# 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1989. Incumbent Democratic governor Jerry Baliles was unable to seek a second term due to term limits. Democratic nominee and Lieutenant Governor L. Douglas Wilder went against former attorney general of Virginia J. Marshall Coleman in one of the closest elections in Virginia history. Upon taking the oath of office in January 1990, Governor Wilder became the first African-American governor of Virginia, and the first African-American governor of any state since Reconstruction more than one hundred years earlier.
This remains the last election in which a party won the governorship for a third consecutive term.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor
* Stanford Parris, U.S. representative from Fairfax Station
* Paul S. Trible, Jr., former U.S. senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | J. Marshall Coleman | 147,941 | 36.81 |
| | Republican | Paul S. Trible, Jr. | 141,120 | 35.11 |
| | Republican | Stanford Parris | 112,826 | 28.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 401,887 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

* J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor (Republican)
* L. Douglas Wilder, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and former state senator from Richmond (Democratic)

### Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1989 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | L. Douglas Wilder | 896,936 | 50.13% | −5.04% |
| | Republican | J. Marshall Coleman | 890,195 | 49.76% | +4.97% |
| | Write-ins | | 1,947 | 0.11% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,741 | 0.37% | −10.02% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,789,078 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |

### Results by county and city

| County | Wilder | Votes | Coleman | Votes | Others | Votes |
| Accomack | 44.9% | 4,767 | 55.0% | 5,838 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Albemarle | 51.7% | 10,743 | 48.1% | 9,998 | 0.2% | 35 |
| Alexandria | 68.0% | 22,451 | 31.8% | 10,493 | 0.2% | 77 |
| Alleghany | 49.7% | 2,313 | 50.3% | 2,342 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Amelia | 43.8% | 1,509 | 56.2% | 1,937 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Amherst | 44.6% | 4,000 | 55.4% | 4,965 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Appomattox | 47.9% | 2,321 | 52.1% | 2,528 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Arlington | 67.1% | 35,716 | 32.8% | 17,452 | 0.1% | 44 |
| Augusta | 30.7% | 4,502 | 69.2% | 10,146 | 0.1% | 16 |
| Bath | 46.1% | 770 | 53.8% | 900 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bedford | 42.0% | 5,871 | 57.9% | 8,094 | 0.1% | 7 |
| Bedford County | 48.1% | 961 | 51.8% | 1,035 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bland | 33.9% | 661 | 66.1% | 1,287 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Botetourt | 46.8% | 3,998 | 53.1% | 4,539 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Bristol | 41.9% | 2,109 | 58.0% | 2,920 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Brunswick | 56.1% | 3,181 | 43.9% | 2,493 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buchanan | 59.4% | 5,678 | 40.6% | 3,875 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buckingham | 44.4% | 2,014 | 55.5% | 2,515 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Buena Vista | 51.2% | 869 | 48.5% | 823 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Campbell | 38.6% | 6,043 | 61.4% | 9,611 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Caroline | 54.9% | 3,232 | 45.1% | 2,658 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Carroll | 32.5% | 2,375 | 67.5% | 4,926 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Charles City | 78.7% | 2,050 | 21.3% | 554 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Charlotte | 44.8% | 2,072 | 55.2% | 2,552 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Charlottesville | 63.7% | 6,892 | 36.1% | 3,902 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Chesapeake | 50.3% | 21,384 | 49.6% | 21,076 | 0.1% | 24 |
| Chesterfield | 35.2% | 23,799 | 64.6% | 43,656 | 0.2% | 151 |
| Clarke | 47.4% | 1,394 | 52.6% | 1,546 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Clifton Forge | 57.4% | 912 | 42.6% | 676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Colonial Heights | 24.0% | 1,568 | 75.9% | 4,954 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Covington | 57.3% | 1,570 | 42.7% | 1,169 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Craig | 45.8% | 766 | 53.9% | 902 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Culpeper | 38.7% | 2,670 | 61.3% | 4,230 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Cumberland | 46.7% | 1,418 | 53.3% | 1,617 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Danville | 40.4% | 6,944 | 59.5% | 10,223 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Dickenson | 62.3% | 3,536 | 37.6% | 2,131 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Dinwiddie | 47.5% | 3,321 | 52.5% | 3,676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Emporia | 46.7% | 1,094 | 53.3% | 1,249 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Essex | 44.7% | 1,373 | 55.2% | 1,694 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Fairfax County | 55.9% | 127,236 | 43.9% | 99,957 | 0.2% | 518 |
| Fairfax | 52.8% | 3,398 | 47.1% | 3,027 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Falls Church | 63.1% | 2,617 | 36.9% | 1,530 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Fauquier | 45.3% | 5,545 | 54.7% | 6,700 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Floyd | 39.6% | 1,566 | 60.4% | 2,387 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Fluvanna | 42.9% | 1,554 | 57.0% | 2,063 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Franklin | 46.0% | 5,158 | 53.9% | 6,037 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Franklin County | 61.9% | 1,865 | 38.1% | 1,146 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Frederick | 36.3% | 3,746 | 63.7% | 6,581 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Fredericksburg | 52.0% | 2,515 | 48.0% | 2,321 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Galax | 36.7% | 625 | 63.3% | 1,077 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Giles | 51.0% | 2,568 | 49.0% | 2,468 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Gloucester | 42.4% | 4,258 | 57.4% | 5,765 | 0.1% | 13 |
| Goochland | 44.4% | 2,473 | 55.5% | 3,092 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Grayson | 34.5% | 1,761 | 65.5% | 3,337 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greene | 33.3% | 863 | 66.7% | 1,726 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greensville | 57.6% | 1,952 | 42.4% | 1,435 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Halifax | 46.7% | 4,562 | 53.3% | 5,205 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Hampton | 59.8% | 23,097 | 40.1% | 15,489 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Hanover | 30.8% | 7,391 | 69.0% | 16,552 | 0.1% | 32 |
| Harrisonburg | 42.5% | 2,647 | 57.3% | 3,562 | 0.2% | 12 |
| Henrico | 41.2% | 32,939 | 58.7% | 46,947 | 0.2% | 156 |
| Henry | 41.5% | 6,674 | 58.5% | 9,414 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Highland | 41.0% | 437 | 58.8% | 626 | 0.2% | 2 |
| Hopewell | 40.3% | 2,781 | 59.7% | 4,119 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Isle of Wight | 49.5% | 4,353 | 50.5% | 4,442 | 0.0% | 4 |
| James City | 49.8% | 5,827 | 50.0% | 5,850 | 0.1% | 15 |
| King and Queen | 53.3% | 1,278 | 46.6% | 1,119 | 0.1% | 3 |
| King George | 46.2% | 1,563 | 53.8% | 1,819 | 0.0% | 1 |
| King William | 44.2% | 1,794 | 55.8% | 2,265 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Lancaster | 39.3% | 1,834 | 60.7% | 2,838 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lee | 54.8% | 3,431 | 45.2% | 2,830 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Lexington | 58.5% | 1,043 | 41.5% | 740 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Loudoun | 51.1% | 11,065 | 48.8% | 10,555 | 0.1% | 25 |
| Louisa | 46.2% | 2,931 | 53.8% | 3,416 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Lunenburg | 45.8% | 1,896 | 54.2% | 2,248 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lynchburg | 47.9% | 10,060 | 52.1% | 10,927 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Madison | 40.5% | 1,448 | 59.4% | 2,121 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Manassas | 47.4% | 2,663 | 52.5% | 2,947 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Manassas Park | 45.5% | 385 | 54.4% | 460 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Martinsville | 49.9% | 2,763 | 50.1% | 2,777 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mathews | 41.1% | 1,534 | 58.8% | 2,193 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mecklenburg | 38.0% | 3,287 | 62.0% | 5,373 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Middlesex | 41.5% | 1,520 | 58.4% | 2,142 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Montgomery | 51.7% | 9,121 | 48.3% | 8,513 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Nelson | 54.4% | 2,341 | 45.6% | 1,961 | 0.0% | 0 |
| New Kent | 42.6% | 1,797 | 57.2% | 2,416 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Newport News | 54.3% | 25,284 | 45.6% | 21,261 | 0.1% | 36 |
| Norfolk | 66.1% | 37,844 | 33.8% | 19,385 | 0.1% | 62 |
| Northampton | 55.4% | 2,482 | 44.4% | 1,989 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Northumberland | 40.0% | 1,669 | 60.0% | 2,506 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Norton | 65.5% | 808 | 34.3% | 423 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Nottoway | 45.7% | 2,331 | 54.3% | 2,768 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Orange | 41.5% | 2,465 | 58.4% | 3,468 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Page | 33.8% | 1,925 | 66.1% | 3,760 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Patrick | 35.2% | 1,761 | 64.8% | 3,246 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Petersburg | 70.8% | 8,394 | 29.1% | 3,454 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Pittsylvania | 37.4% | 6,349 | 62.6% | 10,616 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Poquoson | 34.0% | 1,353 | 66.0% | 2,626 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Portsmouth | 61.9% | 19,998 | 38.0% | 12,281 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Powhatan | 34.5% | 1,741 | 65.4% | 3,298 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince Edward | 50.8% | 2,822 | 49.2% | 2,732 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince George | 39.0% | 2,693 | 61.0% | 4,219 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Prince William | 49.0% | 20,329 | 50.9% | 21,104 | 0.1% | 34 |
| Pulaski | 44.1% | 4,550 | 55.9% | 5,771 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Radford | 51.3% | 2,092 | 48.6% | 1,980 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Rappahannock | 45.0% | 971 | 55.0% | 1,188 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond County | 36.3% | 887 | 63.7% | 1,558 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond | 68.0% | 49,513 | 31.9% | 23,239 | 0.1% | 67 |
| Roanoke | 47.1% | 14,074 | 52.9% | 15,807 | 0.0% | 8 |
| Roanoke County | 59.0% | 16,590 | 40.9% | 11,483 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Rockbridge | 46.0% | 2,314 | 54.0% | 2,713 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Rockingham | 30.7% | 4,452 | 69.1% | 10,019 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Russell | 56.9% | 4,955 | 43.1% | 3,750 | 0.0% | 2 |
| South Boston | 48.1% | 3,854 | 51.8% | 4,143 | 0.1% | 8 |
| Salem | 43.3% | 2,825 | 56.7% | 3,704 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Scott | 35.4% | 3,390 | 64.6% | 6,186 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Shenandoah | 39.5% | 3,557 | 60.4% | 5,438 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Smyth | 40.6% | 987 | 59.3% | 1,441 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Southampton | 52.0% | 3,074 | 48.0% | 2,836 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Spotsylvania | 41.9% | 5,524 | 58.0% | 7,646 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Stafford | 40.3% | 5,775 | 59.7% | 8,565 | 0.0% | 7 |
| Staunton | 37.8% | 2,748 | 62.1% | 4,512 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Suffolk | 52.5% | 8,743 | 47.4% | 7,893 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Surry | 63.1% | 1,740 | 36.9% | 1,018 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Sussex | 59.1% | 2,251 | 40.9% | 1,561 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Tazewell | 47.8% | 5,338 | 52.2% | 5,831 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Virginia Beach | 48.2% | 41,570 | 51.4% | 44,332 | 0.3% | 265 |
| Warren | 42.9% | 2,681 | 57.1% | 3,564 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Washington | 40.4% | 5,572 | 59.6% | 8,219 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Waynesboro | 36.6% | 2,102 | 63.3% | 3,637 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Westmoreland | 48.6% | 2,197 | 51.3% | 2,322 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Williamsburg | 61.5% | 1,641 | 38.5% | 1,026 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Winchester | 41.1% | 2,253 | 58.9% | 3,232 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Wise | 59.6% | 6,641 | 40.4% | 4,495 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Wythe | 36.2% | 2,817 | 63.8% | 4,970 | 0.0% | 0 |
| York | 45.1% | 6,001 | 54.8% | 7,283 | 0.1% | 13 |