1994 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 8, 1994
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 County results Engler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Wolpe: 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1994 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. Incumbent Governor John Engler, a member of the Republican Party, was re-elected over Democratic Party nominee and Congressman Howard Wolpe. The voter turnout was 45.5%.[1]
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- John Engler, incumbent Governor
Campaign
[edit]Engler, who was narrowly elected in 1990, ran unopposed in the Republican primary[2] and retained Lt. Gov. Connie Binsfeld as his running mate.
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (inc.) | 549,565 | 99.81% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 1,034 | 0.19% | |
| Total votes | 550,599 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- H. Lynn Jondahl, State Representative from Okemos
- Larry Owen, former mayor of East Lansing and former member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees
- Debbie Stabenow, State Senator from Lansing
- Howard Wolpe, former U.S. Representative from Lansing
Campaign
[edit]All four candidates were notably from Lansing or its immediate surroundings.
Wolpe, who had served 7 terms in Congress before retiring in 1993, won a 4-way battle for the Democratic nomination, taking 35 percent of the vote. He bested his closest rival, state Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who had 30 percent.[2] Wolpe eventually chose Stabenow as his running mate.[4]
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Howard Wolpe | 242,847 | 35.25% | |
| Democratic | Debbie Stabenow | 209,641 | 30.43% | |
| Democratic | Larry Owen | 176,675 | 25.64% | |
| Democratic | H. Lynn Jondahl | 59,127 | 8.58% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 712 | 0.10% | |
| Total votes | 689,002 | 100.00% | ||
General election
[edit]Polling
[edit] |
| Source | Date | Engler (R) | Wolpe (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WDIV-TV | Oct. 30, 1994 | 56% | 30% |
| Detroit News | Oct. 16, 1994 | 54% | 29% |
| WJBK-TV | Sep. 16, 1994 | 50% | 39% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (inc.) | 1,899,101 | 61.48% | +11.72% | |
| Democratic | Howard Wolpe | 1,188,438 | 38.47% | −10.60% | |
| Scattering | 1,538 | 0.05% | |||
| Majority | 710,663 | 23.01% | |||
| Total votes | 3,089,077 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +22.32% | |||
Results by county
[edit]| County[5] | John Engler Republican |
Howard Wolpe Democratic |
Scattering Write-in |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 3,060 | 71.15% | 1,239 | 28.81% | 2 | 0.05% | 1,821 | 42.34% | 4,301 |
| Alger | 2,060 | 61.25% | 1,301 | 38.69% | 2 | 0.06% | 759 | 22.57% | 3,363 |
| Allegan | 22,242 | 75.65% | 7,152 | 24.32% | 9 | 0.03% | 15,090 | 51.32% | 29,403 |
| Alpena | 7,044 | 65.31% | 3,741 | 34.69% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,303 | 30.63% | 10,785 |
| Antrim | 5,814 | 74.61% | 1,978 | 25.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,836 | 49.23% | 7,792 |
| Arenac | 3,326 | 64.72% | 1,812 | 35.26% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,514 | 29.46% | 5,139 |
| Baraga | 1,568 | 58.33% | 1,120 | 41.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 448 | 16.67% | 2,688 |
| Barry | 12,933 | 71.44% | 5,170 | 28.56% | 1 | 0.01% | 7,763 | 42.88% | 18,104 |
| Bay | 24,244 | 60.27% | 15,982 | 39.73% | 2 | 0.00% | 8,262 | 20.54% | 40,228 |
| Benzie | 3,558 | 68.20% | 1,658 | 31.78% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,900 | 36.42% | 5,217 |
| Berrien | 30,906 | 71.71% | 12,144 | 28.18% | 51 | 0.12% | 18,762 | 43.53% | 43,101 |
| Branch | 8,629 | 71.51% | 3,438 | 28.49% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,191 | 43.02% | 12,067 |
| Calhoun | 26,383 | 63.06% | 15,432 | 36.88% | 26 | 0.06% | 10,951 | 26.17% | 41,841 |
| Cass | 9,109 | 71.28% | 3,670 | 28.72% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,439 | 42.56% | 12,779 |
| Charlevoix | 6,366 | 71.71% | 2,512 | 28.29% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,854 | 43.41% | 8,878 |
| Cheboygan | 5,824 | 70.81% | 2,401 | 29.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,423 | 41.62% | 8,225 |
| Chippewa | 6,615 | 64.32% | 3,669 | 35.67% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,946 | 28.64% | 10,285 |
| Clare | 5,895 | 66.10% | 3,022 | 33.89% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,873 | 32.22% | 8,918 |
| Clinton | 16,323 | 68.82% | 7,371 | 31.08% | 23 | 0.10% | 8,952 | 37.75% | 23,717 |
| Crawford | 3,235 | 73.21% | 1,184 | 26.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,051 | 46.41% | 4,419 |
| Delta | 7,788 | 58.19% | 5,595 | 41.81% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,193 | 16.39% | 13,383 |
| Dickinson | 5,783 | 61.39% | 3,637 | 38.61% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,146 | 22.78% | 9,420 |
| Eaton | 24,130 | 64.64% | 13,177 | 35.30% | 23 | 0.06% | 10,953 | 29.34% | 37,330 |
| Emmet | 7,972 | 74.72% | 2,695 | 25.26% | 2 | 0.02% | 5,277 | 49.46% | 10,669 |
| Genesee | 73,759 | 49.96% | 73,873 | 50.04% | 4 | 0.00% | -114 | -0.08% | 147,636 |
| Gladwin | 5,522 | 68.51% | 2,538 | 31.49% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,984 | 37.02% | 8,060 |
| Gogebic | 3,231 | 51.80% | 3,001 | 48.11% | 6 | 0.10% | 230 | 3.69% | 6,238 |
| Grand Traverse | 20,003 | 74.59% | 6,774 | 25.26% | 40 | 0.15% | 13,229 | 49.33% | 26,817 |
| Gratiot | 7,931 | 69.61% | 3,462 | 30.38% | 1 | 0.01% | 4,469 | 39.22% | 11,394 |
| Hillsdale | 9,335 | 75.72% | 2,994 | 24.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,341 | 51.43% | 12,329 |
| Houghton | 6,939 | 63.05% | 4,065 | 36.94% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,874 | 26.12% | 11,005 |
| Huron | 9,268 | 73.77% | 3,294 | 26.22% | 2 | 0.02% | 5,974 | 47.55% | 12,564 |
| Ingham | 53,088 | 54.79% | 43,790 | 45.19% | 24 | 0.02% | 9,298 | 9.60% | 96,902 |
| Ionia | 11,911 | 70.10% | 5,080 | 29.90% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,831 | 40.20% | 16,991 |
| Iosco | 7,163 | 69.86% | 3,090 | 30.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,073 | 39.72% | 10,253 |
| Iron | 3,103 | 59.16% | 2,142 | 40.84% | 0 | 0.00% | 961 | 18.32% | 5,245 |
| Isabella | 10,030 | 64.72% | 5,467 | 35.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,563 | 29.44% | 15,497 |
| Jackson | 32,282 | 70.01% | 13,829 | 29.99% | 0 | 0.00% | 18,453 | 40.02% | 46,111 |
| Kalamazoo | 44,158 | 60.30% | 29,072 | 39.70% | 0 | 0.00% | 15,086 | 20.60% | 73,230 |
| Kalkaska | 3,338 | 71.97% | 1,298 | 27.99% | 2 | 0.04% | 2,040 | 43.98% | 4,638 |
| Kent | 121,988 | 74.36% | 42,027 | 25.62% | 34 | 0.02% | 79,961 | 48.74% | 164,049 |
| Keweenaw | 607 | 62.13% | 366 | 37.46% | 4 | 0.41% | 241 | 24.67% | 977 |
| Lake | 2,068 | 62.27% | 1,252 | 37.70% | 1 | 0.03% | 816 | 24.57% | 3,321 |
| Lapeer | 18,825 | 71.60% | 7,468 | 28.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 11,357 | 43.19% | 26,293 |
| Leelanau | 6,063 | 72.86% | 2,255 | 27.10% | 4 | 0.05% | 3,808 | 45.76% | 8,322 |
| Lenawee | 17,029 | 63.21% | 9,912 | 36.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,117 | 26.42% | 26,941 |
| Livingston | 35,583 | 76.46% | 10,951 | 23.53% | 3 | 0.01% | 24,632 | 52.93% | 46,537 |
| Luce | 1,124 | 58.09% | 811 | 41.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 313 | 16.18% | 1,935 |
| Mackinac | 2,947 | 63.72% | 1,6789 | 36.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,269 | 27.44% | 4,625 |
| Macomb | 173,003 | 69.89% | 74,473 | 30.09% | 63 | 0.03% | 98,530 | 39.80% | 247,539 |
| Manistee | 5,465 | 66.46% | 2,758 | 33.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,707 | 32.92% | 8,223 |
| Marquette | 11,331 | 53.27% | 9,938 | 46.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,393 | 6.55% | 21,269 |
| Mason | 7,312 | 70.58% | 3,048 | 29.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,264 | 41.16% | 10,360 |
| Mecosta | 6,600 | 67.62% | 3,157 | 32.35% | 3 | 0.03% | 3,443 | 35.28% | 9,760 |
| Menominee | 4,721 | 63.92% | 2,665 | 36.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,056 | 27.84% | 7,386 |
| Midland | 20,579 | 70.30% | 8,687 | 29.68% | 6 | 0.02% | 11,892 | 40.63% | 29,272 |
| Missaukee | 3,714 | 77.17% | 1,099 | 22.83% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,615 | 54.33% | 4,813 |
| Monroe | 24,218 | 63.15% | 14,126 | 36.84% | 4 | 0.01% | 10,092 | 26.32% | 38,348 |
| Montcalm | 11,149 | 70.76% | 4,607 | 29.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,542 | 41.52% | 15,756 |
| Montmorency | 2,621 | 72.32% | 1,003 | 27.68% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,618 | 44.65% | 3,624 |
| Muskegon | 28,911 | 59.80% | 19,430 | 40.19% | 5 | 0.01% | 9,481 | 19.61% | 48,346 |
| Newaygo | 9,307 | 71.23% | 3,755 | 28.74% | 4 | 0.03% | 5,552 | 42.49% | 13,006 |
| Oakland | 269,511 | 66.50% | 135,004 | 33.31% | 773 | 0.19% | 134,507 | 33.19% | 405,288 |
| Oceana | 5,158 | 68.95% | 2,320 | 31.01% | 3 | 0.04% | 2,838 | 37.94% | 7,481 |
| Ogemaw | 4,661 | 68.09% | 2,182 | 31.88% | 2 | 0.03% | 2,479 | 36.22% | 6,845 |
| Ontonagon | 2,032 | 58.88% | 1,418 | 41.09% | 1 | 0.03% | 614 | 17.79% | 3,451 |
| Osceola | 5,087 | 71.47% | 2,030 | 28.52% | 1 | 0.01% | 3,057 | 42.95% | 7,118 |
| Oscoda | 2,266 | 75.21% | 747 | 24.79% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,519 | 50.41% | 3,013 |
| Otsego | 5,215 | 74.87% | 1,749 | 25.11% | 1 | 0.01% | 3,466 | 49.76% | 6,965 |
| Ottawa | 58,321 | 82.85% | 12,001 | 17.05% | 71 | 0.10% | 46,320 | 65.80% | 70,393 |
| Presque Isle | 3,979 | 71.23% | 1,607 | 28.77% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,372 | 42.46% | 5,586 |
| Roscommon | 6,461 | 68.69% | 2,945 | 31.31% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,516 | 37.38% | 9,406 |
| Saginaw | 43,545 | 59.80% | 29,169 | 40.06% | 105 | 0.14% | 14,376 | 19.74% | 72,819 |
| Sanilac | 10,425 | 74.80% | 3,513 | 25.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,912 | 49.59% | 13,938 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,689 | 57.55% | 1,246 | 42.45% | 0 | 0.00% | 443 | 15.09% | 2,935 |
| Shiawassee | 16,447 | 67.28% | 7,971 | 32.61% | 28 | 0.11% | 8,476 | 34.67% | 24,446 |
| St. Clair | 34,078 | 70.47% | 14,233 | 29.43% | 45 | 0.09% | 19,845 | 41.04% | 48,356 |
| St. Joseph | 11,073 | 72.93% | 4,104 | 27.03% | 6 | 0.04% | 6,969 | 45.90% | 15,183 |
| Tuscola | 12,188 | 67.52% | 5,862 | 32.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,326 | 35.05% | 18,050 |
| Van Buren | 13,894 | 67.76% | 6,612 | 32.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,282 | 35.51% | 20,506 |
| Washtenaw | 49,779 | 53.58% | 43,066 | 46.35% | 67 | 0.07% | 6,713 | 7.23% | 92,912 |
| Wayne | 269,501 | 42.96% | 357,798 | 57.03% | 69 | 0.01% | -88,297 | -14.07% | 627,368 |
| Wexford | 6,758 | 72.71% | 2,526 | 27.18% | 10 | 0.11% | 4,232 | 45.53% | 9,294 |
| Total | 1,899,101 | 61.48% | 1,188,438 | 38.47% | 1,538 | 0.05% | 710,663 | 23.01% | 3,089,077 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics". State of Michigan official website. Archived from the original on December 22, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
- 1 2 "Victors in Michigan Primaries". New York Times. August 4, 1994. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- 1 2 Michigan (1997). Michigan manual. 1995/1996. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2024 – via HathiTrust.
- ↑ Bill Ballenger (May 10, 2016). "Stabenow for Governor — in 1994". The Ballenger Report. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- 1 2 "Election Results, General Election, November 8, 1994". Michigan Department of State. Archived from the original on December 18, 2001. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
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