Final answer:
George C. Wallace, the former governor of Alabama and an independent candidate, earned 46 electoral votes in the 1968 election.
Step-by-step explanation:
The third-party candidate who earned 46 electoral votes in the election of 1968 was George C. Wallace, the former governor of Alabama. Running as an independent candidate, Wallace appealed to many voters with his platform supporting states' rights and school segregation. Despite not winning the presidency, his substantial electoral vote count showed significant third-party influence in an otherwise two-party dominated system.