1986 Alaska gubernatorial election

{{Short description|none}}

{{for|related races|1986 United States gubernatorial elections}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1986 Alaska gubernatorial election

| country = Alaska

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1982 Alaska gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1982

| election_date = November 6, 1986

| next_election = 1990 Alaska gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1990

| image1 = File:Steve Cowper 1977.jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| image_upright = 0.6

| nominee1 = Steve Cowper

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| running_mate1 = Steve McAlpine

| popular_vote1 = 84,943

| percentage1 = 47.31%

| title = Governor

| before_election = Bill Sheffield

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Steve Cowper

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| image2 = Arliss86.jpg

| nominee2 = Arliss Sturgulewski

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| running_mate2 = Terry Miller

| popular_vote2 = 76,515

| percentage2 = 42.61%

| image3 = File:Joe Vogler (cropped).jpg

| nominee3 = Joe Vogler

| party3 = Alaskan Independence Party

| running_mate3 = Al Rowe

| popular_vote3 = 10,013

| percentage3 = 5.58%

|map_image=1986 Alaska gubernatorial election by State House District.svg

|map_size=325px

|map_caption=Results by state house district
Cowper: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
Sturgulewski: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}}

}}

{{Elections in Alaska sidebar}}

The 1986 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986, for the post of Governor of Alaska. Incumbent Governor Bill Sheffield, a Democrat who was seeking re-election, was defeated by Steve Cowper in the Democratic primary election on August 26, 1986.{{cite news|first=Tegan|last=Hanlon |title=Former Alaska first lady Michael Margaret Stewart, ex-wife of Steve Cowper, dead at 62 |url=http://www.adn.com/article/20151027/former-alaska-first-lady-michael-margaret-stewart-ex-wife-steve-cowper-dead-62 |work=Alaska Dispatch News |date=2015-10-27 |access-date=2015-11-21}}{{cite news|title=Looking back in Fairbanks — Aug. 29 |url=http://www.newsminer.com/looking-back-in-fairbanks-aug/article_75bf6607-2198-5f22-8dc5-a49a1abcbff7.html |work=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner |date=2011-08-21 |access-date=2015-11-21}}

In the general election, Democratic state Representative Steve Cowper defeated Republican candidate Arliss Sturgulewski and Alaska Independence candidate Joe Vogler. Sturgulewski had defeated former governor Wally Hickel, former Libertarian nominee Dick Randolph, former State House Speaker Joe L. Hayes, and former Alaskan Independence nominee Don Wright for the Republican nomination.