See main article: 1988 United States presidential election.
| Election Name: | 1988 United States presidential election in New York |
| Country: | New York |
| Flag Image: | Flag of New York (1901-2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1984 United States presidential election in New York |
| Previous Year: | 1984 |
| Next Election: | 1992 United States presidential election in New York |
| Next Year: | 1992 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 1988 |
| Image1: | File:Dukakis campaign portrait 3x4.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Michael Dukakis |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Alliance1: | Liberal |
| Home State1: | Massachusetts |
| Running Mate1: | Lloyd Bentsen |
| Electoral Vote1: | 36 |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,347,882 |
| Percentage1: | 51.62% |
| Nominee2: | George H. W. Bush |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Alliance2: | Conservative |
| Home State2: | Texas |
| Running Mate2: | Dan Quayle |
| Electoral Vote2: | 0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 3,081,871 |
| Percentage2: | 47.52% |
| Map Size: | 400px |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Ronald Reagan |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | George H. W. Bush |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1988 United States presidential election in New York took place on November 8, 1988, as part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Voters chose 36 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
New York was won by Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts with 51.62% of the popular vote over Republican Vice President George H. W. Bush of Texas, who took 47.52%, a victory margin of 4.10%.[1] This result made New York roughly 12% more Democratic than the nation-at-large. Dukakis’ statewide victory is largely attributable to winning four of five boroughs of New York City overall with 66.2% of the vote.
| 1988 United States presidential election in New York | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | ||
| Democratic | Michael Dukakis | 3,255,487 | 50.19% | |||
| Liberal | Michael Dukakis | 92,395 | 1.42% | |||
| Total | Michael Dukakis | 3,347,882 | 51.62% | 36 | ||
| Republican | George H. W. Bush | 2,838,414 | 43.76% | |||
| Conservative | George H. W. Bush | 243,457 | 3.75% | |||
| Total | 3,081,871 | 47.52% | 0 | |||
| Right to Life | William Marra | 20,497 | 0.32% | 0 | ||
| New Alliance | Lenora Fulani | 15,845 | 0.24% | 0 | ||
| Libertarian | Ron Paul | 12,109 | 0.19% | 0 | ||
| Workers World | Larry Holmes | 4,179 | 0.06% | 0 | ||
| Socialist Workers | James Warren | 3,287 | 0.05% | 0 | ||
| Write-in | Edward Winn | 10 | 0.00% | 0 | ||
| Write-in | Willa Kenoyer | 3 | 0.00% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 6,485,683 | 100.0% | 36 | |||
| 1988 Presidential Election in New York City | Manhattan | The Bronx | Brooklyn | Queens | Staten Island | Total | ||||
| Democratic- Liberal | Michael Dukakis | 385,675 | 218,245 | 363,916 | 325,147 | 47,812 | 1,340,795 | 66.17% | ||
| 76.14% | 73.22% | 66.28% | 59.47% | 37.95% | ||||||
| Republican- Conservative | George H. W. Bush | 115,927 | 76,043 | 178,961 | 217,049 | 77,427 | 665,407 | 32.84% | ||
| 22.89% | 25.51% | 32.60% | 39.70% | 61.46% | ||||||
| New Alliance | Lenora Fulani | 2,623 | 2,367 | 3,289 | 2,062 | 161 | 10,502 | 0.52% | ||
| 0.52% | 0.79% | 0.60% | 0.38% | 0.13% | ||||||
| Right to Life | William Marra | 678 | 718 | 1557 | 1355 | 332 | 4,640 | 0.23% | ||
| 0.13% | 0.24% | 0.28% | 0.25% | 0.26% | ||||||
| Libertarian | Ron Paul | 872 | 235 | 482 | 475 | 121 | 2,185 | 0.11% | ||
| 0.17% | 0.08% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.10% | ||||||
| Socialist Workers | James Warren | 475 | 266 | 480 | 368 | 72 | 1,661 | 0.08% | ||
| 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.07% | 0.06% | ||||||
| Workers’ World | Larry Holmes | 301 | 207 | 334 | 273 | 50 | 1,165 | 0.06% | ||
| 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.04% | ||||||
| TOTAL | 506,551 | 298,081 | 549,019 | 546,729 | 125,975 | 2,026,355 | 100.00% | |||
| County | Michael Dukakis Democratic | George H.W. Bush Republican | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Albany | 86,564 | 58.70% | 59,534 | 40.37% | 1,363 | 0.92% | 27,030 | 18.33% | 147,461 | ||||||||||
| Allegany | 5,614 | 31.85% | 11,880 | 67.40% | 132 | 0.75% | -6,266 | -35.55% | 17,626 | ||||||||||
| Bronx | 218,245 | 73.22% | 76,043 | 25.51% | 3,793 | 1.27% | 142,202 | 47.71% | 298,081 | ||||||||||
| Broome | 48,130 | 49.95% | 47,610 | 49.41% | 625 | 0.65% | 520 | 0.54% | 96,365 | ||||||||||
| Cattaraugus | 12,447 | 38.38% | 19,691 | 60.72% | 290 | 0.89% | -7,244 | -22.34% | 32,428 | ||||||||||
| Cayuga | 15,044 | 46.60% | 16,934 | 52.45% | 307 | 0.95% | -1,890 | -5.85% | 32,285 | ||||||||||
| Chautauqua | 25,814 | 44.61% | 31,642 | 54.68% | 411 | 0.71% | -5,828 | -10.07% | 57,867 | ||||||||||
| Chemung | 15,966 | 42.99% | 20,951 | 56.41% | 222 | 0.60% | -4,985 | -13.42% | 37,139 | ||||||||||
| Chenango | 8,021 | 40.30% | 11,727 | 58.92% | 154 | 0.77% | -3,706 | -18.62% | 19,902 | ||||||||||
| Clinton | 12,670 | 44.36% | 15,702 | 54.97% | 191 | 0.67% | -3,032 | -10.61% | 28,563 | ||||||||||
| Columbia | 11,585 | 43.03% | 15,111 | 56.12% | 228 | 0.85% | -3,526 | -13.09% | 26,924 | ||||||||||
| Cortland | 7,673 | 40.88% | 10,934 | 58.26% | 162 | 0.86% | -3,261 | -17.38% | 18,769 | ||||||||||
| Delaware | 7,463 | 39.26% | 11,391 | 59.92% | 156 | 0.82% | -3,928 | -20.66% | 19,010 | ||||||||||
| Dutchess | 38,968 | 38.22% | 62,165 | 60.97% | 826 | 0.81% | -23,197 | -22.75% | 101,959 | ||||||||||
| Erie | 238,779 | 55.43% | 188,796 | 43.83% | 3,217 | 0.75% | 49,983 | 11.60% | 430,792 | ||||||||||
| Essex | 6,623 | 38.70% | 10,350 | 60.48% | 140 | 0.82% | -3,727 | -21.78% | 17,113 | ||||||||||
| Franklin | 7,928 | 46.11% | 9,135 | 53.14% | 129 | 0.75% | -1,207 | -7.03% | 17,192 | ||||||||||
| Fulton | 9,012 | 43.06% | 11,757 | 56.17% | 162 | 0.77% | -2,745 | -13.11% | 20,931 | ||||||||||
| Genesee | 9,945 | 40.87% | 14,182 | 58.29% | 205 | 0.84% | -4,237 | -17.42% | 24,332 | ||||||||||
| Greene | 7,265 | 37.61% | 11,874 | 61.46% | 180 | 0.93% | -4,609 | -23.85% | 19,319 | ||||||||||
| Hamilton | 976 | 29.42% | 2,320 | 69.94% | 21 | 0.63% | -1,344 | -40.52% | 3,317 | ||||||||||
| Herkimer | 12,694 | 45.30% | 15,104 | 53.90% | 224 | 0.80% | -2,410 | -8.60% | 28,022 | ||||||||||
| Jefferson | 14,137 | 42.05% | 19,304 | 57.41% | 181 | 0.54% | -5,167 | -15.36% | 33,622 | ||||||||||
| Kings | 363,916 | 66.28% | 178,961 | 32.60% | 6,142 | 1.12% | 184,955 | 33.68% | 549,019 | ||||||||||
| Lewis | 4,252 | 41.94% | 5,787 | 57.08% | 99 | 0.98% | -1,535 | -15.14% | 10,138 | ||||||||||
| Livingston | 9,506 | 40.11% | 14,004 | 59.10% | 187 | 0.79% | -4,498 | -18.99% | 23,697 | ||||||||||
| Madison | 10,665 | 41.41% | 14,902 | 57.86% | 187 | 0.73% | -4,237 | -16.45% | 25,754 | ||||||||||
| Monroe | 153,650 | 49.33% | 155,271 | 49.85% | 2,545 | 0.82% | -1,621 | -0.52% | 311,466 | ||||||||||
| Montgomery | 11,371 | 50.13% | 11,128 | 49.05% | 186 | 0.82% | 243 | 1.08% | 22,685 | ||||||||||
| Nassau | 250,130 | 42.22% | 337,430 | 56.96% | 4,858 | 0.82% | -87,300 | -14.74% | 592,418 | ||||||||||
| New York | 385,675 | 76.14% | 115,927 | 22.89% | 4,949 | 0.98% | 269,748 | 53.25% | 506,551 | ||||||||||
| Niagara | 43,801 | 50.42% | 42,537 | 48.97% | 530 | 0.61% | 1,264 | 1.45% | 86,868 | ||||||||||
| Oneida | 47,665 | 46.07% | 55,039 | 53.20% | 757 | 0.73% | -7,374 | -7.13% | 103,461 | ||||||||||
| Onondaga | 94,751 | 47.26% | 104,080 | 51.91% | 1,654 | 0.82% | -9,329 | -4.65% | 200,485 | ||||||||||
| Ontario | 17,341 | 43.97% | 21,780 | 55.23% | 314 | 0.80% | -4,439 | -11.26% | 39,435 | ||||||||||
| Orange | 38,465 | 36.70% | 65,446 | 62.44% | 899 | 0.86% | -26,981 | -25.74% | 104,810 | ||||||||||
| Orleans | 5,913 | 39.28% | 9,028 | 59.97% | 114 | 0.76% | -3,115 | -20.69% | 15,055 | ||||||||||
| Oswego | 18,430 | 41.69% | 25,362 | 57.37% | 419 | 0.95% | -6,932 | -15.68% | 44,211 | ||||||||||
| Otsego | 11,069 | 45.49% | 13,021 | 53.51% | 245 | 1.01% | -1,952 | -8.02% | 24,335 | ||||||||||
| Putnam | 12,158 | 33.31% | 24,086 | 65.99% | 256 | 0.70% | -11,928 | -32.68% | 36,500 | ||||||||||
| Queens | 325,147 | 59.47% | 217,049 | 39.70% | 4,533 | 0.83% | 108,098 | 19.77% | 546,729 | ||||||||||
| Rensselaer | 33,066 | 47.79% | 35,412 | 51.18% | 719 | 1.04% | -2,346 | -3.39% | 69,197 | ||||||||||
| Richmond | 47,812 | 37.95% | 77,427 | 61.46% | 736 | 0.58% | -29,615 | -23.51% | 125,975 | ||||||||||
| Rockland | 47,634 | 42.42% | 63,825 | 56.83% | 842 | 0.75% | -16,191 | -14.41% | 112,301 | ||||||||||
| St. Lawrence | 18,921 | 47.92% | 20,290 | 51.39% | 270 | 0.68% | -1,369 | -3.47% | 39,481 | ||||||||||
| Saratoga | 31,684 | 41.81% | 43,498 | 57.39% | 606 | 0.80% | -11,814 | -15.58% | 75,788 | ||||||||||
| Schenectady | 36,483 | 51.83% | 33,364 | 47.40% | 539 | 0.77% | 3,119 | 4.43% | 70,386 | ||||||||||
| Schoharie | 5,389 | 42.99% | 7,008 | 55.90% | 139 | 1.11% | -1,619 | -12.91% | 12,536 | ||||||||||
| Schuyler | 2,900 | 40.04% | 4,291 | 59.25% | 51 | 0.70% | -1,391 | -19.21% | 7,242 | ||||||||||
| Seneca | 6,215 | 45.80% | 7,221 | 53.21% | 135 | 0.99% | -1,006 | -7.41% | 13,571 | ||||||||||
| Steuben | 12,824 | 33.34% | 25,359 | 65.93% | 283 | 0.74% | -12,535 | -32.59% | 38,466 | ||||||||||
| Suffolk | 199,215 | 38.73% | 311,242 | 60.51% | 3,893 | 0.76% | -112,027 | -21.78% | 514,350 | ||||||||||
| Sullivan | 11,635 | 42.20% | 15,713 | 57.00% | 220 | 0.80% | -4,078 | -14.80% | 27,568 | ||||||||||
| Tioga | 8,102 | 38.68% | 12,670 | 60.49% | 174 | 0.83% | -4,568 | -21.81% | 20,946 | ||||||||||
| Tompkins | 21,455 | 58.46% | 14,932 | 40.69% | 312 | 0.85% | 6,523 | 17.77% | 36,699 | ||||||||||
| Ulster | 30,744 | 42.37% | 41,173 | 56.75% | 640 | 0.88% | -10,429 | -14.38% | 72,557 | ||||||||||
| Warren | 8,580 | 34.85% | 15,860 | 64.41% | 182 | 0.74% | -7,280 | -29.56% | 24,622 | ||||||||||
| Washington | 8,201 | 36.42% | 14,103 | 62.64% | 211 | 0.94% | -5,902 | -26.22% | 22,515 | ||||||||||
| Wayne | 12,959 | 38.22% | 20,613 | 60.80% | 330 | 0.97% | -7,654 | -22.58% | 33,902 | ||||||||||
| Westchester | 169,860 | 45.78% | 197,956 | 53.36% | 3,192 | 0.86% | -28,096 | -7.58% | 371,008 | ||||||||||
| Wyoming | 5,228 | 35.17% | 9,451 | 63.59% | 184 | 1.24% | -4,223 | -28.42% | 14,863 | ||||||||||
| Yates | 3,507 | 38.65% | 5,488 | 60.48% | 79 | 0.87% | -1,981 | -21.83% | 9,074 | ||||||||||
| Totals | 3,347,882 | 51.62% | 3,081,871 | 47.52% | 55,930 | 0.86% | 266,011 | 4.10% | 6,485,683 | ||||||||||
This was the last election in which a Republican presidential nominee won heavily populated Westchester County, as well as Monroe, Onondaga, and Ulster Counties,[2] and also the last election in which New York was decided by a single-digit margin. Beginning in 1992, the Democrats would make substantial inroads in the suburbs around New York City as well as parts of upstate, making New York a solid blue state that has gone Democratic by double-digit margins in every election since, consequently, this is the last time a Democrat lost the state outside of the five boroughs of New York City. Rensselaer, Franklin, and St. Lawrence counties would not vote Republican again until 2016. Nassau County would not vote Republican again until 2024.