1989 Virginia gubernatorial election
November 7, 1989
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| Turnout | 66.5% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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Wilder: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Coleman: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Virginia |
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The 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1989. Incumbent Democratic governor Jerry Baliles was unable to seek a second term due to term limits. Democratic nominee and Lieutenant Governor L. Douglas Wilder went against former attorney general of Virginia J. Marshall Coleman in one of the closest elections in Virginia history. Upon taking the oath of office in January 1990, Governor Wilder became the first African-American governor of Virginia, the first African-American governor of any state since Reconstruction more than one hundred years earlier, and the first African-American elected as the governor of a U.S. state in a fully open election, as opposed to the unusual circumstances under which the Reconstruction governors were chosen.
This remains the last election in which a party won the governorship for a third consecutive term, and the last when Giles County backed a Democrat for Governor.
Coleman's perception as being far-right on the issue of abortion was a major deciding factor in swinging independents to Wilder in the election, which otherwise found little ideological separation between two candidates from the respective centrist wings of their parties.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
- J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor
- Stanford Parris, U.S. representative from Fairfax Station
- Paul S. Trible, Jr., former U.S. senator
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | J. Marshall Coleman | 147,941 | 36.81 | |
| Republican | Paul S. Trible, Jr. | 141,120 | 35.11 | |
| Republican | Stanford Parris | 112,826 | 28.07 | |
| Total votes | 401,887 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Candidates
- J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor (Republican)
- L. Douglas Wilder, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and former state senator from Richmond (Democratic)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | L. Douglas Wilder | 896,936 | 50.13% | −5.04% | |
| Republican | J. Marshall Coleman | 890,195 | 49.76% | +4.97% | |
| Write-ins | 1,947 | 0.11% | |||
| Majority | 6,741 | 0.37% | −10.02% | ||
| Turnout | 1,789,078 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
Results by county and city
| County | Wilder | Votes | Coleman | Votes | Others | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack | 44.9% | 4,767 | 55.0% | 5,838 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Albemarle | 51.7% | 10,743 | 48.1% | 9,998 | 0.2% | 35 |
| Alexandria | 68.0% | 22,451 | 31.8% | 10,493 | 0.2% | 77 |
| Alleghany | 49.7% | 2,313 | 50.3% | 2,342 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Amelia | 43.8% | 1,509 | 56.2% | 1,937 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Amherst | 44.6% | 4,000 | 55.4% | 4,965 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Appomattox | 47.9% | 2,321 | 52.1% | 2,528 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Arlington | 67.1% | 35,716 | 32.8% | 17,452 | 0.1% | 44 |
| Augusta | 30.7% | 4,502 | 69.2% | 10,146 | 0.1% | 16 |
| Bath | 46.1% | 770 | 53.8% | 900 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bedford | 42.0% | 5,871 | 57.9% | 8,094 | 0.1% | 7 |
| Bedford County | 48.1% | 961 | 51.8% | 1,035 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bland | 33.9% | 661 | 66.1% | 1,287 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Botetourt | 46.8% | 3,998 | 53.1% | 4,539 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Bristol | 41.9% | 2,109 | 58.0% | 2,920 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Brunswick | 56.1% | 3,181 | 43.9% | 2,493 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buchanan | 59.4% | 5,678 | 40.6% | 3,875 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buckingham | 44.4% | 2,014 | 55.5% | 2,515 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Buena Vista | 51.2% | 869 | 48.5% | 823 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Campbell | 38.6% | 6,043 | 61.4% | 9,611 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Caroline | 54.9% | 3,232 | 45.1% | 2,658 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Carroll | 32.5% | 2,375 | 67.5% | 4,926 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Charles City | 78.7% | 2,050 | 21.3% | 554 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Charlotte | 44.8% | 2,072 | 55.2% | 2,552 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Charlottesville | 63.7% | 6,892 | 36.1% | 3,902 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Chesapeake | 50.3% | 21,384 | 49.6% | 21,076 | 0.1% | 24 |
| Chesterfield | 35.2% | 23,799 | 64.6% | 43,656 | 0.2% | 151 |
| Clarke | 47.4% | 1,394 | 52.6% | 1,546 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Clifton Forge | 57.4% | 912 | 42.6% | 676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Colonial Heights | 24.0% | 1,568 | 75.9% | 4,954 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Covington | 57.3% | 1,570 | 42.7% | 1,169 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Craig | 45.8% | 766 | 53.9% | 902 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Culpeper | 38.7% | 2,670 | 61.3% | 4,230 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Cumberland | 46.7% | 1,418 | 53.3% | 1,617 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Danville | 40.4% | 6,944 | 59.5% | 10,223 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Dickenson | 62.3% | 3,536 | 37.6% | 2,131 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Dinwiddie | 47.5% | 3,321 | 52.5% | 3,676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Emporia | 46.7% | 1,094 | 53.3% | 1,249 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Essex | 44.7% | 1,373 | 55.2% | 1,694 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Fairfax County | 55.9% | 127,236 | 43.9% | 99,957 | 0.2% | 518 |
| Fairfax | 52.8% | 3,398 | 47.1% | 3,027 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Falls Church | 63.1% | 2,617 | 36.9% | 1,530 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Fauquier | 45.3% | 5,545 | 54.7% | 6,700 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Floyd | 39.6% | 1,566 | 60.4% | 2,387 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Fluvanna | 42.9% | 1,554 | 57.0% | 2,063 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Franklin | 46.0% | 5,158 | 53.9% | 6,037 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Franklin County | 61.9% | 1,865 | 38.1% | 1,146 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Frederick | 36.3% | 3,746 | 63.7% | 6,581 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Fredericksburg | 52.0% | 2,515 | 48.0% | 2,321 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Galax | 36.7% | 625 | 63.3% | 1,077 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Giles | 51.0% | 2,568 | 49.0% | 2,468 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Gloucester | 42.4% | 4,258 | 57.4% | 5,765 | 0.1% | 13 |
| Goochland | 44.4% | 2,473 | 55.5% | 3,092 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Grayson | 34.5% | 1,761 | 65.5% | 3,337 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greene | 33.3% | 863 | 66.7% | 1,726 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greensville | 57.6% | 1,952 | 42.4% | 1,435 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Halifax | 46.7% | 4,562 | 53.3% | 5,205 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Hampton | 59.8% | 23,097 | 40.1% | 15,489 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Hanover | 30.8% | 7,391 | 69.0% | 16,552 | 0.1% | 32 |
| Harrisonburg | 42.5% | 2,647 | 57.3% | 3,562 | 0.2% | 12 |
| Henrico | 41.2% | 32,939 | 58.7% | 46,947 | 0.2% | 156 |
| Henry | 41.5% | 6,674 | 58.5% | 9,414 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Highland | 41.0% | 437 | 58.8% | 626 | 0.2% | 2 |
| Hopewell | 40.3% | 2,781 | 59.7% | 4,119 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Isle of Wight | 49.5% | 4,353 | 50.5% | 4,442 | 0.0% | 4 |
| James City | 49.8% | 5,827 | 50.0% | 5,850 | 0.1% | 15 |
| King and Queen | 53.3% | 1,278 | 46.6% | 1,119 | 0.1% | 3 |
| King George | 46.2% | 1,563 | 53.8% | 1,819 | 0.0% | 1 |
| King William | 44.2% | 1,794 | 55.8% | 2,265 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Lancaster | 39.3% | 1,834 | 60.7% | 2,838 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lee | 54.8% | 3,431 | 45.2% | 2,830 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Lexington | 58.5% | 1,043 | 41.5% | 740 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Loudoun | 51.1% | 11,065 | 48.8% | 10,555 | 0.1% | 25 |
| Louisa | 46.2% | 2,931 | 53.8% | 3,416 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Lunenburg | 45.8% | 1,896 | 54.2% | 2,248 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lynchburg | 47.9% | 10,060 | 52.1% | 10,927 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Madison | 40.5% | 1,448 | 59.4% | 2,121 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Manassas | 47.4% | 2,663 | 52.5% | 2,947 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Manassas Park | 45.5% | 385 | 54.4% | 460 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Martinsville | 49.9% | 2,763 | 50.1% | 2,777 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mathews | 41.1% | 1,534 | 58.8% | 2,193 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mecklenburg | 38.0% | 3,287 | 62.0% | 5,373 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Middlesex | 41.5% | 1,520 | 58.4% | 2,142 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Montgomery | 51.7% | 9,121 | 48.3% | 8,513 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Nelson | 54.4% | 2,341 | 45.6% | 1,961 | 0.0% | 0 |
| New Kent | 42.6% | 1,797 | 57.2% | 2,416 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Newport News | 54.3% | 25,284 | 45.6% | 21,261 | 0.1% | 36 |
| Norfolk | 66.1% | 37,844 | 33.8% | 19,385 | 0.1% | 62 |
| Northampton | 55.4% | 2,482 | 44.4% | 1,989 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Northumberland | 40.0% | 1,669 | 60.0% | 2,506 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Norton | 65.5% | 808 | 34.3% | 423 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Nottoway | 45.7% | 2,331 | 54.3% | 2,768 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Orange | 41.5% | 2,465 | 58.4% | 3,468 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Page | 33.8% | 1,925 | 66.1% | 3,760 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Patrick | 35.2% | 1,761 | 64.8% | 3,246 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Petersburg | 70.8% | 8,394 | 29.1% | 3,454 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Pittsylvania | 37.4% | 6,349 | 62.6% | 10,616 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Poquoson | 34.0% | 1,353 | 66.0% | 2,626 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Portsmouth | 61.9% | 19,998 | 38.0% | 12,281 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Powhatan | 34.5% | 1,741 | 65.4% | 3,298 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince Edward | 50.8% | 2,822 | 49.2% | 2,732 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince George | 39.0% | 2,693 | 61.0% | 4,219 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Prince William | 49.0% | 20,329 | 50.9% | 21,104 | 0.1% | 34 |
| Pulaski | 44.1% | 4,550 | 55.9% | 5,771 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Radford | 51.3% | 2,092 | 48.6% | 1,980 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Rappahannock | 45.0% | 971 | 55.0% | 1,188 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond County | 36.3% | 887 | 63.7% | 1,558 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond | 68.0% | 49,513 | 31.9% | 23,239 | 0.1% | 67 |
| Roanoke | 59.0% | 16,590 | 40.9% | 11,483 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Roanoke County | 47.1% | 14,074 | 52.9% | 15,807 | 0.0% | 8 |
| Rockbridge | 46.0% | 2,314 | 54.0% | 2,713 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Rockingham | 30.7% | 4,452 | 69.1% | 10,019 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Russell | 56.9% | 4,955 | 43.1% | 3,750 | 0.0% | 2 |
| South Boston | 48.1% | 3,854 | 51.8% | 4,143 | 0.1% | 8 |
| Salem | 43.3% | 2,825 | 56.7% | 3,704 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Scott | 35.4% | 3,390 | 64.6% | 6,186 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Shenandoah | 39.5% | 3,557 | 60.4% | 5,438 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Smyth | 40.6% | 987 | 59.3% | 1,441 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Southampton | 52.0% | 3,074 | 48.0% | 2,836 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Spotsylvania | 41.9% | 5,524 | 58.0% | 7,646 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Stafford | 40.3% | 5,775 | 59.7% | 8,565 | 0.0% | 7 |
| Staunton | 37.8% | 2,748 | 62.1% | 4,512 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Suffolk | 52.5% | 8,743 | 47.4% | 7,893 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Surry | 63.1% | 1,740 | 36.9% | 1,018 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Sussex | 59.1% | 2,251 | 40.9% | 1,561 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Tazewell | 47.8% | 5,338 | 52.2% | 5,831 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Virginia Beach | 48.2% | 41,570 | 51.4% | 44,332 | 0.3% | 265 |
| Warren | 42.9% | 2,681 | 57.1% | 3,564 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Washington | 40.4% | 5,572 | 59.6% | 8,219 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Waynesboro | 36.6% | 2,102 | 63.3% | 3,637 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Westmoreland | 48.6% | 2,197 | 51.3% | 2,322 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Williamsburg | 61.5% | 1,641 | 38.5% | 1,026 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Winchester | 41.1% | 2,253 | 58.9% | 3,232 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Wise | 59.6% | 6,641 | 40.4% | 4,495 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Wythe | 36.2% | 2,817 | 63.8% | 4,970 | 0.0% | 0 |
| York | 45.1% | 6,001 | 54.8% | 7,283 | 0.1% | 13 |
Counties and independent cities that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Amelia (no municipalities)
- Amherst
- Appomattox
- Alleghany
- Bath
- Bedford
- Bedford (independent city)
- Bland
- Botetourt
- Bristol (independent city)
- Buckingham
- Charlotte
- Clarke
- Craig
- Dinwiddie
- Emporia (independent city)
- Franklin (independent city)
- Frederick
- Fauquier
- Fluvanna
- Galax (independent city)
- Gloucester
- Goochland (no municipalities)
- Grayson
- Halifax
- Henry
- Highland
- Isle of Wight
- James City (no municipalities)
- King George
- King William
- Louisa
- Lunenburg
- Madison
- Manassas Park (independent city)
- Martinsville (independent city)
- Middlesex
- Nottoway
- Orange
- Page
- Prince William
- Pulaski
- Rappahannock
- Roanoke
- Rockbridge
- Salem (independent city)
- Scott
- Smyth
- Stafford
- Spotsylvania
- Stafford (no municipalities)
- Tazewell
- Warren
- Washington
- Westmoreland
- Winchester (independent city)
- Virginia Beach (independent city)
- Waynesboro (independent city)
- Wythe
References
- ^ Virginia Department of Elections (2016). "Registration/Turnout Statistics". The Commonwealth of Virginia. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ^ Bass, Janet (November 8, 1989). "Abortion plays major role in election results". United Press International. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
- ^ Commonwealth of Virginia. State Board of Elections. "Recapitulation--Republican Primary Election" Official Election Results 1989. Comp. Susan H. Fitz-Hugh. Richmond, Virginia: n.p., 1989. 49. Print.
- ^ "Virginia Elections Database - 1989 Governor General Election". Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2019.