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1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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The 1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982. Democrat Anthony S. Earl won the election with 56.75% of the vote, defeating Republican Terry J. Kohler.[1]

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
← 1978
November 2, 1982
1986 →
 
Nominee Anthony S. Earl Terry J. Kohler
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate James T. Flynn Russell A. Olson
Popular vote 896,872 662,738
Percentage 56.76% 41.94%
County results
Earl:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Kohler:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

Lee S. Dreyfus
Republican

 Elected Governor

Anthony S. Earl
Democratic

Close

As of 2024, this is the most recent Wisconsin gubernatorial election where the Democratic candidate won by a double-digit margin. Additionally, this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which a Democrat has carried Brown County, Fond Du Lac County, Jefferson County, Kewaunee County, and Sheboygan County.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 14, 1982. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Republican party

Governor

Candidates
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Terry J. Kohler 227,844 68.16%
Republican Lowell B. Jackson 106,413 31.84%
Total votes 334,257 100.00%
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Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Russell A. Olson (incumbent) 276,496 100.00%
Total votes 276,496 100.00%
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Democratic party

Governor

Candidates
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony S. Earl 268,857 45.87%
Democratic Martin J. Schreiber 245,952 41.96%
Democratic James B. Wood 71,282 2.64%
Total votes 586,091 100.00%
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Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James T. Flynn 259,638 54.98%
Democratic Wayne P. Frank 150,592 31.89%
Democratic Jack H. Gleason 62,022 13.13%
Total votes 472,252 100.00%
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Libertarian party

Governor

Candidates
  • Larry Smiley
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Libertarian gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Larry Smiley 1,723 100.00%
Total votes 1,723 100.00%
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Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Gerald Shidell
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Libertarian lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Gerald Shidell 1,766 100.00%
Total votes 1,766 100.00%
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Constitution party

Governor

Candidates
  • James P. Wickstrom, Constitution nominee for United States Senate in 1980
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Constitution gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Constitution James P. Wickstrom 1,684 100.00%
Total votes 1,684 100.00%
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Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Diana K. Simonson
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Constitution lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Constitution Diana K. Simonson 1,526 100.00%
Total votes 1,526 100.00%
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Independent nominations

Governor

Candidates
  • Peter Seidman
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Independent gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Peter Seidman 902 100.00%
Total votes 902 100.00%
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Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Margo Storsteen
Results
More information Party, Candidate ...
Independent lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Margo Storsteen 817 100.00%
Total votes 817 100.00%
Close

General election

Candidates

  • Anthony S. Earl & James T. Flynn, Democrat
  • Terry J. Kohler & Russell A. Olson, Republican
  • Larry Smiley & Gerald Shidell, Libertarian
  • James P. Wickstrom & Diana K. Simonson, Constitution
  • Peter Seidman & Margo Storsteen, Independent

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
1982 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Anthony S. Earl 896,872 56.75% +11.86%
Republican Terry J. Kohler 662,738 41.94% −12.43%
Libertarian Larry Smiley 9,734 0.62%
Constitution James P. Wickstrom 7,721 0.49%
Independent Peter Seidman 3,025 0.19%
Scattering 214 0.01%
Majority 234,134 14.82%
Total votes 1,580,304 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +14.82%
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Results by county

Earl was the first Democrat since Albert G. Schmedeman in 1934 to win Fond du Lac County and Winnebago County and no Democrat has won the former since this election. Grant County and Richland County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2022.

More information County, Anthony S. Earl Democratic ...
County[4][5] Anthony S. Earl
Democratic		 Terry J. Kohler
Republican		 All Others
Various		 Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adams 2,514 51.82% 2,249 46.36% 88 1.81% 265 5.46% 4,851
Ashland 3,949 59.84% 2,558 38.76% 92 1.39% 1,391 21.08% 6,599
Barron 6,355 50.56% 6,136 48.81% 79 0.63% 219 1.74% 12,570
Bayfield 3,761 60.01% 2,448 39.06% 58 0.93% 1,313 20.95% 6,267
Brown 31,375 53.46% 26,605 45.33% 706 1.20% 4,770 8.13% 58,686
Buffalo 2,772 53.99% 2,314 45.07% 48 0.93% 458 8.92% 5,134
Burnett 4,179 60.03% 2,660 38.21% 122 1.75% 1,519 21.82% 6,961
Calumet 4,953 47.36% 5,246 50.16% 260 2.49% -293 -2.80% 10,459
Chippewa 9,128 59.35% 6,021 39.15% 232 1.51% 3,107 20.20% 15,381
Clark 5,056 46.54% 5,610 51.64% 198 1.82% -554 -5.10% 10,864
Columbia 7,056 48.98% 7,158 49.69% 192 1.33% -102 -0.71% 14,406
Crawford 2,913 44.70% 3,543 54.37% 61 0.94% -630 -9.67% 6,517
Dane 86,288 70.48% 34,631 28.29% 1,513 1.24% 51,657 42.19% 122,432
Dodge 10,425 46.38% 11,745 52.25% 309 1.37% -1,320 -5.87% 22,479
Door 4,292 42.29% 5,790 57.06% 66 0.65% -1,498 -14.76% 10,148
Douglas 11,160 73.24% 3,961 26.00% 116 0.76% 7,199 47.25% 15,237
Dunn 6,588 57.09% 4,778 41.41% 173 1.50% 1,810 15.69% 11,539
Eau Claire 16,520 61.41% 10,025 37.26% 358 1.33% 6,495 24.14% 26,903
Florence 667 45.59% 766 52.36% 30 2.05% -99 -6.77% 1,463
Fond du Lac 16,302 51.34% 14,921 46.99% 532 1.68% 1,381 4.35% 31,755
Forest 1,998 55.47% 1,509 41.89% 95 2.64% 489 13.58% 3,602
Grant 5,960 41.59% 8,268 57.69% 103 0.72% -2,308 -16.10% 14,331
Green 4,423 45.90% 5,118 53.11% 96 1.00% -695 -7.21% 9,637
Green Lake 2,292 35.32% 4,099 63.16% 99 1.53% -1,807 -27.84% 6,490
Iowa 2,759 44.59% 3,361 54.31% 68 1.10% -602 -9.73% 6,188
Iron 2,105 63.87% 1,136 34.47% 55 1.67% 969 29.40% 3,296
Jackson 3,710 51.24% 3,426 47.31% 105 1.45% 284 3.92% 7,241
Jefferson 9,862 49.81% 9,629 48.63% 309 1.56% 233 1.18% 19,800
Juneau 2,954 40.44% 4,230 57.91% 121 1.66% -1,276 -17.47% 7,305
Kenosha 24,315 68.30% 11,015 30.94% 271 0.76% 13,300 37.36% 35,601
Kewaunee 3,695 49.83% 3,640 49.09% 80 1.08% 55 0.74% 7,415
La Crosse 17,962 56.89% 13,191 41.78% 420 1.33% 4,771 15.11% 31,573
Lafayette 2,889 41.80% 3,987 57.69% 35 0.51% -1,098 -15.89% 6,911
Langlade 3,667 52.67% 3,199 45.95% 96 1.38% 468 6.72% 6,962
Lincoln 4,768 48.08% 4,932 49.73% 217 2.19% -164 -1.65% 9,917
Manitowoc 17,069 59.78% 10,447 36.59% 1,038 3.64% 6,622 23.19% 28,554
Marathon 19,451 49.87% 18,602 47.69% 950 2.44% 849 2.18% 39,003
Marinette 6,757 48.70% 6,985 50.34% 134 0.97% -228 -1.64% 13,876
Marquette 1,868 44.71% 2,215 53.02% 95 2.27% -347 -8.31% 4,178
Menominee 439 78.96% 113 20.32% 4 0.72% 326 58.63% 556
Milwaukee 210,142 67.34% 98,925 31.70% 2,988 0.96% 111,217 35.64% 312,055
Monroe 4,156 41.42% 5,752 57.32% 127 1.27% -1,596 -15.90% 10,035
Oconto 4,991 43.67% 6,305 55.17% 133 1.16% -1,314 -11.50% 11,429
Oneida 6,525 50.82% 5,996 46.70% 319 2.48% 529 4.12% 12,840
Outagamie 21,655 52.84% 18,741 45.73% 588 1.43% 2,914 7.11% 40,984
Ozaukee 9,852 42.54% 13,147 56.77% 161 0.70% -3,295 -14.23% 23,160
Pepin 1,297 59.04% 885 40.28% 15 0.68% 412 18.75% 2,197
Pierce 5,768 57.88% 4,118 41.32% 79 0.79% 1,650 16.56% 9,965
Polk 5,933 57.03% 4,344 41.76% 126 1.21% 1,589 15.27% 10,403
Portage 12,704 67.79% 5,690 30.36% 347 1.85% 7,014 37.43% 18,741
Price 2,764 46.49% 3,033 51.01% 149 2.51% -269 -4.52% 5,946
Racine 33,079 60.48% 20,914 38.24% 700 1.28% 12,165 22.24% 54,693
Richland 2,250 35.75% 3,971 63.10% 72 1.14% -1,721 -27.35% 6,293
Rock 26,130 62.10% 15,432 36.68% 515 1.22% 10,698 25.42% 42,077
Rusk 2,875 51.41% 2,598 46.46% 119 2.13% 277 4.95% 5,592
Sauk 6,430 46.10% 7,403 53.08% 115 0.82% -973 -6.98% 13,948
Sawyer 2,286 49.03% 2,321 49.79% 55 1.18% -35 -0.75% 4,662
Shawano 4,863 40.99% 6,708 56.54% 294 2.48% -1,845 -15.55% 11,865
Sheboygan 21,211 56.62% 15,769 42.09% 482 1.29% 5,442 14.53% 37,462
St. Croix 8,557 58.00% 6,097 41.32% 100 0.68% 2,460 16.67% 14,754
Taylor 3,237 48.85% 3,255 49.12% 134 2.02% -18 -0.27% 6,626
Trempealeau 4,959 56.41% 3,753 42.69% 79 0.90% 1,206 13.72% 8,791
Vernon 4,124 42.98% 5,328 55.52% 144 1.50% -1,204 -12.55% 9,596
Vilas 3,028 41.48% 4,054 55.53% 218 2.99% -1,026 -14.05% 7,300
Walworth 9,603 43.66% 12,229 55.59% 165 0.75% -2,626 -11.94% 21,997
Washburn 2,817 52.22% 2,528 46.86% 50 0.93% 289 5.36% 5,395
Washington 12,114 46.59% 13,505 51.93% 385 1.48% -1,391 -5.35% 26,004
Waukesha 43,128 46.82% 47,860 51.96% 1,119 1.21% -4,732 -5.14% 92,107
Waupaca 5,307 40.90% 7,497 57.78% 171 1.32% -2,190 -16.88% 12,975
Waushara 2,432 41.42% 3,360 57.23% 79 1.35% -928 -15.81% 5,871
Winnebago 24,375 52.23% 21,649 46.39% 641 1.37% 2,726 5.84% 46,665
Wood 13,084 52.78% 11,304 45.60% 401 1.62% 1,780 7.18% 24,789
Total896,87256.75%662,73841.94%20,6941.31%234,13414.82%1,580,304
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Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

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