Ellis Arnall
| Ellis Arnall | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 69th Governor of Georgia | |
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In office January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 |
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| Preceded by | Eugene Talmadge |
| Succeeded by | Herman Talmadge |
| Attorney General of Georgia | |
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In office 1939–1943 |
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| Preceded by | M. J. Yeomans |
| Succeeded by | Grady Head |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
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In office 1932 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ellis Gibbs Arnall March 20, 1907 Newnan, Georgia, United States |
| Died | December 13, 1992 (aged 85) |
| Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery in Newnan, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mildred Delany Slemons Arnall |
| Alma mater | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Baptist [1] |
Ellis Gibbs Arnall (March 20, 1907 – December 13, 1992) was an American politician, a liberal Democrat who served as the 69th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1943 to 1947.
Born in Newnan, Georgia, Arnall attended Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, the University of the South, and the University of Georgia School of Law. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1931. While attending Mercer University, Arnall was initiated into Kappa Alpha Order.
In 1932, Coweta County voters elected Arnall to the Georgia House of Representatives. Arnall was elected 'Speaker Pro Tempore', the second highest officer position in the Georgia House. Governor Eurith D. Rivers appointed Arnall, then thirty-one, to a vacancy in the office of state attorney general.
Actions undertaken by Governor Eugene Talmadge had caused the state's colleges to lose accreditation. Arnall unseated Talmadge in the 1942 primary, 174,757 (57.7 percent) to 128,394 (42.4 percent). Without Republican opposition, Arnall hence became the youngest governor then serving in the United States.
Arnall obtained the repeal of the poll tax, ratification in 1945 of a new state constitution, and a state employee merit system. He also retired the Georgia state debt. When young men were drafted into the armed forces during World War II, Arnall argued that youths old enough to fight in war should be able to vote for their country's leadership. He succeeded in lowering the voting age to eighteen more than two decades before the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution implemented that change nationally. Georgia thus became the first state to grant the franchise to 18-year-olds. Arnall also removed the prison system under the governor's control. He established a board of corrections to oversee state prisons and a pardon and parole board to handle such requests. He removed the University of Georgia from political machinations, and he led efforts to prevent a governor from exercising dictatorial powers, as opponents of Governor Eugene Talmadge had allegedly stated, had occurred during that administration. Arnall's reforms won him attention from the national press.
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