Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California
1986 California gubernatorial election
Nominee
George Deukmejian
Tom Bradley
Party
Republican
Democratic
Popular vote
4,505,601
2,781,714
Percentage
60.5%
37.4%
County results
Deukmejian:
50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Bradley: 40–50% 60-70%
Governor before election
George Deukmejian
Republican
Elected Governor
George Deukmejian
Republican
The 1986 California gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Republican George Deukmejian won easily in this rematch over the Democratic challenger, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley . This was the largest gubernatorial victory since Earl Warren in 1950 .
As of 2022, this is the most recent California gubernatorial election in which both major party candidates are now deceased.
General Election Results [ ]
Results by county [ ]
Deukmejian is the last Republican gubernatorial nominee to win Marin, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz Counties.
County
Deukmejian
Votes
Bradley
Votes
Others
Votes
Glenn
80.45%
5,728
17.50%
1,246
2.05%
146
Colusa
79.49%
3,729
18.80%
882
1.71%
80
Sutter
78.67%
12,616
18.37%
2,946
2.96%
474
Calaveras
74.77%
8,221
23.02%
2,531
2.21%
243
Modoc
74.69%
2,641
22.91%
810
2.40%
85
Amador
74.43%
7,357
23.46%
2,319
2.11%
209
El Dorado
73.57%
26,068
24.29%
8,605
2.14%
760
Placer
73.31%
37,288
24.66%
12,542
2.03%
1,034
Nevada
73.12%
20,599
24.59%
6,928
2.29%
644
Yuba
72.37%
8,594
25.11%
2,982
2.52%
299
Orange
71.89%
468,092
26.54%
172,782
1.57%
10,222
Inyo
71.79%
4,862
25.88%
1,753
2.33%
158
Tulare
71.72%
44,335
26.35%
16,287
1.94%
1,197
San Joaquin
71.32%
76,297
26.94%
28,817
1.75%
1,868
Tuolumne
71.29%
11,121
27.16%
4,237
1.54%
241
Tehama
71.10%
10,463
26.72%
3,932
2.18%
321
Stanislaus
71.05%
53,505
27.20%
20,481
1.75%
1,315
Shasta
71.01%
29,447
26.89%
11,149
2.11%
873
Butte
70.81%
40,546
27.10%
15,518
2.09%
1,194
Mono
70.66%
1,847
27.62%
722
1.72%
45
Madera
70.55%
12,939
27.00%
4,951
2.45%
449
Mariposa
70.06%
3,844
27.57%
1,513
2.37%
130
Kings
69.07%
12,256
29.33%
5,205
1.59%
283
Lassen
68.96%
5,154
27.66%
2,067
3.39%
253
Merced
68.86%
21,426
29.26%
9,105
1.88%
584
Kern
68.23%
86,547
29.93%
37,973
1.84%
2,333
Plumas
68.19%
4,827
29.61%
2,096
2.20%
156
Napa
68.14%
26,445
29.52%
11,456
2.34%
908
Sacramento
68.05%
207,086
30.12%
91,660
1.83%
5,580
Siskiyou
67.95%
10,515
29.62%
4,584
2.42%
375
Lake
67.42%
10,994
30.07%
4,904
2.50%
408
Ventura
67.20%
118,640
31.09%
54,893
1.71%
3,024
San Luis Obispo
67.12%
41,893
30.89%
19,281
1.99%
1,245
Sierra
66.98%
1,053
30.15%
474
2.86%
45
Trinity
66.48%
3,720
29.68%
1,661
3.84%
215
San Benito
66.42%
5,284
31.68%
2,520
1.90%
151
Fresno
66.28%
96,959
32.17%
47,071
1.55%
2,268
Del Norte
65.80%
4,213
31.64%
2,026
2.56%
164
San Diego
65.17%
381,094
31.53%
184,395
3.30%
19,285
Riverside
65.10%
155,318
33.06%
78,891
1.84%
4,389
Alpine
64.22%
280
29.36%
128
6.42%
28
San Bernardino
63.76%
166,483
34.31%
89,584
1.93%
5,032
Solano
63.51%
47,396
34.01%
25,382
2.47%
1,846
Contra Costa
63.31%
159,105
34.67%
87,117
2.02%
5,086
Monterey
63.30%
46,195
34.81%
25,408
1.89%
1,379
Santa Barbara
62.84%
67,852
35.23%
38,046
1.93%
2,083
San Mateo
61.84%
121,910
36.18%
71,329
1.98%
3,906
Imperial
61.19%
11,479
36.86%
6,915
1.95%
365
Yolo
60.79%
26,154
36.97%
15,906
2.24%
963
Santa Clara
59.87%
227,285
37.64%
142,907
2.49%
9,464
Sonoma
59.43%
75,003
37.92%
47,859
2.65%
3,348
Marin
56.47%
51,693
41.17%
37,686
2.36%
2,161
Mendocino
55.96%
13,710
41.04%
10,054
3.00%
735
Humboldt
54.58%
22,534
42.65%
17,608
2.78%
1,147
Los Angeles
52.96%
1,090,138
45.21%
930,576
1.82%
37,534
Santa Cruz
50.54%
37,525
46.91%
34,831
2.54%
1,888
Alameda
47.79%
174,555
49.68%
181,445
2.53%
9,227
San Francisco
37.42%
83,741
60.20%
134,738
2.38%
5,325
See also [ ]
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