The 1984 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican John Spellman ran for re-election to a second term and was defeated by Democrat Booth Gardner despite Republican President Ronald Reagan carrying the state by 13 points in the concurrent presidential election. As of 2026, this is the last time that the Washington governor's office changed partisan control or that an incumbent governor of Washington was defeated.
Primary election Candidates Republican John Spellman, incumbent governor of Washington Ted Parker Fix
Democratic Booth Gardner, Pierce County Executive Jim McDermott, psychiatrist, state senator, candidate for governor in 1972, and nominee for governor 1980 John Jovanovich, state representative
Third-party Mark A. Calney (Independent), author Bob LeRoy (Populist) Cheryll Y. Hidalgo (Socialist Workers)
Results
General election Candidates John Spellman (R), incumbent governor of Washington Booth Gardner (D), Pierce County Executive
Results
By county Booth Gardner is the most recent Democrat to carry Lewis County and Stevens County in a gubernatorial election. Conversely, John Spellman is the last Republican to have won San Juan County. CountyJohn SpellmanRepublicanBooth GardnerDemocraticMarginTotal votes cast#%#%#%Adams2,80957.57%2,07042.43%-739-15.15%4,879Asotin3,30846.32%3,83353.68%5257.35%7,141Benton26,23655.56%20,98244.44%-5,254-11.13%47,218Chelan11,96057.49%8,84342.51%-3,117-14.98%20,803Clallam11,82049.30%12,15650.70%3361.40%23,976Clark31,62940.67%46,14459.33%14,51518.66%77,773Columbia1,15755.31%93544.69%-222-10.61%2,092Cowlitz11,55338.10%18,77061.90%7,21723.80%30,323Douglas5,36154.93%4,39845.07%-963-9.87%9,759Ferry93543.92%1,19456.08%25912.17%2,129Franklin6,25052.04%5,76147.96%-489-4.07%12,011Garfield73651.79%68548.21%-51-3.59%1,421Grant10,23853.45%8,91746.55%-1,3216.90%19,155Grays Harbor7,76129.27%18,75270.73%10,99141.46%26,513Island11,66456.01%9,16043.99%-2,504-12.02%20,824Jefferson4,22446.28%4,90453.72%6807.45%9,128King306,60547.65%336,87852.35%30,2734.70%643,483Kitsap29,83544.33%37,46055.67%7,62511.33%67,295Kittitas4,50440.65%6,57759.35%2,07318.71%11,081Klickitat2,91043.39%3,79756.61%88713.22%6,707Lewis9,96941.92%13,81158.08%3,84216.16%23,780Lincoln2,88855.19%2,34544.81%-543-10.38%5,233Mason6,52841.20%9,31658.80%2,78817.60%15,844Okanogan6,80251.69%6,35748.31%-445-3.38%13,159Pacific2,95535.06%5,47364.94%2,51829.88%8,428Pend Oreille1,76643.45%2,29856.55%53213.09%4,064Pierce79,24641.26%112,79658.74%33,55017.47%192,042San Juan2,79951.52%2,63448.48%-165-3.04%5,433Skagit15,13045.05%18,45754.95%3,3279.91%33,587Skamania1,37641.57%1,93458.43%55816.86%3,310Snohomish75,82347.34%84,32852.66%8,5055.31%160,151Spokane76,50250.75%74,24449.25%-2,258-1.50%150,746Stevens6,42849.98%6,43350.02%50.04%12,861Thurston26,95043.15%35,50156.85%8,55113.69%62,451Wahkiakum61936.48%1,07863.52%45927.05%1,697Walla Walla11,10656.72%8,47343.28%-2,633-13.45%19,579Whatcom20,25539.89%30,52560.11%10,27020.22%50,780Whitman9,24655.17%7,51244.83%-1,734-10.35%16,758Yakima34,11152.18%31,26247.82%-2,849-4.36%65,373Totals881,99446.69%1,006,99353.31%124,9996.62%1,888,987
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Asotin Clallam Clark Cowlitz King Kitsap Kittitas Lewis Mason Pend Oreille Pierce Skagit Snohomish Stevens Thurston Whatcom
References