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1978 South African presidential election|
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Turnout | 92.73% |
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![South African presidential election, 1978](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/South_African_presidential_election%2C_1978.svg/300px-South_African_presidential_election%2C_1978.svg.png) Results of the election. Vorster (orange) received 173 votes while Graaf received 19 and Bozzoli 12. |
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Following the death of
State President
Nicolaas Diederichs on August 21, 1978, a new election for the
South African head of state was held which pitted former
Prime Minister
John Vorster, backed by the then-ruling
National Party, against former
United Party leader
De Villiers Graaff supported by the
New Republic Party, and Vice-Chancellor of the
University of the Witwatersrand, Guerino Bozzoli, supported by the
Progressive Federal Party.
[1] In accordance with the
South African Constitution of 1961, the ceremonial State President was elected by a joint sitting of both houses of
Parliament for a seven-year term. John Vorster won the election with 173 votes in his favor and 31 going to the other candidates, beginning his term on October 10, 1978.
![South Africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png) Presidential elections in South Africa |
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