This political dispute occurred in 1946 when the sudden death of Eugene Talmadge left three different politicians claiming the office of Georgia governor

1956 Georgia flag

Ellis Arnall

Melvin Thompson

Smith v. Allwright

Three Governors Controversy

A controversial and colorful politician, Eugene Talmadge played a leading role in the state's politics from 1926 to 1946. During his three terms as state commissioner of agriculture and three terms as governor, his personality and actions polarized voters into Talmadge and anti-Talmadge factions in the state's one-party politics of that era. He was elected to a fourth term as the state's chief executive in 1946 but died before taking office.