1998 Colorado gubernatorial election

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1998 Colorado gubernatorial election
Flag of Colorado.svg
  1994 November 3, 1998 2002  
  Bill Owens 2002 (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Bill Owens Gail Schoettler
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Joe Rogers Bernie Buescher
Popular vote648,202639,905
Percentage49.04%48.42%

1998 Colorado gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Owens:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Schoettler:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Roy Romer
Democratic

Elected Governor

Bill Owens
Republican

The 1998 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998 to select the governor of the state of Colorado. Under newly applicable term limits, incumbent Governor Roy Romer, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election. Lieutenant Governor Gail Schoettler, ran to succeed Romer, and won the Democratic primary; her running mate, Bernie Buescher, won the lieutenant-gubernatorial primary unopposed. In the Republican primary, Bill Owens, the State Treasurer, and his eventual running mate, Joe Rogers, won their respective primaries by wide margins.

Contents

In the general election, Owens narrowly defeated Schoettler, aided by a strong performance by Republican U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell in his re-election campaign. Owens's narrow election meant that he was the first Republican Governor in 24 years, and Rogers's election made him the second Black Lieutenant Governor in the state's history, after George L. Brown, who was elected in 1974. This was also the last election in which Colorado held separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor; following a statutory change in 2000, gubernatorial candidates selected their running mates prior to the primary. [1]

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Gail Schoettler 80,038 55.51
Democratic Mike Feeley64,03444.41
Democratic Write-ins1250.09
Total votes144,191 100.00

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

  • Bernie Buescher, former Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Results

Democratic primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Bernie Buescher 111,786 99.68
Democratic Write-ins3550.32
Total votes112,141 100.00

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bill Owens 126,816 59.20
Republican Tom Norton87,21440.71
Republican Write-ins1860.09
Total votes214,216 100.00

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Joe Rogers 109,781 57.72
Republican Jim Congrove80,24642.19
Republican Write-ins1730.09
Total votes190,200 100.00

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Gail
Schoettler (D)
Bill
Owens (R)
Undecided
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 30, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%42%46%12%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 29, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%41%45%14%
Mason Dixon [3] October 26–28, 1998831 (LV)± 3.5%41%45%15%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 27, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%40%46%14%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 26, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%42%45%13%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 25, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%41%45%14%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 22, 1998500 (LV)± 4.4%41%47%12%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 19–22, 1998400 (RV)± 5.0%41%47%12%
Mason Dixon [3] October 9–12, 1998804 (LV)± 3.5%39%44%17%
Ciruli Associates [3] [A] October 1–10, 1998(LV)± .%40%40%20%
Mason Dixon [3] July 27–29, 1998849 (LV)± 3.4%36%38%26%

Results

1998 Colorado gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Owens 645,806 49.04% +10.36%
Democratic Gail Schoettler 637,65548.42%−7.05%
Libertarian Sandra D. Johnson22,1501.68%
Constitution Tim Leonard10,9660.83%−2.79%
Majority 8,1510.62%−16.15%
Turnout 1,316,939
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

Notes

  1. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients

References

  1. Yeargain, T. Quinn (2021). "One Vote, Two Winners: Team-Ticket Gubernatorial Elections and the Need for Further Reform". University of Miami Law Review. 75 (3): 779. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Davidson, Donetta (1999). State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast 1997-1998-1999 (PDF). Denver, Colorado: Colorado Secretary of State.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Colorado 1998 Polls". CNN. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.