1998 Michigan gubernatorial election
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November 3, 1998
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 County results Engler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Fieger: 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Michigan |
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The 1998 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, 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 Geoffrey Fieger, a lawyer who had represented the assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.[1] As of 2026, this was the last time Genesee County and Washtenaw County voted for the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
Although in 1992 Michigan voters passed a ballot measure limiting governors to two lifetime terms in office, it was not retroactive and counted only towards people taking office in or after 1993.[2][3] As Engler had first took office in 1991, his first term thus did not count towards it and he was allowed to run for a third term.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Gary Artinian
- John Engler, incumbent governor
Campaign
[edit]Engler, a two-term incumbent, faced token opposition in the Republican primary, winning re-nomination with almost 90 percent of the vote. Following lieutenant governor Connie Binsfeld's decision to not seek a third term, State Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus received the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.[4]
Results
[edit]
Engler
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- >90%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (inc.) | 477,628 | 89.60% | |
| Republican | Gary Artinian | 55,453 | 10.40% | |
| Total votes | 533,081 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Geoffrey Fieger, attorney known for representing Jack Kevorkian
- Larry Owen, former Mayor of East Lansing
- Doug Ross
Candidates
[edit]Early in the race, Owen was considered the front runner.[6] But due to Fieger's notoriety and personal wealth, he surpassed his opponents. He ended up spending almost $6 million of his own money in the race.[7] Fieger won a close race, taking 41 percent of the vote.[8] State Rep. Jim Agee, after securing the support from the Michigan Education Association was picked by Fieger to be his running mate, over Fieger's initial preferred choice state Rep. Candace Curtis.[9]
Results
[edit]
Fieger
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
Owen
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
Ross
- 30–40%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Geoffrey Fieger | 300,458 | 41.18% | |
| Democratic | Larry Owen | 272,360 | 37.33% | |
| Democratic | Doug Ross | 156,847 | 21.50% | |
| Total votes | 729,665 | 100.00% | ||
General election
[edit]Polling
[edit]| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
John Engler (R) |
Geoffrey Fieger (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPIC/MRA[10][A] | September 29 – October 1, 1998 | 600 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 54% | 22% | 24% |
| Mitchell Research & Communications, Inc.[10] |
September 21–23, 1998 | 400 (RV) | ± 5.5% | 61% | 24% | 15% |
| Mitchell Research & Communication Inc.[10][B] |
September 10–13, 1998 | 400 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 60% | 21% | 19% |
| EPIC/MRA[10][A] | August 20–24, 1998 | 600 (A) | ± 4.0% | 55% | 31% | 14% |
| EPIC/MRA[10][A] | August 6, 1998 | (A) | ± 4.0% | 53% | 33% | 24% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (inc.) | 1,883,005 | 62.20% | +0.73% | |
| Democratic | Geoffrey Fieger | 1,143,574 | 37.78% | −0.69% | |
| Terry Link (write-in) | 399 | 0.01% | |||
| Carl Humphrey (write-in) | 36 | 0.00% | |||
| Vicki Foreback (write-in) | 32 | 0.00% | |||
| Marc Katz (write-in) | 20 | 0.00% | |||
| Robert Marek (write-in) | 17 | 0.00% | |||
| Michael Wagonlander (write-in) | 12 | 0.00% | |||
| Johnni Matthew III (write-in) | 9 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 739,431 | 24.43% | |||
| Total votes | 3,027,104 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | +1.42% | |||
Results by county
[edit]| County[11] | John Engler Republican |
Geoffrey Fieger Democratic |
Scattering Write-in |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alcona | 2,951 | 69.22% | 1,312 | 30.78% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,639 | 38.45% | 4,263 |
| Alger | 1,794 | 56.92% | 1,358 | 43.08% | 0 | 0.00% | 436 | 13.83% | 3,152 |
| Allegan | 24,141 | 77.76% | 6,896 | 22.23% | 4 | 0.01% | 17,225 | 55.53% | 31,021 |
| Alpena | 7,267 | 65.75% | 3,785 | 34.24% | 1 | 0.01% | 3,482 | 31.50% | 11,053 |
| Antrim | 5,748 | 68.52% | 2,641 | 31.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,107 | 37.04% | 8,389 |
| Arenac | 3,179 | 58.98% | 2,210 | 41.00% | 1 | 0.02% | 969 | 17.98% | 5,390 |
| Baraga | 1,338 | 53.63% | 1,157 | 46.37% | 0 | 0.00% | 181 | 7.25% | 2,495 |
| Barry | 13,148 | 71.43% | 5,259 | 28.57% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,889 | 42.86% | 18,407 |
| Bay | 23,343 | 60.83% | 15,017 | 39.14% | 12 | 0.03% | 8,326 | 21.70% | 38,372 |
| Benzie | 3,726 | 62.81% | 2,206 | 37.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,520 | 25.62% | 5,932 |
| Berrien | 30,380 | 73.47% | 10,971 | 26.53% | 0 | 0.00% | 19,409 | 46.94% | 41,351 |
| Branch | 7,623 | 70.32% | 3,216 | 29.67% | 1 | 0.01% | 4,407 | 40.65% | 10,840 |
| Calhoun | 25,955 | 67.20% | 12,661 | 32.78% | 5 | 0.01% | 13,294 | 34.42% | 38,621 |
| Cass | 9,177 | 72.75% | 3,438 | 27.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,739 | 45.49% | 12,615 |
| Charlevoix | 6,290 | 69.26% | 2,792 | 30.74% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,498 | 38.52% | 9,082 |
| Cheboygan | 6,036 | 67.74% | 2,875 | 32.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,161 | 35.47% | 8,911 |
| Chippewa | 6,613 | 61.27% | 4,180 | 38.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,433 | 22.54% | 10,793 |
| Clare | 5,649 | 61.34% | 3,561 | 38.66% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,088 | 22.67% | 9,210 |
| Clinton | 17,696 | 73.81% | 6,222 | 25.95% | 56 | 0.23% | 11,474 | 47.86% | 23,974 |
| Crawford | 3,051 | 62.49% | 1,831 | 37.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,220 | 24.99% | 4,882 |
| Delta | 7,410 | 59.33% | 5,080 | 40.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,330 | 18.65% | 12,490 |
| Dickinson | 6,183 | 62.96% | 3,638 | 37.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,545 | 25.91% | 9,821 |
| Eaton | 24,778 | 68.41% | 11,436 | 31.57% | 8 | 0.02% | 13,342 | 36.83% | 36,222 |
| Emmet | 7,765 | 73.79% | 2,758 | 26.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,007 | 47.58% | 10,523 |
| Genesee | 69,799 | 51.17% | 66,608 | 48.83% | 10 | 0.01% | 3,191 | 2.34% | 136,417 |
| Gladwin | 5,573 | 63.69% | 3,177 | 36.31% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,396 | 27.38% | 8,750 |
| Gogebic | 3,020 | 50.97% | 2,905 | 49.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 115 | 1.94% | 5,925 |
| Grand Traverse | 20,462 | 71.63% | 8,101 | 28.36% | 2 | 0.01% | 12,361 | 43.27% | 28,565 |
| Gratiot | 7,998 | 71.14% | 3,245 | 28.86% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,753 | 42.28% | 11,243 |
| Hillsdale | 9,027 | 73.05% | 3,325 | 26.91% | 5 | 0.04% | 5,702 | 46.14% | 12,357 |
| Houghton | 6,443 | 60.92% | 4,131 | 39.06% | 2 | 0.02% | 2,312 | 21.86% | 10,576 |
| Huron | 9,264 | 76.14% | 2,902 | 23.85% | 1 | 0.01% | 6,362 | 52.29% | 12,167 |
| Ingham | 53,905 | 60.13% | 35,584 | 39.70% | 151 | 0.17% | 18,321 | 20.44% | 89,640 |
| Ionia | 12,324 | 71.15% | 4,996 | 28.85% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,328 | 42.31% | 17,320 |
| Iosco | 6,457 | 66.49% | 3,252 | 33.49% | 2 | 0.02% | 3,205 | 33.00% | 9,711 |
| Iron | 2,715 | 54.33% | 2,282 | 45.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 433 | 8.67% | 4,997 |
| Isabella | 9,423 | 63.74% | 5,361 | 36.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,062 | 27.48% | 14,784 |
| Jackson | 31,330 | 67.29% | 15,229 | 32.71% | 2 | 0.00% | 16,101 | 34.58% | 46,561 |
| Kalamazoo | 46,443 | 67.58% | 22,275 | 32.41% | 6 | 0.01% | 24,168 | 35.17% | 68,724 |
| Kalkaska | 3,155 | 63.11% | 1,844 | 36.89% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,311 | 26.23% | 4,999 |
| Kent | 133,120 | 76.58% | 40,709 | 23.42% | 8 | 0.00% | 92,411 | 53.16% | 173,837 |
| Keweenaw | 566 | 56.26% | 440 | 43.74% | 0 | 0.00% | 126 | 12.52% | 1,006 |
| Lake | 1,832 | 53.49% | 1,593 | 46.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 239 | 6.98% | 3,425 |
| Lapeer | 17,382 | 65.62% | 9,106 | 34.38% | 1 | 0.00% | 8,276 | 31.24% | 26,489 |
| Leelanau | 6,577 | 70.86% | 2,705 | 29.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,872 | 41.72% | 9,282 |
| Lenawee | 18,137 | 63.35% | 10,494 | 36.65% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,643 | 26.69% | 28,631 |
| Livingston | 37,458 | 73.82% | 13,283 | 26.18% | 2 | 0.00% | 24,175 | 47.64% | 50,743 |
| Luce | 1,130 | 57.98% | 819 | 42.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 311 | 15.96% | 1,949 |
| Mackinac | 6,054 | 64.70% | 1,666 | 35.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,388 | 29.41% | 4,720 |
| Macomb | 166,920 | 67.48% | 80,438 | 32.52% | 18 | 0.01% | 86,482 | 34.96% | 247,376 |
| Manistee | 5,493 | 62.85% | 3,247 | 37.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,246 | 25.70% | 8,740 |
| Marquette | 11,157 | 51.61% | 10,460 | 48.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 697 | 3.22% | 21,617 |
| Mason | 6,391 | 66.10% | 3,277 | 33.90% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,114 | 32.21% | 9,668 |
| Mecosta | 7,065 | 67.21% | 3,446 | 32.78% | 1 | 0.01% | 3,619 | 34.43% | 10,512 |
| Menominee | 4,579 | 65.70% | 2,391 | 34.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,188 | 31.39% | 6,970 |
| Midland | 20,737 | 73.58% | 7,445 | 26.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 13,292 | 47.16% | 28,182 |
| Missaukee | 3,629 | 72.78% | 1,357 | 27.22% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,272 | 45.57% | 4,986 |
| Monroe | 26,690 | 64.95% | 14,401 | 35.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 12,289 | 29.91% | 41,091 |
| Montcalm | 11,069 | 68.64% | 5,058 | 31.36% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,011 | 37.27% | 16,127 |
| Montmorency | 2,499 | 64.99% | 1,346 | 35.01% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,153 | 29.99% | 3,845 |
| Muskegon | 29,660 | 60.54% | 19,331 | 39.46% | 2 | 0.00% | 10,329 | 21.08% | 48,993 |
| Newaygo | 9,776 | 69.00% | 4,392 | 31.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,384 | 38.00% | 14,168 |
| Oakland | 264,551 | 66.32% | 134,215 | 33.65% | 120 | 0.03% | 130,336 | 32.67% | 398,886 |
| Oceana | 5,231 | 67.49% | 2,520 | 32.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,711 | 34.98% | 7,751 |
| Ogemaw | 4,796 | 62.33% | 2,899 | 37.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,897 | 24.65% | 7,695 |
| Ontonagon | 1,553 | 51.84% | 1,442 | 48.13% | 1 | 0.03% | 111 | 3.70% | 2,996 |
| Osceola | 4,918 | 66.46% | 2,482 | 33.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,436 | 32.92% | 7,400 |
| Oscoda | 2,017 | 64.90% | 1,091 | 35.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 926 | 29.79% | 3,108 |
| Otsego | 5,525 | 71.57% | 2,195 | 28.43% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,330 | 43.13% | 7,720 |
| Ottawa | 67,054 | 85.40% | 11,451 | 14.58% | 9 | 0.01% | 55,603 | 70.82% | 78,514 |
| Presque Isle | 3,871 | 67.09% | 1,899 | 32.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,972 | 34.18% | 5,770 |
| Roscommon | 6,320 | 63.66% | 3,608 | 36.34% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,712 | 27.32% | 9,928 |
| Saginaw | 43,766 | 63.44% | 25,213 | 36.55% | 9 | 0.01% | 18,553 | 26.89% | 68,988 |
| Sanilac | 9,941 | 71.15% | 4,023 | 28.79% | 8 | 0.06% | 5,918 | 42.36% | 13,972 |
| Schoolcraft | 1,594 | 55.52% | 1,277 | 44.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 317 | 11.04% | 2,871 |
| Shiawassee | 16,465 | 66.31% | 8,347 | 33.62% | 18 | 0.07% | 8,118 | 32.69% | 24,830 |
| St. Clair | 32,299 | 64.18% | 18,025 | 35.82% | 0 | 0.00% | 14,274 | 28.36% | 50,324 |
| St. Joseph | 11,026 | 74.86% | 3,703 | 25.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,323 | 49.72% | 14,729 |
| Tuscola | 12,074 | 66.70% | 6,027 | 33.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,047 | 33.41% | 18,101 |
| Van Buren | 13,715 | 67.85% | 6,499 | 32.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,216 | 35.70% | 20,214 |
| Washtenaw | 53,227 | 57.03% | 40,078 | 42.94% | 32 | 0.03% | 13,149 | 14.09% | 93,337 |
| Wayne | 243,235 | 42.85% | 324,351 | 57.14% | 17 | 0.00% | -81,116 | -14.29% | 567,603 |
| Wexford | 6,347 | 67.06% | 3,108 | 32.84% | 10 | 0.11% | 3,239 | 34.22% | 9,465 |
| Total | 1,883,005 | 62.20% | 1,143,574 | 37.78% | 525 | 0.02% | 739,431 | 24.43% | 3,027,104 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ↑ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
- Partisan clients
- 1 2 3 Poll sponsored by the Detroit Free Press
- ↑ Poll sponsored by The Detroit News
References
[edit]- ↑ Wald, Matthew L. (November 5, 1998). "The 1998 elections: state by state -- Midwest; Michigan". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ "Michigan Ballot Proposal B, Term Limits for Congressional, State Executive, and State Legislative Offices Initiative (1992)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ↑ "MCL - Article V § 30 - Michigan Legislature". www.legislature.mi.gov. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ↑ "DECISION '98: A LOOK AT KEY ELECTIONS". Crains Detroit. October 16, 1998. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- 1 2 "1998 Michigan Election Results - 8/4/1998 State Primary". Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Larry Owen". Our Campaigns. March 16, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ↑ Kathleen Gray (May 12, 2017). "Geoffrey Fieger considering a return to politics with run for governor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ↑ Associated Press (August 6, 1998). "Kevorkian's Lawyer Wins Gubernatorial Primary in Michigan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ↑ "Teachers Pleased By Fieger Running Mate". Chicago Tribune. August 29, 1998. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Michigan 1998 Polls". CNN. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - 1 2 "1998 Michigan Election Results - 11/3/1998 State General". Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
