| Election Name: | 1886 California gubernatorial election |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 1882 California gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1882 |
| Next Election: | 1890 California gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1890 |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Election Date: | November 2, 1886 |
| Nominee1: | Washington Bartlett |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 84,970 |
| Percentage1: | 43.43% |
| Nominee2: | John Franklin Swift |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 84,316 |
| Percentage2: | 43.10% |
| Nominee3: | Charles C. O'Donnell |
| Party3: | Independent |
| Popular Vote3: | 12,227 |
| Percentage3: | 6.25% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | George Stoneman |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Washington Bartlett |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1886 California gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1886, to elect the governor of California. Washington Bartlett won a narrow plurality of the votes to become the state's 16th governor. For the first time since 1863, the incumbent party retained control of the governor's mansion.
Bartlett's term as governor would prove to be the second-shortest in the state's history: he died only eight months into his term on September 17, 1887. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Robert Waterman, who had been elected at the same time as Bartlett.
| County | Washington Bartlett Democratic | John Franklin Swift Republican | Charles C. O'Donnell Independent | Peter D. Wigginton American | Joel Russell Prohibition | Scattering Write-in | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alameda | 3,882 | 32.63% | 5,514 | 46.34% | 810 | 6.81% | 1,407 | 11.83% | 280 | 2.35% | 5 | 0.04% | -1,632 | -13.72% | 11,898 | ||||||||||||||||
| Alpine | 25 | 29.76% | 59 | 70.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -34 | -40.48% | 84 | ||||||||||||||||
| Amador | 1,375 | 49.23% | 1,298 | 46.47% | 9 | 0.32% | 15 | 0.54% | 95 | 3.40% | 1 | 0.04% | 77 | 2.76% | 2,793 | ||||||||||||||||
| Butte | 1,967 | 47.00% | 1,935 | 46.24% | 134 | 3.20% | 49 | 1.17% | 100 | 2.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 32 | 0.76% | 4,185 | ||||||||||||||||
| Calaveras | 1,231 | 48.97% | 1,254 | 49.88% | 5 | 0.20% | 4 | 0.16% | 18 | 0.72% | 2 | 0.08% | -23 | -0.91% | 2,514 | ||||||||||||||||
| Colusa | 1,702 | 62.37% | 880 | 32.25% | 50 | 1.83% | 11 | 0.40% | 86 | 3.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 822 | 30.12% | 2,729 | ||||||||||||||||
| Contra Costa | 1,147 | 43.86% | 1,251 | 47.84% | 37 | 1.41% | 97 | 3.71% | 83 | 3.17% | 0 | 0.00% | -104 | -3.98% | 2,615 | ||||||||||||||||
| Del Norte | 290 | 47.85% | 244 | 40.26% | 5 | 0.83% | 24 | 3.96% | 43 | 7.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 46 | 7.59% | 606 | ||||||||||||||||
| El Dorado | 1,403 | 50.40% | 1,231 | 44.22% | 28 | 1.01% | 14 | 0.50% | 106 | 3.81% | 2 | 0.07% | 172 | 6.18% | 2,784 | ||||||||||||||||
| Fresno | 1,740 | 52.13% | 1,101 | 32.98% | 64 | 1.92% | 286 | 8.57% | 147 | 4.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 639 | 19.14% | 3,338 | ||||||||||||||||
| Humboldt | 1,474 | 38.10% | 1,877 | 48.51% | 11 | 0.28% | 85 | 2.20% | 421 | 10.88% | 1 | 0.03% | -403 | -10.42% | 3,869 | ||||||||||||||||
| Inyo | 283 | 43.81% | 336 | 52.01% | 7 | 1.08% | 15 | 2.32% | 5 | 0.77% | 0 | 0.00% | -53 | -8.20% | 646 | ||||||||||||||||
| Kern | 828 | 57.62% | 525 | 36.53% | 24 | 1.67% | 50 | 3.48% | 10 | 0.70% | 0 | 0.00% | 303 | 21.09% | 1,437 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lake | 804 | 56.18% | 592 | 41.37% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 0.28% | 31 | 2.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 212 | 14.81% | 1,431 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lassen | 484 | 51.22% | 443 | 46.88% | 2 | 0.21% | 11 | 1.16% | 5 | 0.53% | 0 | 0.00% | 41 | 4.34% | 945 | ||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles | 5,064 | 43.30% | 5,489 | 46.94% | 133 | 1.14% | 117 | 1.00% | 797 | 6.84% | 94 | 0.80% | -425 | -3.63% | 11,694 | ||||||||||||||||
| Marin | 577 | 38.96% | 681 | 45.98% | 92 | 6.21% | 119 | 8.04% | 12 | 0.81% | 0 | 0.00% | -104 | -7.02% | 1,481 | ||||||||||||||||
| Mariposa | 630 | 57.17% | 441 | 40.02% | 10 | 0.91% | 15 | 1.36% | 6 | 0.54% | 0 | 0.00% | 189 | 17.15% | 1,102 | ||||||||||||||||
| Mendocino | 1,552 | 51.84% | 1,219 | 40.71% | 13 | 0.43% | 85 | 2.84% | 102 | 3.41% | 23 | 0.77% | 333 | 11.12% | 2,994 | ||||||||||||||||
| Merced | 939 | 54.25% | 639 | 36.92% | 5 | 0.29% | 67 | 3.87% | 81 | 4.68% | 0 | 0.00% | 300 | 17.33% | 1,731 | ||||||||||||||||
| Modoc | 636 | 54.45% | 464 | 39.73% | 1 | 0.09% | 7 | 0.60% | 60 | 5.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 172 | 14.73% | 1,168 | ||||||||||||||||
| Mono | 257 | 35.89% | 425 | 59.36% | 2 | 0.28% | 20 | 2.79% | 9 | 1.26% | 3 | 0.42% | -168 | -23.46% | 716 | ||||||||||||||||
| Monterey | 1,444 | 48.05% | 1,393 | 46.36% | 29 | 0.97% | 33 | 1.10% | 106 | 3.53% | 0 | 0.00% | 51 | 1.70% | 3,005 | ||||||||||||||||
| Napa | 1,340 | 45.69% | 1,323 | 45.11% | 113 | 3.85% | 98 | 3.34% | 52 | 1.77% | 7 | 0.24% | 17 | 0.58% | 2,933 | ||||||||||||||||
| Nevada | 1,792 | 42.78% | 2,186 | 52.18% | 39 | 0.93% | 48 | 1.15% | 121 | 2.89% | 3 | 0.07% | -394 | -9.41% | 4,189 | ||||||||||||||||
| Placer | 1,413 | 44.18% | 1,665 | 52.06% | 21 | 0.66% | 32 | 1.00% | 67 | 2.10% | 0 | 0.00% | -252 | -7.88% | 3,198 | ||||||||||||||||
| Plumas | 577 | 45.65% | 666 | 52.69% | 3 | 0.24% | 12 | 0.95% | 6 | 0.47% | 0 | 0.00% | -89 | -7.04% | 1,264 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sacramento | 2,331 | 34.26% | 3,908 | 57.45% | 266 | 3.91% | 106 | 1.56% | 192 | 2.82% | 0 | 0.00% | -1,577 | -23.18% | 6,803 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Benito | 702 | 47.89% | 532 | 36.29% | 4 | 0.27% | 25 | 1.71% | 202 | 13.78% | 1 | 0.07% | 170 | 11.60% | 1,466 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Bernardino | 1,503 | 46.49% | 1,481 | 45.81% | 22 | 0.68% | 15 | 0.46% | 205 | 6.34% | 7 | 0.22% | 22 | 0.68% | 3,233 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Diego | 1,159 | 41.01% | 1,362 | 48.20% | 43 | 1.52% | 22 | 0.78% | 240 | 8.49% | 0 | 0.00% | -203 | -7.18% | 2,826 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Francisco | 17,449 | 38.37% | 15,675 | 34.46% | 8,885 | 19.54% | 3,127 | 6.88% | 235 | 0.52% | 110 | 0.24% | 1,774 | 3.90% | 45,481 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Joaquin | 2,651 | 45.46% | 2,446 | 41.94% | 62 | 1.06% | 211 | 3.62% | 424 | 7.27% | 38 | 0.65% | 205 | 3.52% | 5,832 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Luis Obispo | 1,196 | 46.34% | 1,212 | 46.96% | 12 | 0.46% | 55 | 2.13% | 106 | 4.11% | 0 | 0.00% | -16 | -0.62% | 2,581 | ||||||||||||||||
| San Mateo | 740 | 40.59% | 920 | 50.47% | 94 | 5.16% | 44 | 2.41% | 25 | 1.37% | 0 | 0.00% | -180 | -9.87% | 1,823 | ||||||||||||||||
| Santa Barbara | 1,134 | 44.88% | 1,174 | 46.46% | 6 | 0.24% | 12 | 0.47% | 201 | 7.95% | 0 | 0.00% | -40 | -1.58% | 2,527 | ||||||||||||||||
| Santa Clara | 3,079 | 41.35% | 3,501 | 47.01% | 271 | 3.64% | 247 | 3.32% | 337 | 4.53% | 12 | 0.16% | -422 | -5.67% | 7,447 | ||||||||||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 1,189 | 39.63% | 1,362 | 45.40% | 150 | 5.00% | 53 | 1.77% | 244 | 8.13% | 2 | 0.07% | -173 | -5.77% | 3,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Shasta | 1,227 | 47.10% | 1,298 | 49.83% | 18 | 0.69% | 9 | 0.35% | 52 | 2.00% | 1 | 0.04% | -71 | -2.73% | 2,605 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sierra | 575 | 36.74% | 924 | 59.04% | 7 | 0.45% | 34 | 2.17% | 25 | 1.60% | 0 | 0.00% | -349 | -22.30% | 1,565 | ||||||||||||||||
| Siskiyou | 995 | 50.61% | 934 | 47.51% | 5 | 0.25% | 5 | 0.25% | 27 | 1.37% | 0 | 0.00% | 61 | 3.10% | 1,966 | ||||||||||||||||
| Solano | 2,047 | 47.64% | 1,957 | 45.54% | 55 | 1.28% | 117 | 2.72% | 115 | 2.68% | 6 | 0.14% | 90 | 2.09% | 4,297 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sonoma | 2,699 | 45.16% | 2,631 | 44.03% | 268 | 4.48% | 154 | 2.58% | 224 | 3.75% | 0 | 0.00% | 68 | 1.14% | 5,976 | ||||||||||||||||
| Stanislaus | 1,086 | 60.17% | 596 | 33.02% | 16 | 0.89% | 36 | 1.99% | 70 | 3.88% | 1 | 0.06% | 490 | 27.15% | 1,805 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sutter | 653 | 46.64% | 661 | 47.21% | 2 | 0.14% | 2 | 0.14% | 81 | 5.79% | 1 | 0.07% | -8 | -0.57% | 1,400 | ||||||||||||||||
| Tehama | 1,039 | 46.49% | 931 | 41.66% | 243 | 10.87% | 7 | 0.31% | 15 | 0.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 108 | 4.83% | 2,235 | ||||||||||||||||
| Trinity | 469 | 48.30% | 463 | 47.68% | 4 | 0.41% | 33 | 3.40% | 2 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 6 | 0.62% | 971 | ||||||||||||||||
| Tulare | 1,905 | 49.88% | 1,475 | 38.62% | 25 | 0.65% | 183 | 4.79% | 225 | 5.89% | 6 | 0.16% | 430 | 11.26% | 3,819 | ||||||||||||||||
| Tuolumne | 1,115 | 55.81% | 782 | 39.14% | 13 | 0.65% | 22 | 1.10% | 66 | 3.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 333 | 16.67% | 1,998 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ventura | 634 | 44.62% | 721 | 50.74% | 1 | 0.07% | 13 | 0.91% | 44 | 3.10% | 8 | 0.56% | -87 | -6.12% | 1,421 | ||||||||||||||||
| Yolo | 1,408 | 48.82% | 1,196 | 41.47% | 92 | 3.19% | 30 | 1.04% | 157 | 5.44% | 1 | 0.03% | 212 | 7.35% | 2,884 | ||||||||||||||||
| Yuba | 1,129 | 48.71% | 1,043 | 45.00% | 16 | 0.69% | 60 | 2.59% | 69 | 2.98% | 1 | 0.04% | 86 | 3.71% | 2,318 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 84,970 | 43.43% | 84,316 | 43.10% | 12,227 | 6.25% | 7,347 | 3.76% | 6,432 | 3.29% | 336 | 0.17% | 654 | 0.33% | 195,628 | ||||||||||||||||