| Election Name: | 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Virginia |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1985 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1985 |
| Turnout: | 66.5% (voting eligible)[1] |
| Next Election: | 1993 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1993 |
| Election Date: | November 7, 1989 |
| Nominee1: | Douglas Wilder |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 896,936 |
| Percentage1: | 50.1% |
| Nominee2: | Marshall Coleman |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 890,195 |
| Percentage2: | 49.8% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Jerry Baliles |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Douglas Wilder |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1989. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Baliles was unable to seek a second term due to term limits. Democratic nominee and Lieutenant Governor L. Douglas Wilder went against former Attorney General of Virginia J. Marshall Coleman in one of the closest elections in Virginia history. Upon taking the oath of office in January 1990, Governor Wilder became the first African-American governor of Virginia, and the first African-American governor of any state since Reconstruction more than one hundred years earlier.
This remains the last election in which a party won the governorship for a third consecutive term.
| County | Wilder | Votes | Coleman | Votes | Others | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack | 44.9% | 4,767 | 55.0% | 5,838 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Albemarle | 51.7% | 10,743 | 48.1% | 9,998 | 0.2% | 35 | ||
| Alexandria | 68.0% | 22,451 | 31.8% | 10,493 | 0.2% | 77 | ||
| Alleghany | 49.7% | 2,313 | 50.3% | 2,342 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Amelia | 43.8% | 1,509 | 56.2% | 1,937 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Amherst | 44.6% | 4,000 | 55.4% | 4,965 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Appomattox | 47.9% | 2,321 | 52.1% | 2,528 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Arlington | 67.1% | 35,716 | 32.8% | 17,452 | 0.1% | 44 | ||
| Augusta | 30.7% | 4,502 | 69.2% | 10,146 | 0.1% | 16 | ||
| Bath | 46.1% | 770 | 53.8% | 900 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Bedford | 42.0% | 5,871 | 57.9% | 8,094 | 0.1% | 7 | ||
| Bedford County | 48.1% | 961 | 51.8% | 1,035 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Bland | 33.9% | 661 | 66.1% | 1,287 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Botetourt | 46.8% | 3,998 | 53.1% | 4,539 | 0.1% | 5 | ||
| Bristol | 41.9% | 2,109 | 58.0% | 2,920 | 0.1% | 4 | ||
| Brunswick | 56.1% | 3,181 | 43.9% | 2,493 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Buchanan | 59.4% | 5,678 | 40.6% | 3,875 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Buckingham | 44.4% | 2,014 | 55.5% | 2,515 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Buena Vista | 51.2% | 869 | 48.5% | 823 | 0.4% | 6 | ||
| Campbell | 38.6% | 6,043 | 61.4% | 9,611 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Caroline | 54.9% | 3,232 | 45.1% | 2,658 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Carroll | 32.5% | 2,375 | 67.5% | 4,926 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Charles City | 78.7% | 2,050 | 21.3% | 554 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Charlotte | 44.8% | 2,072 | 55.2% | 2,552 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Charlottesville | 63.7% | 6,892 | 36.1% | 3,902 | 0.2% | 24 | ||
| Chesapeake | 50.3% | 21,384 | 49.6% | 21,076 | 0.1% | 24 | ||
| Chesterfield | 35.2% | 23,799 | 64.6% | 43,656 | 0.2% | 151 | ||
| Clarke | 47.4% | 1,394 | 52.6% | 1,546 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Clifton Forge | 57.4% | 912 | 42.6% | 676 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Colonial Heights | 24.0% | 1,568 | 75.9% | 4,954 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Covington | 57.3% | 1,570 | 42.7% | 1,169 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Craig | 45.8% | 766 | 53.9% | 902 | 0.4% | 6 | ||
| Culpeper | 38.7% | 2,670 | 61.3% | 4,230 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Cumberland | 46.7% | 1,418 | 53.3% | 1,617 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Danville | 40.4% | 6,944 | 59.5% | 10,223 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Dickenson | 62.3% | 3,536 | 37.6% | 2,131 | 0.1% | 6 | ||
| Dinwiddie | 47.5% | 3,321 | 52.5% | 3,676 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Emporia | 46.7% | 1,094 | 53.3% | 1,249 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Essex | 44.7% | 1,373 | 55.2% | 1,694 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Fairfax County | 55.9% | 127,236 | 43.9% | 99,957 | 0.2% | 518 | ||
| Fairfax | 52.8% | 3,398 | 47.1% | 3,027 | 0.1% | 6 | ||
| Falls Church | 63.1% | 2,617 | 36.9% | 1,530 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Fauquier | 45.3% | 5,545 | 54.7% | 6,700 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Floyd | 39.6% | 1,566 | 60.4% | 2,387 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Fluvanna | 42.9% | 1,554 | 57.0% | 2,063 | 0.1% | 4 | ||
| Franklin | 46.0% | 5,158 | 53.9% | 6,037 | 0.1% | 6 | ||
| Franklin County | 61.9% | 1,865 | 38.1% | 1,146 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Frederick | 36.3% | 3,746 | 63.7% | 6,581 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Fredericksburg | 52.0% | 2,515 | 48.0% | 2,321 | 0.1% | 3 | ||
| Galax | 36.7% | 625 | 63.3% | 1,077 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Giles | 51.0% | 2,568 | 49.0% | 2,468 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Gloucester | 42.4% | 4,258 | 57.4% | 5,765 | 0.1% | 13 | ||
| Goochland | 44.4% | 2,473 | 55.5% | 3,092 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Grayson | 34.5% | 1,761 | 65.5% | 3,337 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Greene | 33.3% | 863 | 66.7% | 1,726 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Greensville | 57.6% | 1,952 | 42.4% | 1,435 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Halifax | 46.7% | 4,562 | 53.3% | 5,205 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Hampton | 59.8% | 23,097 | 40.1% | 15,489 | 0.1% | 22 | ||
| Hanover | 30.8% | 7,391 | 69.0% | 16,552 | 0.1% | 32 | ||
| Harrisonburg | 42.5% | 2,647 | 57.3% | 3,562 | 0.2% | 12 | ||
| Henrico | 41.2% | 32,939 | 58.7% | 46,947 | 0.2% | 156 | ||
| Henry | 41.5% | 6,674 | 58.5% | 9,414 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Highland | 41.0% | 437 | 58.8% | 626 | 0.2% | 2 | ||
| Hopewell | 40.3% | 2,781 | 59.7% | 4,119 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Isle of Wight | 49.5% | 4,353 | 50.5% | 4,442 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| James City | 49.8% | 5,827 | 50.0% | 5,850 | 0.1% | 15 | ||
| King and Queen | 53.3% | 1,278 | 46.6% | 1,119 | 0.1% | 3 | ||
| King George | 46.2% | 1,563 | 53.8% | 1,819 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| King William | 44.2% | 1,794 | 55.8% | 2,265 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Lancaster | 39.3% | 1,834 | 60.7% | 2,838 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Lee | 54.8% | 3,431 | 45.2% | 2,830 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Lexington | 58.5% | 1,043 | 41.5% | 740 | 0.1% | 1 | ||
| Loudoun | 51.1% | 11,065 | 48.8% | 10,555 | 0.1% | 25 | ||
| Louisa | 46.2% | 2,931 | 53.8% | 3,416 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Lunenburg | 45.8% | 1,896 | 54.2% | 2,248 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Lynchburg | 47.9% | 10,060 | 52.1% | 10,927 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Madison | 40.5% | 1,448 | 59.4% | 2,121 | 0.1% | 4 | ||
| Manassas | 47.4% | 2,663 | 52.5% | 2,947 | 0.1% | 6 | ||
| Manassas Park | 45.5% | 385 | 54.4% | 460 | 0.1% | 1 | ||
| Martinsville | 49.9% | 2,763 | 50.1% | 2,777 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Mathews | 41.1% | 1,534 | 58.8% | 2,193 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Mecklenburg | 38.0% | 3,287 | 62.0% | 5,373 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Middlesex | 41.5% | 1,520 | 58.4% | 2,142 | 0.1% | 3 | ||
| Montgomery | 51.7% | 9,121 | 48.3% | 8,513 | 0.0% | 5 | ||
| Nelson | 54.4% | 2,341 | 45.6% | 1,961 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| New Kent | 42.6% | 1,797 | 57.2% | 2,416 | 0.2% | 9 | ||
| Newport News | 54.3% | 25,284 | 45.6% | 21,261 | 0.1% | 36 | ||
| Norfolk | 66.1% | 37,844 | 33.8% | 19,385 | 0.1% | 62 | ||
| Northampton | 55.4% | 2,482 | 44.4% | 1,989 | 0.2% | 9 | ||
| Northumberland | 40.0% | 1,669 | 60.0% | 2,506 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Norton | 65.5% | 808 | 34.3% | 423 | 0.2% | 3 | ||
| Nottoway | 45.7% | 2,331 | 54.3% | 2,768 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Orange | 41.5% | 2,465 | 58.4% | 3,468 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Page | 33.8% | 1,925 | 66.1% | 3,760 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Patrick | 35.2% | 1,761 | 64.8% | 3,246 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Petersburg | 70.8% | 8,394 | 29.1% | 3,454 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Pittsylvania | 37.4% | 6,349 | 62.6% | 10,616 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Poquoson | 34.0% | 1,353 | 66.0% | 2,626 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Portsmouth | 61.9% | 19,998 | 38.0% | 12,281 | 0.0% | 5 | ||
| Powhatan | 34.5% | 1,741 | 65.4% | 3,298 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Prince Edward | 50.8% | 2,822 | 49.2% | 2,732 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Prince George | 39.0% | 2,693 | 61.0% | 4,219 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Prince William | 49.0% | 20,329 | 50.9% | 21,104 | 0.1% | 34 | ||
| Pulaski | 44.1% | 4,550 | 55.9% | 5,771 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Radford | 51.3% | 2,092 | 48.6% | 1,980 | 0.1% | 3 | ||
| Rappahannock | 45.0% | 971 | 55.0% | 1,188 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Richmond County | 36.3% | 887 | 63.7% | 1,558 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Richmond | 68.0% | 49,513 | 31.9% | 23,239 | 0.1% | 67 | ||
| Roanoke | 47.1% | 14,074 | 52.9% | 15,807 | 0.0% | 8 | ||
| Roanoke County | 59.0% | 16,590 | 40.9% | 11,483 | 0.1% | 22 | ||
| Rockbridge | 46.0% | 2,314 | 54.0% | 2,713 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Rockingham | 30.7% | 4,452 | 69.1% | 10,019 | 0.2% | 24 | ||
| Russell | 56.9% | 4,955 | 43.1% | 3,750 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| South Boston | 48.1% | 3,854 | 51.8% | 4,143 | 0.1% | 8 | ||
| Salem | 43.3% | 2,825 | 56.7% | 3,704 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Scott | 35.4% | 3,390 | 64.6% | 6,186 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Shenandoah | 39.5% | 3,557 | 60.4% | 5,438 | 0.0% | 4 | ||
| Smyth | 40.6% | 987 | 59.3% | 1,441 | 0.1% | 2 | ||
| Southampton | 52.0% | 3,074 | 48.0% | 2,836 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Spotsylvania | 41.9% | 5,524 | 58.0% | 7,646 | 0.0% | 5 | ||
| Stafford | 40.3% | 5,775 | 59.7% | 8,565 | 0.0% | 7 | ||
| Staunton | 37.8% | 2,748 | 62.1% | 4,512 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Suffolk | 52.5% | 8,743 | 47.4% | 7,893 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Surry | 63.1% | 1,740 | 36.9% | 1,018 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Sussex | 59.1% | 2,251 | 40.9% | 1,561 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Tazewell | 47.8% | 5,338 | 52.2% | 5,831 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Virginia Beach | 48.2% | 41,570 | 51.4% | 44,332 | 0.3% | 265 | ||
| Warren | 42.9% | 2,681 | 57.1% | 3,564 | 0.0% | 1 | ||
| Washington | 40.4% | 5,572 | 59.6% | 8,219 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Waynesboro | 36.6% | 2,102 | 63.3% | 3,637 | 0.1% | 5 | ||
| Westmoreland | 48.6% | 2,197 | 51.3% | 2,322 | 0.1% | 3 | ||
| Williamsburg | 61.5% | 1,641 | 38.5% | 1,026 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Winchester | 41.1% | 2,253 | 58.9% | 3,232 | 0.0% | 2 | ||
| Wise | 59.6% | 6,641 | 40.4% | 4,495 | 0.0% | 3 | ||
| Wythe | 36.2% | 2,817 | 63.8% | 4,970 | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| York | 45.1% | 6,001 | 54.8% | 7,283 | 0.1% | 13 |