1986 South Dakota gubernatorial election
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The 1986 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986 to elect the Governor of South Dakota. Incumbent Bill Janklow was term-limited, so the field for the new governor was open. Republican nominee George S. Mickelson was elected, defeating Democratic nominee Ralph Lars Herseth. Until 2018, this would be the closest Gubernatorial election in South Dakota.
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November 4, 1986
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 County results Mickelson: 50–60% 60–70% Herseth: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Republican primary
Candidates
- George S. Mickelson, Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives
- Clint Roberts, former member of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota's 2nd district
- Lowell Hansen, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
- Alice Kundert, South Dakota Secretary of State
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George S. Mickelson | 40,979 | 35.30 | |
| Republican | Clint Roberts | 37,250 | 32.08 | |
| Republican | Lowell Hansen | 21,884 | 18.85 | |
| Republican | Alice Kundert | 15,985 | 13.77 | |
| Total votes | 116,098 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Ralph Lars Herseth, State Representative
- Richard F. Kneip, former Governor of South Dakota
- Kenneth D. Stofferahn, South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ralph Lars Herseth | 30,801 | 42.81 | |
| Democratic | Richard F. Kneip | 27,811 | 38.66 | |
| Democratic | Kenneth D. Stofferahn | 13,332 | 18.53 | |
| Total votes | 71,944 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George S. Mickelson | 152,543 | 51.81 | |
| Democratic | Ralph Lars Herseth | 141,898 | 48.19 | |
| Total votes | 294,441 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||