1984 Washington gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{for|related races|1984 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1984 Washington gubernatorial election
| country = Washington
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1980 Washington gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1980
| next_election = 1988 Washington gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1988
| election_date = November 6, 1984
| image1 = File:Booth Gardner.jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Booth Gardner
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 1,006,993
| percentage1 = 53.31%
| image2 = File:JohnDSpellman.jpg
| nominee2 = John Spellman
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 881,994
| percentage2 = 46.69%
| title = Governor
| map_image = 1984 Washington gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 275px
| map_caption = County results
Gardner: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
Spellman: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}}
| before_election = John Spellman
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Booth Gardner
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsWA}}
The 1984 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican John Spellman ran for re-election to a second term but was defeated by Democrat Booth Gardner despite Republican President Ronald Reagan carrying the state by 13 points in the concurrent 1984 Election. This is the last time that the Washington Governor's office changed partisan control or that an incumbent Governor of Washington lost a general election.
Primary election
=Candidates=
==Democratic==
- Booth Gardner, Pierce County Executive
- Jim McDermott, psychiatrist, state senator, candidate for governor in 1972, and nominee for governor 1980
- John Jovanovich, state representative
==Republican==
- John Spellman, incumbent governor of Washington
- Ted Parker Fix
==Third-party==
- Mark A. Calney (Independent), author
- Bob LeRoy (Populist)
- Cheryll Y. Hidalgo (Socialist Workers)
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change|title = Blanket primary results{{Cite web|url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=80&c=&c2=&t=440&t2=&p=&p2=&y=|title=Elections Search Results September 1984 Primary|access-date=2024-08-12 |publisher=Washington Secretary of State}}{{cite book|title=Official Abstract of the Results of the September 18, 1984 Washington State Primary|section=Governor|author=Washington Secretary of State|location=Olympia, Washington|pages=6–7}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Booth Gardner
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|votes = 421,087
|percentage = 46.07%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|candidate = John Spellman (incumbent)
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|votes = 239,463
|percentage = 26.20%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Jim McDermott
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|votes = 209,435
|percentage = 22.91%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = John Jovanovich
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|votes = 23,699
|percentage = 2.59%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Ted Parker Fix
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|votes = 11,193
|percentage = 1.23%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Bob LeRoy
|party = Populist Party (United States, 1984)
|votes = 3,601
|percentage = 0.39%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Mark A. Calney
|party = Independent
|votes = 2,851
|percentage = 0.31%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate = Cheryll Y. Hidalgo
|party = Socialist Workers Party (United States)
|votes = 2,672
|percentage = 0.29%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 914,001
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Candidates=
- John Spellman (R), incumbent governor of Washington
- Booth Gardner (D), Pierce County Executive
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=1984 Washington gubernatorial election{{Cite web|url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=29&c=&c2=&t=440&t2=&p=&p2=&y=|title=Elections Search Results November 1984 General|access-date=2024-08-12 |publisher=Washington Secretary of State}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Washington Democratic Party
|candidate = Booth Gardner
|votes = 1,006,993
|percentage = 53.31%
|change = +9.99%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Washington Republican Party
|candidate = John Spellman (incumbent)
|votes = 881,994
|percentage = 46.69%
|change = -9.99%
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 124,999
|percentage = 6.62%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total|
|votes = 1,888,987
|percentage = 100.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)
|swing = +19.98%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Results by county=
Booth Gardner is the most recent Democrat to carry Lewis County and Stevens County in a gubernatorial election. Conversely, John Spellman is the last Republican to have won San Juan County.
| class="wikitable sortable"
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" |County ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" |Booth Gardner ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" |John Spellman ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" |Margin ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" |Total votes cast | |||||||
| bgcolor="lightgrey"
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |# ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |% ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |# ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |% ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |# ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" |% | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Adams | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,070 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|42.43% | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,809 | {{party shading/Republican}}|57.57% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 739
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 15.15%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|4,879 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Asotin | {{party shading/Democratic}}|3,833 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|53.68% | {{party shading/Republican}}|3,308 | {{party shading/Republican}}|46.32% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|525 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7.35% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,141 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Benton | {{party shading/Democratic}}|20,982 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.44% | {{party shading/Republican}}|26,236 | {{party shading/Republican}}|55.56% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 5,254
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 11.13%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|47,218 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Chelan | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,843 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|42.51% | {{party shading/Republican}}|11,960 | {{party shading/Republican}}|57.49% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 3,117
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 14.98%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|20,803 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Clallam | {{party shading/Democratic}}|12,156 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|50.70% | {{party shading/Republican}}|11,820 | {{party shading/Republican}}|49.30% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|336 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1.40% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|23,976 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Clark | {{party shading/Democratic}}|46,144 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.33% | {{party shading/Republican}}|31,629 | {{party shading/Republican}}|40.67% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|14,515 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|18.66% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|77,773 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Columbia | {{party shading/Democratic}}|935 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.69% | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,157 | {{party shading/Republican}}|55.31% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 222
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 10.61%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|2,092 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Cowlitz | {{party shading/Democratic}}|18,770 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|61.90% | {{party shading/Republican}}|11,553 | {{party shading/Republican}}|38.10% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,217 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|23.80% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|30,323 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Douglas | {{party shading/Democratic}}|4,398 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.07% | {{party shading/Republican}}|5,361 | {{party shading/Republican}}|54.93% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 963
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 9.87%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|9,759 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Ferry | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,194 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.08% | {{party shading/Republican}}|935 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.92% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|259 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|12.17% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,129 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Franklin | {{party shading/Democratic}}|5,761 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|47.96% | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,250 | {{party shading/Republican}}|52.04% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 489
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 4.07%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|12,011 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Garfield | {{party shading/Democratic}}|685 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|48.21% | {{party shading/Republican}}|736 | {{party shading/Republican}}|51.79% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 51
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 3.59%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|1,421 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Grant | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,917 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|46.55% | {{party shading/Republican}}|10,238 | {{party shading/Republican}}|53.45% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 1,321
| {{party shading/Republican}}|6.90% | {{party shading/Republican}}|19,155 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Grays Harbor | {{party shading/Democratic}}|18,752 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|70.73% | {{party shading/Republican}}|7,761 | {{party shading/Republican}}|29.27% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|10,991 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|41.46% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|26,513 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Island | {{party shading/Democratic}}|9,160 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|43.99% | {{party shading/Republican}}|11,664 | {{party shading/Republican}}|56.01% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 2,504
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 12.02%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|20,824 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Jefferson | {{party shading/Democratic}}|4,904 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|53.72% | {{party shading/Republican}}|4,224 | {{party shading/Republican}}|46.28% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|680 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7.45% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|9,128 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|King | {{party shading/Democratic}}|336,878 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|52.35% | {{party shading/Republican}}|306,605 | {{party shading/Republican}}|47.65% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|30,273 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|4.70% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|643,483 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Kitsap | {{party shading/Democratic}}|37,460 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|55.67% | {{party shading/Republican}}|29,835 | {{party shading/Republican}}|44.33% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,625 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|11.33% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|67,295 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Kittitas | {{party shading/Democratic}}|6,577 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.35% | {{party shading/Republican}}|4,504 | {{party shading/Republican}}|40.65% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,073 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|18.71% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|11,081 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Klickitat | {{party shading/Democratic}}|3,797 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.61% | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,910 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.39% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|887 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|13.22% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|6,707 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Lewis | {{party shading/Democratic}}|13,811 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|58.08% | {{party shading/Republican}}|9,969 | {{party shading/Republican}}|41.92% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|3,842 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|16.16% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|23,780 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Lincoln | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,345 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.81% | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,888 | {{party shading/Republican}}|55.19% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 543
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 10.38%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|5,233 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Mason | {{party shading/Democratic}}|9,316 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|58.80% | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,528 | {{party shading/Republican}}|41.20% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,788 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|17.60% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|15,844 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Okanogan | {{party shading/Democratic}}|6,357 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|48.31% | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,802 | {{party shading/Republican}}|51.69% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 445
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 3.38%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|13,159 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pacific | {{party shading/Democratic}}|5,473 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|64.94% | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,955 | {{party shading/Republican}}|35.06% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,518 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|29.88% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,428 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pend Oreille | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,298 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.55% | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,766 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.45% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|532 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|13.09% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|4,064 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pierce | {{party shading/Democratic}}|112,796 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|58.74% | {{party shading/Republican}}|79,246 | {{party shading/Republican}}|41.26% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|33,550 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|17.47% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|192,042 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|San Juan | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,634 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|48.48% | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,799 | {{party shading/Republican}}|51.52% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 165
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 3.04%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|5,433 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Skagit | {{party shading/Democratic}}|18,457 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|54.95% | {{party shading/Republican}}|15,130 | {{party shading/Republican}}|45.05% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|3,327 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|9.91% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|33,587 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Skamania | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,934 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|58.43% | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,376 | {{party shading/Republican}}|41.57% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|558 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|16.86% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|3,310 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Snohomish | {{party shading/Democratic}}|84,328 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|52.66% | {{party shading/Republican}}|75,823 | {{party shading/Republican}}|47.34% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,505 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|5.31% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|160,151 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Spokane | {{party shading/Democratic}}|74,244 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|49.25% | {{party shading/Republican}}|76,502 | {{party shading/Republican}}|50.75% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 2,258
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 1.50%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|150,746 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Stevens | {{party shading/Democratic}}|6,433 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|50.02% | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,428 | {{party shading/Republican}}|49.98% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|5 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|0.04% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|12,861 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Thurston | {{party shading/Democratic}}|35,501 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.85% | {{party shading/Republican}}|26,950 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.15% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,551 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|13.69% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|62,451 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Wahkiakum | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,078 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|63.52% | {{party shading/Republican}}|619 | {{party shading/Republican}}|36.48% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|459 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|27.05% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,697 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Walla Walla | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,473 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|43.28% | {{party shading/Republican}}|11,106 | {{party shading/Republican}}|56.72% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 2,633
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 13.45%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|19,579 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Whatcom | {{party shading/Democratic}}|30,525 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|60.11% | {{party shading/Republican}}|20,255 | {{party shading/Republican}}|39.89% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|10,270 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|20.22% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|50,780 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Whitman | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,512 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.83% | {{party shading/Republican}}|9,246 | {{party shading/Republican}}|55.17% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 1,734
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 10.35%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|16,758 | |||||||
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Yakima | {{party shading/Democratic}}|31,262 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|47.82% | {{party shading/Republican}}|34,111 | {{party shading/Republican}}|52.18% | {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 2,849
| {{party shading/Republican}} | |||||||
| 4.36%
| {{party shading/Republican}}|65,373 | |||||||
| Totals | 1,006,993 | 53.31% | 881,994 | 46.69% | 124,999 | 6.62% | 1,888,987 |
|---|
== Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic ==
References
{{Reflist}}
{{United States elections, 1984}}
{{Washington elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington Gubernatorial Election, 1984}}