Claim | Claim | Claim |
---|---|---|
Herman Talmadge | Ellis Arnall | Melvin Thompson |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic |
Claim: Elected by the General Assembly | Claim: Being the incumbent governor | Claim: Being the lieutenant governor |
Outcome: Resigned | Outcome: Resigned | Outcome: Declared sole governor |
The Three governors controversy was a political crisis in the U.S. state of Georgia, from 1946 to 1947. On December 21, 1946, Eugene Talmadge, the governor-elect of Georgia, died before taking office. The state constitution did not specify who would assume the governorship in such a situation, so three men made claims to the governorship: Ellis Arnall, the outgoing governor; Melvin E. Thompson, the lieutenant governor-elect; and Herman Talmadge, Eugene Talmadge's son. Eventually a ruling by the Supreme Court of Georgia settled the matter in favor of Thompson. Georgia's Secretary of State Ben Fortson hid the state seal in his wheelchair so no official business could be conducted until the controversy was settled.