Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997

Book excerpt: Gubernatorial Elections 1787-1997 is a unique collection of state-by-state election data for every gubernatorial race in the history of the nation. General election returns (including special elections) and percentages of the vote received are provided for every state election from 1787 to 1997. Primary vote returns are provided for most states back to 1956 and for Southern states back to 1919. All general election and primary candidates receiving at least 5 percent of the total vote have been included. An introductory section discusses election methods, majority vote requirements, lengths of gubernatorial terms and term limits. The significance of Southern primaries is also discussed. A complete listing of every governor (including interim appointments) in U.S. history, including party affiliations and dates of service, is provided. The volume also contains two comprehensive candidate indexes - gubernatorial candidates for general election and candidates for primary election - and a bibliography for further reading.