| Election Name: | 1982 California gubernatorial election |
| Country: | California |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1978 California gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1978 |
| Next Election: | 1986 California gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1986 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 1982 |
| Image1: | George Deukmejian, 1982.jpg |
| Nominee1: | George Deukmejian |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,881,014 |
| Percentage1: | 49.28% |
| Nominee2: | Tom Bradley |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 3,787,669 |
| Percentage2: | 48.09% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Jerry Brown |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | George Deukmejian |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1982 California gubernatorial election occurred on November 2, 1982. The Republican nominee, Attorney General George Deukmejian, narrowly defeated the Democratic nominee, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Incumbent Governor Jerry Brown did not seek reelection to a third term; he later successfully ran again in 2010 and 2014.
In the Democratic primary, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley easily defeated State Senator John Garamendi and Mario G. Obledo. On the Republican side, it was a two-man race between Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb and Attorney General George Deukmejian. Deukmejian won the primary with nearly 55% of the vote.
Early indications were that it would be a close race but as the campaign went on, Bradley slowly increased his lead in the polls. Despite this, the outcome was still in doubt as election night wore on. A large late surge of absentee ballots (many from conservative Orange County and Deukmejian's home area of Long Beach) helped tip the balance in his favor. The incorrect polling numbers led to the theory - later dubbed "the Bradley effect" - that a statistically significant number of voters had given inaccurate responses when questioned by pollsters.
| County | George Deukmejian Republican | Tom Bradley Democratic | Dan P. Dougherty Libertarian | Elizabeth Martinez Peace & Freedom | Jim Griffin American Independent | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alameda | 145,964 | 37.62% | 225,578 | 58.91% | 4,477 | 1.15% | 5,845 | 1.51% | 3,158 | 0.81% | -82,614 | -21.29% | 388,022 | ||||||||||||||
| Alpine | 218 | 52.66% | 185 | 44.69% | 1 | 0.24% | 3 | 0.72% | 7 | 1.69% | 33 | 7.97% | 414 | ||||||||||||||
| Amador | 6,251 | 61.19% | 3,643 | 35.66% | 88 | 0.86% | 87 | 0.85% | 146 | 1.43% | 2,608 | 25.53% | 10,215 | ||||||||||||||
| Butte | 36,074 | 58.13% | 23,734 | 38.25% | 793 | 1.28% | 813 | 1.31% | 639 | 1.03% | 12,340 | 19.89% | 62,053 | ||||||||||||||
| Calaveras | 6,277 | 61.63% | 3,501 | 34.37% | 157 | 1.54% | 126 | 1.24% | 124 | 1.22% | 2,776 | 27.26% | 10,185 | ||||||||||||||
| Colusa | 3,036 | 62.95% | 1,621 | 33.61% | 53 | 1.10% | 68 | 1.41% | 45 | 0.93% | 1,415 | 29.34% | 4,823 | ||||||||||||||
| Contra Costa | 126,460 | 49.83% | 119,712 | 47.17% | 3,167 | 1.25% | 2,249 | 0.89% | 2,200 | 0.87% | 6,748 | 2.66% | 253,788 | ||||||||||||||
| Del Norte | 3,355 | 51.32% | 2,934 | 44.88% | 72 | 1.10% | 107 | 1.64% | 70 | 1.07% | 421 | 6.44% | 6,538 | ||||||||||||||
| El Dorado | 20,591 | 59.37% | 12,999 | 37.48% | 423 | 1.22% | 284 | 0.82% | 383 | 1.10% | 7,592 | 21.89% | 34,680 | ||||||||||||||
| Fresno | 80,171 | 52.59% | 68,623 | 45.01% | 1,468 | 0.96% | 1,213 | 0.80% | 978 | 0.64% | 11,548 | 7.57% | 152,453 | ||||||||||||||
| Glenn | 5,492 | 67.49% | 2,398 | 29.47% | 79 | 0.97% | 43 | 0.53% | 126 | 1.55% | 3,094 | 38.02% | 8,138 | ||||||||||||||
| Humboldt | 21,609 | 45.38% | 23,991 | 50.38% | 622 | 1.31% | 748 | 1.57% | 653 | 1.37% | -2,382 | -5.00% | 47,623 | ||||||||||||||
| Imperial | 10,272 | 51.40% | 9,133 | 45.70% | 140 | 0.70% | 204 | 1.02% | 237 | 1.19% | 1,139 | 5.70% | 19,986 | ||||||||||||||
| Inyo | 5,008 | 63.87% | 2.599 | 33.15% | 88 | 1.12% | 65 | 0.83% | 81 | 1.03% | 2,409 | 30.72% | 7,841 | ||||||||||||||
| Kern | 70,095 | 55.30% | 53,799 | 42.44% | 935 | 0.74% | 859 | 0.68% | 1,065 | 0.84% | 16,296 | 12.86% | 126,753 | ||||||||||||||
| Kings | 9,938 | 54.64% | 7,718 | 42.43% | 140 | 0.77% | 176 | 0.97% | 217 | 1.19% | 2,220 | 12.21% | 18,189 | ||||||||||||||
| Lake | 8,867 | 53.24% | 7,143 | 42.89% | 233 | 1.40% | 184 | 1.10% | 227 | 1.36% | 1,724 | 10.35% | 16,654 | ||||||||||||||
| Lassen | 4,472 | 56.64% | 3,003 | 38.03% | 133 | 1.68% | 72 | 0.91% | 216 | 2.74% | 1,469 | 18.60% | 7,896 | ||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles | 1,024,946 | 45.67% | 1,173,149 | 52.27% | 16,794 | 0.75% | 18,163 | 0.81% | 11,184 | 0.50% | -148,203 | -6.60% | 2,244,236 | ||||||||||||||
| Madera | 10,334 | 54.57% | 7,889 | 41.66% | 312 | 1.65% | 152 | 0.80% | 250 | 1.32% | 2,445 | 12.91% | 18,937 | ||||||||||||||
| Marin | 42,260 | 42.83% | 52,534 | 53.24% | 2,371 | 2.40% | 1,066 | 1.08% | 437 | 0.44% | -10,274 | -10.41% | 98,668 | ||||||||||||||
| Mariposa | 3,255 | 56.39% | 2,324 | 40.26% | 64 | 1.11% | 60 | 1.04% | 69 | 1.20% | 931 | 16.13% | 5,772 | ||||||||||||||
| Mendocino | 12.398 | 46.82% | 12,786 | 48.29% | 422 | 1.59% | 519 | 1.96% | 353 | 1.33% | -388 | -1.47% | 26,478 | ||||||||||||||
| Merced | 17,477 | 52.62% | 14,649 | 44.10% | 467 | 1.41% | 261 | 0.79% | 362 | 1.09% | 2,828 | 8.51% | 33,216 | ||||||||||||||
| Modoc | 2,599 | 68.83% | 995 | 26.35% | 64 | 1.69% | 34 | 0.90% | 84 | 2.22% | 1,604 | 42.48% | 3,776 | ||||||||||||||
| Mono | 1,977 | 59.58% | 1,249 | 37.64% | 26 | 0.78% | 34 | 1.02% | 32 | 0.96% | 728 | 21.94% | 3,318 | ||||||||||||||
| Monterey | 37,493 | 47.78% | 38,301 | 48.81% | 958 | 1.22% | 1,067 | 1.36% | 656 | 0.84% | -808 | -1.03% | 78,475 | ||||||||||||||
| Napa | 21,812 | 54.20% | 17,042 | 42.34% | 494 | 1.23% | 454 | 1.13% | 445 | 1.11% | 4,770 | 11.85% | 40,247 | ||||||||||||||
| Nevada | 14,753 | 56.80% | 10,262 | 39.51% | 499 | 1.92% | 234 | 0.90% | 226 | 0.87% | 4,491 | 17.29% | 25,974 | ||||||||||||||
| Orange | 422,878 | 61.44% | 252,572 | 36.70% | 5,965 | 0.87% | 3,346 | 0.49% | 3,537 | 0.51% | 170,306 | 24.74% | 688,298 | ||||||||||||||
| Placer | 28,082 | 55.47% | 20,832 | 41.15% | 737 | 1.46% | 425 | 0.84% | 548 | 1.08% | 7,250 | 14.32% | 50,624 | ||||||||||||||
| Plumas | 4,237 | 53.53% | 3,355 | 42.39% | 161 | 2.03% | 61 | 0.77% | 101 | 1.28% | 882 | 11.14% | 7,915 | ||||||||||||||
| Riverside | 119,680 | 53.27% | 100,370 | 44.68% | 1,524 | 0.68% | 1,538 | 0.68% | 1,535 | 0.68% | 19,310 | 8.60% | 224,647 | ||||||||||||||
| Sacramento | 171,176 | 52.35% | 146,167 | 44.70% | 4,114 | 1.26% | 2,820 | 0.86% | 2,705 | 0.83% | 25,009 | 7.65% | 326,982 | ||||||||||||||
| San Benito | 3,608 | 46.67% | 3,782 | 48.92% | 167 | 2.16% | 75 | 0.97% | 99 | 1.28% | -174 | -2.25% | 7,731 | ||||||||||||||
| San Bernardino | 144,096 | 53.29% | 119,185 | 44.08% | 2,393 | 0.88% | 1,997 | 0.74% | 2,727 | 1.01% | 24,911 | 9.21% | 270,398 | ||||||||||||||
| San Diego | 330,037 | 52.76% | 279,113 | 44.62% | 6,642 | 1.06% | 5,043 | 0.81% | 4,681 | 0.75% | 50,924 | 8.14% | 625,516 | ||||||||||||||
| San Francisco | 69,478 | 30.43% | 151,769 | 66.47% | 2,829 | 1.24% | 3,218 | 1.41% | 1,040 | 0.46% | -82,291 | -36.04% | 228,334 | ||||||||||||||
| San Joaquin | 65,583 | 60.06% | 40,002 | 36.63% | 1,348 | 1.23% | 994 | 0.91% | 1.265 | 1.16% | 25,581 | 23.43% | 109,192 | ||||||||||||||
| San Luis Obispo | 33,457 | 52.94% | 28,417 | 44.96% | 556 | 0.88% | 383 | 0.61% | 388 | 0.61% | 5,040 | 7.97% | 63,201 | ||||||||||||||
| San Mateo | 99,527 | 46.36% | 108,374 | 50.48% | 2,977 | 1.39% | 1,948 | 0.91% | 1,843 | 0.86% | -8,847 | -4.12% | 214,669 | ||||||||||||||
| Santa Barbara | 55,682 | 48.33% | 57,164 | 49.62% | 988 | 0.86% | 801 | 0.70% | 568 | 0.49% | -1,482 | -1.29% | 115,203 | ||||||||||||||
| Santa Clara | 180,232 | 43.96% | 216,781 | 52.87% | 5,983 | 1.46% | 3,858 | 0.94% | 3,163 | 0.77% | -36,549 | -8.91% | 410,017 | ||||||||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 29,545 | 38.09% | 44,282 | 57.09% | 1,221 | 1.57% | 1,940 | 2.50% | 577 | 0.74% | -14,737 | -19.00% | 77,565 | ||||||||||||||
| Shasta | 26,902 | 57.61% | 18,053 | 38.66% | 707 | 1.51% | 394 | 0.84% | 642 | 1.37% | 8,849 | 18.95% | 46,698 | ||||||||||||||
| Sierra | 914 | 48.33% | 907 | 47.96% | 24 | 1.27% | 20 | 1.06% | 26 | 1.37% | 7 | 0.37% | 1,891 | ||||||||||||||
| Siskiyou | 9,457 | 58.40% | 6,009 | 37.11% | 259 | 1.60% | 188 | 1.16% | 281 | 1.74% | 3,448 | 21.29% | 16,194 | ||||||||||||||
| Solano | 36,968 | 50.31% | 33,997 | 46.26% | 979 | 1.33% | 706 | 0.96% | 837 | 1.14% | 2,971 | 4.04% | 73,487 | ||||||||||||||
| Sonoma | 55,968 | 45.10% | 63,542 | 51.20% | 1,735 | 1.40% | 1,747 | 1.41% | 1,115 | 0.90% | -7,574 | -6.10% | 124,107 | ||||||||||||||
| Stanislaus | 43,639 | 55.94% | 32,276 | 41.38% | 687 | 0.88% | 648 | 0.83% | 758 | 0.97% | 11,363 | 14.57% | 78,008 | ||||||||||||||
| Sutter | 10,753 | 63.33% | 5,660 | 33.33% | 184 | 1.08% | 235 | 1.38% | 148 | 0.87% | 5,093 | 29.99% | 16,980 | ||||||||||||||
| Tehama | 9,628 | 58.55% | 6,134 | 37.30% | 250 | 1.52% | 145 | 0.88% | 288 | 1.75% | 3,494 | 21.25% | 16,445 | ||||||||||||||
| Trinity | 3,100 | 53.95% | 2,351 | 40.92% | 112 | 1.95% | 66 | 1.15% | 117 | 2.04% | 749 | 13.04% | 5,746 | ||||||||||||||
| Tulare | 38,901 | 56.69% | 28,330 | 41.29% | 415 | 0.60% | 501 | 0.73% | 470 | 0.68% | 10,571 | 15.41% | 68,617 | ||||||||||||||
| Tuolumne | 8,716 | 56.84% | 6,107 | 39.82% | 160 | 1.04% | 148 | 0.97% | 204 | 1.33% | 2,609 | 17.01% | 15,335 | ||||||||||||||
| Ventura | 99,130 | 55.22% | 76,094 | 42.39% | 1,782 | 0.99% | 1,290 | 0.72% | 1,228 | 0.68% | 23,036 | 12.83% | 179,524 | ||||||||||||||
| Yolo | 19,227 | 42.99% | 24,150 | 54.00% | 485 | 1.08% | 445 | 1.00% | 415 | 0.93% | -4,923 | -11.01% | 44,722 | ||||||||||||||
| Yuba | 6,959 | 53.77% | 5,400 | 41.73% | 152 | 1.17% | 157 | 1.21% | 273 | 2.11% | 1,559 | 12.05% | 12,941 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 3,881,014 | 49.27% | 3,787,669 | 48.09% | 81,076 | 1.03% | 70,327 | 0.89% | 56,249 | 0.71% | 93,345 | 1.19% | 7,876,698 | ||||||||||||||