1998 New York Attorney General election

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1998 New York Attorney General election
Flag of New York (1909-2020).svg
  1994 November 3, 1998 2002  
  Eliot Spitzer (higher res).jpg Dennis Vacco (New York Attorney General).jpg
Nominee Eliot Spitzer Dennis Vacco
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,084,9482,059,762
Percentage48.2%47.6%

1998 New York Attorney General election results map by county.svg
County results
Spitzer:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Vacco:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Attorney General before election

Dennis Vacco
Republican

Elected Attorney General

Eliot Spitzer
Democratic

The 1998 New York Attorney General election took place on November 3, 1998 along with elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Democratic challenger Eliot Spitzer unseated one-term Republican incumbent Dennis Vacco in a major upset, with Vacco conceding on December 14, after accusing New York City voters, primarily in predominately Black and Latino areas, of voter fraud.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Polling

SourceDateOliver KoppellCatherine AbateEliot SpitzerEvan Davis
QuinnipiacFebruary 26, 19987%7%2%5%
QuinnipiacJuly 16, 199816%13%18%-

Statewide Results

New York Democratic Attorney General primary, 1998
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Eliot Spitzer 279,180 41.54%
Democratic Catherine Abate 186,62627.77%
Democratic Oliver Koppell 145,23121.61%
Democratic Evan A. Davis 60,9789.07%
Majority92,55413.77%
Turnout 672,015 %

General election

Polling

SourceDateDennis Vacco (R)Eliot Spitzer (D)
QuinnipiacSeptember 27, 199846%37%
QuinnipiacOctober 15, 199845%33%
QuinnipiacOctober 28, 199847%34%

Results

1998 New York Attorney General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Eliot Spitzer2,018,59146.67%+1.63%
Liberal Eliot Spitzer66,3571.53%−0.81%
Total Eliot Spitzer 2,084,94848.20%+0.82%
Republican Dennis Vacco1,757,53940.63%−2.08%
Conservative Dennis Vacco302,2236.99%+0.42%
Total Dennis Vacco (incumbent)2,059,76247.62%−1.66%
Independence Catherine M. Abate 81,4391.88%+1.07%
Right to Life Robert W. Dapelo60,3991.40%−0.44%
Libertarian Daniel A. Conti Jr.19,8640.46%+0.05%
Green Johann L. Moore18,9840.44%NA
Turnout 4,325,396−7.65%
Democratic gain from Republican

References

    See also

    Preceded by
    1994
    New York Attorney General election
    1998
    Succeeded by
    2002