1986 Arkansas gubernatorial election

The 1986 Arkansas gubernatorial election was conducted on November 4, 1986, to elect the Governor of Arkansas.

1986 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1984 November 4, 1986 1990 →
 
Nominee Bill Clinton Frank D. White
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 439,802 248,427
Percentage 63.90% 36.10%

County results

Clinton:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

White:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Elected Governor

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Bill Clinton stood for re-election. He had been elected in 1982 and re-elected in 1984, and sought a third consecutive term and fourth overall (Clinton had been first elected in 1978). His opponent was former Republican Governor Frank D. White, who was seeking to return to the office he had defeated Clinton for in the 1980 election.

Clinton had defeated former Governor Orval Faubus for the Democratic nomination, while White defeated former Lieutenant Governor Maurice Britt in the Republican primary.

Background

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This was the first gubernatorial election following the enactment of a constitution amendment in 1984, that increased the office's term from two years to four years.[1]

Democratic primary

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Clinton won the Democratic primary with 60.58% of the vote against Orval Faubus with 33.5% and W. Dean Goldsby with 5.92%.[2]

Democratic Primary
Candidate Votes %
Bill Clinton (incumbent) 315,397 60.58%
Orval Faubus 174,402 33.50%
W. Dean Goldsby 30,829 5.92%
Total votes 520,628 100%

Results by County

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Democratic Primary
County Clinton Faubus Goldsby Margin
Arkansas 62.78% 32.75% 4.48% 30.03%
Ashley 60.74% 34.34% 4.92% 26.40%
Baxter 67.69% 26.81% 5.50% 40.88%
Benton 75.39% 19.78% 4.83% 55.61%
Boone 44.17% 51.40% 4.43% 7.23%
Bradley 61.20% 34.77% 4.03% 26.43%
Calhoun 55.29% 38.91% 5.80% 16.38%
Carroll 47.15% 48.45% 4.40% 1.30%
Chicot 76.06% 18.67% 5.27% 57.39%
Clark 65.48% 29.30% 5.23% 36.18%
Clay 57.86% 34.30% 7.85% 23.56%
Cleburne 48.63% 46.07% 5.31% 2.56%
Cleveland 42.46% 53.89% 3.66% 11.43%
Columbia 56.11% 34.80% 9.09% 21.31%
Conway 55.28% 38.60% 6.12% 16.68%
Craighead 63.29% 28.74% 7.98% 34.55%
Crawford 54.02% 35.77% 10.21% 18.25%
Crittenden 75.60% 17.23% 7.17% 58.37%
Cross 64.93% 27.63% 7.44% 37.30%
Dallas 56.82% 38.68% 4.51% 18.14%
Desha 70.94% 24.93% 4.14% 46.01%
Drew 63.46% 33.31% 3.23% 30.15%
Faulkner 52.91% 39.19% 7.90% 13.72%
Franklin 42.59% 51.60% 5.81% 9.01%
Fulton 54.64% 33.50% 11.86% 21.14%
Garland 62.74% 32.77% 4.49% 29.97%
Grant 46.86% 49.12% 4.01% 2.26%
Greene 62.83% 27.55% 9.62% 35.28%
Hempstead 60.85% 32.40% 6.75% 28.45%
Hot Spring 54.25% 40.77% 4.97% 13.48%
Howard 56.17% 38.43% 5.40% 17.74%
Independence 46.57% 47.75% 5.68% 1.18%
Izard 55.58% 37.12% 7.30% 18.46%
Jackson 58.65% 36.35% 5.00% 22.30%
Jefferson 68.76% 26.15% 5.09% 42.61%
Johnson 52.07% 41.72% 6.21% 10.35%
Lafayette 63.22% 31.63% 5.15% 31.59%
Lawrence 53.10% 37.18% 9.72% 15.92%
Lee 69.24% 24.73% 6.03% 44.51%
Lincoln 61.52% 35.50% 2.98% 26.02%
Little River 66.37% 26.16% 7.47% 40.21%
Logan 47.27% 43.27% 9.46% 4.00%
Lonoke 56.56% 39.24% 4.20% 17.32%
Madison 23.43% 74.31% 2.25% 50.88%
Marion 53.87% 37.94% 8.18% 15.93%
Miller 65.18% 28.97% 5.85% 36.21%
Mississippi 69.25% 23.85% 6.90% 45.40%
Monroe 61.58% 34.79% 3.63% 26.79%
Montgomery 51.68% 42.44% 5.88% 9.24%
Nevada 55.69% 36.62% 7.70% 19.07%
Newton No results
Ouachita 64.69% 29.97% 5.34% 34.72%
Perry 50.26% 44.43% 5.31% 5.83%
Phillips 66.54% 22.10% 11.36% 44.44%
Pike 51.71% 41.37% 6.92% 10.34%
Poinsett 62.91% 30.14% 6.95% 32.77%
Polk 60.41% 31.39% 8.20% 29.02%
Pope 50.57% 44.10% 5.33% 6.47%
Prairie 47.61% 48.05% 4.34% 0.44%
Pulaski 70.79% 25.78% 3.43% 45.01%
Randolph 57.75% 33.35% 8.90% 24.40%
St. Francis 67.02% 27.28% 5.70% 39.74%
Saline 59.03% 36.40% 4.58% 22.63%
Scott 52.51% 33.35% 14.14% 19.16%
Searcy 54.95% 41.55% 3.50% 13.40%
Sebastian 60.36% 32.63% 7.02% 27.73%
Sevier 62.53% 32.11% 5.36% 30.42%
Sharp 57.75% 34.64% 7.61% 23.11%
Stone 42.86% 51.10% 6.03% 8.24%
Union 61.78% 30.84% 7.39% 30.94%
Van Buren 49.09% 45.31% 5.60% 3.78%
Washington 68.29% 26.80% 4.91% 41.49%
White 56.88% 38.51% 4.61% 18.37%
Woodruff 72.90% 23.68% 3.42% 49.22%
Yell 47.35% 45.62% 7.03% 1.73%
 
Democratic Primary Results:
Bill Clinton
  •   40%-50%
  •   50%-60%
  •   60%-70%
  •   70%-80%
Orval Faubus
  •   40%-50%
  •   50%-60%
  •   60%-70%
  •   70%-80%
  No Results

Result

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Clinton won the election with almost 64% of the vote.

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1986 [3]: 18 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bill Clinton (incumbent) 439,802 63.90% +1.35%
Republican Frank D. White 248,427 36.10% −1.35%
Total votes 688,229 100.00
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 144.
  2. ^ McCuen, Bill (1986). "Arkansas Election Results 1986" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 9, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Arkansas Election Results 1986" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 10, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2016.

Works cited

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