| Election Name: | 1971 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Country: | United States |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1970 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Previous Year: | 1970 |
| Next Election: | 1972 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Next Year: | 1972 |
| Seats For Election: | 3 governorships |
| Election Date: | November 2, 1971; February 1, 1972 (LA) |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Seats won |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Seats Before1: | 29 |
| Seats After1: | 30 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| 1Data1: | 2 |
| 2Data1: | 3 |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Seats Before2: | 21 |
| Seats After2: | 20 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| 1Data2: | 1 |
| 2Data2: | 0 |
| Map Size: | 324px |
United States gubernatorial elections were held in three states.
In Mississippi and Kentucky, general elections took place on 2 November 1971. In Louisiana, their general election took place on 1 February 1972 after the party primaries on 6 November 1971 and a Democratic primary runoff on 18 December 1971. In Louisiana, this was the last gubernatorial election which did not use the nonpartisan blanket primary system.
In Mississippi and Louisiana, there were no party changes (in both cases, from Democrat to Democrat). In Kentucky, there was a Democratic gain.
In Kentucky, Louie B. Nunn was not allowed to run for a second term under the term limits rule at the time, a rule that was changed in 1992.[1]
In Mississippi, John Bell Williams was also barred from a second term under the term limits rule at the time, a rule that was changed in the mid-1980s.[2]
In Louisiana, John McKeithen had been allowed a second term due to a new rule enacted that allowed governors two consecutive terms, and thus wasallowed to run for a second term (see Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1967).[3] Thus, when the 1971 race rolled around, he too was term-limited.
| State | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Louie Nunn | 1967 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| Louisiana | John McKeithen | 1964 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Mississippi | John Bell Williams | 1967 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|