| Election Name: | 1986 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Nevada |
| Flag Year: | 1929 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1982 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1982 |
| Next Election: | 1990 Nevada gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1990 |
| Image1: | File:Richard Bryan.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Richard Bryan |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 187,268 |
| Percentage1: | 73.5% |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Nominee2: | Patty Cafferata |
| Popular Vote2: | 65,081 |
| Percentage2: | 25.5% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Richard Bryan |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Richard Bryan |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1986 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democrat Richard Bryan won re-election to a second term as Governor of Nevada, defeating Republican nominee Patty Cafferata.
| County | Richard Bryan Democratic | Patty Cafferata Republican | None of These Candidates | Lou Tomburello Libertarian | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Carson City | 9,224 | 70.61% | 3,308 | 25.32% | 393 | 3.01% | 138 | 1.06% | 5,916 | 45.29% | 13,063 | ||||||||||||
| Churchill | 3,426 | 64.03% | 1,788 | 33.41% | 107 | 2.00% | 30 | 0.56% | 1,638 | 30.61% | 5,351 | ||||||||||||
| Clark | 98,262 | 74.33% | 30,258 | 22.89% | 2,582 | 1.95% | 1,103 | 0.83% | 68,004 | 51.44% | 132,205 | ||||||||||||
| Douglas | 5,270 | 63.27% | 2,750 | 33.02% | 209 | 2.51% | 100 | 1.20% | 2,520 | 30.26% | 8,329 | ||||||||||||
| Elko | 3,306 | 52.30% | 2,850 | 45.09% | 95 | 1.50% | 70 | 1.11% | 456 | 7.21% | 6,321 | ||||||||||||
| Esmeralda | 363 | 62.91% | 183 | 31.72% | 19 | 3.29% | 12 | 2.08% | 180 | 31.20% | 577 | ||||||||||||
| Eureka | 297 | 52.66% | 256 | 45.39% | 11 | 1.95% | 0 | 0.00% | 41 | 7.27% | 564 | ||||||||||||
| Humboldt | 1,999 | 64.11% | 1,025 | 32.87% | 65 | 2.08% | 29 | 0.93% | 974 | 31.24% | 3,118 | ||||||||||||
| Lander | 1,053 | 62.83% | 553 | 33.00% | 49 | 2.92% | 21 | 1.25% | 500 | 29.83% | 1,676 | ||||||||||||
| Lincoln | 915 | 58.99% | 569 | 36.69% | 55 | 3.55% | 12 | 0.77% | 346 | 22.31% | 1,551 | ||||||||||||
| Lyon | 4,306 | 70.60% | 1,620 | 26.56% | 119 | 1.95% | 54 | 0.89% | 2,686 | 44.04% | 6,099 | ||||||||||||
| Mineral | 1,635 | 72.25% | 554 | 24.48% | 51 | 2.25% | 23 | 1.02% | 1,081 | 47.77% | 2,263 | ||||||||||||
| Nye | 2,630 | 60.14% | 1,565 | 35.79% | 119 | 2.72% | 59 | 1.35% | 1,065 | 24.35% | 4,373 | ||||||||||||
| Pershing | 843 | 68.54% | 357 | 29.02% | 22 | 1.79% | 8 | 0.65% | 486 | 39.51% | 1,230 | ||||||||||||
| Storey | 893 | 81.33% | 174 | 15.85% | 21 | 1.91% | 10 | 0.91% | 719 | 65.48% | 1,098 | ||||||||||||
| Washoe | 50,759 | 73.02% | 16,425 | 23.63% | 1,472 | 2.12% | 859 | 1.24% | 34,334 | 40.80% | 69,515 | ||||||||||||
| White Pine | 2,087 | 68.61% | 846 | 27.81% | 82 | 2.70% | 27 | 0.89% | 1,241 | 40.80% | 3,042 | ||||||||||||
| Totals | 187,268 | 71.92% | 65,081 | 25.00% | 5,471 | 2.10% | 2,555 | 0.98% | 122,187 | 46.93% | 260,375 | ||||||||||||