1986 Alabama gubernatorial election

none related races 1986 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1986 Alabama gubernatorial election Alabama presidential no 1982 Alabama gubernatorial election 1982 1990 Alabama gubernatorial election 1990 November 4, 1986 File:HGuyHunt (cropped).JPG H. Guy Hunt Republican Party (United States) 696,203 56.45% Bill Baxley (cropped).png Bill Baxley Democratic Party (United States) 537,163 43.55% 1986 Alabama gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 250px County resultsHunt: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Baxley: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90% Governor George Wallace Democratic Party (United States) H. Guy Hunt Republican Party (United States) The 1986 Alabama gubernatorial election saw the election of Republican H. Guy Hunt over Democrat Bill Baxley. In state politics, this election is largely seen as a realigning election since Hunt was the first Republican to be elected governor in 114 years – the last Republican to be elected was David P. Lewis in 1872 during the Reconstruction era. In March 1986, incumbent George Wallace announced that he would not seek a fifth term as governor, ending an era in Alabama politics. Though Alabama had supported Republicans in national elections, state and local elections were dominated by Democrats. Therefore many people anticipated that the winner of the Democratic primary would win the election. Democratic primary Candidates Bill Baxley, Lieutenant Governorhttp://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=1986&f=0&off=5&elect=1 1986 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Alabama US Election Atlas September 19, 2016 Charles Graddick, Attorney General of Alabama Fob James, former governor George McMillan, former lieutenant governor and candidate for governor in 1982 Barbara E. O'Neal Results Democratic primary results Bill Baxley Democratic Party (United States) 345,985 36.80 Charlie Graddick Democratic Party (United States) 275,714 29.33 Fob James Democratic Party (United States) 195,844 20.83 George McMillan Democratic Party (United States) 117,258 12.47 Barbara E. O'Neal Democratic Party (United States) 5,287 0.56 940,088 100.00 Democratic runoff resultshttp://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=1986&f=0&off=5&elect=3 1986 Gubernatorial Democratic Runoff Election Results - Alabama US Election Atlas September 19, 2016 Charlie Graddick Democratic Party (United States) 470,051 50.47 Bill Baxley Democratic Party (United States) 461,295 49.53 931,346 100.00 Controversy The Democratic primary brought out a number of candidates. It resulted in a runoff between Lieutenant Governor Bill Baxley and Attorney General Charles Graddick. Graddick, the more conservative of the two Democrats, won the runoff election by a slim margin. Baxley challenged the results, and claimed that Graddick violated Democratic Party rules by encouraging people who voted in the Republican primary to cross over and vote in the Democratic runoff election.http://www.leagle.com/decision/19861833641FSupp1192_11678.xml/HENDERSON%20v.%20GRADDICK HENDERSON v. GRADDICK | 641 F.Supp. 1192 (1986) | pp119211678 Leagle.com 2022-08-12 While Republicans in the state have held open primaries for years, the Democrats bar Republicans and Independents from voting in its primary election. This challenge went to the Alabama Supreme Court, which ruled that crossover voting had taken place in large numbers and that the Democratic Party either had to select Baxley as the nominee or hold another runoff election. The party opted to name Baxley as its nominee.http://openjurist.org/802/f2d/1302/curry-v-baker-j-and-d-graddick 802 F2d 1302 Curry v. Baker J & D Graddick | OpenJuristhttps://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/02/us/alabama-democrats-runoff-for-governor-is-thrown-out.html Alabama Democrats' Runoff for Governor is Thrown Out The New York Times 2 August 1986 Schmidt William E. General election and aftermath Results 1986 Alabama gubernatorial electionGuide to U.S. Elections CQ Press 2010 978-1-60426-536-1 Kalb Deborah Washington, DC 1599 Guy Hunt Republican Party (United States) 696,203 56.45 Bill Baxley Democratic Party (United States) 537,163 43.55 1,233,366 100.00 Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) The selection of Baxley spurned a negative reaction from Graddick's supporters. As a result, they supported Guy Hunt in the general election, who won with 56 percent of the vote. This election marked the transformation of politics in Alabama from a state dominated by many perspectives in one party to a two-party state.http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090914/NEWS/909139948?p=all&tc=pgall Article 404 - Tuscaloosa News - Tuscaloosa, AL References Governor Alabama Category:1986 controversies in the United States 1986