1998 Michigan gubernatorial election

(Redirected from Michigan gubernatorial election, 1998)

← 1994

November 3, 1998

2002 →


Nominee	John Engler	Geoffrey Fieger
Party	Republican	Democratic
Running mate	Dick Posthumus	Jim Agee
Popular vote	1,883,005	1,143,574
Percentage	62.2%	37.8%

County results
Engler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Fieger: 50–60%

Governor before election

John Engler
Republican

Elected Governor

John Engler
Republican

Elections in Michigan

Federal government

U.S. President
1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 Dem 2008 Dem GOP 2012 Dem GOP 2016 Dem 2020 Dem GOP 2024 Dem GOP
U.S. Senate
1835 1840 (sp) 1841 1847 1849 (sp) 1853 1857 1858 1862 (sp) 1863 1865 1869 1871 1874 1877 1879 (sp) 1881 1881 (sp) 1887 1889 1893 1895 1895 (sp) 1899 1901 1903 (sp) 1905 1907 1907 (sp) 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1924 (sp) 1928 1928 (sp) 1930 1934 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1952 (sp) 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026
U.S. House
1835 1837 1838 1840 1843 1844 1846 1847 1st sp 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1871 4th sp 1872 1873 5th sp 1874 1876 1878 1880 1881 7th sp 1882 1884 1886 1888 11th sp 1890 1891 5th sp 1892 1893 1st sp 1894 1895 3rd sp 1896 1898 1900 1901 10th sp 1902 1904 1906 1907 5th sp 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1917 2nd sp 1918 1920 13th sp 1921 3rd sp 1922 1923 3rd sp 1924 1925 3rd sp 1926 1928 1930 1931 8th sp 1932 1934 1935 3rd sp 1936 1938 1940 5th sp 1942 1944 1946 1947 11th sp 1948 1950 1952 1954 1955 15th sp 1956 1958 1960 1961 1st sp 1962 14th sp 1964 1968 1970 1972 1974 5th sp 8th sp 1976 1978 1980 13th sp 1981 4th sp 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1993 3rd sp 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 11th 11th sp 2014 2016 2018 13th sp 2020 2022 2024

State government

State elections
2010 2014 2016 2018 2020 2021 2022 2024
Gubernatorial elections
1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Attorney General elections
1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Secretary of State elections
1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Auditor General elections
1962
State Senate elections
2002 2006 2010 2014 2016 4th sp 2018 2021 (sp) 2022
State House elections
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Ballot proposals

1996: Proposal E

2004: Proposal 04-2

2006: Proposal 06-2

2008: Proposal 1

2012: Proposal 1; Proposal 2; Proposal 3; Proposal 4; Proposal 5; Proposal 6

2015: Proposal 1

2018: Proposal 1; Proposal 2; Proposal 3

2020: Proposal 1; Proposal 2

2022: Proposal 1; Proposal 2; Proposal 3

Detroit

Mayoral elections

Flint

Mayoral elections
2015 2017 (recall) 2019 2022

Grand Rapids

Mayoral elections
2015 2019 2024

Lansing

Mayoral elections
2017 2021

The 1998 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. Incumbent Governor John Engler, a member of the Republican Party, was re-elected over Democratic Party nominee Geoffrey Fieger, a lawyer who had represented the assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian. As of 2024, this was the last time Genesee County and Washtenaw County voted for the Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Republican primary

Candidates

Gary Artinian
John Engler, incumbent governor

Engler, a two-term incumbent, faced token opposition in the Republican primary, winning re-nomination with 90 percent of the vote. Following Lt. Gov. Connie Binsfeld's decision to not seek a third term, State Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus received the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.

Results

Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary, 1998
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Engler (incumbent)	477,628	89.6
	Republican	Gary Artinian	55,453	10.4
Total votes			533,081	100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Geoffrey Fieger, attorney known for representing Jack Kevorkian
Larry Owen, former Mayor of East Lansing
Doug Ross

Early in the race, Owen was considered the front runner. But due to Fieger's notoriety and personal wealth, he surpassed his opponents. He ended spending almost $6 million of his own money in the race. Fieger won a close race, taking 41 percent of the vote. State Rep. Jim Agee, after securing the support from the Michigan Education Association was picked by Fieger to be his running mate, over Fieger's initial preferred choice state Rep. Candace Curtis.

Results

Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary, 1998
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Geoffrey Fieger	300,458	41.2
	Democratic	Larry Owen	272,360	37.3
	Democratic	Doug Ross	156,847	21.5
Total votes			729,665	100.00

Results

Michigan gubernatorial election, 1998
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Engler (incumbent)	1,883,005	62.20
	Democratic	Geoffrey Fieger	1,143,574	37.78
	Write-In	Terry Link	399	0.01
	Write-In	Carl Humphrey	36	0.00
	Write-In	Vicki Foreback	32	0.00
	Write-In	Marc Katz	20	0.00
	Write-In	Robert Marek	17	0.00
	Write-In	Michael Wagonlander	12	0.00
	Write-In	Johnni Matthew III	9	0.00
Majority			739,431	24.43%
	Republican hold

Results by county

County	Engler	Votes	Fieger	Votes	Others	Votes
Alcona	69.2%	2,951	30.8%	1,312	0.0%	0
Alger	56.9%	1,794	43.1%	1,358	0.0%	0
Allegan	77.8%	24,121	22.2%	6,896	0.0%	4
Alpena	65.8%	7,267	34.2%	3,785	0.0%	1
Antrim	68.5%	5,748	31.5%	2,641	0.0%	0
Arenac	59.0%	3,179	41.0%	2,210	0.0%	1
Baraga	53.6%	1,338	46.4%	1,157	0.0%	0
Barry	71.4%	13,148	28.6%	5,259	0.0%	0
Bay	60.8%	23,343	39.2%	15,017	0.0%	12
Benzie	62.8%	3,726	37.2%	2,206	0.0%	0
Berrien	73.5%	30,380	26.5%	10,971	0.0%	0
Branch	70.3%	7,623	29.7%	3,216	0.0%	1
Calhoun	67.2%	25,955	32.8%	12,661	0.0%	5
Cass	72.7%	9,177	27.3%	3,438	0.0%	0
Charlevoix	69.3%	6,290	30.7%	2,792	0.0%	0
Cheboygan	67.7%	6,036	32.3%	2,875	0.0%	0
Chippewa	61.3%	6,613	38.7%	4,180	0.0%	0
Clare	61.3%	5,649	38.7%	3,561	0.0%	0
Clinton	73.8%	17,696	26.0%	6,222	0.2%	56
Crawford	62.5%	3,051	37.5%	1,831	0.0%	0
Delta	59.3%	7,410	40.7%	5,080	0.0%	0
Dickinson	63.0%	6,183	37.0%	3,638	0.0%	0
Eaton	68.4%	24,778	31.6%	11,436	0.0%	8
Emmet	73.8%	7,765	26.2%	2,758	0.0%	0
Genesee	51.2%	69,799	48.8%	66,608	0.0%	10
Gladwin	63.7%	5,573	36.3%	3,177	0.0%	0
Gogebic	51.0%	3,020	49.0%	2,905	0.0%	0
Grand Traverse	71.6%	20,462	28.4%	8,101	0.0%	2
Gratiot	71.1%	7,998	28.9%	3,245	0.0%	0
Hillsdale	73.1%	9,027	26.9%	3,325	0.0%	5
Houghton	60.9%	6,443	39.1%	4,131	0.0%	2
Huron	76.1%	9,264	23.9%	2,902	0.0%	1
Ingham	60.1%	53,905	39.7%	35,584	0.2%	151
Ionia	71.2%	12,324	28.8%	4,996	0.0%	0
Iosco	66.5%	6,457	33.5%	3,252	0.0%	2
Iron	54.3%	2,715	45.7%	2,282	0.0%	0
Isabella	63.7%	9,423	36.3%	5,361	0.0%	0
Jackson	67.3%	31,330	32.7%	15,229	0.0%	2
Kalamazoo	67.6%	46,443	32.4%	22,275	0.0%	6
Kalkaska	63.1%	3,155	36.9%	1,844	0.0%	0
Kent	76.6%	133,120	23.4%	40,709	0.0%	8
Keweenaw	56.3%	566	43.7%	440	0.0%	0
Lake	53.5%	1,832	46.5%	1,593	0.0%	0
Lapeer	65.6%	17,382	34.4%	9,106	0.0%	1
Leelanau	70.9%	6,577	29.1%	2,705	0.0%	0
Lenawee	63.3%	18,137	36.7%	10,494	0.0%	0
Livingston	73.8%	37,458	26.2%	13,283	0.0%	2
Luce	58.0%	1,130	42.0%	819	0.0%	0
Mackinac	64.7%	3,054	35.3%	1,666	0.0%	0
Macomb	67.5%	166,920	32.5%	80,438	0.0%	18
Manistee	62.8%	5,493	37.2%	3,247	0.0%	0
Marquette	51.6%	11,157	48.4%	10,460	0.0%	0
Mason	66.1%	6,391	33.9%	3,277	0.0%	0
Mecosta	67.2%	7,065	32.8%	3,446	0.0%	1
Menominee	65.7%	4,579	34.3%	2,391	0.0%	0
Midland	73.6%	20,737	26.4%	7,445	0.0%	0
Missaukee	72.8%	3,629	27.2%	1,346	0.0%	0
Monroe	65.0%	26,690	35.0%	14,401	0.0%	0
Montcalm	68.6%	11,069	31.4%	5,058	0.0%	0
Montmorency	65.0%	2,499	35.0%	1,346	0.0%	0
Muskegon	60.5%	29,660	39.5%	19,331	0.0%	2
Newaygo	69.0%	9,776	31.0%	4,392	0.0%	0
Oakland	66.3%	264,551	33.7%	134,215	0.0%	120
Oceana	67.5%	5,231	32.5%	2,520	0.0%	0
Ogemaw	62.3%	4,796	37.7%	2,899	0.0%	0
Ontonagon	51.8%	1,553	48.2%	1,442	0.0%	1
Osceola	66.5%	4,918	33.5%	2,482	0.0%	0
Oscoda	64.9%	2,017	35.1%	1,091	0.0%	0
Otsego	71.6%	5,525	28.4%	2,195	0.0%	0
Ottawa	85.4%	67,054	14.6%	11,451	0.0%	9
Presque Isle	67.1%	3,871	32.9%	1,899	0.0%	0
Roscommon	63.7%	6,320	36.3%	3,608	0.0%	0
Saginaw	63.4%	43,766	36.6%	25,213	0.0%	9
St. Clair	64.1%	32,299	35.9%	18,025	0.0%	0
St. Joseph	74.9%	11,026	25.1%	3,703	0.0%	0
Sanilac	71.1%	9,941	28.8%	4,023	0.1%	8
Schoolcraft	55.5%	1,594	44.5%	1,277	0.0%	0
Shiawassee	66.3%	16,465	33.6%	8,347	0.1%	18
Tuscola	66.7%	12,074	33.3%	6,027	0.0%	0
Van Buren	67.8%	13,715	32.2%	6,499	0.0%	0
Washtenaw	57.0%	53,227	43.0%	40,078	0.0%	32
Wayne	42.9%	243,235	57.1%	324,351	0.0%	17
Wexford	67.1%	6,347	32.8%	3,108	0.1%	10

References

Wald, Matthew L. (November 5, 1998). "The 1998 elections: state by state -- Midwest; Michigan". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
"DECISION '98: A LOOK AT KEY ELECTIONS". Crains Detroit. October 16, 1998. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
^ "1998 Official Michigan Primary Election Results". Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. September 28, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
"Larry Owen". Our Campaigns. March 16, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
Kathleen Gray (May 12, 2017). "Geoffrey Fieger considering a return to politics with run for governor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
Associated Press (August 6, 1998). "Kevorkian's Lawyer Wins Gubernatorial Primary in Michigan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
By From Tribune News Services (August 29, 1998). "Teachers Pleased By Fieger Running Mate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
"1998 Official Michigan General Election Results: Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position". Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. February 9, 1999. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2011.

v t e (1997 ←) 1998 United States elections (→ 1999)
U.S. Senate	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Missouri Nevada New Hampshire New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vermont Washington Wisconsin
U.S. House	Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Governors	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Iowa Kansas Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Lt. Gov Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Vermont Wisconsin Wyoming
Attorneys General	California Florida Michigan Minnesota New York
State legislatures	Arizona Senate California Assembly Senate Iowa Senate Maryland House Senate Minnesota House Texas House
State officials	Michigan Secretary of State New York Comptroller
States generally	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Mayors	Long Beach, CA New Orleans, LA Oakland, CA Providence, RI San Jose, CA Washington, DC

v t e Michigan gubernatorial elections
Constitution of 1835	1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851
Constitution of 1850	1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908
Constitution of 1908	1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964
Constitution of 1963	1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022

Categories: