1987 Kentucky gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1987 Kentucky gubernatorial election
| country = Kentucky
| type = Presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1983 Kentucky gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1983
| next_election = 1991 Kentucky gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1991
| election_date = November 3, 1987
| turnout = 39.9% {{decrease}} 15.8 pp
| nominee1 = Wallace Wilkinson
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 504,674
| percentage1 = 64.50%
| image2 = x120px
| nominee2 = John Harper
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 273,141
| percentage2 = 34.91%
| map_image = {{switcher |300px |County results |300px |Congressional district results |default=1}}
| map_size = 300px
| map_caption = Wilkinson: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}
Harper: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Martha Layne Collins
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Wallace Wilkinson
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| image1 = Wallace Wilkinson crop.jpg
| image1_size = x150px
}}
{{ElectionsKY}}
The 1987 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1987. Democratic nominee Wallace Wilkinson defeated Republican nominee John Harper with 64.50% of the vote.
Primary elections
=Democratic primary=
==Candidates==
- Wallace Wilkinson, businessman
- John Y. Brown Jr., former Governor
- Steve Beshear, incumbent Lieutenant Governor and future Governor
- W. Grady Stumbo, former Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Human Resources
- Julian Carroll, former Governor
- Stanley Luttrell
- Dinwiddle Lampton Jr.
==Results==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Wallace Wilkinson
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 221,138
| percentage = 34.90
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John Y. Brown Jr.
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 163,204
| percentage = 25.75
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Beshear
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 114,439
| percentage = 18.06
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = W. Grady Stumbo
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 84,613
| percentage = 13.35
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Julian Carroll
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 42,137
| percentage = 6.65
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Stanley Luttrell
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 3,788
| percentage = 0.60
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Dinwiddle Lampton Jr.
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 2,638
| percentage = 0.42
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 633,718
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Republican primary=
==Candidates==
- John Harper, State Representative
- Joseph E. Johnson III
- Leonard "Buck" Beasley
- Thurman Jerome Hamlin
==Results==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John Harper
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 37,432
| percentage = 41.42
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Joseph E. Johnson III
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 22,396
| percentage = 24.78
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Leonard "Buck" Beasley
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 21,067
| percentage = 23.31
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Thurman Jerome Hamlin
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 9,475
| percentage = 10.49
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 90,370
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Candidates=
- Wallace Wilkinson, Democratic
- John Harper, Republican
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=1987 Kentucky gubernatorial election{{cite web|url=https://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/1980-1989/1987/87govltgov.txt |title=General Election |publisher=Elect.ky.gov |access-date=2018-11-01}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Wallace Wilkinson
| votes = 504,674
| percentage = 64.50%
| change = +10.1%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = John Harper
| votes = 273,141
| percentage = 34.91%
| change = -9.2%
}}
{{Election box majority|
| votes = 231,533
| percentage =
| change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
| votes = 777,815
| percentage =
| change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser =
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}