The 1990–91 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1990, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Incumbent Democratic Governor Rose Mofford declined to run for a full term. Republican Fife Symington defeated the Democratic nominee and Mayor of Phoenix Terry Goddard. Because no candidate received a majority of votes, a runoff election was held later on February 26, 1991, which Symington also won. This is the only election where Arizona used a runoff election.

Evan Mecham, a former governor who was removed from office in 1988 upon being convicted in his impeachment trial, unsuccessfully ran for another term in the Republican primary.

Democratic primary

Candidates Declared Terry Goddard, mayor of Phoenix Dave Moss, perennial candidate

Declined Rose Mofford, incumbent governor

Results

Republican primary

Candidates Declared Bob Barnes, former governor's aide Fred Koory, Jr, former State Senator Evan Mecham, former governor Sam Steiger, former U.S. Representative for Arizona Fife Symington, real estate developer

Results

General election

Results

Results by county County Fife SymingtonRepublican Terry GoddardDemocratic Max HawkinsStop Abortion Ed YetmanLibertarian All others Write-in Margin Total votescast # % # % # % # % # % # %Apache3,63827.49%9,48571.67%910.69%60.05%140.11%−5,847−44.18%13,234Cochise11,47247.17%12,68552.16%1360.56%130.05%140.06%−1,213−4.99%24,320Coconino11,33039.72%17,05059.78%1230.43%110.04%80.03%−5,720−20.05%28,522Gila6,28343.88%7,89355.13%1280.89%50.03%80.06%−1,610−11.25%14,317Graham3,61448.47%3,69949.61%1411.89%20.03%00.00%−85−1.14%7,456Greenlee1,07136.70%1,83662.92%110.38%00.00%00.00%−765−26.22%2,918La Paz1,82952.45%1,62246.52%330.95%10.03%20.06%2075.94%3,487Maricopa330,26153.17%282,40945.46%8,1561.31%1390.02%2340.04%47,8527.70%621,199Mohave14,06851.33%13,13147.91%1540.56%110.04%410.15%9373.42%27,405Navajo7,70843.31%9,86755.44%2041.15%90.05%110.06%−2,159−12.13%17,799Pima87,70143.53%112,57255.87%1,0280.51%940.05%830.04%−24,871−12.34%201,478Pinal11,76241.13%16,56257.92%2570.90%90.03%70.02%−4,800−16.78%28,597Santa Cruz2,14035.93%3,80163.82%100.17%20.03%30.05%−1,661−27.89%5,956Yavapai22,68255.69%17,56743.13%4671.15%110.03%40.01%5,11512.56%40,731Yuma8,42546.84%9,51252.88%440.24%30.02%30.02%−1,087−6.04%17,987Totals523,98449.65%519,69149.24%10,9831.04%3160.03%4320.04%4,2930.41%1,055,406

Runoff election Prior to 1992, the Arizona State Constitution required a runoff election for the office of governor if no candidate received a majority of the votes. As a result, a runoff election was held on February 26, 1991.

Results

Results by county Graham County voted Republican after voting Democratic in the first round.

County Fife SymingtonRepublican Terry GoddardDemocratic Margin Total votescast # % # % # %Apache2,98226.45%8,29473.55%−5,312−47.11%11,276Cochise9,86248.08%10,65151.92%−789−3.85%20,513Coconino9,44441.88%13,10758.12%−3,663−16.24%22,551Gila5,67046.09%6,63253.91%−962−7.82%12,302Graham3,51256.07%2,75243.93%76012.13%6,264Greenlee1,00341.19%1,43258.81%−429−17.62%2,435La Paz1,55856.45%1,20243.55%35612.90%2,760Maricopa315,81155.95%248,69144.05%67,12011.89%564,502Mohave13,10655.00%10,72245.00%2,38410,01%23,828Navajo7,08144.81%8,72155.19%−1,640−10.38%15,802Pima82,59445.79%97,77354.21%−15,179−8.42%180,367Pinal10,56244.01%13,43555.99%−2,873−11.97%23,997Santa Cruz1,74144.79%2,14655.21%−405−10.42%3,887Yavapai21,51558.68%15,14841.32%6,36717.37%36,663Yuma6,12845.09%7,46254.91%−1,334−9.82%13,590Totals492,56952.36%448,16847.64%44,40134.72%940,737

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Cochise

References