1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  1978 November 2, 1982 1986  
  Anthony Earl (Wisconsin Governor) (3x4) b.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Anthony S. Earl Terry J. Kohler
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate James T. Flynn Russell A. Olson
Popular vote896,872662,738
Percentage56.76%41.94%

1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Earl:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Kohler:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Lee S. Dreyfus
Republican

Elected Governor

Anthony S. Earl
Democratic

The 1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982. Democrat Anthony S. Earl won the election with 56.75% of the vote, defeating Republican Terry J. Kohler. [1]

Contents

As of 2024, this is the most recent Wisconsin gubernatorial election where the Democratic candidate won by a double-digit margin. Additionally, this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which a Democrat has carried Brown County, Fond Du Lac County, Jefferson County, Kewaunee County, and Sheboygan County.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 14, 1982. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Democratic party

Governor

Candidates
Results
Democratic gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Anthony S. Earl 268,857 45.87%
Democratic Martin J. Schreiber 245,95241.96%
Democratic James B. Wood71,2822.64%
Total votes586,091 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James T. Flynn 259,638 54.98%
Democratic Wayne P. Frank150,59231.89%
Democratic Jack H. Gleason62,02213.13%
Total votes472,252 100.00%

Republican party

Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Terry J. Kohler 227,844 68.16%
Republican Lowell B. Jackson106,41331.84%
Total votes334,257 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Russell A. Olson (incumbent) 276,496 100.00%
Total votes276,496 100.00%

Libertarian party

Governor

Candidates
  • Larry Smiley
Results
Libertarian gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Libertarian Larry Smiley 1,723 100.00%
Total votes1,723 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Gerald Shidell
Results
Libertarian lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Libertarian Gerald Shidell 1,766 100.00%
Total votes1,766 100.00%

Constitution party

Governor

Candidates
  • James P. Wickstrom, Constitution nominee for United States Senate in 1980
Results
Constitution gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Constitution James P. Wickstrom 1,684 100.00%
Total votes1,684 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Diana K. Simonson
Results
Constitution lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Constitution Diana K. Simonson 1,526 100.00%
Total votes1,526 100.00%

Independent nominations

Governor

Candidates
  • Peter Seidman
Results
Independent gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Peter Seidman 902 100.00%
Total votes902 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Margo Storsteen
Results
Independent lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Margo Storsteen 817 100.00%
Total votes817 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election [4] [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Anthony S. Earl 896,872 56.75% +11.86%
Republican Terry J. Kohler 662,73841.94%−12.43%
Libertarian Larry Smiley9,7340.62%
Constitution James P. Wickstrom7,7210.49%
Independent Peter Seidman3,0250.19%
Scattering2140.01%
Majority234,13414.82%
Total votes1,580,304 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +14.82%

Results by county

Earl was the first Democrat since Albert G. Schmedeman in 1934 to win Fond du Lac County and Winnebago County and no Democrat has won the former since this election. Grant County and Richland County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2022.

County [4] [5] Anthony S. Earl
Democratic
Terry J. Kohler
Republican
All Others
Various
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %
Adams 2,51451.82%2,24946.36%881.81%2655.46%4,851
Ashland 3,94959.84%2,55838.76%921.39%1,39121.08%6,599
Barron 6,35550.56%6,13648.81%790.63%2191.74%12,570
Bayfield 3,76160.01%2,44839.06%580.93%1,31320.95%6,267
Brown 31,37553.46%26,60545.33%7061.20%4,7708.13%58,686
Buffalo 2,77253.99%2,31445.07%480.93%4588.92%5,134
Burnett 4,17960.03%2,66038.21%1221.75%1,51921.82%6,961
Calumet 4,95347.36%5,24650.16%2602.49%-293-2.80%10,459
Chippewa 9,12859.35%6,02139.15%2321.51%3,10720.20%15,381
Clark 5,05646.54%5,61051.64%1981.82%-554-5.10%10,864
Columbia 7,05648.98%7,15849.69%1921.33%-102-0.71%14,406
Crawford 2,91344.70%3,54354.37%610.94%-630-9.67%6,517
Dane 86,28870.48%34,63128.29%1,5131.24%51,65742.19%122,432
Dodge 10,42546.38%11,74552.25%3091.37%-1,320-5.87%22,479
Door 4,29242.29%5,79057.06%660.65%-1,498-14.76%10,148
Douglas 11,16073.24%3,96126.00%1160.76%7,19947.25%15,237
Dunn 6,58857.09%4,77841.41%1731.50%1,81015.69%11,539
Eau Claire 16,52061.41%10,02537.26%3581.33%6,49524.14%26,903
Florence 66745.59%76652.36%302.05%-99-6.77%1,463
Fond du Lac 16,30251.34%14,92146.99%5321.68%1,3814.35%31,755
Forest 1,99855.47%1,50941.89%952.64%48913.58%3,602
Grant 5,96041.59%8,26857.69%1030.72%-2,308-16.10%14,331
Green 4,42345.90%5,11853.11%961.00%-695-7.21%9,637
Green Lake 2,29235.32%4,09963.16%991.53%-1,807-27.84%6,490
Iowa 2,75944.59%3,36154.31%681.10%-602-9.73%6,188
Iron 2,10563.87%1,13634.47%551.67%96929.40%3,296
Jackson 3,71051.24%3,42647.31%1051.45%2843.92%7,241
Jefferson 9,86249.81%9,62948.63%3091.56%2331.18%19,800
Juneau 2,95440.44%4,23057.91%1211.66%-1,276-17.47%7,305
Kenosha 24,31568.30%11,01530.94%2710.76%13,30037.36%35,601
Kewaunee 3,69549.83%3,64049.09%801.08%550.74%7,415
La Crosse 17,96256.89%13,19141.78%4201.33%4,77115.11%31,573
Lafayette 2,88941.80%3,98757.69%350.51%-1,098-15.89%6,911
Langlade 3,66752.67%3,19945.95%961.38%4686.72%6,962
Lincoln 4,76848.08%4,93249.73%2172.19%-164-1.65%9,917
Manitowoc 17,06959.78%10,44736.59%1,0383.64%6,62223.19%28,554
Marathon 19,45149.87%18,60247.69%9502.44%8492.18%39,003
Marinette 6,75748.70%6,98550.34%1340.97%-228-1.64%13,876
Marquette 1,86844.71%2,21553.02%952.27%-347-8.31%4,178
Menominee 43978.96%11320.32%40.72%32658.63%556
Milwaukee 210,14267.34%98,92531.70%2,9880.96%111,21735.64%312,055
Monroe 4,15641.42%5,75257.32%1271.27%-1,596-15.90%10,035
Oconto 4,99143.67%6,30555.17%1331.16%-1,314-11.50%11,429
Oneida 6,52550.82%5,99646.70%3192.48%5294.12%12,840
Outagamie 21,65552.84%18,74145.73%5881.43%2,9147.11%40,984
Ozaukee 9,85242.54%13,14756.77%1610.70%-3,295-14.23%23,160
Pepin 1,29759.04%88540.28%150.68%41218.75%2,197
Pierce 5,76857.88%4,11841.32%790.79%1,65016.56%9,965
Polk 5,93357.03%4,34441.76%1261.21%1,58915.27%10,403
Portage 12,70467.79%5,69030.36%3471.85%7,01437.43%18,741
Price 2,76446.49%3,03351.01%1492.51%-269-4.52%5,946
Racine 33,07960.48%20,91438.24%7001.28%12,16522.24%54,693
Richland 2,25035.75%3,97163.10%721.14%-1,721-27.35%6,293
Rock 26,13062.10%15,43236.68%5151.22%10,69825.42%42,077
Rusk 2,87551.41%2,59846.46%1192.13%2774.95%5,592
Sauk 6,43046.10%7,40353.08%1150.82%-973-6.98%13,948
Sawyer 2,28649.03%2,32149.79%551.18%-35-0.75%4,662
Shawano 4,86340.99%6,70856.54%2942.48%-1,845-15.55%11,865
Sheboygan 21,21156.62%15,76942.09%4821.29%5,44214.53%37,462
St. Croix 8,55758.00%6,09741.32%1000.68%2,46016.67%14,754
Taylor 3,23748.85%3,25549.12%1342.02%-18-0.27%6,626
Trempealeau 4,95956.41%3,75342.69%790.90%1,20613.72%8,791
Vernon 4,12442.98%5,32855.52%1441.50%-1,204-12.55%9,596
Vilas 3,02841.48%4,05455.53%2182.99%-1,026-14.05%7,300
Walworth 9,60343.66%12,22955.59%1650.75%-2,626-11.94%21,997
Washburn 2,81752.22%2,52846.86%500.93%2895.36%5,395
Washington 12,11446.59%13,50551.93%3851.48%-1,391-5.35%26,004
Waukesha 43,12846.82%47,86051.96%1,1191.21%-4,732-5.14%92,107
Waupaca 5,30740.90%7,49757.78%1711.32%-2,190-16.88%12,975
Waushara 2,43241.42%3,36057.23%791.35%-928-15.81%5,871
Winnebago 24,37552.23%21,64946.39%6411.37%2,7265.84%46,665
Wood 13,08452.78%11,30445.60%4011.62%1,7807.18%24,789
Total896,87256.75%662,73841.94%20,6941.31%234,13414.82%1,580,304

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

  1. Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature (2015). Wisconsin Blue Book 2015-2016. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Administration. pp. 699–701. ISBN   978-0-9752820-7-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1983). "Vote For State Officers. By County". The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1983-1984. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 876.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1983). "Vote For State Officers, By County". The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1983-1984. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 877.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. 1 2 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1983). "Vote For State Officers, By County". The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1983-1984. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 900.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. 1 2 Richard M. Scammon; Alice V. McGillivray, eds. (1983). America Votes 15, A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly. p. 379.