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 County and independent city results Godwin: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Howell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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In the1973 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent GovernorA. Linwood Holton, Jr., aRepublican, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits.Mills E. Godwin, Jr., formerDemocraticGovernor of Virginia, was nominated by theRepublican Party to run againstIndependentLieutenant Governor of VirginiaHenry Howell. The Democrats did not field a candidate, mostly choosing to support Howell's candidacy.
This was the last time until2013 in which a member of the incumbent President's party was elected Governor of Virginia. It was also the last time a non-Democrat won the city ofAlexandria.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mills Godwin | 525,075 | 50.71% |  1.80 | |
| Independent | Henry Howell | 510,103 | 49.26% | N/A | |
| Write-ins | 317 | 0.03% | |||
| Majority | 14,972 | 1.45% | −5.67% | ||
| Turnout | 1,035,495 | ||||
| Republicanhold | Swing | ||||
| Mills Edwin Godwin Republican | Henry Evans Howell Independent | Various candidates Write-ins | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 3,632 | 47.17% | 4,066 | 52.81% | 2 | 0.03% | -434 | -5.64% | 7,700 |
| Albemarle County | 5,225 | 52.48% | 4,732 | 47.52% | 493 | 4.95% | 9,957 | ||
| Alleghany County | 1,180 | 39.40% | 1,813 | 60.53% | 2 | 0.07% | -633 | -21.14% | 2,995 |
| Amelia County | 1,277 | 58.02% | 924 | 41.98% | 353 | 16.04% | 2,201 | ||
| Amherst County | 2,846 | 58.09% | 2,052 | 41.89% | 1 | 0.02% | 794 | 16.21% | 4,899 |
| Appomattox County | 1,699 | 64.36% | 941 | 35.64% | 758 | 28.71% | 2,640 | ||
| Arlington County | 18,817 | 49.22% | 19,406 | 50.76% | 7 | 0.02% | -589 | -1.54% | 38,230 |
| Augusta County | 5,132 | 60.40% | 3,356 | 39.50% | 9 | 0.11% | 1,776 | 20.90% | 8,497 |
| Bath County | 555 | 41.29% | 789 | 58.71% | -234 | -17.41% | 1,344 | ||
| Bedford County | 2,678 | 53.53% | 2,324 | 46.45% | 1 | 0.02% | 354 | 7.08% | 5,003 |
| Bland County | 765 | 53.50% | 665 | 46.50% | 100 | 6.99% | 1,430 | ||
| Botetourt County | 1,857 | 47.02% | 2,092 | 52.98% | -235 | -5.95% | 3,949 | ||
| Brunswick County | 1,950 | 49.32% | 2,003 | 50.66% | 1 | 0.03% | -53 | -1.34% | 3,954 |
| Buchanan County | 2,083 | 35.07% | 3,856 | 64.93% | -1,773 | -29.85% | 5,939 | ||
| Buckingham County | 1,533 | 49.69% | 1,551 | 50.28% | 1 | 0.03% | -18 | -0.58% | 3,085 |
| Campbell County | 6,991 | 70.40% | 2,939 | 29.60% | 4,052 | 40.81% | 9,930 | ||
| Caroline County | 1,246 | 39.77% | 1,887 | 60.23% | -641 | -20.46% | 3,133 | ||
| Carroll County | 2,542 | 53.31% | 2,226 | 46.69% | 316 | 6.63% | 4,768 | ||
| Charles City County | 335 | 25.38% | 984 | 74.55% | 1 | 0.08% | -649 | -49.17% | 1,320 |
| Charlotte County | 1,752 | 52.90% | 1,560 | 47.10% | 192 | 5.80% | 3,312 | ||
| Chesterfield County | 15,868 | 71.24% | 6,407 | 28.76% | 9,461 | 42.47% | 22,275 | ||
| Clarke County | 1,144 | 66.17% | 584 | 33.78% | 1 | 0.06% | 560 | 32.39% | 1,729 |
| Craig County | 357 | 37.27% | 601 | 62.73% | -244 | -25.47% | 958 | ||
| Culpeper County | 2,401 | 62.54% | 1,438 | 37.46% | 963 | 25.08% | 3,839 | ||
| Cumberland County | 987 | 49.23% | 1,018 | 50.77% | -31 | -1.55% | 2,005 | ||
| Dickenson County | 2,140 | 37.09% | 3,628 | 62.88% | 2 | 0.03% | -1,488 | -25.79% | 5,770 |
| Dinwiddie County | 1,893 | 42.62% | 2,547 | 57.34% | 2 | 0.05% | -654 | -14.72% | 4,442 |
| Essex County | 1,023 | 64.66% | 559 | 35.34% | 464 | 29.33% | 1,582 | ||
| Fairfax County | 50,583 | 51.91% | 46,843 | 48.07% | 12 | 0.01% | 3,740 | 3.84% | 97,438 |
| Fauquier County | 2,827 | 63.53% | 1,623 | 36.47% | 1,204 | 27.06% | 4,450 | ||
| Floyd County | 1,048 | 52.06% | 965 | 47.94% | 83 | 4.12% | 2,013 | ||
| Fluvanna County | 836 | 53.35% | 731 | 46.65% | 105 | 6.70% | 1,567 | ||
| Franklin County | 2,250 | 38.09% | 3,655 | 61.88% | 2 | 0.03% | -1,405 | -23.79% | 5,907 |
| Frederick County | 2,644 | 57.69% | 1,934 | 42.20% | 5 | 0.11% | 710 | 15.49% | 4,583 |
| Giles County | 1,769 | 40.64% | 2,584 | 59.36% | -815 | -18.72% | 4,353 | ||
| Gloucester County | 1,900 | 51.30% | 1,802 | 48.65% | 2 | 0.05% | 98 | 2.65% | 3,704 |
| Goochland County | 1,500 | 52.30% | 1,368 | 47.70% | 132 | 4.60% | 2,868 | ||
| Grayson County | 1,530 | 45.28% | 1,849 | 54.72% | -319 | -9.44% | 3,379 | ||
| Greene County | 567 | 47.61% | 624 | 52.39% | -57 | -4.79% | 1,191 | ||
| Greensville County | 1,032 | 41.78% | 1,438 | 58.22% | -406 | -16.44% | 2,470 | ||
| Halifax County | 2,869 | 56.05% | 2,250 | 43.95% | 619 | 12.09% | 5,119 | ||
| Hanover County | 7,649 | 68.14% | 3,576 | 31.85% | 1 | 0.01% | 4,073 | 36.28% | 11,226 |
| Henrico County | 33,415 | 72.49% | 12,641 | 27.42% | 37 | 0.08% | 20,774 | 45.07% | 46,093 |
| Henry County | 4,107 | 42.63% | 5,525 | 57.34% | 3 | 0.03% | -1,418 | -14.72% | 9,635 |
| Highland County | 441 | 62.64% | 263 | 37.36% | 178 | 25.28% | 704 | ||
| Isle of Wight County | 2,400 | 45.85% | 2,833 | 54.12% | 2 | 0.04% | -433 | -8.27% | 5,235 |
| James City County | 2,129 | 48.32% | 2,277 | 51.68% | -148 | -3.36% | 4,406 | ||
| King and Queen County | 553 | 41.89% | 767 | 58.11% | -214 | -16.21% | 1,320 | ||
| King George County | 810 | 52.19% | 742 | 47.81% | 68 | 4.38% | 1,552 | ||
| King William County | 1,089 | 54.70% | 900 | 45.20% | 2 | 0.10% | 189 | 9.49% | 1,991 |
| Lancaster County | 1,760 | 55.26% | 1,424 | 44.71% | 1 | 0.03% | 336 | 10.55% | 3,185 |
| Lee County | 2,820 | 46.19% | 3,285 | 53.81% | -465 | -7.62% | 6,105 | ||
| Loudoun County | 4,787 | 55.04% | 3,908 | 44.93% | 3 | 0.03% | 879 | 10.11% | 8,698 |
| Louisa County | 1,574 | 49.31% | 1,616 | 50.63% | 2 | 0.06% | -42 | -1.32% | 3,192 |
| Lunenburg County | 1,574 | 58.27% | 1,127 | 41.73% | 447 | 16.55% | 2,701 | ||
| Madison County | 1,029 | 53.87% | 877 | 45.92% | 4 | 0.21% | 152 | 7.96% | 1,910 |
| Mathews County | 1,375 | 53.92% | 1,155 | 45.29% | 20 | 0.78% | 220 | 8.63% | 2,550 |
| Mecklenburg County | 3,825 | 62.91% | 2,255 | 37.09% | 1,570 | 25.82% | 6,080 | ||
| Middlesex County | 1,050 | 57.63% | 772 | 42.37% | 278 | 15.26% | 1,822 | ||
| Montgomery County | 4,924 | 49.88% | 4,936 | 50.01% | 11 | 0.11% | -12 | -0.12% | 9,871 |
| Nelson County | 1,051 | 48.19% | 1,127 | 51.67% | 3 | 0.14% | -76 | -3.48% | 2,181 |
| New Kent County | 715 | 45.98% | 840 | 54.02% | -125 | -8.04% | 1,555 | ||
| Northampton County | 1,728 | 45.00% | 2,111 | 54.97% | 1 | 0.03% | -383 | -9.97% | 3,840 |
| Northumberland County | 1,394 | 53.64% | 1,204 | 46.33% | 1 | 0.04% | 190 | 7.31% | 2,599 |
| Nottoway County | 2,162 | 54.57% | 1,800 | 45.43% | 362 | 9.14% | 3,962 | ||
| Orange County | 1,485 | 55.00% | 1,215 | 45.00% | 270 | 10.00% | 2,700 | ||
| Page County | 1,720 | 48.42% | 1,832 | 51.58% | -112 | -3.15% | 3,552 | ||
| Patrick County | 1,284 | 47.93% | 1,394 | 52.03% | 1 | 0.04% | -110 | -4.11% | 2,679 |
| Pittsylvania County | 5,733 | 55.01% | 4,681 | 44.92% | 7 | 0.07% | 1,052 | 10.10% | 10,421 |
| Powhatan County | 1,215 | 57.15% | 908 | 42.71% | 3 | 0.14% | 307 | 14.44% | 2,126 |
| Prince Edward County | 2,263 | 59.26% | 1,552 | 40.64% | 4 | 0.10% | 711 | 18.62% | 3,819 |
| Prince George County | 1,226 | 44.55% | 1,526 | 55.45% | -300 | -10.90% | 2,752 | ||
| Prince William County | 8,159 | 52.29% | 7,441 | 47.69% | 3 | 0.02% | 718 | 4.60% | 15,603 |
| Pulaski County | 3,149 | 48.37% | 3,361 | 51.63% | -212 | -3.26% | 6,510 | ||
| Rappahannock County | 633 | 55.72% | 503 | 44.28% | 130 | 11.44% | 1,136 | ||
| Richmond County | 1,091 | 60.78% | 702 | 39.11% | 2 | 0.11% | 389 | 21.67% | 1,795 |
| Roanoke County | 9,357 | 52.65% | 8,409 | 47.31% | 7 | 0.04% | 948 | 5.33% | 17,773 |
| Rockbridge County | 1,492 | 48.77% | 1,566 | 51.19% | 1 | 0.03% | -74 | -2.42% | 3,059 |
| Rockingham County | 5,983 | 56.86% | 4,538 | 43.13% | 1 | 0.01% | 1,445 | 13.73% | 10,522 |
| Russell County | 3,109 | 41.64% | 4,358 | 58.36% | -1,249 | -16.73% | 7,467 | ||
| Scott County | 2,612 | 46.06% | 3,059 | 53.94% | -447 | -7.88% | 5,671 | ||
| Shenandoah County | 3,614 | 59.78% | 2,427 | 40.14% | 5 | 0.08% | 1,187 | 19.63% | 6,046 |
| Smyth County | 2,932 | 46.00% | 3,438 | 53.94% | 4 | 0.06% | -506 | -7.94% | 6,374 |
| Southampton County | 2,117 | 51.02% | 2,031 | 48.95% | 1 | 0.02% | 86 | 2.07% | 4,149 |
| Spotsylvania County | 1,507 | 40.43% | 2,220 | 59.57% | -713 | -19.13% | 3,727 | ||
| Stafford County | 1,996 | 43.98% | 2,542 | 56.02% | -546 | -12.03% | 4,538 | ||
| Surry County | 745 | 38.98% | 1,166 | 61.02% | -421 | -22.03% | 1,911 | ||
| Sussex County | 1,512 | 45.54% | 1,807 | 54.43% | 1 | 0.03% | -295 | -8.89% | 3,320 |
| Tazewell County | 3,455 | 48.44% | 3,676 | 51.54% | 1 | 0.01% | -221 | -3.10% | 7,132 |
| Warren County | 1,719 | 46.42% | 1,981 | 53.50% | 3 | 0.08% | -262 | -7.08% | 3,703 |
| Washington County | 4,086 | 49.77% | 4,123 | 50.23% | -37 | -0.45% | 8,209 | ||
| Westmoreland County | 1,461 | 54.88% | 1,201 | 45.12% | 260 | 9.77% | 2,662 | ||
| Wise County | 2,966 | 39.94% | 4,460 | 60.06% | -1,494 | -20.12% | 7,426 | ||
| Wythe County | 2,803 | 58.75% | 1,968 | 41.25% | 835 | 17.50% | 4,771 | ||
| York County | 3,918 | 48.42% | 4,174 | 51.58% | -256 | -3.16% | 8,092 | ||
| Alexandria City | 8,647 | 44.62% | 10,720 | 55.32% | 12 | 0.06% | -2,073 | -10.70% | 19,379 |
| Bedford City | 923 | 60.05% | 614 | 39.95% | 309 | 20.10% | 1,537 | ||
| Bristol City | 1,258 | 54.89% | 1,033 | 45.07% | 1 | 0.04% | 225 | 9.82% | 2,292 |
| Buena Vista City | 596 | 46.86% | 676 | 53.14% | -80 | -6.29% | 1,272 | ||
| Charlottesville City | 4,600 | 47.10% | 5,162 | 52.85% | 5 | 0.05% | -562 | -5.75% | 9,767 |
| Chesapeake City | 7,977 | 38.12% | 12,946 | 61.86% | 5 | 0.02% | -4,969 | -23.74% | 20,928 |
| Clifton Forge City | 684 | 46.95% | 773 | 53.05% | -89 | -6.11% | 1,457 | ||
| Colonial Heights City | 3,011 | 69.65% | 1,311 | 30.33% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,700 | 39.32% | 4,323 |
| Covington City | 917 | 39.85% | 1,384 | 60.15% | -467 | -20.30% | 2,301 | ||
| Danville City | 8,466 | 66.67% | 4,233 | 33.33% | 4,233 | 33.33% | 12,699 | ||
| Emporia City | 934 | 57.98% | 677 | 42.02% | 257 | 15.95% | 1,611 | ||
| Fairfax City | 2,336 | 54.35% | 1,959 | 45.58% | 3 | 0.07% | 377 | 8.77% | 4,298 |
| Falls Church City | 1,425 | 48.01% | 1,543 | 51.99% | -118 | -3.98% | 2,968 | ||
| Franklin City | 964 | 51.11% | 922 | 48.89% | 42 | 2.23% | 1,886 | ||
| Fredericksburg City | 1,593 | 46.89% | 1,804 | 53.11% | -211 | -6.21% | 3,397 | ||
| Galax City | 771 | 50.69% | 750 | 49.31% | 21 | 1.38% | 1,521 | ||
| Hampton City | 9,925 | 43.55% | 12,861 | 56.43% | 5 | 0.02% | -2,936 | -12.88% | 22,791 |
| Harrisonburg City | 2,491 | 62.76% | 1,478 | 37.24% | 1,013 | 25.52% | 3,969 | ||
| Hopewell City | 2,894 | 53.95% | 2,470 | 46.05% | 424 | 7.90% | 5,364 | ||
| Lexington City | 893 | 56.55% | 683 | 43.26% | 3 | 0.19% | 210 | 13.30% | 1,579 |
| Lynchburg City | 8,833 | 65.81% | 4,584 | 34.16% | 4 | 0.03% | 4,249 | 31.66% | 13,421 |
| Martinsville City | 2,876 | 54.95% | 2,358 | 45.05% | 518 | 9.90% | 5,234 | ||
| Nansemond City | 3,725 | 42.00% | 5,143 | 57.98% | 2 | 0.02% | -1,418 | -15.99% | 8,870 |
| Newport News City | 13,165 | 46.72% | 15,007 | 53.26% | 4 | 0.01% | -1,842 | -6.54% | 28,176 |
| Norfolk City | 17,852 | 34.35% | 34,118 | 65.65% | 3 | 0.01% | -16,266 | -31.30% | 51,973 |
| Norton City | 538 | 49.31% | 553 | 50.69% | -15 | -1.37% | 1,091 | ||
| Petersburg City | 4,308 | 43.35% | 5,628 | 56.63% | 2 | 0.02% | -1,320 | -13.28% | 9,938 |
| Portsmouth City | 8,724 | 32.24% | 18,327 | 67.74% | 5 | 0.02% | -9,603 | -35.49% | 27,056 |
| Radford City | 1,664 | 53.49% | 1,446 | 46.48% | 1 | 0.03% | 218 | 7.01% | 3,111 |
| Richmond City | 28,127 | 48.09% | 30,328 | 51.85% | 37 | 0.06% | -2,201 | -3.76% | 58,492 |
| Roanoke City | 8,912 | 45.15% | 10,807 | 54.75% | 20 | 0.10% | -1,895 | -9.60% | 19,739 |
| Salem City | 2,758 | 51.31% | 2,610 | 48.56% | 7 | 0.13% | 148 | 2.75% | 5,375 |
| South Boston City | 1,227 | 67.72% | 585 | 32.28% | 642 | 35.43% | 1,812 | ||
| Staunton City | 3,482 | 64.60% | 1,908 | 35.40% | 1,574 | 29.20% | 5,390 | ||
| Suffolk City | 1,807 | 54.43% | 1,512 | 45.54% | 1 | 0.03% | 295 | 8.89% | 3,320 |
| Virginia Beach City | 19,710 | 49.22% | 20,327 | 50.76% | 6 | 0.01% | -617 | -1.54% | 40,043 |
| Waynesboro City | 2,829 | 63.96% | 1,590 | 35.95% | 4 | 0.09% | 1,239 | 28.01% | 4,423 |
| Williamsburg City | 1,334 | 55.01% | 1,091 | 44.99% | 243 | 10.02% | 2,425 | ||
| Winchester City | 3,149 | 66.74% | 1,568 | 33.23% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,581 | 33.51% | 4,718 |
| Totals | 525,075 | 50.71% | 510,103 | 49.26% | 317 | 0.03% | 14,972 | 1.45% | 1,035,495 |
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