The 1982 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982. Democrat James J. Blanchard defeated Republican Richard Headlee by 6.31% to become the first Democrat to win the governor’s mansion in Michigan since 1960.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on August 10, 1982.

Republican party Incumbent Governor William Milliken decided to retire rather than seek a fourth full term as governor. Businessman Richard Headlee narrowly defeated lieutenant governor James Brickley and L. Brooks Patterson in a three-way race for the Republican nomination.

Candidates James H. Brickley, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Richard Headlee, businessman and anti-tax activist L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Prosecutor Jack Welborn, member of Michigan Senate

Results

Democratic party Congressman James J. Blanchard won the Democratic primary against six other candidates, including William B. Fitzgerald, the party's nominee for governor in the previous election.

Candidates James J. Blanchard, Representative from Michigan's 18th congressional district Zolton Ferency, member of Ingham County Board of Commissioners and Democratic nominee for governor in 1966 William B. Fitzgerald, former Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate and Democratic nominee for governor in 1978 Kerry Kammer, member of Michigan Senate Edward C. Pierce, member of Michigan Senate David Plawecki, member of Michigan Senate John Safran, former member of Lapeer County Board of Commissioners

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates Richard Headlee & Thomas E. Brennan, Republican James J. Blanchard & Martha Griffiths, Democratic

Other candidates Tim Craine & Elizabeth Ziers, Socialist Workers Dick Jacobs & Steven J. Furr, Libertarian Martin P. McLaughlin & Ruth Keedy, Workers League James Phillips & DeLoyd G. Hesselink, American Independent Robert Tisch & Clair White, Tisch Independent Citizens

Results

Results by county Luce County and Washtenaw County voted Democratic for the first time since 1914. Additionally, Alpena County and Saginaw County voted Democratic for the first time since 1932 and 1936, respectively. County James J. BlanchardDemocratic Richard HeadleeRepublican Robert TischIndependent Dick JacobsLibertarian All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # %Alcona1,85245.03%2,15352.35%741.80%100.24%240.58%-301-7.32%4,113Alger1,99357.95%1,37239.90%461.34%120.35%160.47%62118.06%3,439Allegan8,84934.53%15,92762.15%5802.26%1560.61%1150.45%-7,078-27.62%25,627Alpena5,74449.94%5,51647.96%1241.08%430.37%750.65%2281.98%11,502Antrim2,79941.73%3,66954.70%1462.18%570.85%370.55%-870-12.97%6,708Arenac2,50250.15%2,23744.84%2114.23%150.30%240.48%2655.31%4,989Baraga1,69752.93%1,36742.64%341.06%170.53%912.84%33010.29%3,206Barry6,67040.27%9,31356.22%4212.54%930.56%670.40%-2,643-15.96%16,564Bay23,02854.45%16,08638.04%2,8266.68%2100.50%1400.33%6,94216.42%42,290Benzie1,98043.94%2,34552.04%1032.29%471.04%310.69%-365-8.10%4,506Berrien18,75341.15%25,45355.85%9582.10%2080.46%2020.44%-6,700-14.70%45,574Branch4,47437.73%6,91058.28%3823.22%420.35%490.41%-2,436-20.54%11,857Calhoun22,56445.34%25,64651.54%1,1812.37%1520.31%2200.44%-3,082-6.19%49,763Cass6,27347.33%6,55249.43%3162.38%600.45%530.40%-279-2.11%13,254Charlevoix3,60045.58%4,06251.43%1271.61%590.75%500.63%4625.85%7,898Cheboygan3,94649.65%3,80947.93%1221.54%390.49%310.39%1371.72%7,947Chippewa5,33250.56%4,99047.32%1121.06%530.50%590.56%3423.24%10,546Clare4,11349.55%3,86546.57%2732.93%430.52%360.43%2482.99%8,300Clinton7,56937.97%11,26756.53%8734.38%1140.57%1090.55%-3,698-18.55%19,932Crawford1,77045.95%1,94850.57%982.54%210.55%150.39%-178-4.62%3,852Delta7,95359.10%5,28339.26%1310.97%380.28%520.39%2,67019.84%13,457Dickinson4,76649.54%4,62248.04%1751.82%250.26%330.34%1441.50%9,621Eaton12,76740.64%17,33055.16%9533.03%2230.71%1450.46%-4,563-14.52%31,418Emmet3,61741.38%4,92956.39%1051.20%570.65%330.38%-1,312-15.01%8,741Genesee81,33157.71%50,26835.67%7,7325.49%1,0130.72%5780.41%31,06322.04%140,922Gladwin3,54651.99%2,98243.72%2373.47%320.47%240.35%5648.27%6,821Gogebic4,73066.30%2,32332.56%430.60%120.17%260.36%2,40733.74%7,134Grand Traverse7,08135.65%12,18861.37%3071.55%1981.00%870.44%-5,107-25.71%19,861Gratiot4,96342.65%6,18653.16%3833.29%580.50%470.40%-1,223-10.51%11,637Hillsdale3,91532.10%7,69663.10%4863.98%460.38%540.44%-3,781-31.00%12,197Houghton6,59853.12%5,58244.94%1120.90%670.54%610.49%1,0168.18%12,420Huron4,58937.48%7,30959.69%2452.00%400.33%620.51%-2,720-22.21%12,245Ingham50,12051.12%44,20545.08%1,9862.03%1,1151.14%6250.64%5,9156.03%98,051Ionia6,78941.61%8,79453.89%4502.76%1901.16%940.58%-2,005-12.29%16,317Iosco4,48849.18%4,34647.62%2332.55%340.37%250.27%1421.56%9,126Iron3,67258.33%2,51639.97%731.16%160.25%180.29%1,15618.36%6,295Isabella6,31844.47%7,35051.74%3182.24%1370.96%830.58%-1,032-7.26%14,206Jackson20,60840.46%28,50755.97%1,3362.62%2620.51%2160.42%-7,899-15.51%50,929Kalamazoo33,56647.02%36,05050.50%7481.05%6710.94%3470.49%-2,484-3.48%71,382Kalkaska1,72543.51%2,07352.28%1012.55%290.73%370.93%-348-8.78%3,965Kent69,32742.66%88,76054.62%3,0111.85%6730.41%7400.46%-19,433-11.96%162,511Keweenaw61956.89%46142.37%50.46%20.18%10.09%15814.52%1,088Lake1,78656.20%1,24639.21%1203.78%140.44%120.38%54016.99%3,178Lapeer9,29941.87%11,35951.14%1,3756.19%1070.48%710.32%-2,060-9.27%22,211Leelanau2,22935.34%3,89161.68%861.36%641.01%380.60%-1,662-26.35%6,308Lenawee11,56743.48%13,64151.28%1,2054.53%700.26%1170.44%-2,074-7.80%26,600Livingston11,88835.22%20,32660.22%1,2583.73%1820.54%970.29%-8,438-25.00%33,751Luce1,16552.22%1,02445.90%150.67%110.49%160.72%1416.32%2,231Mackinac2,26149.75%2,19048.18%491.08%230.51%220.48%711.56%4,545Macomb117,54050.65%105,34145.40%7,1493.08%9950.43%1,0220.44%12,1995.26%232,047Manistee4,31249.98%4,05246.97%1882.18%250.29%500.58%2603.01%8,627Marquette12,68259.28%8,30838.84%2411.13%750.35%860.40%4,37420.45%21,392Mason4,21443.68%4,96351.44%3944.08%300.31%470.49%-749-7.76%9,648Mecosta4,13541.00%5,63455.86%2182.16%610.60%380.38%-1,499-14.86%10,086Menominee4,16452.76%3,36742.66%3123.95%220.28%280.35%79710.10%7,893Midland12,32644.65%14,29751.79%5772.09%2771.00%1280.46%-1,971-7.14%27,605Missaukee1,51535.30%2,62461.14%1142.66%240.56%150.35%-1,109-25.84%4,292Monroe17,78549.98%16,01145.00%1,5624.39%870.24%1360.38%1,7744.99%35,581Montcalm6,35643.26%7,73952.67%4583.12%680.46%710.48%-1,383-9.41%14,692Montmorency1,54544.50%1,82252.48%641.84%130.37%280.81%-277-7.98%3,472Muskegon25,85149.14%25,26148.02%9651.83%2060.39%3230.61%5901.12%52,606Newaygo4,81740.57%6,68956.34%2852.40%360.30%460.39%-1,872-15.77%11,873Oakland167,68745.78%184,12350.26%10,9272.98%2,0130.55%1,5550.42%-16,436-4.49%366,305Oceana3,16142.01%4,04453.74%2533.36%280.37%390.52%-883-11.73%7,525Ogemaw3,55854.11%2,72241.40%2443.71%220.33%290.44%83612.71%6,575Ontonagon2,36056.59%1,73041.49%501.20%150.36%150.36%63015.11%4,170Osceola2,56137.76%3,92357.84%2043.01%450.66%490.72%-1,362-20.08%6,782Oscoda1,27846.17%1,37249.57%702.53%291.05%190.69%-94-3.40%2,768Otsego2,41243.83%2,93653.35%951.73%290.53%310.56%-524-9.52%5,503Ottawa16,44128.17%40,39969.22%1,0641.82%2350.40%2220.38%-23,958-41.05%58,361Presque Isle2,76148.74%2,74748.49%1021.80%320.56%230.41%140.25%5,665Roscommon4,04650.00%3,72946.08%2493.08%340.42%340.42%3173.92%8,092Saginaw41,00353.98%32,38042.63%2,0102.65%3540.47%2140.28%8,62311.35%75,961Sanilac5,07036.33%8,35759.88%4433.17%400.29%460.33%-3,287-23.55%13,956Schoolcraft1,96457.34%1,40040.88%441.28%60.18%110.32%56416.47%3,425Shiawassee11,09945.02%10,85744.04%2,3449.51%2380.97%1160.47%2420.98%24,654St. Clair20,72446.21%22,21349.54%1,5173.38%2140.48%1750.39%-1,489-3.32%44,843St. Joseph6,30640.30%8,98357.40%2151.37%750.48%700.45%-2,677-17.11%15,649Tuscola7,63845.13%8,53950.45%6103.60%560.33%830.49%-901-6.32%16,926Van Buren8,84744.20%10,61153.01%3221.61%1190.59%1190.59%-1,764-8.81%20,018Washtenaw46,31955.85%34,00541.00%1,4811.79%6440.78%4880.59%12,31414.85%82,937Wayne466,08866.56%215,98630.84%13,0381.86%2,5350.36%2,6430.38%250,10235.71%700,290Wexford3,93544.95%4,49451.34%2242.56%610.70%400.46%-559-6.39%8,754Total1,561,29151.36%1,369,58245.05%80,2882.64%15,6030.51%13,2440.44%191,7096.31%3,040,008

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alpena Cheboygan Chippewa Genesee Houghton Ingham Iosco Luce Mackinac Macomb Manistee Monroe Muskegon Saginaw Shiawassee Washtenaw Wayne

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Alcona Kalkaska Missaukee Montmorency Oscoda

References