Virginia — 1976 U.S. Senate election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1976 Senate electionVirginia · U.S. SenateJr.D+38.3
How it voted
Share of the 1976 vote
| Harry F. Byrd Jr. ✓Independent | 57.2% | 890,778 |
|---|---|---|
| E. R. (Bud) ZumwaltDemocrat | 38.3% | 596,009 |
| Martin H. PerperIndependent | 4.5% | 70,559 |
1976Senate margin
D+60R+60
136 counties, each filled by 1976 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
Harry F. Byrd Jr. won as an independent (caucusing with the Democrats); the headline figure is the 18.9-point margin of victory over Zumwalt, not the D−R measure.
County-level results (136 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| ACCOMACK, VA | Democratic | D+28.9 |
| ALBEMARLE, VA | Democratic | D+38.3 |
| ALEXANDRIA CITY, VA | Democratic | D+56.5 |
| ALLEGHANY, VA | Democratic | D+36.8 |
| AMELIA, VA | Democratic | D+30.9 |
| AMHERST, VA | Democratic | D+31.3 |
| APPOMATTOX, VA | Democratic | D+23.5 |
| ARLINGTON, VA | Democratic | D+50.4 |
| AUGUSTA, VA | Democratic | D+28.1 |
| BATH, VA | Democratic | D+21.7 |
| BEDFORD, VA | Democratic | D+34.9 |
| BEDFORD CITY, VA | Democratic | D+40.7 |
| BLAND, VA | Democratic | D+24.3 |
| BOTETOURT, VA | Democratic | D+35.1 |
| BRISTOL CITY, VA | Democratic | D+29.3 |
| BRUNSWICK, VA | Democratic | D+34.0 |
| BUCHANAN, VA | Democratic | D+54.9 |
| BUCKINGHAM, VA | Democratic | D+29.1 |
| BUENA VISTA CITY, VA | Democratic | D+32.5 |
| CAMPBELL, VA | Democratic | D+20.7 |
| CAROLINE, VA | Democratic | D+44.8 |
| CARROLL, VA | Democratic | D+35.6 |
| CHARLES CITY, VA | Democratic | D+61.0 |
| CHARLOTTE, VA | Democratic | D+23.5 |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+44.7 |
| CHESAPEAKE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+39.2 |
| CHESTERFIELD, VA | Democratic | D+26.0 |
| CLARKE, VA | Democratic | D+18.4 |
| CLIFTON FORGE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+35.2 |
| COLONIAL HEIGHTS CITY, VA | Democratic | D+25.7 |
| COVINGTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+41.4 |
| CRAIG, VA | Democratic | D+45.1 |
| CULPEPER, VA | Democratic | D+27.0 |
| CUMBERLAND, VA | Democratic | D+37.0 |
| DANVILLE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+23.3 |
| DICKENSON, VA | Democratic | D+49.3 |
| DINWIDDIE, VA | Democratic | D+38.0 |
| EMPORIA CITY, VA | Democratic | D+29.2 |
| ESSEX, VA | Democratic | D+27.9 |
| FAIRFAX, VA | Democratic | D+46.9 |
| FAIRFAX CITY, VA | Democratic | D+44.5 |
| FALLS CHURCH CITY, VA | Democratic | D+46.4 |
| FAUQUIER, VA | Democratic | D+31.0 |
| FLOYD, VA | Democratic | D+30.4 |
| FLUVANNA, VA | Democratic | D+31.9 |
| FRANKLIN, VA | Democratic | D+33.3 |
| FRANKLIN CITY, VA | Democratic | D+30.9 |
| FREDERICK, VA | Democratic | D+21.7 |
| FREDERICKSBURG CITY, VA | Democratic | D+38.0 |
| GALAX CITY, VA | Democratic | D+42.3 |
| GILES, VA | Democratic | D+37.4 |
| GLOUCESTER, VA | Democratic | D+29.8 |
| GOOCHLAND, VA | Democratic | D+39.5 |
| GRAYSON, VA | Democratic | D+45.5 |
| GREENE, VA | Democratic | D+31.6 |
| GREENSVILLE, VA | Democratic | D+45.8 |
| HALIFAX, VA | Democratic | D+22.8 |
| HAMPTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+43.3 |
| HANOVER, VA | Democratic | D+24.5 |
| HARRISONBURG CITY, VA | Democratic | D+28.8 |
| HENRICO, VA | Democratic | D+26.7 |
| HENRY, VA | Democratic | D+42.1 |
| HIGHLAND, VA | Democratic | D+14.2 |
| HOPEWELL CITY, VA | Democratic | D+37.7 |
| ISLE OF WIGHT, VA | Democratic | D+40.9 |
| JAMES CITY, VA | Democratic | D+38.4 |
| KING AND QUEEN, VA | Democratic | D+33.0 |
| KING GEORGE, VA | Democratic | D+31.0 |
| KING WILLIAM, VA | Democratic | D+34.5 |
| LANCASTER, VA | Democratic | D+27.3 |
| LEE, VA | Democratic | D+38.9 |
| LEXINGTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+35.2 |
| LOUDOUN, VA | Democratic | D+37.3 |
| LOUISA, VA | Democratic | D+35.9 |
| LUNENBURG, VA | Democratic | D+25.5 |
| LYNCHBURG CITY, VA | Democratic | D+30.8 |
| MADISON, VA | Democratic | D+25.4 |
| MANASSAS CITY, VA | Democratic | D+41.4 |
| MANASSAS PARK CITY, VA | Democratic | D+48.7 |
| MARTINSVILLE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+37.3 |
| MATHEWS, VA | Democratic | D+23.0 |
| MECKLENBURG, VA | Democratic | D+26.1 |
| MIDDLESEX, VA | Democratic | D+26.8 |
| MONTGOMERY, VA | Democratic | D+37.8 |
| NELSON, VA | Democratic | D+35.4 |
| NEW KENT, VA | Democratic | D+31.8 |
| NEWPORT NEWS CITY, VA | Democratic | D+38.7 |
| NORFOLK CITY, VA | Democratic | D+46.8 |
| NORTHAMPTON, VA | Democratic | D+38.7 |
| NORTHUMBERLAND, VA | Democratic | D+27.6 |
| NORTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+39.4 |
| NOTTOWAY, VA | Democratic | D+30.5 |
| ORANGE, VA | Democratic | D+30.4 |
| PAGE, VA | Democratic | D+26.9 |
| PATRICK, VA | Democratic | D+27.5 |
| PETERSBURG CITY, VA | Democratic | D+50.4 |
| PITTSYLVANIA, VA | Democratic | D+25.3 |
| POQUOSON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+18.9 |
| PORTSMOUTH CITY, VA | Democratic | D+45.6 |
| POWHATAN, VA | Democratic | D+32.3 |
| PRINCE EDWARD, VA | Democratic | D+31.0 |
| PRINCE GEORGE, VA | Democratic | D+37.8 |
| PRINCE WILLIAM, VA | Democratic | D+46.9 |
| PULASKI, VA | Democratic | D+37.7 |
| RADFORD CITY, VA | Democratic | D+42.3 |
| RAPPAHANNOCK, VA | Democratic | D+30.5 |
| RICHMOND, VA | Democratic | D+19.8 |
| RICHMOND CITY, VA | Democratic | D+49.0 |
| ROANOKE, VA | Democratic | D+31.8 |
| ROANOKE CITY, VA | Democratic | D+39.3 |
| ROCKBRIDGE, VA | Democratic | D+30.5 |
| ROCKINGHAM, VA | Democratic | D+27.1 |
| RUSSELL, VA | Democratic | D+47.5 |
| SALEM CITY, VA | Democratic | D+32.1 |
| SCOTT, VA | Democratic | D+41.5 |
| SHENANDOAH, VA | Democratic | D+21.1 |
| SMYTH, VA | Democratic | D+29.8 |
| SOUTH BOSTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+23.5 |
| SOUTHAMPTON, VA | Democratic | D+30.3 |
| SPOTSYLVANIA, VA | Democratic | D+35.6 |
| STAFFORD, VA | Democratic | D+33.2 |
| STAUNTON CITY, VA | Democratic | D+31.0 |
| SUFFOLK CITY, VA | Democratic | D+41.8 |
| SURRY, VA | Democratic | D+40.0 |
| SUSSEX, VA | Democratic | D+46.2 |
| TAZEWELL, VA | Democratic | D+33.8 |
| VIRGINIA BEACH CITY, VA | Democratic | D+31.7 |
| WARREN, VA | Democratic | D+35.8 |
| WASHINGTON, VA | Democratic | D+30.2 |
| WAYNESBORO CITY, VA | Democratic | D+32.1 |
| WESTMORELAND, VA | Democratic | D+38.2 |
| WILLIAMSBURG CITY, VA | Democratic | D+38.2 |
| WINCHESTER CITY, VA | Democratic | D+19.0 |
| WISE, VA | Democratic | D+45.9 |
| WYTHE, VA | Democratic | D+32.6 |
| YORK, VA | Democratic | D+32.4 |
presidential baselinePresident 1976R+1.3Senate 1976D+18.9vs. baselineD+20.3
Virginia's 1976 Senate race ran 20.3 points more Democratic than the presidential race on the same ballot.
Harry F. Byrd Jr. is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats; the seat is shown Democratic-aligned here so the comparison reads against the side it anchors.
Virginia's Senate margins
Every comparable D–R contest in our store, 1976–2024
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1976 | +18.9% |
| 1978 | −0.4% |
| 1982 | −2.4% |
| 1984 | −40.1% |
| 1988 | +42.6% |
| 1990 | −81.7% |
| 1994 | +2.7% |
| 1996 | −5.1% |
| 2000 | −4.6% |
| 2002 | −83.0% |
| 2006 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | +31.3% |
| 2012 | +5.9% |
| 2014 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | +16.0% |
| 2020 | +12.1% |
| 2024 | +8.9% |
Same ballot, 1976VA
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 1976 US Senate returns, party-classified by literal ballot party · county returns aggregated from precinct-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.