The 1962 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1962.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

1962 Georgia Democratic gubernatorial primary

← 1958 September 12, 1962 1966 →

Nominee Carl Sanders Marvin Griffin Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 494,978 332,746 Percentage 58.07% 39.04%

County results Sanders:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Griffin:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Governor before election Ernest Vandiver Democratic Elected Governor Carl Sanders Democratic

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Carl Sanders won the Democratic primary on September 12 with 58.07% of the vote, defeating former governor Marvin Griffin. At this time, Georgia was a one-party state, and the Democratic nomination was tantamount to victory. Sanders won the November general election without an opponent.

This election was notable for a number of reasons. First, it was the last Georgia gubernatorial election to date where the Republican Party did not field a candidate. Second, the primary election was the first that took place under a winner-take-all system, as the previously used County Unit System had been struck down by the US Supreme Court in Gray v. Sanders.^[1] Finally, upon election, Carl Sanders became the youngest governor of a state at the time (aged 37) and the first governor from an urban area since the 1920s.^[2] He beat former governor Marvin Griffin in the Democratic primary.