomination. [5] Wallace, who had won the North Carolina primary in 1972, was all but eliminated from the race by his defeat. [6]

Republican primary

Former California Governor Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent President Ford in the North Carolina Republican presidential primary on March 23, 1976, with approximately 52% of the vote. It was Reagan's first primary victory of 1976, and came about with key support from North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms. Reagan's win prolonged the contest for the Republican nomination and paved the way for him to be elected president in 1980. Reagan would go on to narrowly win the state in 1980. [7]

Campaign

Predictions

SourceRatingAs of
The Atlanta Constitution [8] Safe DSeptember 13, 1976
Simpson’s Leader-Times [9] Tilt DOctober 18, 1976
The Chapel Hill News [10] TossupOctober 24, 1976
Sun Herald [11] Tilt DOctober 25, 1976
Kansas City Times [12] TossupOctober 26, 1976
Daily News [13] Lean DOctober 27, 1976
Austin American-Statesman [14] Lean DOctober 31, 1976

Results

1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina [15]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Democratic Jimmy Carter 927,36555.23%13
Republican Gerald Ford (incumbent)741,96044.19%0
American Thomas Anderson 5,6070.33%0
Libertarian Roger MacBride 2,2190.13%0
Write-in Eugene McCarthy 8550.01%0
US Labor Lyndon LaRouche 7550.04%0
Write-ins1690.01%0
Write-in Ronald Reagan 870.01%0
Totals1,677,906100.0%13
Voter turnout54.52%

Results by county

1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina by county [16]
County James Earl Carter
Democratic
Gerald Rudolph Ford
Republican
Thomas Jefferson Anderson
American
Roger Lea MacBride
Libertarian
Various candidates
Other parties
Margin
 %# %# %# %# %# %#
Robeson 80.53%20,69519.09%4,9070.21%540.04%90.13%3461.43%15,788
Northampton 80.22%5,11819.40%1,2380.28%180.03%20.06%460.82%3,880
Bladen 79.18%6,00920.37%1,5460.34%260.08%60.03%258.81%4,463
Columbus 77.41%11,14822.11%3,1840.35%510.06%90.06%955.30%7,964
Hoke 77.27%3,18622.31%9200.19%80.15%60.07%354.96%2,266
Gates 75.66%2,29123.84%7220.13%40.23%70.13%451.82%1,569
Richmond 75.38%8,79324.41%2,8480.15%170.05%60.01%150.96%5,945
Bertie 75.27%4,11724.35%1,3320.24%130.07%40.07%450.91%2,785
Anson 74.65%4,79625.03%1,6080.14%90.06%40.12%849.62%3,188
Hertford 72.33%3,98627.53%1,5170.04%20.04%20.07%444.80%2,469
Martin 69.74%4,51829.81%1,9310.32%210.06%40.06%439.94%2,587
Scotland 69.32%4,43030.23%1,9320.25%160.05%30.16%1039.09%2,498
Tyrrell 68.97%90030.88%4030.15%20.00%00.00%038.08%497
Warren 68.72%3,18530.79%1,4270.32%150.09%40.09%437.93%1,758
Camden 68.05%1,23131.07%5620.88%160.00%00.00%036.98%669
Pender 67.64%4,42231.55%2,0630.60%390.09%60.12%836.08%2,359
Jones 66.95%2,01631.48%9481.36%410.10%30.10%335.47%1,068
Caswell 67.54%3,70732.08%1,7610.35%190.04%20.00%035.45%1,946
Currituck 67.26%1,99932.10%9540.47%140.03%10.13%435.16%1,045
Franklin 66.75%5,40532.48%2,6300.54%440.17%140.05%434.27%2,775
Brunswick 66.66%7,37732.86%3,6360.33%360.14%150.02%233.81%3,741
Greene 66.41%2,74032.86%1,3560.34%140.22%90.17%733.54%1,384
Pamlico 65.85%2,11333.28%1,0680.59%190.19%60.09%332.56%1,045
Duplin 65.81%7,69633.45%3,9120.56%660.10%120.07%832.36%3,784
Washington 65.08%2,84034.05%1,4860.66%290.07%30.14%631.03%1,354
Perquimans 64.55%1,66635.22%9090.12%30.08%20.04%129.33%757
Chowan 64.43%1,86235.26%1,0190.24%70.03%10.03%129.17%843
Haywood 64.20%10,69235.33%5,8850.28%470.11%190.07%1228.86%4,807
Cleveland 63.73%14,40635.86%8,1060.24%550.07%160.10%2227.87%6,300
Granville 63.56%5,24435.81%2,9550.41%340.11%90.11%927.74%2,289
Hyde 63.10%1,08436.26%6230.41%70.12%20.12%226.83%461
Union 62.79%10,57836.71%6,1840.30%500.11%180.10%1726.08%4,394
Cumberland 62.79%24,29736.77%14,2260.22%870.14%540.08%3026.03%10,071
Orange 62.28%15,75536.77%9,3020.22%550.39%990.34%8625.51%6,453
Alleghany 62.21%2,55037.37%1,5320.24%100.07%30.10%424.84%1,018
Edgecombe 61.69%8,00137.39%4,8500.78%1010.07%90.07%924.29%3,151
Pasquotank 61.49%4,30237.89%2,6510.50%350.09%60.03%223.60%1,651
Rutherford 60.51%10,36139.23%6,7180.17%290.06%100.04%621.27%3,643
Harnett 59.99%8,99239.60%5,9350.26%390.07%100.08%1220.40%3,057
Montgomery 59.72%4,30839.81%2,8720.25%180.08%60.14%1019.91%1,436
Halifax 59.54%7,89239.66%5,2570.62%820.09%120.08%1119.88%2,635
Chatham 59.62%6,39739.88%4,2790.21%230.21%230.07%819.74%2,118
Jackson 59.37%5,22340.19%3,5360.16%140.11%100.17%1519.17%1,687
Vance 59.40%5,62040.30%3,8130.20%190.07%70.02%219.10%1,807
Yancey 59.13%3,93240.42%2,6880.29%190.11%70.06%418.71%1,244
Rockingham 58.64%13,41340.93%9,3620.29%670.08%180.05%1217.71%4,051
Lincoln 58.36%9,46241.21%6,6820.30%480.09%150.04%717.15%2,780
Burke 58.32%14,25441.20%10,0700.27%660.12%300.08%2017.12%4,184
Madison 58.23%3,43341.49%2,4460.10%60.03%20.15%916.74%987
McDowell 58.10%6,24641.40%4,4500.34%370.06%60.10%1116.71%1,796
Lee 57.78%5,10441.78%3,6910.22%190.15%130.08%716.00%1,413
Alamance 57.43%17,37141.92%12,6800.46%1380.13%380.07%2015.51%4,691
Surry 57.31%10,02442.33%7,4030.26%460.09%150.01%214.99%2,621
Swain 57.04%2,15142.64%1,6080.19%70.08%30.05%214.40%543
Onslow 56.90%7,95442.59%5,9530.27%380.12%170.11%1614.32%2,001
Person 56.52%3,97743.17%3,0380.21%150.01%10.09%613.34%939
Dare 56.31%2,19143.18%1,6800.31%120.15%60.05%213.13%511
Craven 55.75%7,55343.41%5,8810.52%700.21%280.12%1612.34%1,672
Sampson 55.77%8,86943.82%6,9680.18%280.14%230.09%1411.95%1,901
Beaufort 54.72%5,72844.68%4,6770.44%460.11%110.05%510.04%1,051
Carteret 54.72%7,08044.72%5,7860.42%540.13%170.02%210.00%1,294
Pitt 54.61%11,63644.73%9,5320.31%660.18%390.17%369.87%2,104
Johnston 54.56%10,30145.08%8,5110.23%440.09%170.04%89.48%1,790
Polk 54.28%3,15544.82%2,6050.83%480.07%40.00%09.46%550
Wilson 54.41%8,20945.04%6,7950.41%620.08%120.06%99.37%1,414
Caldwell 54.37%11,89445.13%9,8720.24%520.15%330.11%249.24%2,022
Macon 54.22%4,40345.23%3,6730.31%250.12%100.11%98.99%730
Buncombe 53.88%26,63345.44%22,4610.36%1770.17%840.15%738.44%4,172
Durham 53.93%22,42545.56%18,9450.22%900.14%580.16%668.37%3,480
Gaston 53.48%22,87846.12%19,7270.21%900.12%510.07%307.37%3,151
Iredell 52.88%13,29546.03%11,5730.87%2180.10%250.12%316.85%1,722
Alexander 53.00%5,28746.73%4,6610.20%200.06%60.01%16.28%626
Transylvania 52.71%4,63646.49%4,0890.53%470.17%150.09%86.22%547
Cherokee 52.14%3,57146.87%3,2100.88%600.06%40.06%45.27%361
Graham 52.31%1,79147.34%1,6210.23%80.03%10.09%34.96%170
Stokes 52.29%6,64747.43%6,0290.23%290.01%10.04%54.86%618
Clay 52.09%1,56947.41%1,4280.46%140.03%10.00%04.68%141
New Hanover 50.89%14,50448.02%13,6870.73%2080.20%580.16%452.87%817
Nash 50.73%8,93748.12%8,4771.00%1760.11%190.04%72.61%460
Ashe 51.14%5,19348.62%4,9370.19%190.01%10.05%52.52%256
Rowan 50.79%15,36348.41%14,6440.60%1830.08%250.11%332.38%719
Stanly 50.92%9,26248.63%8,8450.34%610.07%120.05%102.29%417
Guilford 50.44%46,82648.94%45,4410.30%2740.17%1570.16%1461.49%1,385
Mecklenburg 50.34%63,19849.16%61,7150.17%2110.17%2100.17%2151.18%1,483
Forsyth 50.13%39,56149.27%38,8860.27%2110.15%1210.18%1450.86%675
Wake 49.47%44,00549.80%44,2910.20%1820.31%2800.21%188-0.32%-286
Watauga 49.46%5,35849.85%5,4000.35%380.16%170.18%20-0.39%-42
Lenoir 49.41%7,65049.83%7,7150.56%870.12%190.08%13-0.42%-65
Moore 49.06%7,37350.41%7,5770.28%420.16%240.09%14-1.36%-204
Cabarrus 48.89%12,04950.54%12,4550.34%850.13%310.10%24-1.65%-406
Wayne 48.76%9,26550.56%9,6070.54%1030.05%90.09%17-1.80%-342
Davidson 48.45%17,85951.03%18,8130.36%1320.12%430.04%16-2.59%-954
Catawba 47.21%16,86252.34%18,6960.28%1010.10%360.06%23-5.13%-1,834
Randolph 46.72%12,71452.69%14,3370.39%1070.12%340.07%20-5.96%-1,623
Wilkes 46.19%10,17653.41%11,7680.25%550.06%140.09%19-7.23%-1,592
Davie 42.95%3,63556.39%4,7720.52%440.08%70.06%5-13.43%-1,137
Yadkin 42.95%4,49756.50%5,9160.46%480.05%50.05%5-13.55%-1,419
Henderson 42.57%8,15556.54%10,8300.66%1270.14%270.09%17-13.96%-2,675
Avery 37.42%1,86961.76%3,0850.50%250.10%50.22%11-24.34%-1,216
Mitchell 35.13%2,03164.49%3,7280.24%140.05%30.09%5-29.35%-1,697

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References

  1. Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  2. Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  3. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  4. "Elections". geocities.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  5. Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter
  6. CQ Almanac
  7. "How Jesse Helms Made the Reagan Revolution Possible". North Carolina History Project.
  8. Joyce, Faye S. (September 13, 1976). "Southerners Favour Carter, Poll Shows". The Atlanta Constitution . p. 2-A.
  9. "Strategists Think Carter Gaining in North Carolina". Simpson’s Leader-Times. Kittanning, Pennsylvania. October 18, 1976. p. 9.
  10. "Race Dead Heat — Poll". The Chapel Hill News . October 24, 1976. p. 3.
  11. Cullen, B. (October 25, 1976). "Presidential Candidates Will Go Where the "Hay" Is: Ford, Carter to Visit States with Largest Electoral Vote". Sun Herald . Biloxi, Mississippi. pp. A-1, A-2.
  12. Patterson, Kathleen (October 26, 1976). "South Still Hard To Peg". Kansas City Times . Kansas City, Missouri. p. 10.
  13. "The Strategies Vary". Daily News . New York City. October 27, 1976. p. 45.
  14. "Electoral Votes: A Photo Finish — Polls". Austin American-Statesman . October 31, 1976. pp. A1, A6.
  15. "1976 Presidential General Election Results – North Carolina".
  16. "NC US President Race, November 02, 1976". Our Campaigns.

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