| Election Name: | 1973 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Country: | United States |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | No |
| Previous Election: | 1972 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Previous Year: | 1972 |
| Next Election: | 1974 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Next Year: | 1974 |
| Seats For Election: | 2 governorships |
| Election Date: | November 6, 1973 |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Seats won |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Seats Before1: | 31 |
| Seats After1: | 32 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| 1Data1: | 0 |
| 2Data1: | 1 |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Seats Before2: | 19 |
| Seats After2: | 18 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| 1Data2: | 2 |
| 2Data2: | 1 |
| Map Size: | 324px |
United States gubernatorial elections were held 6 November 1973, in two states.
In Virginia, former Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr., who was elected in the 1965 gubernatorial election as a Democrat,[1] ran and won as a Republican. He defeated Henry Howell, who was also a former Democrat.[2]
In New Jersey, the moderate incumbent Republican William T. Cahill was defeated in the primary by Charles W. Sandman Jr.[3] Cahill did not campaign for Sandman, and Brendan Byrne defeated Sandman handily.[4]
| State | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | William T. Cahill | Republican | 1969 | Incumbent lost renomination.[5] New governor elected.[6] Democratic gain. | Brendan Byrne (Democratic) 66.40% Charles W. Sandman Jr. (Republican) 32.13% A. Howard Freund (American) 0.31% Alfred V. Colabella (Independent) 0.24% Robert Clement (Socialist Labor) 0.20% John A. Goodson (Libertarian) 0.15% James J. Terlizzi, Sr. (Independent Taxpayer's Watchdog) 0.13% | |||
| Virginia | Republican | 1969 | Incumbent term-limited.[7] New governor elected. Republican hold. | Mills Godwin (Republican) 50.72% Henry Howell (Independent) 49.28% |