1994 Michigan gubernatorial election

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]

1994 Michigan gubernatorial election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
 
Nominee John Engler Howard Wolpe
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Connie Binsfeld Debbie Stabenow
Popular vote 1,899,101 1,188,438
Percentage 61.5% 38.5%

County results
Engler:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Wolpe:      50–60%

Governor before election

John Engler
Republican

Elected Governor

John Engler
Republican

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Engler, who was narrowly elected in 1990, ran unopposed in the GOP Primary[2] and retained Lt. Gov. Connie Binsfeld as his running mate.

Results edit

Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary, 1994[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Engler 549,565 99.81
Republican Write-ins 1,034 0.19
Total votes 550,599 100.00

Democratic primary edit

Candidates 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

Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary, 1994[3]
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 Write-ins 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

Michigan gubernatorial election, 1994
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Engler (incumbent) 1,899,101 61.50 +11.7
Democratic Howard Wolpe 1,188,438 38.50 -10.6
Write-in 1,538 0.05 -0.02
Majority 710,663 23.0 +22.3
Turnout 1,900,639 45.5 -25.9%
Republican hold

Results by county edit

County Engler Votes Feiger Votes Others Votes
Alcona .% .% .%
Alger .% .% .%
Allegan .% .% .%
Alpena .% .% .%
Antrim .% .% .%
Arenac .% .% .%
Baraga .% .% .%
Barry .% .% .%
Bay .% .% .%
Benzie .% .% .%
Berrien .% .% .%
Branch .% .% .%
Calhoun .% .% .%
Cass .% .% .%
Charlevoix .% .% .%
Cheboygan .% .% .%
Chippewa .% .% .%
Clare .% .% .%
Clinton .% .% .%
Crawford .% .% .%
Delta .% .% .%
Dickinson .% .% .%
Eaton .% .% .%
Emmet .% .% .%
Genesee .% .% .%
Gladwin .% .% .%
Gogebic .% .% .%
Grand Traverse .% .% .%
Gratiot .% .% .%
Hillsdale .% .% .%
Houghton .% .% .%
Huron .% .% .%
Ingham .% .% .%
Ionia .% .% .%
Iosco .% .% .%
Iron .% .% .%
Isabella .% .% .%
Jackson .% .% .%
Kalamazoo .% .% .%
Kalkaska .% .% .%
Kent .% .% .%
Keweenaw .% .% .%
Lake .% .% .%
Lapeer .% .% .%
Leelanau .% .% .%
Lenawee .% .% .%
Livingston .% .% .%
Luce .% .% .%
Mackinac .% .% .%
Macomb .% .% .%
Manistee .% .% .%
Marquette .% .% .%
Mason .% .% .%
Mecosta .% .% .%
Menominee .% .% .%
Midland .% .% .%
Missaukee .% .% .%
Monroe .% .% .%
Montcalm .% .% .%
Montmorency .% .% .%
Muskegon .% .% .%
Newaygo .% .% .%
Oakland .% .% .%
Oceana .% .% .%
Ogemaw .% .% .%
Ontonagon .% .% .%
Osceola .% .% .%
Oscoda .% .% .%
Otsego .% .% .%
Ottawa .% .% .%
Presque Isle .% .% .%
Roscommon .% .% .%
Saginaw .% .% .%
St. Clair .% .% .%
St. Joseph .% .% .%
Sanilac .% .% .%
Schoolcraft .% .% .%
Shiawassee .% .% .%
Tuscola .% .% .%
Van Buren .% .% .%
Washtenaw .% .% .%
Wayne .% .% .%
Wexford .% .% .%

References edit

  1. ^ "General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics". State of Michigan official website.
  2. ^ a b "Victors in Michigan Primaries". New York Times. August 4, 1994. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Michigan (1997). Michigan manual. 1995/1996 – via HathiTrust.
  4. ^ Bill Ballenger (May 10, 2016). "Stabenow for Governor — in 1994". The Ballenger Report. Retrieved October 15, 2017.