1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina

Main article: 1976 United States presidential election
1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1980 →
 
Nominee Jimmy Carter Gerald Ford
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Georgia Michigan
Running mate Walter Mondale Bob Dole
Electoral vote 13 0
Popular vote 927,365 741,960
Percentage 55.27% 44.22%
President before election

Gerald R. Ford
Republican

Elected President

Jimmy Carter
Democratic

Elections in North Carolina
Federal government
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U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
State executive
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Attorney General elections
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Judicial elections
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2012
Amendment 1
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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.

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

Source Rating As of
The Atlanta Constitution[8] Safe D (flip) September 13, 1976
Simpson’s Leader-Times[9] Tilt D (flip) October 18, 1976
The Chapel Hill News[10] Tossup October 24, 1976
Sun Herald[11] Tilt D (flip) October 25, 1976
Kansas City Times[12] Tossup October 26, 1976
Daily News[13] Lean D (flip) October 27, 1976
Austin American-Statesman[14] Lean D (flip) October 31, 1976

Results

1976 United States presidential election in North Carolina[15]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Jimmy Carter 927,365 55.23% 13
Republican Gerald Ford (incumbent) 741,960 44.19% 0
American Thomas Anderson 5,607 0.33% 0
Libertarian Roger MacBride 2,219 0.13% 0
Write-in Eugene McCarthy 855 0.01% 0
US Labor Lyndon LaRouche 755 0.04% 0
Write-ins — 169 0.01% 0
Write-in Ronald Reagan 87 0.01% 0
Totals 1,677,906 100.0% 13
Voter turnout 54.52% —

Results by county

County[16] Jimmy Carter
Democratic 		Gerald Ford
Republican 		Thomas Anderson
American 		Roger MacBride
Libertarian 		Lyndon LaRouche
U.S. Labor 		Margin Total
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Alamance 17,371 57.46% 12,680 41.94% 138 0.46% 38 0.13% 4 0.01% 4,691 15.52% 30,231
Alexander 5,287 53.00% 4,661 46.73% 20 0.20% 6 0.06% 1 0.01% 626 6.27% 9,975
Alleghany 2,550 62.26% 1,532 37.40% 10 0.24% 3 0.07% 1 0.02% 1,018 24.86% 4,096
Anson 4,796 74.68% 1,608 25.04% 9 0.14% 4 0.06% 5 0.08% 3,188 49.64% 6,422
Ashe 5,193 51.14% 4,937 48.62% 19 0.19% 1 0.01% 5 0.05% 256 2.52% 10,155
Avery 1,869 37.44% 3,085 61.80% 25 0.50% 5 0.10% 8 0.16% -1,216 -24.36% 4,992
Beaufort 5,728 54.72% 4,677 44.68% 46 0.44% 11 0.11% 5 0.05% 1,051 10.04% 10,467
Bertie 4,117 75.27% 1,332 24.35% 13 0.24% 4 0.07% 4 0.07% 2,785 50.92% 5,470
Bladen 6,009 79.18% 1,546 20.37% 26 0.34% 6 0.08% 2 0.03% 4,463 58.81% 7,589
Brunswick 7,377 66.66% 3,636 32.86% 36 0.33% 15 0.14% 2 0.02% 3,741 33.80% 11,066
Buncombe 26,633 53.94% 22,461 45.49% 177 0.36% 84 0.17% 24 0.05% 4,172 8.45% 49,379
Burke 14,254 58.34% 10,070 41.22% 66 0.27% 30 0.12% 11 0.05% 4,184 17.12% 24,431
Cabarrus 12,049 48.92% 12,455 50.57% 85 0.35% 31 0.13% 10 0.04% -406 -1.65% 24,630
Caldwell 11,894 54.39% 9,872 45.15% 52 0.24% 33 0.15% 15 0.07% 2,022 9.24% 21,866
Camden 1,231 68.05% 562 31.07% 16 0.88% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 669 36.98% 1,809
Carteret 7,080 54.72% 5,786 44.72% 54 0.42% 17 0.13% 2 0.02% 1,294 10.00% 12,939
Caswell 3,707 67.54% 1,761 32.08% 19 0.35% 2 0.04% 0 0.00% 1,946 35.46% 5,489
Catawba 16,862 47.22% 18,696 52.36% 101 0.28% 36 0.10% 13 0.04% -1,834 -5.14% 35,708
Chatham 6,397 59.65% 4,279 39.90% 23 0.21% 23 0.21% 3 0.03% 2,118 19.75% 10,725
Cherokee 3,571 52.15% 3,210 46.88% 60 0.88% 4 0.06% 3 0.04% 361 5.27% 6,848
Chowan 1,862 64.45% 1,019 35.27% 7 0.24% 1 0.03% 0 0.00% 843 29.18% 2,889
Clay 1,569 52.09% 1,428 47.41% 14 0.46% 1 0.03% 0 0.00% 141 4.68% 3,012
Cleveland 14,406 63.78% 8,106 35.89% 55 0.24% 16 0.07% 5 0.02% 6,300 27.89% 22,588
Columbus 11,148 77.41% 3,184 22.11% 51 0.35% 9 0.06% 9 0.06% 7,964 55.30% 14,401
Craven 7,553 55.77% 5,881 43.42% 70 0.52% 28 0.21% 11 0.08% 1,672 12.35% 13,543
Cumberland 24,297 62.81% 14,226 36.78% 87 0.22% 54 0.14% 19 0.05% 10,071 26.03% 38,683
Currituck 1,999 67.31% 954 32.12% 14 0.47% 0 0.00% 3 0.10% 1,045 35.19% 2,970
Dare 2,191 56.31% 1,680 43.18% 12 0.31% 6 0.15% 2 0.05% 511 13.13% 3,891
Davidson 17,859 48.46% 18,813 51.05% 132 0.36% 43 0.12% 8 0.02% -954 -2.59% 36,855
Davie 3,635 42.96% 4,772 56.39% 44 0.52% 7 0.08% 4 0.05% -1,137 -13.43% 8,462
Duplin 7,696 65.81% 3,912 33.45% 66 0.56% 12 0.10% 8 0.07% 3,784 32.36% 11,694
Durham 22,425 53.99% 18,945 45.61% 90 0.22% 58 0.14% 15 0.04% 3,480 8.38% 41,533
Edgecombe 8,001 61.70% 4,850 37.40% 101 0.78% 9 0.07% 7 0.05% 3,151 24.30% 12,968
Forsyth 39,561 50.20% 38,886 49.34% 211 0.27% 121 0.15% 29 0.04% 675 0.86% 78,808
Franklin 5,405 66.79% 2,630 32.50% 44 0.54% 14 0.17% 0 0.00% 2,775 34.29% 8,093
Gaston 22,878 53.50% 19,727 46.13% 90 0.21% 51 0.12% 18 0.04% 3,151 7.37% 42,764
Gates 2,291 75.66% 722 23.84% 4 0.13% 7 0.23% 4 0.13% 1,569 51.82% 3,028
Graham 1,791 52.31% 1,621 47.34% 8 0.23% 1 0.03% 3 0.09% 170 4.97% 3,424
Granville 5,244 63.59% 2,955 35.84% 34 0.41% 9 0.11% 4 0.05% 2,289 27.75% 8,246
Greene 2,740 66.44% 1,356 32.88% 14 0.34% 9 0.22% 5 0.12% 1,384 33.56% 4,124
Guilford 46,826 50.49% 45,441 49.00% 274 0.30% 157 0.17% 42 0.05% 1,385 1.49% 92,740
Halifax 7,892 59.54% 5,257 39.66% 82 0.62% 12 0.09% 11 0.08% 2,635 19.88% 13,254
Harnett 8,992 60.01% 5,935 39.61% 39 0.26% 10 0.07% 9 0.06% 3,057 20.40% 14,985
Haywood 10,692 64.22% 5,885 35.35% 47 0.28% 19 0.11% 5 0.03% 4,807 28.87% 16,648
Henderson 8,155 42.59% 10,830 56.56% 127 0.66% 27 0.14% 8 0.04% -2,675 -13.97% 19,147
Hertford 3,986 72.34% 1,517 27.53% 2 0.04% 2 0.04% 3 0.05% 2,469 44.81% 5,510
Hoke 3,186 77.27% 920 22.31% 8 0.19% 6 0.15% 3 0.07% 2,266 54.96% 4,123
Hyde 1,084 63.13% 623 36.28% 7 0.41% 2 0.12% 1 0.06% 461 26.85% 1,717
Iredell 13,295 52.90% 11,573 46.05% 218 0.87% 25 0.10% 20 0.08% 1,722 6.85% 25,131
Jackson 5,223 59.45% 3,536 40.25% 14 0.16% 10 0.11% 2 0.02% 1,687 19.20% 8,785
Johnston 10,301 54.56% 8,511 45.08% 44 0.23% 17 0.09% 6 0.03% 1,790 9.48% 18,879
Jones 2,016 66.95% 948 31.48% 41 1.36% 3 0.10% 3 0.10% 1,068 35.47% 3,011
Lee 5,104 57.80% 3,691 41.80% 19 0.22% 13 0.15% 4 0.05% 1,413 16.00% 8,831
Lenoir 7,650 49.44% 7,715 49.86% 87 0.56% 19 0.12% 3 0.02% -65 -0.42% 15,474
Lincoln 9,462 58.37% 6,682 41.22% 48 0.30% 15 0.09% 3 0.02% 2,780 17.15% 16,210
Macon 4,403 54.26% 3,673 45.26% 25 0.31% 10 0.12% 4 0.05% 730 9.00% 8,115
Madison 3,433 58.24% 2,446 41.49% 6 0.10% 2 0.03% 8 0.14% 987 16.75% 5,895
Martin 4,518 69.75% 1,931 29.81% 21 0.32% 4 0.06% 3 0.05% 2,587 39.94% 6,477
McDowell 6,246 58.12% 4,450 41.41% 37 0.34% 6 0.06% 7 0.07% 1,796 16.71% 10,746
Mecklenburg 63,198 50.40% 61,715 49.21% 211 0.17% 210 0.17% 65 0.05% 1,483 1.19% 125,399
Mitchell 2,031 35.14% 3,728 64.50% 14 0.24% 3 0.05% 4 0.07% -1,697 -29.36% 5,780
Montgomery 4,308 59.74% 2,872 39.83% 18 0.25% 6 0.08% 7 0.10% 1,436 19.91% 7,211
Moore 7,373 49.09% 7,577 50.45% 42 0.28% 24 0.16% 4 0.03% -204 -1.36% 15,020
Nash 8,937 50.73% 8,477 48.12% 176 1.00% 19 0.11% 7 0.04% 460 2.61% 17,616
New Hanover 14,504 50.93% 13,687 48.06% 208 0.73% 58 0.20% 20 0.07% 817 2.87% 28,477
Northampton 5,118 80.23% 1,238 19.41% 18 0.28% 2 0.03% 3 0.05% 3,880 60.82% 6,379
Onslow 7,954 56.94% 5,953 42.61% 38 0.27% 17 0.12% 8 0.06% 2,001 14.33% 13,970
Orange 15,755 62.46% 9,302 36.87% 55 0.22% 99 0.39% 15 0.06% 6,453 25.59% 25,226
Pamlico 2,113 65.85% 1,068 33.28% 19 0.59% 6 0.19% 3 0.09% 1,045 32.57% 3,209
Pasquotank 4,302 61.49% 2,651 37.89% 35 0.50% 6 0.09% 2 0.03% 1,651 23.60% 6,996
Pender 4,422 67.65% 2,063 31.56% 39 0.60% 6 0.09% 7 0.11% 2,359 36.09% 6,537
Perquimans 1,666 64.57% 909 35.23% 3 0.12% 2 0.08% 0 0.00% 757 29.34% 2,580
Person 3,977 56.55% 3,038 43.20% 15 0.21% 1 0.01% 2 0.03% 939 13.35% 7,033
Pitt 11,636 54.66% 9,532 44.78% 66 0.31% 39 0.18% 15 0.07% 2,104 9.88% 21,288
Polk 3,155 54.28% 2,605 44.82% 48 0.83% 4 0.07% 0 0.00% 550 9.46% 5,812
Randolph 12,714 46.75% 14,337 52.72% 107 0.39% 34 0.13% 5 0.02% -1,623 -5.97% 27,197
Richmond 8,793 75.39% 2,848 24.42% 17 0.15% 6 0.05% 0 0.00% 5,945 50.97% 11,664
Robeson 20,695 80.53% 4,907 19.09% 54 0.21% 9 0.04% 34 0.13% 15,788 61.44% 25,699
Rockingham 13,413 58.65% 9,362 40.93% 67 0.29% 18 0.08% 11 0.05% 4,051 17.72% 22,871
Rowan 15,363 50.82% 14,644 48.44% 183 0.61% 25 0.08% 14 0.05% 719 2.38% 30,229
Rutherford 10,361 60.52% 6,718 39.24% 29 0.17% 10 0.06% 3 0.02% 3,643 21.28% 17,121
Sampson 8,869 55.77% 6,968 43.82% 28 0.18% 23 0.14% 14 0.09% 1,901 11.95% 15,902
Scotland 4,430 69.39% 1,932 30.26% 16 0.25% 3 0.05% 3 0.05% 2,498 39.13% 6,384
Stanly 9,262 50.93% 8,845 48.63% 61 0.34% 12 0.07% 7 0.04% 417 2.30% 18,187
Stokes 6,647 52.29% 6,029 47.43% 29 0.23% 1 0.01% 5 0.04% 618 4.86% 12,711
Surry 10,024 57.31% 7,403 42.33% 46 0.26% 15 0.09% 2 0.01% 2,621 14.98% 17,490
Swain 2,151 57.04% 1,608 42.64% 7 0.19% 3 0.08% 2 0.05% 543 14.40% 3,771
Transylvania 4,636 52.74% 4,089 46.51% 47 0.53% 15 0.17% 4 0.05% 547 6.23% 8,791
Tyrrell 900 68.97% 403 30.88% 2 0.15% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 497 38.09% 1,305
Union 10,578 62.81% 6,184 36.72% 50 0.30% 18 0.11% 10 0.06% 4,394 26.09% 16,840
Vance 5,620 59.40% 3,813 40.30% 19 0.20% 7 0.07% 2 0.02% 1,807 19.10% 9,461
Wake 44,005 49.57% 44,291 49.89% 182 0.21% 280 0.32% 17 0.02% -286 -0.32% 88,775
Warren 3,185 68.72% 1,427 30.79% 15 0.32% 4 0.09% 4 0.09% 1,758 37.93% 4,635
Washington 2,840 65.12% 1,486 34.07% 29 0.66% 3 0.07% 3 0.07% 1,354 31.05% 4,361
Watauga 5,358 49.53% 5,400 49.92% 38 0.35% 17 0.16% 4 0.04% -42 -0.39% 10,817
Wayne 9,265 48.78% 9,607 50.58% 103 0.54% 9 0.05% 9 0.05% -342 -1.80% 18,993
Wilkes 10,176 46.20% 11,768 53.43% 55 0.25% 14 0.06% 11 0.05% -1,592 -7.23% 22,024
Wilson 8,209 54.42% 6,795 45.05% 62 0.41% 12 0.08% 6 0.04% 1,414 9.37% 15,084
Yadkin 4,497 42.96% 5,916 56.52% 48 0.46% 5 0.05% 2 0.02% -1,419 -13.56% 10,468
Yancey 3,932 59.14% 2,688 40.43% 19 0.29% 7 0.11% 3 0.05% 1,244 18.71% 6,649
Totals 927,365 55.27% 741,960 44.22% 5,607 0.33% 2,219 0.13% 755 0.04% 185,405 11.05% 1,677,906

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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.

Works cited