| Election Name: | 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Arizona |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1982 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1982 |
| Next Election: | 1990–91 Arizona gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1990–91 |
| Election Date: | November 4, 1986 |
| Image1: | File:Evan Mecham %28Arizona governor%29.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Evan Mecham |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 343,913 |
| Percentage1: | 39.67% |
| Nominee2: | Carolyn Warner |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 298,986 |
| Percentage2: | 34.49% |
| Image3: | 3x4.svg |
| Nominee3: | Bill Schulz |
| Party3: | Independent |
| Popular Vote3: | 224,085 |
| Percentage3: | 25.85% |
| Map Size: | 210px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Bruce Babbitt |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Evan Mecham |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Republican Evan Mecham, who defeated Burton Barr for the Republican nomination, defeated the Democratic nominee and State Superintendent Carolyn Warner and independent candidate Bill Schulz.
Mecham's victory in the primary and general elections are considered among the greatest political surprises in Arizona history. Ultimately, Mecham did not complete his full four-year term in office; he was impeached and removed from office in 1988.
This was the first gubernatorial election in which La Paz County participated after separating from Yuma County in between this election and the one just before it.
Bruce Babbitt, who succeed to the office of Governor upon the 1978 death of Wesley Bolin, chose not to run for a third term in office. Babbitt was first elected over Evan Mecham in 1978 and re-elected in a landslide in 1982; some speculated that he would seek to succeed Barry Goldwater in the United States Senate, but Babbitt ultimately focused on a run for President of the United States in 1988.
Although no Republican had been elected Governor of Arizona since 1970, President Ronald Reagan had carried the state with record margins in 1980 and 1984.
Barr, who was personally recruited by President Reagan to run for governor and had the universal support of the state Republican establishment, was the heavy favorite. His campaign largely ignored Mecham, who launched negative attacks on Barr and the state party generally.[1] When Republicans responded to Mecham's criticism, such as when the Senate Republican leader called him an "ethical pygmy," his popularity with voters rose.[1]
Mecham's primary victory over Barr was received as "the biggest upset in Arizona" since Barry Goldwater's 1952 victory over United States Senator Ernest McFarland.[1]
| County | Evan Mecham Republican | Carolyn Warner Democratic | Bill Schulz Independent | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Apache | 2,965 | 26.52% | 6,936 | 62.04% | 1,279 | 11.44% | -3,971 | -35.52% | 11,180 | ||||||||||
| Cochise | 8,484 | 38.52% | 8,368 | 37.99% | 5,174 | 23.49% | 116 | 0.53% | 22,026 | ||||||||||
| Coconino | 6,647 | 28.04% | 11,492 | 48.48% | 5,565 | 23.48% | -4,845 | -20.44% | 23,704 | ||||||||||
| Gila | 4,779 | 34.45% | 5,775 | 41.63% | 3,319 | 23.92% | -996 | -7.18% | 13,873 | ||||||||||
| Graham | 3,257 | 47.13% | 2,381 | 34.46% | 1,272 | 18.41% | 876 | 12.68% | 6,910 | ||||||||||
| Greenlee | 991 | 33.24% | 1,218 | 40.86% | 772 | 25.90% | -227 | -7.61% | 2,981 | ||||||||||
| La Paz | 1,352 | 38.99% | 1,201 | 34.63% | 915 | 26.38% | 151 | 4.35% | 3,468 | ||||||||||
| Maricopa | 213,049 | 43.06% | 142,540 | 28.81% | 139,231 | 28.14% | 70,509 | 14.25% | 494,820 | ||||||||||
| Mohave | 9,333 | 43.20% | 7,969 | 36.89% | 4,300 | 19.91% | 1,364 | 6.31% | 21,602 | ||||||||||
| Navajo | 6,250 | 37.77% | 7,527 | 45.49% | 2,769 | 16.74% | -1,277 | -7.72% | 16,546 | ||||||||||
| Pima | 56,598 | 32.97% | 72,366 | 42.16% | 42,700 | 24.87% | -15,768 | -9.19% | 171,664 | ||||||||||
| Pinal | 8,244 | 33.35% | 11,127 | 45.02% | 5,347 | 21.63% | -2,883 | -11.66% | 24,718 | ||||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 1,490 | 28.10% | 2,349 | 44.30% | 1,464 | 27.61% | -859 | -16.20% | 5,303 | ||||||||||
| Yavapai | 15,000 | 46.91% | 10,288 | 32.17% | 6,688 | 20.92% | 4,712 | 14.74% | 31,976 | ||||||||||
| Yuma | 5,474 | 33.76% | 7,449 | 45.94% | 3,290 | 20.29% | -1,975 | -12.18% | 16,213 | ||||||||||
| Totals | 343,913 | 39.67% | 298,986 | 34.49% | 224,085 | 25.85% | 44,927 | 5.18% | 866,984 | ||||||||||