Although neither a Crawford County native nor a Lieutenant Governor had ever been elected governor before, Ray Shafer had been considered for the office as early as 1961. Shafer's opponent in the November election was Milton Shapp, a wealthy Philadelphia industrialist who had upset the Democratic party with a win in the primary. Shafer's running mate was Walter Alessandroni, at that time the State Attorney General and himself a popular Philadelphia political figure. After Alessandroni was killed in a plane crash, Philadelphian Raymond Broderick was nominated for the spot. The margin of victory for the Shafer led ticket was a "quarter of a million votes."

After the election, Crawford County honored the first of their citizens ever to be elected governor by celebrating another Ray Day, on December 20, 1966.