South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1958

The 1958 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1958 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Ernest Hollings won the Democratic primary against rival Donald S. Russell and ran unopposed in the general election becoming the 106th governor.

[edit] Democratic Primary

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor in the summer of 1958 and it became a heated contest between Lieutenant Governor Ernest Hollings and the former president of the University of South Carolina, Donald S. Russell. Hollings emerged victorious from the runoff and effectively became the next governor of South Carolina because there was no opposition in the general election.

The general election was held on November 4, 1958 and Ernest Hollings was elected the next governor of South Carolina without opposition. Being a non-presidential election and few contested races, turnout was much lower than the Democratic primary election.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ernest Hollings	77,714	100.0	0.0
	No party	Write-Ins	26	0.0	0.0
Majority			77,688	100.0	0.0
Turnout			77,740	14.5
	Democratic hold

1958 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county. 65+% won by Hollings

Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962, pp. 48-49.
"Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1959, p. 8.