1988 Utah gubernatorial election

Governor Bangerter consistently trailed in the polls behind Democrat Ted Wilson until near election day. This was due to his unpopular tax increases that spawned a protest movement against his policies, resulting in three tax ballot measures installed, and independent candidate Merrill Cook championing in support of them.{{Cite web |title=Salt Lake Tribune {{!}} November 10, 1988 {{!}} Page 1 |url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29188079 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=newspapers.lib.utah.edu |language=en}} Bangerter justified the increases due to the regional recession in Utah caused by declining energy commodity prices in 1986 to 1987, which caused mining employment to fall by 60%, and construction by 30%. Two major companies, Geneva Steel and Kennecott Copper, had to be closed temporarily. Combined with rapid raising school enrollments, Bangerter was forced to raise taxes to counter the declining state budget.{{Cite web |title=Utah History Encyclopedia |url=https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/b/BANGERTER_NORMAN.shtml |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=www.uen.org}} Nevertheless, by election day, polls had shown that Bangerter had closed the near 20–30-point lead Wilson had just three weeks earlier, with previous governor Scott Matheson attributing it to his well received debate performance. In the early morning the day after the election, Bangerter was declared the winner with around 40% of the popular vote.

• Norman H. Bangerter, incumbent governor{{cite news|title=Here's a list of those who've filed to run for public office throughout the State|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/16/18765225/here-s-a-list-of-those-who-ve-filed-to-run-for-public-office-throughout-the-state|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=April 16, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}
• Dean Samuels, teacher{{cite news|title=Midvale educator jumps into race for Governor, vowing to battle taxes|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/20/18763874/midvale-educator-jumps-into-race-for-governor-vowing-to-battle-taxes|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=April 20, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

• Jon Huntsman Sr., industrialist and former White House Staff Secretary{{cite news|last=Bernick|first=Bob Jr.|title=Huntsman bows out of State House race|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/13/18763232/huntsman-bows-out-of-statehouse-race|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=April 13, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

Bangerter defeated Samuels at the state convention on June 11{{cite news|last=Bernick|first=Bob Jr.|title=Bangerter tries to win back dissidents|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/10/18768159/bangerter-tries-to-win-back-dissidents|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=June 10, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}} with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.{{cite news|title=Ex-candidate decides against fighting Bangerter nomination|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/7/14/18771849/ex-candidate-decides-against-fighting-bangerter-nomination|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=July 14, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican convention, 11 June 1988{{cite news|last=Davidson|first=Lee|title=Bangerter's convention win challenged. Kearns legislative candidate says write-ins for Cook weren't counted|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/20/18769165/bangerter-s-convention-win-challenged-br-kearns-legislative-candidate-says-write-ins-for-cook-weren|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=June 20, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Norm Bangerter (incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,502

| percentage = 80.6%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = W. Dean Samuels

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 361

| percentage = 19.4%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| candidate = Merrill Cook

| party = Write-in

| votes = 1

| percentage = 0.1%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1,864

| percentage=

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Ted Wilson, former Mayor of Salt Lake City
• David E. Hewett, physician{{cite news|last=Bernick|first=Bob Jr.|title=They're off! But Utah's political sprint may resemble walkathon more than a horse race|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/17/18763555/they-re-off-br-but-utah-s-political-sprint-may-resemble-walkathon-more-than-a-horse-race|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=April 17, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

Wilson defeated Hewett at the state convention on June 25 with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic convention, 25 June 1988{{cite news|last=Bernick|first=Bob Jr.|title=Demos relish 'new unity'. Wilson will lead slate that has rousing support|url=https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/1988/6/26/18769652/demos-relish-new-unity-br-wilson-will-lead-slate-that-has-rousing-support|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=June 26, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ted Wilson

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 1,654

| percentage = 97.4%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = David E. Hewett

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 44

| percentage = 2.6%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1,698

| percentage=

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Arly H. Pedersen, National chairman{{sfn|World Almanac 1989|p=332}}
• Lawrence Ray Topham, perennial candidate

Pedersen defeated Topham at the state convention on June 25{{cite news|last=Davidson|first=Lee|title=American Party's convention fraught with mudslinging. Chairman wins nomination for Governor's race by 78 percent of vote|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/26/18769687/american-party-s-convention-fraught-with-mudslinging-br-chairman-wins-nomination-for-governor-s-race|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=June 26, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}} with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.{{cite news|last=Davidson|first=Lee|title=American Party nomination assailed|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/30/18770148/american-party-nomination-assailed|access-date=April 19, 2020|date=June 30, 1988|newspaper=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City, UT}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = American Party convention, 25 June 1988{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=546440 |title=UT Governor, 1988 – Amer Convention |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=April 19, 2020}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Arly H. Pedersen

| party = American Party (1969)

| votes = 42

| percentage = 77.8%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Lawrence Rey Topham

| party = American Party (1969)

| votes = 12

| percentage = 22.2%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 54

| percentage=

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Ted Wilson, Democratic
• Norm Bangerter, Republican
• Arly H. Pedersen, American
• Merrill Cook, Independent
• Kitty K. Burton, Libertarian

{{Election box begin | title=1988 Utah gubernatorial election{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=27317 |title=UT Governor, 1988 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=April 19, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?f=0&fips=49&off=5&elect=0&year=1988 |title=1988 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Utah |publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=April 19, 2020}}{{sfn|Congressional Quarterly|1998|p=82}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Norman H. Bangerter (incumbent)

| votes = 260,462

| percentage = 40.13%

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ted Wilson

| votes = 249,321

| percentage = 38.41%

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Independent

| candidate = Merrill Cook

| votes = 136,651

| percentage = 21.05%

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Kitty K. Burton

| votes = 1,661

| percentage = 0.26%

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = American Party (1969)

| candidate = Arly H. Pedersen

| votes = 1,019

| percentage = 0.16%

| change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

| votes = 11,141

| percentage = 1.72%

| change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

| votes = 649,114

| percentage = 100.00%

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

| loser =

| swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

Governor Bangerter descended from his hotel room around 3:15 am, the morning after election day, to greet reporters and a small group of 40 "cheerful" supporters in the hotel's banquet room upon receiving a concession call from Ted Wilson. In a speech, Bangerter declared that "This morning we start bringing the state back together on an agenda that will move us into the 1990s."

All three of the tax protest ballot initiatives were defeated, with their biggest supporter, independent candidate Merrill Cook, stating: "I'm conceding the race, but I'm not conceding the fight."{{Cite web |title=Salt Lake Tribune {{!}} November 9, 1988 {{!}} Page 1 |url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29188016 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=newspapers.lib.utah.edu |language=en}} Cook would run for governor as an independent again in the 1992 gubernatorial election.

Democrats, who thought Wilson would win easily, were astounded by the stunning upset, and had trouble explaining the loss. Former Democratic governor Scott Matheson was asked why he thought Wilson lost: "That is an intriguing question we will be talking about for years. There are so many factors, the matter of a strong independent candidate, the presence of the tax initiatives which took attention away from the regular races. But we can't dismiss the fact we live in a strong Republican state where it is difficult for Democrats to win and that Ted Wilson was running against an incumbent who had the advantage of using the power of incumbency to make his case to the people."

Bangerter would later announce in November 1990 that he would not see a third time and would retire to private life.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Gubernatorial Elections, 1787–1997 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Congressional Quarterly Inc. |publication-date=1998 |isbn=1-56802-396-0 | ref={{SfnRef|Congressional Quarterly|1998}}}}
• {{cite book |title=The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1989 |url=https://archive.org/details/worldalmanacbook1989newy/page/332/mode/2up

|location=New York, NY |publisher=Pharos Books |publication-date=1988 |isbn=0-88687-361-4 | ref={{SfnRef|World Almanac 1989}}}}

{{United States elections, 1988}}

{{US Third Party Election}}

1988

Utah

Gubernatorial

Category:November 1988 in the United States