| Election Name: | 1990–91 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Arizona |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1986 |
| Next Election: | 1994 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
| Election Date: | November 6, 1990 (first round) February 26, 1991 (runoff) |
| 1Blank: | First round |
| 2Blank: | Runoff |
| Image1: | File:Bush Contact Sheet P19347 (1).jpg |
| Candidate1: | Fife Symington |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| 1Data1: | 523,984 49.7% |
| 2Data1: | 492,569 52.4% |
| Candidate2: | Terry Goddard |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| 1Data2: | 519,691 49.2% |
| 2Data2: | 448,168 47.6% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Rose Mofford |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Fife Symington |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1990–91 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1990, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Incumbent Democratic Governor, Rose Mofford, declined to run for a full term. Republican Fife Symington defeated the Democratic nominee and Mayor of Phoenix Terry Goddard. Because no candidate received a majority of votes, a runoff election was held later on February 26, 1991, which Symington also won. This is the only election where Arizona used a runoff election.
Evan Mecham, a former governor who was removed from office in 1988 upon being convicted in his impeachment trial, unsuccessfully ran for another term. This would be the last gubernatorial election until 2018 when the victorious gubernatorial candidate in the state would be of the same party as the incumbent president.
| County | Fife Symington Republican | Terry Goddard Democratic | Max Hawkins Stop Abortion | Ed Yetman Libertarian | All Others Write-in | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apache | 3,638 | 27.49% | 9,485 | 71.67% | 91 | 0.69% | 6 | 0.05% | 14 | 0.11% | -5,847 | -44.18% | 13,234 | ||||||||||||||
| Cochise | 11,472 | 47.17% | 12,685 | 52.16% | 136 | 0.56% | 13 | 0.05% | 14 | 0.06% | -1,213 | -4.99% | 24,320 | ||||||||||||||
| Coconino | 11,330 | 39.72% | 17,050 | 59.78% | 123 | 0.43% | 11 | 0.04% | 8 | 0.03% | -5,720 | -20.05% | 28,522 | ||||||||||||||
| Gila | 6,283 | 43.88% | 7,893 | 55.13% | 128 | 0.89% | 5 | 0.03% | 8 | 0.06% | -1,610 | -11.25% | 14,317 | ||||||||||||||
| Graham | 3,614 | 48.47% | 3,699 | 49.61% | 141 | 1.89% | 2 | 0.03% | 0 | 0.00% | -85 | -1.14% | 7,456 | ||||||||||||||
| Greenlee | 1,071 | 36.70% | 1,836 | 62.92% | 11 | 0.38% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -765 | -26.22% | 2,918 | ||||||||||||||
| La Paz | 1,829 | 52.45% | 1,622 | 46.52% | 33 | 0.95% | 1 | 0.03% | 2 | 0.06% | 207 | 5.94% | 3,487 | ||||||||||||||
| Maricopa | 330,261 | 53.17% | 282,409 | 45.46% | 8,156 | 1.31% | 139 | 0.02% | 234 | 0.04% | 47,852 | 7.70% | 621,199 | ||||||||||||||
| Mohave | 14,068 | 51.33% | 13,131 | 47.91% | 154 | 0.56% | 11 | 0.04% | 41 | 0.15% | 937 | 3.42% | 27,405 | ||||||||||||||
| Navajo | 7,708 | 43.31% | 9,867 | 55.44% | 204 | 1.15% | 9 | 0.05% | 11 | 0.06% | -2,159 | -12.13% | 17,799 | ||||||||||||||
| Pima | 87,701 | 43.53% | 112,572 | 55.87% | 1,028 | 0.51% | 94 | 0.05% | 83 | 0.04% | -24,871 | -12.34% | 201,478 | ||||||||||||||
| Pinal | 11,762 | 41.13% | 16,562 | 57.92% | 257 | 0.90% | 9 | 0.03% | 7 | 0.02% | -4,800 | -16.78% | 28,597 | ||||||||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 2,140 | 35.93% | 3,801 | 63.82% | 10 | 0.17% | 2 | 0.03% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,661 | -27.89% | 5,956 | ||||||||||||||
| Yavapai | 22,682 | 55.69% | 17,567 | 43.13% | 467 | 1.15% | 11 | 0.03% | 4 | 0.01% | 5,115 | 12.56% | 40,731 | ||||||||||||||
| Yuma | 8,425 | 46.84% | 9,512 | 52.88% | 44 | 0.24% | 3 | 0.02% | 3 | 0.02% | -1,087 | -6.04% | 17,987 | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 523,984 | 49.65% | 519,691 | 49.24% | 10,983 | 1.04% | 316 | 0.03% | 432 | 0.04% | 4,293 | 0.41% | 1,055,406 | ||||||||||||||
Prior to 1992, the Arizona State Constitution required a runoff election for the office of Governor if no candidate received a majority of the votes. As a result, a runoff election was held on February 26, 1991.
| County | Fife Symington Republican | Terry Goddard Democratic | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |||||||||||||
| Apache | 2,982 | 26.45% | 8,294 | 73.55% | -5,312 | -47.11% | 11,276 | ||||||||
| Cochise | 9,862 | 48.08% | 10,651 | 51.92% | -789 | -3.85% | 20,513 | ||||||||
| Coconino | 9,444 | 41.88% | 13,107 | 58.12% | -3,663 | -16.24% | 22,551 | ||||||||
| Gila | 5,670 | 46.09% | 6,632 | 53.91% | -962 | -7.82% | 12,302 | ||||||||
| Graham | 3,512 | 56.07% | 2,752 | 43.93% | 760 | 12.13% | 6,264 | ||||||||
| Greenlee | 1,003 | 41.19% | 1,432 | 58.81% | -429 | -17.62% | 2,435 | ||||||||
| La Paz | 1,558 | 56.45% | 1,202 | 43.55% | 356 | 12.90% | 2,760 | ||||||||
| Maricopa | 315,811 | 55.95% | 248,691 | 44.05% | 67,120 | 11.89% | 564,502 | ||||||||
| Mohave | 13,106 | 55.00% | 10,722 | 45.00% | 2,384 | 10,01% | 23,828 | ||||||||
| Navajo | 7,081 | 44.81% | 8,721 | 55.19% | -1,640 | -10.38% | 15,802 | ||||||||
| Pima | 82,594 | 45.79% | 97,773 | 54.21% | -15,179 | -8.42% | 180,367 | ||||||||
| Pinal | 10,562 | 44.01% | 13,435 | 55.99% | -2,873 | -11.97% | 23,997 | ||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 1,741 | 44.79% | 2,146 | 55.21% | -405 | -10.42% | 3,887 | ||||||||
| Yavapai | 21,515 | 58.68% | 15,148 | 41.32% | 6,367 | 17.37% | 36,663 | ||||||||
| Yuma | 6,128 | 45.09% | 7,462 | 54.91% | -1,334 | -9.82% | 13,590 | ||||||||
| Totals | 492,569 | 52.36% | 448,168 | 47.64% | 44,4013 | 4.72% | 940,737 | ||||||||