The 1986 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986. Democratic incumbent James J. Blanchard won reelection in a landslide over Republican William Lucas. Blanchard carried every county in the state except for Ottawa County, which as of , has not voted Democratic since 1890.

This was the most recent election in which a male Democrat was elected governor of Michigan.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 5, 1986.

Democratic party Incumbent governor James J. Blanchard won renomination against token opposition.

Candidates James J. Blanchard, incumbent governor Henry Wilson, follower of Lyndon LaRouche

Results

Republican party Wayne County executive William Lucas made history by being the first African American nominee for either major party for Governor of Michigan.

Candidates Dick Chrysler, automotive businessman Colleen Engler, member of Michigan House of Representatives William Lucas, Wayne County Executive Dan Murphy, Oakland County Executive

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates James J. Blanchard & Martha Griffiths, Democratic William Lucas & Colleen Engler, Republican

Other candidates Martin P. McLaughlin & Alva A. Crivens, Workers League

Results

Results by county By sweeping all but one county, Blanchard ended a number of very long streaks of Republican dominance in counties across the state. As of , this election is the only one in which Antrim County and Charlevoix County have voted Democratic. This was also the first time Benzie County voted Democratic since its organization in 1869; however, unlike the aforementioned two counties, it has subsequently voted Democratic. Other notable flips were Van Buren County voting Democratic for the first time since 1852 and Allegan County and Sanilac County doing the same for the first time since 1854. This election was one of only two instances of Wexford County voting Democratic.

As of the , this is the last election in which the Democratic candidate has won any of the following counties: Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Hillsdale, Huron, Kalkaska, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montmorency, Newaygo, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Sanilac, and Wexford. County James J. BlanchardDemocratic William LucasRepublican Martin P. McLaughlinWorkers League ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona2,18665.74%1,13234.05%50.15%20.06%1,05431.70%3,325Alger2,08076.08%65123.81%30.11%00.00%1,42952.27%2,734Allegan10,87553.61%9,35146.09%560.28%50.02%1,5247.51%20,287Alpena5,68468.22%2,63231.59%140.17%20.02%3,05236.63%8,332Antrim3,81967.46%1,81632.08%260.46%00.00%2,00335.38%5,661Arenac3,19977.25%92722.39%150.36%00.00%2,27254.87%4,141Baraga1,67471.45%66628.43%30.13%00.00%1,00843.02%2,343Barry7,84663.76%4,39235.69%530.43%140.11%3,45428.07%12,305Bay24,59075.07%8,04824.57%1120.34%80.02%16,54250.50%32,758Benzie2,49665.98%1,27733.76%70.19%30.08%1,21932.22%3,783Berrien21,64060.79%13,76538.67%1930.54%00.00%7,87522.12%35,598Branch5,72360.26%3,74839.47%230.24%30.03%1,97520.80%9,497Calhoun25,98972.66%9,60826.86%1590.44%100.03%16,38145.80%35,766Cass6,69765.53%3,49734.22%260.25%00.00%3,20031.31%10,220Charlevoix4,51568.92%1,97230.10%640.98%00.00%2,54338.82%6,551Cheboygan4,88174.17%1,68525.60%150.23%00.00%3,19648.56%6,581Chippewa5,99772.62%2,24527.19%160.19%00.00%3,75245.43%8,258Clare5,39071.90%2,03427.13%710.95%20.03%3,35644.76%7,497Clinton10,01063.98%5,55235.49%390.25%440.28%4,45828.49%15,645Crawford2,07965.69%1,06033.49%240.76%20.06%1,01932.20%3,165Delta7,76372.42%2,93027.33%260.24%00.00%4,83345.09%10,719Dickinson5,60272.72%2,08127.02%200.26%00.00%3,52145.71%7,703Eaton16,44866.05%8,34533.51%1110.45%00.00%8,10332.54%24,904Emmet4,73365.53%2,45433.97%350.48%10.01%2,27931.55%7,223Genesee89,77879.00%23,15520.38%6620.58%490.04%66,62358.62%113,644Gladwin4,53573.30%1,60926.01%430.70%00.00%2,92647.29%6,187Gogebic5,35082.89%1,10017.04%40.06%00.00%4,25065.85%6,454Grand Traverse11,23262.96%6,57836.87%250.14%60.03%4,65426.09%17,841Gratiot7,09269.83%3,03429.87%280.28%20.02%4,05839.96%10,156Hillsdale6,04458.51%4,25541.19%310.30%00.00%1,78917.32%10,330Houghton6,33169.67%2,73930.14%170.19%00.00%3,59239.53%9,087Huron6,75066.55%3,37333.25%190.19%10.01%3,37733.29%10,143Ingham52,05469.93%21,53628.93%5510.74%2970.40%30,51841.00%74,438Ionia8,35866.85%4,07232.57%500.40%220.18%4,28634.28%12,502Iosco5,51672.85%2,02926.80%240.32%30.04%3,48746.05%7,572Iron3,49173.51%1,25026.32%80.17%00.00%2,24147.19%4,749Isabella8,32566.08%4,20533.38%650.52%40.03%4,12032.70%12,599Jackson23,89965.47%12,35833.85%2120.58%370.10%11,54131.61%36,506Kalamazoo36,81766.65%18,20932.96%1900.34%220.04%18,60833.69%55,238Kalkaska2,42567.25%1,16832.39%130.36%00.00%1,25734.86%3,606Kent70,75456.78%53,23342.72%6250.50%90.01%17,52114.06%124,621Keweenaw73175.36%23924.64%00.00%00.00%49250.72%970Lake1,88774.32%62324.54%271.06%20.08%1,26449.78%2,539Lapeer11,41465.07%5,98034.09%1370.78%90.05%5,43430.98%17,540Leelanau3,36059.27%2,29140.41%90.16%90.16%1,06918.86%5,669Lenawee13,84666.13%7,04333.64%420.20%70.03%6,80332.49%20,938Livingston17,11961.18%10,62537.97%1480.53%910.33%6,49423.21%27,983Luce1,31477.29%38222.47%40.24%00.00%93254.82%1,700Mackinac2,82973.92%98925.84%90.24%00.00%1,84048.08%3,827Macomb128,12068.03%59,31531.49%7700.41%1360.07%68,80536.53%188,341Manistee4,99571.81%1,93927.88%220.32%00.00%3,05643.93%6,956Marquette13,77579.15%3,57820.56%510.29%00.00%10,19758.59%17,404Mason5,29166.79%2,55632.26%720.91%30.04%2,73534.52%7,922Mecosta6,07065.57%3,16134.15%200.22%60.06%2,90931.42%9,257Menominee3,94965.01%2,11734.85%80.13%00.00%1,83230.16%6,074Midland15,45863.49%8,75835.97%1160.48%140.06%6,70027.52%24,346Missaukee2,22956.86%1,66342.42%280.71%00.00%56614.44%3,920Monroe20,12672.04%7,75027.74%600.21%30.01%12,37644.30%27,939Montcalm7,32364.75%3,95134.93%340.30%20.02%3,37229.81%11,310Montmorency2,12769.62%92130.15%70.23%00.00%1,20639.48%3,055Muskegon29,25771.96%11,26927.72%1310.32%10.00%17,98844.24%40,658Newaygo5,74261.25%3,60138.41%320.34%00.00%2,14122.84%9,375Oakland176,06561.72%108,10437.90%8810.31%2150.08%67,96123.82%285,265Oceana4,23069.21%1,85630.37%210.34%50.08%2,37438.84%6,112Ogemaw4,34674.88%1,44424.88%120.21%20.03%2,90250.00%5,804Ontonagon2,36876.09%73823.71%60.19%00.00%1,63052.38%3,112Osceola3,69463.21%2,12936.43%200.34%10.02%1,56526.78%5,844Oscoda1,34761.62%82737.83%120.55%00.00%52023.79%2,186Otsego3,04666.74%1,49832.82%200.44%00.00%1,54833.92%4,564Ottawa20,87044.41%26,01855.37%1040.22%00.00%-5,148-10.96%46,992Presque Isle3,76172.52%1,39426.88%310.60%00.00%2,36745.64%5,186Roscommon5,48672.44%2,07227.36%150.20%00.00%3,41445.08%7,573Saginaw46,70075.65%14,68523.79%3440.56%40.01%32,01551.86%61,733Sanilac7,10164.69%3,84935.06%250.23%20.02%3,25229.63%10,977Schoolcraft1,77277.21%52122.70%20.09%00.00%1,25154.51%2,295Shiawassee14,63071.49%5,73028.00%840.41%190.09%8,90043.49%20,463St. Clair23,54466.78%11,55532.78%1550.44%00.00%11,98934.01%35,254St. Joseph7,68861.12%4,85938.63%310.25%00.00%2,82922.49%12,578Tuscola9,45370.38%3,93329.28%460.34%00.00%5,52041.10%13,432Van Buren10,56067.07%5,12732.56%560.36%20.01%5,43334.51%15,745Washtenaw49,06670.33%20,22628.99%4450.64%270.04%28,84041.34%69,764Wayne393,78573.49%140,14026.15%1,7440.33%1910.04%253,64547.33%535,860Wexford4,99767.23%2,42032.56%130.17%30.04%2,57734.67%7,433Total1,632,13868.10%753,64731.45%9,4770.40%1,3020.05%878,49136.66%2,396,564

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alcona Allegan Antrim Barry Benzie Berrien Branch Calhoun Cass Charlevoix Clinton Crawford Eaton Emmet Grand Traverse Gratiot Hillsdale Huron Ionia Isabella Jackson Kalamazoo Kalkaska Kent Lapeer Leelanau Lenawee Livingston Mason Mecosta Midland Missaukee Montcalm Montmorency Newaygo Oakland Oceana Osceola Oscoda Otsego Sanilac St. Clair St. Joseph Tuscola Van Buren Wexford

Notes

References