| Election Name: | 2002 New York gubernatorial election |
| Country: | New York |
| Flag Image: | Flag of New York (1909–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1998 New York gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1998 |
| Next Election: | 2006 New York gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2006 |
| Election Date: | November 5, 2002 |
| Image1: | File:George Pataki 2004 (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | George Pataki |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | Mary Donohue |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,262,255 |
| Percentage1: | 49.40% |
| Nominee2: | H. Carl McCall |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate2: | Dennis Mehiel |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,534,064 |
| Percentage2: | 33.50% |
| Image3: | File:Tom Golisano (1).JPG |
| Nominee3: | Tom Golisano |
| Party3: | Independence Party of New York |
| Running Mate3: | Mary Donohue |
| Popular Vote3: | 654,016 |
| Percentage3: | 14.28% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | George Pataki |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | George Pataki |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Alliance1: | Conservative |
| Alliance2: | Working Families |
The 2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Republican Governor George Pataki was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democrat Carl McCall and Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano, who ran on the Independence Party line. As of, this was the last time a Republican won a statewide election in New York, and the last time Albany, Tompkins and Westchester counties have voted Republican in a statewide election.
On Election Day, Pataki was easily re-elected, but fell short of receiving 50% of the vote. McCall received 33% of the vote, carrying New York City (other than Staten Island) and nearly carrying Albany County. In contrast to the norm for multiple third party campaigns, Golisano did better than his previous elections, receiving 14% of the vote and carrying his home county of Monroe in western New York. This election was the first New York gubernatorial election since 1978 in which the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.
Pataki won the nomination unopposed.
Comptroller Carl McCall defeated Andrew Cuomo at the Democratic State Convention, and Cuomo withdrew from the race less than a week before the Democratic primary.
| Source | Date | Carl McCall | Andrew Cuomo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac | December 14, 2000 | 33% | 39% | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 14, 2001 | 35% | 36% | ||
| Quinnipiac | March 28, 2001 | 33% | 40% | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 24, 2001 | 33% | 39% | ||
| Quinnipiac | June 26, 2001 | 31% | 44% | ||
| Quinnipiac | October 2, 2001 | 29% | 41% | ||
| Quinnipiac | November 14, 2001 | 29% | 37% | ||
| Quinnipiac | January 23, 2002 | 38% | 38% | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 27, 2002 | 35% | 40% | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 18, 2002 | 30% | 44% | ||
| Quinnipiac | May 1, 2002 | 33% | 43% | ||
| Quinnipiac | July 2, 2002 | 32% | 47% | ||
| Quinnipiac | August 15, 2002 | 47% | 31% | ||
| Quinnipiac | September 3, 2002 | 53% | 31% |
Besides his standard Republican nomination, Governor Pataki sought the nominations of the Conservative and the Independence Party. Golisano, who sought (and ultimately won) the nomination of the Independence Party, also ran against the Governor in the Conservative primary, spending over $20 million (or over $2,000 per vote) during the primaries. Pataki secured the Republican and Conservative lines, while Golisano successfully defended his hold on the Independence Party ticket.[1]
Andrew Cuomo was nominated by the Liberal Party before his withdrawal from the race, and his withdrawal came too late for his name to be removed from the Liberal Party line. Since Liberal Party supporters could not support McCall on their own party's line (and thus ensure that the Liberal Party would maintain ballot access by virtue of having 50,000 votes or more), Cuomo's defeat effectively helped to destroy the Liberal Party.
| Source | Ranking | As of | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[2] | October 31, 2002 | ||
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[3] | November 4, 2002 |
| Source | Date | H. Carl McCall (D) | George Pataki (R) | Thomas Golisano (I) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac | December 14, 2000 | 36% | 48% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 14, 2001 | 36% | 43% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | March 28, 2001 | 35% | 48% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 24, 2001 | 36% | 43% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | June 26, 2001 | 35% | 46% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | October 2, 2001 | 26% | 59% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | November 14, 2001 | 24% | 56% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | January 23, 2002 | 27% | 57% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 27, 2002 | 29% | 57% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 18, 2002 | 29% | 56% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | May 1, 2002 | 27% | 58% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | July 2, 2002 | 26% | 53% | 7% | ||
| Marist | September 9, 2002 | 32% | 48% | 11% | ||
| Quinnipiac | September 25, 2002 | 35% | 46% | 14% | ||
| Marist | October 1, 2002 | 32% | 48% | 9% | ||
| Quinnipiac | October 16, 2002 | 31% | 47% | 18% | ||
| The New York Times | October 17, 2002 | 31% | 42% | 17% | ||
| Marist | October 30, 2002 | 27% | 47% | 17% | ||
| Marist | November 4, 2002 | 27% | 47% | 19% | ||
| Quinnipiac | November 4, 2002 | 29% | 45% | 14% |
| Source | Date | Andrew Cuomo (D) | George Pataki (R) | Thomas Golisano (I) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac | December 14, 2000 | 37% | 48% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 14, 2001 | 37% | 46% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | March 28, 2001 | 36% | 48% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 24, 2001 | 36% | 46% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | June 26, 2001 | 39% | 47% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | October 2, 2001 | 25% | 60% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | November 14, 2001 | 25% | 57% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | January 23, 2002 | 28% | 59% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | February 27, 2002 | 28% | 59% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | April 18, 2002 | 30% | 54% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | May 1, 2002 | 26% | 59% | - | ||
| Quinnipiac | July 2, 2002 | 26% | 54% | 6% |
| County | Pataki% | Pataki# | McCall% | McCall# | Golisano% | Golisano# | Cronin% | Cronin# | Aronowitz% | Aronowitz# | Others% | Others# | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | 40.29% | 45,804 | 40.24% | 45,748 | 15.04% | 17,101 | 0.79% | 901 | 1.08% | 1,225 | 1.02% | 1,165 | 113,679 | |
| Allegany | 59.02% | 8,134 | 14.82% | 2,042 | 19.47% | 2,683 | 1.42% | 196 | 0.70% | 96 | 0.88% | 121 | 13,782 | |
| Bronx | 29.57% | 58,600 | 61.08% | 121,050 | 3.98% | 7,893 | 0.41% | 822 | 0.37% | 734 | 0.44% | 875 | 198,195 | |
| Broome | 48.64% | 32,339 | 19.45% | 12,956 | 26.24% | 17,478 | 0.64% | 425 | 1.12% | 746 | 0.83% | 550 | 66,604 | |
| Cattaraugus | 55.74% | 12,400 | 19.34% | 4,302 | 19.27% | 4,287 | 1.60% | 355 | 0.62% | 139 | 0.85% | 190 | 22,247 | |
| Cayuga | 55.16% | 14,203 | 21.04% | 5,417 | 17.84% | 4,593 | 0.89% | 228 | 0.89% | 228 | 0.90% | 233 | 25,749 | |
| Chautauqua | 59.41% | 22,869 | 21.62% | 8,323 | 14.93% | 5,747 | 0.89% | 341 | 0.44% | 170 | 0.94% | 360 | 38,493 | |
| Chemung | 62.79% | 16,398 | 17.69% | 4,619 | 15.39% | 4,018 | 0.83% | 216 | 0.70% | 183 | 0.64% | 166 | 26,116 | |
| Chenango | 59.50% | 8,676 | 17.34% | 2,529 | 17.81% | 2,597 | 0.79% | 115 | 1.54% | 225 | 0.94% | 137 | 14,582 | |
| Clinton | 72.36% | 17,113 | 14.82% | 2,529 | 6.55% | 1,550 | 0.64% | 151 | 0.61% | 145 | 1.05% | 248 | 23,650 | |
| Columbia | 52.06% | 11,995 | 28.01% | 6,454 | 13.42% | 3,091 | 0.69% | 160 | 1.97% | 454 | 1.50% | 346 | 23,040 | |
| Cortland | 54.33% | 7,851 | 24.37% | 3,522 | 16.56% | 2,393 | 0.80% | 116 | 1.44% | 208 | 0.80% | 115 | 14,450 | |
| Delaware | 58.99% | 9,139 | 18.58% | 2,878 | 14.98% | 2,320 | 0.86% | 134 | 1.42% | 220 | 1.43% | 221 | 15,492 | |
| Dutchess | 57.26% | 44,289 | 24.05% | 18,606 | 13.80% | 10,671 | 1.31% | 1,015 | 0.94% | 729 | 0.92% | 715 | 77,348 | |
| Erie | 43.18% | 130,377 | 28.27% | 85,360 | 22.75% | 68,702 | 1.59% | 4,791 | 0.61% | 1,831 | 0.96% | 2,905 | 301,929 | |
| Essex | 71.84% | 10,550 | 12.22% | 1,794 | 8.06% | 1,183 | 0.70% | 103 | 0.74% | 108 | 1.15% | 169 | 14,686 | |
| Franklin | 68.37% | 8,628 | 15.92% | 2,009 | 7.87% | 993 | 0.83% | 105 | 0.68% | 86 | 0.97% | 122 | 12,619 | |
| Fulton | 56.09% | 9,012 | 19.01% | 3,055 | 20.54% | 3,301 | 0.91% | 146 | 0.38% | 61 | 1.00% | 160 | 16,067 | |
| Genesee | 52.23% | 9,588 | 13.91% | 2,553 | 29.43% | 5,402 | 1.21% | 223 | 0.44% | 81 | 0.82% | 150 | 18,358 | |
| Greene | 57.90% | 9,363 | 20.29% | 3,281 | 16.23% | 2,625 | 1.15% | 186 | 0.80% | 129 | 1.34% | 216 | 16,170 | |
| Hamilton | 59.86% | 1,740 | 18.92% | 550 | 16.62% | 483 | 1.10% | 32 | 0.28% | 8 | 1.24% | 36 | 2,907 | |
| Herkimer | 59.86% | 11,834 | 15.80% | 3,178 | 20.58% | 4,140 | 0.92% | 186 | 0.48% | 97 | 0.96% | 194 | 20,113 | |
| Jefferson | 65.18% | 17,616 | 14.42% | 3,897 | 16.33% | 4,414 | 0.66% | 179 | 0.30% | 82 | 0.64% | 172 | 27,027 | |
| Kings (Brooklyn) | 34.60% | 141,846 | 56.12% | 230,040 | 4.10% | 16,787 | 0.40% | 1,655 | 1.38% | 5,674 | 0.21% | 875 | 409,909 | |
| Lewis | 62.30% | 5,823 | 14.66% | 1,370 | 16.71% | 1,562 | 0.92% | 86 | 0.29% | 27 | 0.88% | 82 | 9,347 | |
| Livingston | 43.10% | 8,757 | 17.97% | 3,651 | 34.77% | 7,066 | 0.82% | 167 | 0.69% | 140 | 1.01% | 205 | 20,320 | |
| Madison | 51.87% | 10,393 | 20.99% | 4,206 | 22.43% | 4,493 | 1.18% | 236 | 0.82% | 164 | 0.95% | 191 | 20,035 | |
| Monroe | 34.27% | 81,110 | 24.65% | 58,334 | 37.17% | 87,967 | 0.77% | 1,820 | 0.81% | 1,929 | 0.86% | 2,039 | 236,691 | |
| Montgomery | 52.64% | 9,285 | 18.97% | 3,346 | 20.26% | 3,573 | 0.87% | 153 | 0.37% | 65 | 1.04% | 183 | 17,640 | |
| Nassau | 60.56% | 232,785 | 25.98% | 99,865 | 9.33% | 35,860 | 1.45% | 5,574 | 0.37% | 1,572 | 0.74% | 2,855 | 384,408 | |
| New York (Manhattan) | 32.53% | 117,863 | 55.78% | 202,101 | 5.45% | 19,743 | 0.25% | 916 | 2.05% | 7,415 | 1.40% | 5,054 | 362,277 | |
| Niagara | 47.65% | 32,005 | 19.30% | 12,966 | 27.21% | 18,278 | 1.36% | 916 | 0.31% | 210 | 0.96% | 648 | 67,165 | |
| Oneida | 56.14% | 40,186 | 19.17% | 13,719 | 19.94% | 14,274 | 1.31% | 940 | 0.35% | 251 | 0.93% | 668 | 71,580 | |
| Onondaga | 50.47% | 74,694 | 26.43% | 39,110 | 18.56% | 27,459 | 0.92% | 1,366 | 0.84% | 1,239 | 0.97% | 1,437 | 147,986 | |
| Ontario | 45.38% | 15,480 | 16.16% | 5,512 | 33.65% | 11,478 | 0.72% | 247 | 0.87% | 297 | 1.01% | 343 | 34,111 | |
| Orange | 61.22% | 53,950 | 20.27% | 17,866 | 13.52% | 11,914 | 1.42% | 1,251 | 0.79% | 695 | 0.81% | 715 | 88,121 | |
| Orleans | 48.15% | 5,426 | 13.92% | 1,568 | 34.34% | 3,869 | 0.88% | 99 | 0.41% | 46 | 0.75% | 84 | 11,268 | |
| Oswego | 52.97% | 17,393 | 20.79% | 6,826 | 21.66% | 7,111 | 0.86% | 284 | 0.45% | 147 | 0.99% | 325 | 32,836 | |
| Otsego | 54.40% | 9,846 | 22.70% | 4,109 | 15.60% | 2,824 | 0.97% | 175 | 1.95% | 353 | 1.75% | 316 | 18,099 | |
| Putnam | 69.50% | 19,998 | 14.79% | 4,284 | 11.11% | 3,217 | 1.24% | 359 | 0.83% | 240 | 1.09% | 317 | 28,961 | |
| Queens | 43.74% | 155,599 | 45.18% | 160,746 | 6.06% | 21,556 | 0.90% | 3,219 | 0.68% | 2,402 | 0.62% | 2,196 | 355,756 | |
| Rensselaer | 48.91% | 27,120 | 27.94% | 15,491 | 17.87% | 9,908 | 1.08% | 601 | 0.92% | 512 | 1.14% | 631 | 55,447 | |
| Richmond (Staten Island) | 67.06% | 59,656 | 20.50% | 18,239 | 8.52% | 7,583 | 0.81% | 722 | 0.46% | 409 | 0.66% | 586 | 88,958 | |
| Rockland | 61.26% | 53,025 | 25.48% | 22,054 | 8.73% | 7,557 | 0.75% | 649 | 0.68% | 589 | 0.87% | 750 | 86,551 | |
| St. Lawrence | 62.64% | 19,365 | 19.89% | 6,234 | 11.55% | 3,621 | 0.53% | 166 | 0.46% | 145 | 0.95% | 297 | 31,348 | |
| Saratoga | 54.21% | 38,797 | 23.59% | 16,881 | 17.39% | 12,448 | 0.92% | 659 | 1.03% | 735 | 1.13% | 811 | 71,567 | |
| Schenectady | 46.96% | 24,201 | 27.90% | 14,378 | 19.63% | 10,116 | 1.06% | 546 | 0.80% | 410 | 1.02% | 527 | 51,537 | |
| Schoharie | 53.11% | 5,731 | 21.28% | 2,296 | 19.84% | 2,141 | 1.12% | 121 | 1.01% | 109 | 1.38% | 149 | 10,791 | |
| Schuyler | 58.93% | 3,535 | 17.39% | 1,043 | 16.49% | 989 | 0.95% | 57 | 2.02% | 121 | 0.95% | 57 | 5,999 | |
| Seneca | 55.65% | 5,969 | 18.52% | 1,986 | 21.16% | 2,270 | 0.74% | 79 | 0.76% | 81 | 1.22% | 131 | 10,726 | |
| Steuben | 62.26% | 17,523 | 12.15% | 3,419 | 20.33% | 5,721 | 1.03% | 290 | 0.82% | 232 | 0.81% | 229 | 28,147 | |
| Suffolk | 57.79% | 209,361 | 22.85% | 82,776 | 14.16% | 51,288 | 1.54% | 5,589 | 0.55% | 1,978 | 0.89% | 3,216 | 362,280 | |
| Sullivan | 54.89% | 11,279 | 24.09% | 4,949 | 15.25% | 3,133 | 1.10% | 226 | 0.83% | 170 | 1.17% | 240 | 20,548 | |
| Tioga | 59.54% | 9,561 | 14.92% | 2,396 | 21.54% | 3,459 | 0.82% | 131 | 1.07% | 172 | 0.78% | 125 | 16,059 | |
| Tompkins | 39.00% | 10,995 | 38.62% | 10,887 | 11.84% | 3,338 | 0.53% | 150 | 5.03% | 1,418 | 2.13% | 601 | 28,192 | |
| Ulster | 50.88% | 29,801 | 26.58% | 15,567 | 15.72% | 9,205 | 0.87% | 511 | 2.25% | 1,318 | 1.79% | 1,046 | 58,572 | |
| Warren | 56.75% | 11,964 | 22.91% | 4,831 | 15.09% | 3,182 | 0.89% | 188 | 0.68% | 143 | 1.08% | 227 | 21,083 | |
| Washington | 55.23% | 9,491 | 21.92% | 3,767 | 17.53% | 3,012 | 0.93% | 160 | 0.88% | 152 | 1.26% | 217 | 17,183 | |
| Wayne | 45.00% | 12,553 | 14.95% | 4,171 | 36.45% | 10,169 | 0.89% | 248 | 0.54% | 152 | 0.87% | 242 | 27,898 | |
| Westchester | 54.37% | 140,329 | 31.81% | 82,099 | 8.95% | 23,113 | 0.85% | 2,200 | 0.77% | 1,982 | 1.05% | 2,715 | 258,104 | |
| Wyoming | 53.57% | 6,931 | 15.72% | 2,034 | 25.50% | 3,299 | 1.84% | 238 | 0.32% | 41 | 0.87% | 112 | 12,938 | |
| Yates | 52.26% | 3,781 | 18.23% | 1,319 | 24.44% | 1,768 | 1.04% | 75 | 1.06% | 77 | 1.16% | 84 | 7,235 | |
| Totals | 49.40% | 2,262,255 | 33.50% | 1,534,064 | 14.28% | 654,016 | 0.97% | 44,195 | 0.91% | 41,797 | 0.93% | 42,751 | 4,579,078 |