1986 Michigan gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1986 Michigan gubernatorial election Michigan presidential no 1982 Michigan gubernatorial election 1982 1990 Michigan gubernatorial election 1990 November 4, 1986 File:James Blanchard (MI) (cropped).png 150x150px James J. Blanchard Democratic Party (United States) Martha Griffiths 1,632,138 68.10% 3x4.svg William Lucas Republican Party (United States) Colleen Engler 753,647 31.45% 300px County results 300px Blanchard: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90% #0D0596 >90%Lucas: #e27f7f 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90% Governor James J. Blanchard Democratic Party (United States) James J. Blanchard Democratic Party (United States) The 1986 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986. Democratic incumbent James J. Blanchard won reelection in a landslide over Republican William Lucas. Blanchard carried every county in the state except for Ottawa County, which as of , has not voted Democratic since 1890. This was the most recent election in which a male Democrat was elected governor of Michigan. Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 5, 1986. Democratic party Incumbent governor James J. Blanchard won renomination against token opposition. Candidates James J. Blanchard, incumbent governor Henry Wilson, follower of Lyndon LaRoucheHornbeck Mark Henry Wilson, D, Detroit https://www.newspapers.com/image/1150473889/ 13 June 2026 Kalamazoo Gazette 27 July 1986 Kalamazoo B3Voters' Guide https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106100998/ 13 June 2026 The Flint Journal 3 August 1986 Flint 1 Results Democratic primary resultsMichigan Manual 1987-1988 1987 Michigan Department of Management and Budget Lansing 432-433 Official Canvass of Votes, Primary Election, August 5, 1986 Democratic Party (United States) James J. Blanchard (inc.) 428,125 93.66% Democratic Party (United States) Henry Wilson 28,940 6.33% Democratic Party (United States) Scattering 22 0.01% 457,087 100.00% Republican party Wayne County executive William Lucas made history by being the first African American nominee for either major party for Governor of Michigan. Candidates Dick Chrysler, automotive businessman Colleen Engler, member of Michigan House of Representatives William Lucas, Wayne County Executive Dan Murphy, Oakland County ExecutiveHornbeck Mark Dan Murphy, R, Oakland County https://www.newspapers.com/image/1150473889/ 13 June 2026 Kalamazoo Gazette 27 July 1986 Kalamazoo B3 Results Republican primary results Republican Party (United States) William Lucas 259,153 44.50% Republican Party (United States) Dick Chrysler 198,174 34.03% Republican Party (United States) Colleen Engler 63,927 10.98% Republican Party (United States) Dan Murphy 61,073 10.49% Republican Party (United States) Scattering 10 0.00% 582,337 100.00% General election Candidates Major party candidates James J. Blanchard & Martha Griffiths, Democratic William Lucas & Colleen Engler, Republican Other candidates Martin P. McLaughlin & Alva A. Crivens, Workers League Results 1986 Michigan gubernatorial electionMichigan Manual 1987-1988 1987 Michigan Department of Management and Budget Lansing 486-487 Official Canvass of Votes, General Election, November 4, 1986 Democratic Party (United States) James J. Blanchard (inc.) 1,632,138 68.10% +16.75% Republican Party (United States) William Lucas 753,647 31.45% -13.60% Workers League Party (United States) Martin P. McLaughlin 9,477 0.40% +0.33% Scattering 1,302 0.05% 878,491 36.66% 2,396,564 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) +30.35% Results by county By sweeping all but one county, Blanchard ended a number of very long streaks of Republican dominance in counties across the state. As of , this election is the only one in which Antrim County and Charlevoix County have voted Democratic. This was also the first time Benzie County voted Democratic since its organization in 1869; however, unlike the aforementioned two counties, it has subsequently voted Democratic.In 2006 and 2022. Other notable flips were Van Buren County voting Democratic for the first time since 1852 and Allegan County and Sanilac County doing the same for the first time since 1854. This election was one of only two instances of Wexford County voting Democratic.The other was in 1912. As of the , this is the last election in which the Democratic candidate has won any of the following counties: Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Hillsdale, Huron, Kalkaska, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montmorency, Newaygo, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Sanilac, and Wexford. County James J. BlanchardDemocratic William LucasRepublican Martin P. McLaughlinWorkers League ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona2,18665.74%1,13234.05%50.15%20.06%1,05431.70%3,325Alger2,08076.08%65123.81%30.11%00.00%1,42952.27%2,734Allegan10,87553.61%9,35146.09%560.28%50.02%1,5247.51%20,287Alpena5,68468.22%2,63231.59%140.17%20.02%3,05236.63%8,332Antrim3,81967.46%1,81632.08%260.46%00.00%2,00335.38%5,661Arenac3,19977.25%92722.39%150.36%00.00%2,27254.87%4,141Baraga1,67471.45%66628.43%30.13%00.00%1,00843.02%2,343Barry7,84663.76%4,39235.69%530.43%140.11%3,45428.07%12,305Bay24,59075.07%8,04824.57%1120.34%80.02%16,54250.50%32,758Benzie2,49665.98%1,27733.76%70.19%30.08%1,21932.22%3,783Berrien21,64060.79%13,76538.67%1930.54%00.00%7,87522.12%35,598Branch5,72360.26%3,74839.47%230.24%30.03%1,97520.80%9,497Calhoun25,98972.66%9,60826.86%1590.44%100.03%16,38145.80%35,766Cass6,69765.53%3,49734.22%260.25%00.00%3,20031.31%10,220Charlevoix4,51568.92%1,97230.10%640.98%00.00%2,54338.82%6,551Cheboygan4,88174.17%1,68525.60%150.23%00.00%3,19648.56%6,581Chippewa5,99772.62%2,24527.19%160.19%00.00%3,75245.43%8,258Clare5,39071.90%2,03427.13%710.95%20.03%3,35644.76%7,497Clinton10,01063.98%5,55235.49%390.25%440.28%4,45828.49%15,645Crawford2,07965.69%1,06033.49%240.76%20.06%1,01932.20%3,165Delta7,76372.42%2,93027.33%260.24%00.00%4,83345.09%10,719Dickinson5,60272.72%2,08127.02%200.26%00.00%3,52145.71%7,703Eaton16,44866.05%8,34533.51%1110.45%00.00%8,10332.54%24,904Emmet4,73365.53%2,45433.97%350.48%10.01%2,27931.55%7,223Genesee89,77879.00%23,15520.38%6620.58%490.04%66,62358.62%113,644Gladwin4,53573.30%1,60926.01%430.70%00.00%2,92647.29%6,187Gogebic5,35082.89%1,10017.04%40.06%00.00%4,25065.85%6,454Grand Traverse11,23262.96%6,57836.87%250.14%60.03%4,65426.09%17,841Gratiot7,09269.83%3,03429.87%280.28%20.02%4,05839.96%10,156Hillsdale6,04458.51%4,25541.19%310.30%00.00%1,78917.32%10,330Houghton6,33169.67%2,73930.14%170.19%00.00%3,59239.53%9,087Huron6,75066.55%3,37333.25%190.19%10.01%3,37733.29%10,143Ingham52,05469.93%21,53628.93%5510.74%2970.40%30,51841.00%74,438Ionia8,35866.85%4,07232.57%500.40%220.18%4,28634.28%12,502Iosco5,51672.85%2,02926.80%240.32%30.04%3,48746.05%7,572Iron3,49173.51%1,25026.32%80.17%00.00%2,24147.19%4,749Isabella8,32566.08%4,20533.38%650.52%40.03%4,12032.70%12,599Jackson23,89965.47%12,35833.85%2120.58%370.10%11,54131.61%36,506Kalamazoo36,81766.65%18,20932.96%1900.34%220.04%18,60833.69%55,238Kalkaska2,42567.25%1,16832.39%130.36%00.00%1,25734.86%3,606Kent70,75456.78%53,23342.72%6250.50%90.01%17,52114.06%124,621Keweenaw73175.36%23924.64%00.00%00.00%49250.72%970Lake1,88774.32%62324.54%271.06%20.08%1,26449.78%2,539Lapeer11,41465.07%5,98034.09%1370.78%90.05%5,43430.98%17,540Leelanau3,36059.27%2,29140.41%90.16%90.16%1,06918.86%5,669Lenawee13,84666.13%7,04333.64%420.20%70.03%6,80332.49%20,938Livingston17,11961.18%10,62537.97%1480.53%910.33%6,49423.21%27,983Luce1,31477.29%38222.47%40.24%00.00%93254.82%1,700Mackinac2,82973.92%98925.84%90.24%00.00%1,84048.08%3,827Macomb128,12068.03%59,31531.49%7700.41%1360.07%68,80536.53%188,341Manistee4,99571.81%1,93927.88%220.32%00.00%3,05643.93%6,956Marquette13,77579.15%3,57820.56%510.29%00.00%10,19758.59%17,404Mason5,29166.79%2,55632.26%720.91%30.04%2,73534.52%7,922Mecosta6,07065.57%3,16134.15%200.22%60.06%2,90931.42%9,257Menominee3,94965.01%2,11734.85%80.13%00.00%1,83230.16%6,074Midland15,45863.49%8,75835.97%1160.48%140.06%6,70027.52%24,346Missaukee2,22956.86%1,66342.42%280.71%00.00%56614.44%3,920Monroe20,12672.04%7,75027.74%600.21%30.01%12,37644.30%27,939Montcalm7,32364.75%3,95134.93%340.30%20.02%3,37229.81%11,310Montmorency2,12769.62%92130.15%70.23%00.00%1,20639.48%3,055Muskegon29,25771.96%11,26927.72%1310.32%10.00%17,98844.24%40,658Newaygo5,74261.25%3,60138.41%320.34%00.00%2,14122.84%9,375Oakland176,06561.72%108,10437.90%8810.31%2150.08%67,96123.82%285,265Oceana4,23069.21%1,85630.37%210.34%50.08%2,37438.84%6,112Ogemaw4,34674.88%1,44424.88%120.21%20.03%2,90250.00%5,804Ontonagon2,36876.09%73823.71%60.19%00.00%1,63052.38%3,112Osceola3,69463.21%2,12936.43%200.34%10.02%1,56526.78%5,844Oscoda1,34761.62%82737.83%120.55%00.00%52023.79%2,186Otsego3,04666.74%1,49832.82%200.44%00.00%1,54833.92%4,564Ottawa20,87044.41%26,01855.37%1040.22%00.00%-5,148-10.96%46,992Presque Isle3,76172.52%1,39426.88%310.60%00.00%2,36745.64%5,186Roscommon5,48672.44%2,07227.36%150.20%00.00%3,41445.08%7,573Saginaw46,70075.65%14,68523.79%3440.56%40.01%32,01551.86%61,733Sanilac7,10164.69%3,84935.06%250.23%20.02%3,25229.63%10,977Schoolcraft1,77277.21%52122.70%20.09%00.00%1,25154.51%2,295Shiawassee14,63071.49%5,73028.00%840.41%190.09%8,90043.49%20,463St. Clair23,54466.78%11,55532.78%1550.44%00.00%11,98934.01%35,254St. Joseph7,68861.12%4,85938.63%310.25%00.00%2,82922.49%12,578Tuscola9,45370.38%3,93329.28%460.34%00.00%5,52041.10%13,432Van Buren10,56067.07%5,12732.56%560.36%20.01%5,43334.51%15,745Washtenaw49,06670.33%20,22628.99%4450.64%270.04%28,84041.34%69,764Wayne393,78573.49%140,14026.15%1,7440.33%1910.04%253,64547.33%535,860Wexford4,99767.23%2,42032.56%130.17%30.04%2,57734.67%7,433Total1,632,13868.10%753,64731.45%9,4770.40%1,3020.05%878,49136.66%2,396,564 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alcona Allegan Antrim Barry Benzie Berrien Branch Calhoun Cass Charlevoix Clinton Crawford Eaton Emmet Grand Traverse Gratiot Hillsdale Huron Ionia Isabella Jackson Kalamazoo Kalkaska Kent Lapeer Leelanau Lenawee Livingston Mason Mecosta Midland Missaukee Montcalm Montmorency Newaygo Oakland Oceana Osceola Oscoda Otsego Sanilac St. Clair St. Joseph Tuscola Van Buren Wexford Notes References Governor Michigan 1986