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 County and independent city results
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The1948 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 2, 1948, throughout the 48contiguous states. Voters chose 11 representatives, or electors, to theElectoral College, who voted forpresident andvice president.
For the previous four decades Virginia had almost completelydisenfranchised its black and poor white populations through the use ofa 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 theByrd Organization, as progressive “antiorganization” factions were rendered impotent by the inability of almost all their potential electorate to vote.[2] Historicalfusion withthe “Readjuster” Democrats,[3] defection of substantial proportions of theNortheast-aligned white electorate of theShenandoah Valley andSouthwest Virginia overfree 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] In 1928 a combination of growing middle-class Republicanism in the cities and anti-Catholicism againstAl Smith inthe Tidewater[6] allowed the GOP to carry Virginia and elect three Congressmen, including one representing the local district of emerging machine leader Byrd.[7] However, from 1932 with the state severely affected bythe Depression, Republican strength declined below its low pre-1928 level, although Byrd himself became highly critical ofFranklin D. Roosevelt’sNew Deal policies as early as 1940.[8]
Virginia’s delegates at the1948 Democratic National Convention were all opposed toincumbent PresidentHarry S. Truman after his proposal for black civil rights titledTo Secure These Rights. Nevertheless, the presence of viable Republican opposition in the southwest and Shenandoah Valley meant that Byrd refused to endorse eitherSouth Carolina GovernorStrom Thurmond, who received the nomination of theStates’ Rights Democratic Party, orRepublican nomineeNew York GovernorThomas E. Dewey,[9] largely because of fear of losing several seats inthe House to resurgent Republicans.[9]
Despite the failure of local federal officeholders to endorse him, Thurmond campaigned extensively in Virginia during October, arguing that Truman, Dewey andProgressive candidateHenry A. Wallace all had platforms that would destroy the existing “American way of life”.[10]The Item argued that Byrd did support Thurmond and that his tour was helping the South Carolina Governor,[11] although other polls did not imply this. Neither Dewey nor Truman campaigned in Virginia, and despite the fact that all federal representatives supported the incumbent president, local party officials of theByrd Organization did little to work for Truman and running mateAlben W. Barkley.[12]
Despite all polls expecting Dewey to carry the state, Truman would win quite comfortably, although the Democratic margin fell by more than seventeen points vis-à-vis the 1944 election.
Thurmond won 11% of white voters.[13]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga Daily Times[14] | Lean R(flip) | October 15, 1948 |
| The Montgomery Advertiser[15] | Likely R(flip) | October 24, 1948 |
| The Miami News[16] | Likely R(flip) | October 25, 1948 |
| Mount Vernon Argus[17] | Likely R(flip) | November 1, 1948 |
| Oakland Tribune[18] | Tilt R(flip) | November 1, 1948 |
| 1948 United States presidential election in Virginia[19] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Harry S. Truman(inc.) | 200,786 | 47.89% | 11 | |
| Republican | Thomas E. Dewey | 172,070 | 41.04% | 0 | |
| States’ Rights | Strom Thurmond | 43,393 | 10.35% | 0 | |
| Progressive | Henry A. Wallace | 2,047 | 0.49% | 0 | |
| Socialist | Norman Thomas | 726 | 0.17% | 0 | |
| Socialist Labor | Edward Teichert | 234 | 0.06% | 0 | |
| Totals | 419,256 | 100.00% | 11 | ||
| 1948 United States presidential election in Virginia by counties and independent cities[20][21][22] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Democratic | Thomas Edmund Dewey Republican | James Strom Thurmond States’ Rights | Henry Agard Wallace Progressive | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 1,669 | 53.77% | 1,088 | 35.05% | 339 | 10.92% | 5 | 0.16% | 3 | 0.10% | 581 | 18.72% | 3,104 |
| Albemarle County | 1,178 | 48.22% | 984 | 40.28% | 271 | 11.09% | 4 | 0.16% | 6 | 0.25% | 194 | 7.94% | 2,443 |
| Alleghany County | 2,253 | 58.52% | 1,425 | 37.01% | 147 | 3.82% | 14 | 0.36% | 11 | 0.29% | 828 | 21.51% | 3,850 |
| Amelia County | 443 | 41.87% | 372 | 35.16% | 237 | 22.40% | 4 | 0.38% | 2 | 0.19% | 71 | 6.71% | 1,058 |
| Amherst County | 1,481 | 60.06% | 460 | 18.65% | 507 | 20.56% | 4 | 0.16% | 14 | 0.57% | 974[a] | 39.50% | 2,466 |
| Appomattox County | 1,182 | 70.95% | 238 | 14.29% | 241 | 14.47% | 3 | 0.18% | 2 | 0.12% | 941[a] | 56.48% | 1,666 |
| Arlington County | 7,798 | 38.77% | 10,774 | 53.57% | 1,121 | 5.57% | 267 | 1.33% | 151 | 0.75% | -2,976 | -14.80% | 20,111 |
| Augusta County | 1,355 | 39.23% | 1,690 | 48.93% | 401 | 11.61% | 2 | 0.06% | 6 | 0.17% | -335 | -9.70% | 3,454 |
| Bath County | 375 | 39.98% | 488 | 52.03% | 70 | 7.46% | 5 | 0.53% | 0 | 0.00% | -113 | -12.05% | 938 |
| Bedford County | 1,556 | 43.11% | 1,084 | 30.04% | 963 | 26.68% | 2 | 0.06% | 4 | 0.11% | 472 | 13.08% | 3,609 |
| Bland County | 738 | 45.33% | 822 | 50.49% | 66 | 4.05% | 1 | 0.06% | 1 | 0.06% | -84 | -5.16% | 1,628 |
| Botetourt County | 1,026 | 39.00% | 1,363 | 51.81% | 230 | 8.74% | 10 | 0.38% | 2 | 0.08% | -337 | -12.81% | 2,631 |
| Brunswick County | 1,067 | 48.46% | 229 | 10.40% | 895 | 40.64% | 3 | 0.14% | 8 | 0.36% | 172[a] | 7.81% | 2,202 |
| Buchanan County | 3,174 | 59.61% | 2,085 | 39.15% | 51 | 0.96% | 7 | 0.13% | 8 | 0.15% | 1,089 | 20.45% | 5,325 |
| Buckingham County | 728 | 57.46% | 354 | 27.94% | 185 | 14.60% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 374 | 29.52% | 1,267 |
| Campbell County | 1,554 | 54.03% | 668 | 23.23% | 644 | 22.39% | 3 | 0.10% | 7 | 0.24% | 886 | 30.81% | 2,876 |
| Caroline County | 731 | 55.72% | 397 | 30.26% | 182 | 13.87% | 2 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 334 | 25.46% | 1,312 |
| Carroll County | 1,196 | 32.00% | 2,456 | 65.72% | 76 | 2.03% | 5 | 0.13% | 4 | 0.11% | -1,260 | -33.72% | 3,737 |
| Charles City County | 258 | 51.91% | 167 | 33.60% | 69 | 13.88% | 2 | 0.40% | 1 | 0.20% | 91 | 18.31% | 497 |
| Charlotte County | 964 | 57.83% | 285 | 17.10% | 417 | 25.01% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.06% | 547[a] | 32.81% | 1,667 |
| Chesterfield County | 2,600 | 54.97% | 1,428 | 30.19% | 671 | 14.19% | 18 | 0.38% | 13 | 0.27% | 1,172 | 24.78% | 4,730 |
| Clarke County | 482 | 41.62% | 384 | 33.16% | 284 | 24.53% | 3 | 0.26% | 5 | 0.43% | 98 | 8.46% | 1,158 |
| Craig County | 456 | 57.29% | 317 | 39.82% | 23 | 2.89% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 139 | 17.46% | 796 |
| Culpeper County | 804 | 47.32% | 682 | 40.14% | 211 | 12.42% | 2 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 122 | 7.18% | 1,699 |
| Cumberland County | 424 | 52.15% | 219 | 26.94% | 169 | 20.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.12% | 205 | 25.22% | 813 |
| Dickenson County | 2,945 | 56.94% | 2,197 | 42.48% | 16 | 0.31% | 12 | 0.23% | 2 | 0.04% | 748 | 14.46% | 5,172 |
| Dinwiddie County | 961 | 64.07% | 261 | 17.40% | 268 | 17.87% | 7 | 0.47% | 3 | 0.20% | 693[a] | 46.20% | 1,500 |
| Elizabeth City County | 2,744 | 57.31% | 1,617 | 33.77% | 364 | 7.60% | 47 | 0.98% | 16 | 0.33% | 1,127 | 23.54% | 4,788 |
| Essex County | 329 | 50.54% | 221 | 33.95% | 99 | 15.21% | 1 | 0.15% | 1 | 0.15% | 108 | 16.59% | 651 |
| Fairfax County | 3,719 | 39.19% | 4,930 | 51.95% | 705 | 7.43% | 79 | 0.83% | 56 | 0.59% | -1,211 | -12.76% | 9,489 |
| Fauquier County | 1,291 | 48.41% | 1,102 | 41.32% | 265 | 9.94% | 3 | 0.11% | 6 | 0.22% | 189 | 7.09% | 2,667 |
| Floyd County | 434 | 24.87% | 1,266 | 72.55% | 42 | 2.41% | 1 | 0.06% | 2 | 0.11% | -832 | -47.68% | 1,745 |
| Fluvanna County | 447 | 52.46% | 319 | 37.44% | 83 | 9.74% | 2 | 0.23% | 1 | 0.12% | 128 | 15.02% | 852 |
| Franklin County | 1,343 | 47.74% | 1,100 | 39.10% | 348 | 12.37% | 13 | 0.46% | 9 | 0.32% | 243 | 8.64% | 2,813 |
| Frederick County | 1,244 | 51.75% | 921 | 38.31% | 239 | 9.94% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 323 | 13.44% | 2,404 |
| Giles County | 1,529 | 49.09% | 1,448 | 46.48% | 131 | 4.21% | 4 | 0.13% | 3 | 0.10% | 81 | 2.60% | 3,115 |
| Gloucester County | 719 | 56.44% | 434 | 34.07% | 117 | 9.18% | 3 | 0.24% | 1 | 0.08% | 285 | 22.37% | 1,274 |
| Goochland County | 683 | 59.91% | 292 | 25.61% | 154 | 13.51% | 8 | 0.70% | 3 | 0.26% | 391 | 34.30% | 1,140 |
| Grayson County | 2,741 | 41.73% | 3,669 | 55.86% | 152 | 2.31% | 3 | 0.05% | 3 | 0.05% | -928 | -14.13% | 6,568 |
| Greene County | 261 | 36.55% | 420 | 58.82% | 28 | 3.92% | 3 | 0.42% | 2 | 0.28% | -159 | -22.27% | 714 |
| Greensville County | 710 | 49.75% | 301 | 21.09% | 404 | 28.31% | 4 | 0.28% | 8 | 0.56% | 306[a] | 21.44% | 1,427 |
| Halifax County | 1,323 | 34.19% | 521 | 13.46% | 2,007 | 51.86% | 7 | 0.18% | 12 | 0.31% | -684[a] | -17.67% | 3,870 |
| Hanover County | 1,048 | 47.59% | 838 | 38.06% | 294 | 13.35% | 14 | 0.64% | 8 | 0.36% | 210 | 9.54% | 2,202 |
| Henrico County | 2,321 | 46.70% | 2,092 | 42.09% | 508 | 10.22% | 36 | 0.72% | 13 | 0.26% | 229 | 4.61% | 4,970 |
| Henry County | 1,318 | 51.95% | 730 | 28.77% | 474 | 18.68% | 7 | 0.28% | 8 | 0.32% | 588 | 23.18% | 2,537 |
| Highland County | 423 | 38.81% | 579 | 53.12% | 85 | 7.80% | 1 | 0.09% | 2 | 0.18% | -156 | -14.31% | 1,090 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1,064 | 66.88% | 442 | 27.78% | 81 | 5.09% | 2 | 0.13% | 2 | 0.13% | 622 | 39.09% | 1,591 |
| James City County | 198 | 44.49% | 177 | 39.78% | 68 | 15.28% | 1 | 0.22% | 1 | 0.22% | 21 | 4.72% | 445 |
| King and Queen County | 293 | 53.56% | 171 | 31.26% | 82 | 14.99% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.18% | 122 | 22.30% | 547 |
| King George County | 248 | 34.44% | 316 | 43.89% | 152 | 21.11% | 2 | 0.28% | 2 | 0.28% | -68 | -9.44% | 720 |
| King William County | 476 | 49.02% | 348 | 35.84% | 138 | 14.21% | 5 | 0.51% | 4 | 0.41% | 128 | 13.18% | 971 |
| Lancaster County | 560 | 47.70% | 459 | 39.10% | 149 | 12.69% | 4 | 0.34% | 2 | 0.17% | 101 | 8.60% | 1,174 |
| Lee County | 4,069 | 48.06% | 4,297 | 50.76% | 86 | 1.02% | 7 | 0.08% | 7 | 0.08% | -228 | -2.69% | 8,466 |
| Loudoun County | 1,545 | 47.61% | 1,430 | 44.07% | 246 | 7.58% | 10 | 0.31% | 14 | 0.43% | 115 | 3.54% | 3,245 |
| Louisa County | 782 | 46.24% | 701 | 41.45% | 201 | 11.89% | 6 | 0.35% | 1 | 0.06% | 81 | 4.79% | 1,691 |
| Lunenburg County | 1,126 | 65.54% | 251 | 14.61% | 335 | 19.50% | 3 | 0.17% | 3 | 0.17% | 791[a] | 46.04% | 1,718 |
| Madison County | 428 | 36.03% | 662 | 55.72% | 89 | 7.49% | 2 | 0.17% | 7 | 0.59% | -234 | -19.70% | 1,188 |
| Mathews County | 458 | 44.42% | 490 | 47.53% | 81 | 7.86% | 2 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | -32 | -3.10% | 1,031 |
| Mecklenburg County | 2,117 | 69.34% | 513 | 16.80% | 422 | 13.82% | 1 | 0.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,604 | 52.54% | 3,053 |
| Middlesex County | 457 | 51.99% | 271 | 30.83% | 148 | 16.84% | 1 | 0.11% | 2 | 0.23% | 186 | 21.16% | 879 |
| Montgomery County | 1,126 | 32.42% | 2,070 | 59.60% | 254 | 7.31% | 5 | 0.14% | 18 | 0.52% | -944 | -27.18% | 3,473 |
| Nansemond County | 2,115 | 76.27% | 413 | 14.89% | 179 | 6.46% | 66 | 2.38% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,702 | 61.38% | 2,773 |
| Nelson County | 1,204 | 69.16% | 371 | 21.31% | 164 | 9.42% | 1 | 0.06% | 1 | 0.06% | 833 | 47.85% | 1,741 |
| New Kent County | 277 | 53.89% | 140 | 27.24% | 92 | 17.90% | 1 | 0.19% | 4 | 0.78% | 137 | 26.65% | 514 |
| Norfolk County | 4,696 | 66.24% | 1,830 | 25.81% | 536 | 7.56% | 21 | 0.30% | 6 | 0.08% | 2,866 | 40.43% | 7,089 |
| Northampton County | 997 | 56.71% | 525 | 29.86% | 229 | 13.03% | 5 | 0.28% | 2 | 0.11% | 472 | 26.85% | 1,758 |
| Northumberland County | 429 | 37.43% | 535 | 46.68% | 178 | 15.53% | 2 | 0.17% | 2 | 0.17% | -106 | -9.25% | 1,146 |
| Nottoway County | 1,004 | 51.15% | 486 | 24.76% | 467 | 23.79% | 2 | 0.10% | 4 | 0.20% | 518 | 26.39% | 1,963 |
| Orange County | 856 | 46.22% | 726 | 39.20% | 264 | 14.25% | 3 | 0.16% | 3 | 0.16% | 130 | 7.02% | 1,852 |
| Page County | 1,611 | 39.73% | 2,236 | 55.14% | 172 | 4.24% | 33 | 0.81% | 3 | 0.07% | -625 | -15.41% | 4,055 |
| Patrick County | 760 | 41.30% | 648 | 35.22% | 430 | 23.37% | 1 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.05% | 112 | 6.09% | 1,840 |
| Pittsylvania County | 3,149 | 55.58% | 1,164 | 20.54% | 1,321 | 23.31% | 11 | 0.19% | 21 | 0.37% | 1,828[a] | 32.26% | 5,666 |
| Powhatan County | 338 | 50.98% | 238 | 35.90% | 83 | 12.52% | 2 | 0.30% | 2 | 0.30% | 100 | 15.08% | 663 |
| Prince Edward County | 740 | 43.07% | 459 | 26.72% | 510 | 29.69% | 2 | 0.12% | 7 | 0.41% | 230[a] | 13.39% | 1,718 |
| Prince George County | 745 | 61.57% | 317 | 26.20% | 138 | 11.40% | 7 | 0.58% | 3 | 0.25% | 428 | 35.37% | 1,210 |
| Princess Anne County | 2,008 | 54.05% | 1,329 | 35.77% | 361 | 9.72% | 12 | 0.32% | 5 | 0.13% | 679 | 18.28% | 3,715 |
| Prince William County | 1,162 | 55.78% | 760 | 36.49% | 151 | 7.25% | 6 | 0.29% | 4 | 0.19% | 402 | 19.30% | 2,083 |
| Pulaski County | 1,412 | 40.90% | 1,691 | 48.99% | 344 | 9.97% | 3 | 0.09% | 2 | 0.06% | -279 | -8.08% | 3,452 |
| Rappahannock County | 617 | 59.67% | 311 | 30.08% | 100 | 9.67% | 3 | 0.29% | 3 | 0.29% | 306 | 29.59% | 1,034 |
| Richmond County | 240 | 39.02% | 296 | 48.13% | 70 | 11.38% | 3 | 0.49% | 6 | 0.98% | -56 | -9.11% | 615 |
| Roanoke County | 2,876 | 38.58% | 3,988 | 53.49% | 568 | 7.62% | 18 | 0.24% | 5 | 0.07% | -1,112 | -14.92% | 7,455 |
| Rockbridge County | 994 | 43.52% | 1,062 | 46.50% | 217 | 9.50% | 5 | 0.22% | 6 | 0.26% | -68 | -2.98% | 2,284 |
| Rockingham County | 1,680 | 32.42% | 3,219 | 62.12% | 260 | 5.02% | 8 | 0.15% | 15 | 0.29% | -1,539 | -29.70% | 5,182 |
| Russell County | 2,689 | 51.29% | 2,447 | 46.67% | 103 | 1.96% | 2 | 0.04% | 2 | 0.04% | 242 | 4.62% | 5,243 |
| Scott County | 2,676 | 42.67% | 3,520 | 56.12% | 63 | 1.00% | 6 | 0.10% | 7 | 0.11% | -844 | -13.46% | 6,272 |
| Shenandoah County | 1,603 | 30.95% | 3,349 | 64.65% | 214 | 4.13% | 8 | 0.15% | 6 | 0.12% | -1,746 | -33.71% | 5,180 |
| Smyth County | 1,750 | 36.29% | 2,897 | 60.08% | 161 | 3.34% | 4 | 0.08% | 10 | 0.21% | -1,147 | -23.79% | 4,822 |
| Southampton County | 1,462 | 69.62% | 339 | 16.14% | 291 | 13.86% | 5 | 0.24% | 3 | 0.14% | 1,123 | 53.48% | 2,100 |
| Spotsylvania County | 818 | 54.17% | 517 | 34.24% | 170 | 11.26% | 4 | 0.26% | 1 | 0.07% | 301 | 19.93% | 1,510 |
| Stafford County | 708 | 44.84% | 732 | 46.36% | 129 | 8.17% | 6 | 0.38% | 4 | 0.25% | -24 | -1.52% | 1,579 |
| Surry County | 460 | 59.43% | 134 | 17.31% | 180 | 23.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 280[a] | 36.18% | 774 |
| Sussex County | 614 | 50.33% | 244 | 20.00% | 355 | 29.10% | 3 | 0.25% | 4 | 0.33% | 259[a] | 21.23% | 1,220 |
| Tazewell County | 2,258 | 47.98% | 2,278 | 48.41% | 163 | 3.46% | 6 | 0.13% | 1 | 0.02% | -20 | -0.42% | 4,706 |
| Warren County | 1,291 | 51.99% | 1,016 | 40.92% | 166 | 6.69% | 6 | 0.24% | 4 | 0.16% | 275 | 11.08% | 2,483 |
| Washington County | 2,510 | 44.09% | 2,972 | 52.20% | 187 | 3.28% | 11 | 0.19% | 13 | 0.23% | -462 | -8.12% | 5,693 |
| Westmoreland County | 503 | 39.42% | 568 | 44.51% | 197 | 15.44% | 7 | 0.55% | 1 | 0.08% | -65 | -5.09% | 1,276 |
| Wise County | 4,862 | 61.98% | 2,836 | 36.15% | 133 | 1.70% | 8 | 0.10% | 6 | 0.08% | 2,026 | 25.83% | 7,845 |
| Wythe County | 976 | 29.26% | 2,077 | 62.26% | 279 | 8.36% | 3 | 0.09% | 1 | 0.03% | -1,101 | -33.00% | 3,336 |
| York County | 826 | 60.03% | 418 | 30.38% | 119 | 8.65% | 6 | 0.44% | 7 | 0.51% | 408 | 29.65% | 1,376 |
| Alexandria City | 3,917 | 44.99% | 3,903 | 44.83% | 777 | 8.92% | 67 | 0.77% | 43 | 0.49% | 14 | 0.16% | 8,707 |
| Bristol City | 1,451 | 58.94% | 879 | 35.70% | 125 | 5.08% | 7 | 0.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 572 | 23.23% | 2,462 |
| Buena Vista City | 297 | 52.75% | 234 | 41.56% | 31 | 5.51% | 1 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 63 | 11.19% | 563 |
| Charlottesville City | 1,527 | 45.35% | 1,419 | 42.14% | 387 | 11.49% | 15 | 0.45% | 19 | 0.56% | 108 | 3.21% | 3,367 |
| Clifton Forge City | 818 | 58.22% | 451 | 32.10% | 131 | 9.32% | 4 | 0.28% | 1 | 0.07% | 367 | 26.12% | 1,405 |
| Danville City | 2,334 | 42.84% | 1,579 | 28.98% | 1,511 | 27.73% | 11 | 0.20% | 13 | 0.24% | 755 | 13.86% | 5,448 |
| Fredericksburg City | 816 | 42.26% | 810 | 41.95% | 290 | 15.02% | 9 | 0.47% | 6 | 0.31% | 6 | 0.31% | 1,931 |
| Hampton City | 727 | 58.87% | 371 | 30.04% | 123 | 9.96% | 13 | 1.05% | 1 | 0.08% | 356 | 28.83% | 1,235 |
| Harrisonburg City | 751 | 31.93% | 1,377 | 58.55% | 208 | 8.84% | 8 | 0.34% | 8 | 0.34% | -626 | -26.62% | 2,352 |
| Hopewell City | 1,242 | 62.70% | 570 | 28.77% | 150 | 7.57% | 16 | 0.81% | 3 | 0.15% | 672 | 33.92% | 1,981 |
| Lynchburg City | 2,480 | 36.76% | 2,373 | 35.17% | 1,841 | 27.29% | 23 | 0.34% | 30 | 0.44% | 107 | 1.59% | 6,747 |
| Martinsville City | 814 | 39.50% | 642 | 31.15% | 598 | 29.02% | 6 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.05% | 172 | 8.35% | 2,061 |
| Newport News City | 3,420 | 65.28% | 1,453 | 27.73% | 284 | 5.42% | 71 | 1.36% | 11 | 0.21% | 1,967 | 37.55% | 5,239 |
| Norfolk City | 9,370 | 50.76% | 7,556 | 40.93% | 1,255 | 6.80% | 259 | 1.40% | 20 | 0.11% | 1,814 | 9.83% | 18,460 |
| Petersburg City | 2,019 | 52.70% | 1,189 | 31.04% | 599 | 15.64% | 16 | 0.42% | 8 | 0.21% | 830 | 21.67% | 3,831 |
| Portsmouth City | 4,612 | 62.48% | 2,056 | 27.86% | 615 | 8.33% | 82 | 1.11% | 16 | 0.22% | 2,556 | 34.63% | 7,381 |
| Radford City | 826 | 46.80% | 850 | 48.16% | 80 | 4.53% | 6 | 0.34% | 3 | 0.17% | -24 | -1.36% | 1,765 |
| Richmond City | 16,466 | 46.64% | 14,549 | 41.21% | 3,892 | 11.03% | 307 | 0.87% | 87 | 0.25% | 1,917 | 5.43% | 35,301 |
| Roanoke City | 5,343 | 40.48% | 6,542 | 49.56% | 1,244 | 9.42% | 60 | 0.45% | 11 | 0.08% | -1,199 | -9.08% | 13,200 |
| South Norfolk City | 857 | 66.80% | 347 | 27.05% | 73 | 5.69% | 6 | 0.47% | 0 | 0.00% | 510 | 39.75% | 1,283 |
| Staunton City | 914 | 34.19% | 1,323 | 49.49% | 418 | 15.64% | 9 | 0.34% | 9 | 0.34% | -409 | -15.30% | 2,673 |
| Suffolk City | 1,030 | 49.76% | 741 | 35.80% | 246 | 11.88% | 51 | 2.46% | 2 | 0.10% | 289 | 13.96% | 2,070 |
| Warwick City | 1,822 | 57.57% | 1,014 | 32.04% | 306 | 9.67% | 13 | 0.41% | 10 | 0.32% | 808 | 25.53% | 3,165 |
| Waynesboro City | 839 | 46.77% | 833 | 46.43% | 118 | 6.58% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.22% | 6 | 0.33% | 1,794 |
| Williamsburg City | 312 | 36.75% | 334 | 39.34% | 191 | 22.50% | 8 | 0.94% | 4 | 0.47% | -22 | -2.59% | 849 |
| Winchester City | 894 | 35.11% | 1,272 | 49.96% | 371 | 14.57% | 7 | 0.27% | 2 | 0.08% | -378 | -14.85% | 2,546 |
| Totals | 200,786 | 47.89% | 172,070 | 41.04% | 43,393 | 10.35% | 2,047 | 0.49% | 960 | 0.23% | 28,716 | 6.85% | 419,256 |
Ultimately, Virginia was won by Truman with 47.89 percent of the vote to Dewey's 41.04 percent and Thurmond's 10.35 percent. This contradicted polls that expected Dewey to carry the state with around 47 percent of the vote to Truman's 45 percent and 7 to 8 percent for Thurmond.[23] This election nonetheless accelerated the major lossesFranklin D. Roosevelt experienced in theWashington D.C. suburbs and theShenandoah Valley at the previous election — losses which would pave the way for Virginia voting Republican in thirteen of the next fourteen presidential elections.[24]
As of the2024 presidential election[update], this is the last election in whichthe Fifth Congressional District has supported a Democratic presidential candidate. It is also the last election whenHanover County,King William County,Lancaster County,Middlesex County andOrange County have supported a Democratic presidential nominee.[25]Chesterfield County andLynchburg City would not vote Democratic again at a presidential level until 2020,Henrico County not until2008,Albemarle County andDanville City not until2004,Prince Edward County not until1996 andAmelia County not until1976.[25]
This remains the last occasion Virginia voted to the left ofDelaware, and was also the last time until2012 that Virginia voted for a different candidate thanIndiana.
State and district results of the1948 United States presidential election | ||
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