1990 Alaska gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{for|related races|1990 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1990 Alaska gubernatorial election
| country = Alaska
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1986 Alaska gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1986
| election_date = November 6, 1990
| next_election = 1994 Alaska gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1994
| image1 = File:Hickel.gif
| image_size = 150x150px
| image_upright = 0.6
| nominee1 = Wally Hickel
| party1 = Alaskan Independence Party
| running_mate1 = Jack Coghill
| popular_vote1 = 75,721
| percentage1 = 38.88%
| title = Governor
| before_election = Steve Cowper
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Wally Hickel
| after_party = Alaskan Independence Party
| image2 = File:GovTonyKnowles (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Tony Knowles
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| running_mate2 = Willie Hensley
| popular_vote2 = 60,201
| percentage2 = 30.91%
| image3 = Arliss86.jpg
| nominee3 = Arliss Sturgulewski
| party3 = Republican Party (United States)
| running_mate3 = Jim Campbell
| popular_vote3 = 50,991
| percentage3 = 26.18%
|map_image= {{Switcher
| 400px
| Borough results
| 325px
| House district results
}}
|map_caption= Hickel: {{legend0|#fef4b4|30-40%}} {{legend0|#fee391|40-50%}} {{legend0|#fed463|50-60%}} {{legend0|#fdbb07|60-70%}}
Knowles: {{legend0|#bdd3ff|30–40%}} {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}
Sturgulewski: {{legend0|#ffc8cd|30–40%}} {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
}}
{{Elections in Alaska sidebar}}
The 1990 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1990, for the open seat of Governor of Alaska. In 1989, incumbent governor Steve Cowper, a Democrat, had announced that he would not seek re-election for a second term.{{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}}
In a rare third-party win in American politics, former Republican governor Wally Hickel, running on the ticket of the Alaskan Independence Party, defeated Democratic candidate Tony Knowles and Republican candidate Arliss Sturgulewski.
Candidates
=Democratic Party=
The major Democratic candidates were Tony Knowles, former mayor of Anchorage (from 1981 to 1987) and future governor (from 1994 to 2002), and incumbent lieutenant governor Stephen McAlpine, who had served since 1982. Knowles defeated McAlpine in the Democratic primary.
{{Election box begin no change | title=1990 Alaska gubernatorial election (Democratic primary){{cite web|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90prim.pdf |title=1990 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results – Alaska |access-date=2009-08-31 |publisher=Alaska Division of Elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902151951/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90prim.pdf |archive-date=September 2, 2009 |url-status=dead }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Alaska Democratic Party
|candidate = Tony Knowles
|votes = 36,019
|percentage = 56.05
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Alaska Democratic Party
|candidate = Stephen McAlpine
|votes = 27,656
|percentage = 43.07
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Alaska Democratic Party
|candidate = Ryal White
|votes = 586
|percentage = 0.91
}}
{{Election box majority no change|
|votes = 8,363
|percentage = 12.98%
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 64,261
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Republican Party=
In the Republican primary, state senator Arliss Sturgulewski, who was also the Republican nominee in 1986, defeated Jim Campbell, Rick Halford and Don Wright.
{{Election box begin no change | title=1990 Alaska gubernatorial election (Republican primary){{cite web|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90prim.pdf |title=1990 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results – Alaska |access-date=2009-08-31 |publisher=Alaska Division of Elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902151951/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90prim.pdf |archive-date=September 2, 2009 |url-status=dead }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party of Alaska
|candidate = Arliss Sturgulewski
|votes = 26,906
|percentage = 36.44
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party of Alaska
|candidate = Jim Campbell
|votes = 23,442
|percentage = 31.75
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party of Alaska
|candidate = Rick Halford
|votes = 22,466
|percentage = 30.43
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party of Alaska
|candidate = Don Wright
|votes = 1,025
|percentage = 1.39
}}
{{Election box majority no change|
|votes = 3,464
|percentage = 4.69%
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 73,839
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Alaskan Independence Party=
The initial Alaskan Independence Party candidate was John Lindauer, who won the primary. However, many conservative Republicans, dissatisfied with Sturgulewski's positions on social issues such as abortion, persuaded former Republican Governor Wally Hickel to run on the Alaskan Independence ticket. The party pushed Lindauer aside to make way for Hickel and lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Jack Coghill.
=Others=
Environmentalist and homeless rights activist Michael O'Callaghan ran as the candidate of The Political Party.{{cite news |last1=Reamer |first1=David |title=How Michael O'Callaghan went from Anchorage activist to Portland's homeless mayoral candidate |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2020/03/09/how-michael-ocallaghan-went-from-anchorage-activist-to-portlands-homeless-mayoral-candidate/ |access-date=November 12, 2020 |work=Anchorage Daily ews |date=March 8, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Christiansen |first1=Scott |title=Alleyway activism |url=https://www.anchoragepress.com/news/alleyway-activism/article_bfa0d703-e62b-540a-b924-57127f46b30c.html |access-date=November 12, 2020 |work=Anchorage Press |date=June 17, 2009}}
Results
Former governor Wally Hickel defeated Knowles, Sturgulewski, and other minor candidates to return to the governor's office.
{{Election box begin | title=1990 Alaska gubernatorial election{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90genr.pdf |title=1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Alaska |access-date=2009-08-31 |publisher=Alaska Division of Elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902154442/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90genr.pdf |archive-date=September 2, 2009 |url-status=dead }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Alaskan Independence Party
|candidate = Wally Hickel
|votes = 75,721
|percentage = 38.88
|change = +33.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Alaska Democratic Party
|candidate = Tony Knowles
|votes = 60,201
|percentage = 30.91
|change = −16.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party of Alaska
|candidate = Arliss Sturgulewski
|votes = 50,991
|percentage = 26.18
|change = −16.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Green Party of Alaska
|candidate = Jim Sykes
|votes = 6,563
|percentage = 3.37
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = The Political Party
|candidate = Michael O'Callaghan
|votes = 942
|percentage = 0.48
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = Write-in votes
|candidate =
|votes = 332
|percentage = 0.17
|change = −3.8
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 15,520
|percentage = 7.97
|change = +3.3
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 194,750
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Alaskan Independence Party
|loser = Alaska Democratic Party
|swing = -49.70
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Alaska gubernatorial elections}}
{{1990 United States elections}}
{{Notable third party performances in United States elections}}