1998 Colorado gubernatorial election
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November 3, 1998
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 County results Owens: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Schoettler: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Colorado |
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The 1998 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998 to elect the governor of Colorado. Under newly applicable term limits, Democratic incumbent Roy Romer was unable to seek re-election. In the open race to succeed him, Colorado treasurer Bill Owens defeated lieutenant governor Gail Schoettler.
Schoettler won the Democratic primary over Colorado Senate minority leader Mike Feeley. In the Republican primary, Owens defeated Senate president Tom Norton by a relatively wide margin. This was the last election in which Colorado held separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor; following a statutory change in 2000, candidates selected running mates prior to the primary.[1]
In the general election, Owens narrowly defeated Schoettler, aided by a strong performance by U.S. senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell in his re-election campaign. Owens's narrow election meant that he was the first Republican governor in 24 years. His running mate Joe Rogers became the second African American lieutenant governor in the state's history after George L. Brown.
Democratic primary
[edit]Governor
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Gail Schoettler, lieutenant governor of Colorado
- Mike Feeley, Colorado Senate minority leader
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gail Schoettler | 80,038 | 55.51 | |
| Democratic | Mike Feeley | 64,034 | 44.41 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 125 | 0.09 | |
| Total votes | 144,191 | 100.00 | ||
Lieutenant governor
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Bernie Buescher, former executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bernie Buescher | 111,786 | 99.68 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 355 | 0.32 | |
| Total votes | 112,141 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
[edit]Governor
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Bill Owens, Colorado state treasurer
- Tom Norton, president of the Colorado Senate
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bill Owens | 126,816 | 59.20 | |
| Republican | Tom Norton | 87,214 | 40.71 | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 186 | 0.09 | |
| Total votes | 214,216 | 100.00 | ||
Lieutenant governor
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Joe Rogers, former chief counsel to U.S. senator Hank Brown and 1996 nominee for Colorado's 1st congressional district
- Jim Congrove, state senator
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Rogers | 109,781 | 57.72 | |
| Republican | Jim Congrove | 80,246 | 42.19 | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 173 | 0.09 | |
| Total votes | 190,200 | 100.00 | ||
General election
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Sandra D. Johnson (Libertarian)
- Tim Leonard (Constitution)
- Bill Owens, Colorado state treasurer (Republican)
- Gail Schoettler, lieutenant governor of Colorado (Democratic)
Polling
[edit]| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Gail Schoettler (D) |
Bill Owens (R) |
Other / undecided[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciruli Associates[3][4][A] | October 30, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 42% | 46% | 12% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 29, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 41% | 45% | 14% |
| Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy[3][4] | October 26–28, 1998 | 831 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 41% | 45% | 15% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 27, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 40% | 46% | 14% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 26, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 42% | 45% | 13% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 25, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 41% | 45% | 14% |
| Ciruli Associates[3][4][A] | October 22, 1998 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 41% | 47% | 12% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 19–22, 1998 | 400 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 41% | 47% | 12% |
| Harris Insights & Analytics[3] | October 20, 1998 | 614 | — | 46% | 43% | 11% |
| Public Opinion Strategies[3] | October 16, 1998 | 500 | — | 39% | 43% | 18% |
| Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy[4] | October 9–12, 1998 | 804 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 39% | 44% | 17% |
| Ciruli Associates[4][A] | October 1–10, 1998 | (LV) | ± .% | 40% | 40% | 20% |
| Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy[4] | July 27–29, 1998 | 849 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 36% | 38% | 26% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bill Owens | 645,806 | 49.04% | +10.36% | |
| Democratic | Gail Schoettler | 637,655 | 48.42% | −7.05% | |
| Libertarian | Sandra D. Johnson | 22,150 | 1.68% | – | |
| Constitution | Tim Leonard | 10,966 | 0.83% | −2.79% | |
| Majority | 8,151 | 0.62% | −16.15% | ||
| Turnout | 1,316,939 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
By county
[edit]| County | Bill Owens Republican |
Gail Schoettler Democratic |
Various candidates Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 37,195 | 44.85% | 43,462 | 52.41% | 2,271 | 2.74% | 6,267 | -7.56% | 82,915 |
| Alamosa | 2,611 | 49.00% | 2,396 | 48.73% | 104 | 2.13% | 215 | 0.27% | 4,916 |
| Arapahoe | 76,996 | 51.57% | 69,278 | 46.40% | 3,015 | 2.03% | 7,718 | 5.17% | 149,278 |
| Archuleta | 2,088 | 63.02% | 1,093 | 32.99% | 132 | 3.99% | 995 | 30.03% | 3,313 |
| Baca | 1,240 | 62.09% | 706 | 35.35% | 51 | 2.56% | 534 | 26.74% | 1,997 |
| Bent | 1,036 | 52.50% | 907 | 45.97% | 30 | 1.53% | 129 | 6.53% | 1,973 |
| Boulder | 39,487 | 37.48% | 63,185 | 59.97% | 2,686 | 2.55% | -23,698 | -22.49% | 105,353 |
| Chaffee | 3,146 | 51.36% | 2,843 | 46.41% | 136 | 2.23% | 303 | 4.95% | 6,125 |
| Cheyenne | 809 | 69.44% | 323 | 27.72% | 33 | 2.84% | 486 | 41.72% | 1,165 |
| Clear Creek | 1,786 | 46.07% | 1,936 | 49.94% | 155 | 3.99% | -150 | -3.87% | 3,876 |
| Conejos | 1,719 | 48.61% | 1,742 | 49.26% | 75 | 2.13% | -23 | -0.65% | 3,536 |
| Costilla | 469 | 31.22% | 975 | 64.91% | 58 | 3.87% | -506 | -33.69% | 1,502 |
| Crowley | 761 | 58.80% | 506 | 39.10% | 27 | 2.10% | 255 | 19.70% | 1,294 |
| Custer | 1,049 | 67.45% | 454 | 29.19% | 52 | 3.36% | 595 | 38.26% | 1,555 |
| Delta | 5,921 | 60.66% | 3,547 | 36.34% | 292 | 3.00% | 2,374 | 24.32% | 9,760 |
| Denver | 52,109 | 31.77% | 103,540 | 63.13% | 8,346 | 5.10% | -51,431 | -31.36% | 163,995 |
| Dolores | 418 | 52.64% | 345 | 43.45% | 31 | 3.91% | 73 | 9.19% | 794 |
| Douglas | 33,167 | 62.69% | 18,919 | 35.76% | 819 | 1.55% | 14,248 | 26.93% | 52,905 |
| Eagle | 4,123 | 44.50% | 4,874 | 52.60% | 268 | 2.90% | -751 | -8.10% | 9,265 |
| El Paso | 86,037 | 61.21% | 50,199 | 35.71% | 4,322 | 3.08% | 35,838 | 25.50% | 140,558 |
| Elbert | 4,296 | 64.33% | 2,178 | 32.61% | 204 | 3.06% | 2,118 | 31.72% | 6,678 |
| Fremont | 7,318 | 57.46% | 5,105 | 40.08% | 311 | 2.46% | 2,213 | 17.38% | 12,734 |
| Garfield | 5,534 | 45.20% | 5,937 | 48.50% | 770 | 6.30% | -403 | -3.30% | 12,241 |
| Gilpin | 750 | 43.42% | 887 | 51.36% | 90 | 5.22% | -137 | -7.94% | 1,727 |
| Grand | 2,209 | 52.35% | 1,867 | 44.25% | 143 | 3.40% | 342 | 8.10% | 4,219 |
| Gunnison | 1,818 | 34.52% | 3,211 | 60.97% | 237 | 4.51% | -1,393 | -26.45% | 5,266 |
| Hinsdale | 227 | 55.77% | 168 | 41.27% | 12 | 2.96% | 59 | 14.50% | 407 |
| Huerfano | 1,016 | 40.07% | 1,474 | 58.14% | 45 | 1.79% | -458 | -18.07% | 2,535 |
| Jackson | 494 | 62.92% | 261 | 33.24% | 30 | 3.84% | 233 | 29.68% | 785 |
| Jefferson | 94,387 | 50.26% | 88,561 | 47.16% | 4,820 | 2.58% | 5,826 | 3.10% | 187,768 |
| Kiowa | 645 | 66.35% | 312 | 32.09% | 15 | 1.56% | 333 | 34.26% | 972 |
| Kit Carson | 2,079 | 64.82% | 1,077 | 33.58% | 51 | 1.60% | 1,002 | 31.24% | 3,207 |
| La Plata | 4,198 | 44.18% | 4,965 | 52.25% | 338 | 3.57% | -767 | -8.07% | 9,501 |
| Lake | 838 | 36.05% | 1,385 | 59.59% | 101 | 4.36% | -547 | -23.54% | 2,324 |
| Larimer | 44,069 | 51.81% | 38,920 | 45.76% | 2,059 | 2.43% | 5,149 | 6.05% | 85,048 |
| Las Animas | 1,969 | 40.20% | 2,809 | 57.36% | 119 | 2.44% | -840 | -17.16% | 4,897 |
| Lincoln | 1,298 | 64.70% | 683 | 34.04% | 25 | 1.26% | 615 | 30.66% | 2,006 |
| Logan | 3,903 | 58.04% | 2,697 | 40.11% | 124 | 1.85% | 1,206 | 17.93% | 6,724 |
| Mesa | 21,534 | 53.96% | 17,248 | 43.22% | 1,120 | 2.82% | 4,286 | 10.74% | 39,902 |
| Mineral | 211 | 47.84% | 213 | 48.29% | 17 | 3.87% | -2 | -0.45% | 441 |
| Moffat | 2,669 | 61.51% | 1,555 | 35.83% | 115 | 2.66% | 1,114 | 25.68% | 4,339 |
| Montezuma | 4,217 | 56.73% | 3,020 | 40.62% | 196 | 2.65% | 1,197 | 16.53% | 7,433 |
| Montrose | 6,437 | 59.34% | 4,136 | 38.13% | 274 | 2.53% | 2,301 | 21.21% | 10,847 |
| Morgan | 4,562 | 55.91% | 3,441 | 42.17% | 156 | 1.92% | 1,121 | 13.74% | 8,159 |
| Otero | 3,254 | 56.07% | 2,620 | 41.89% | 127 | 2.04% | 634 | 14.18% | 6,254 |
| Ouray | 812 | 55.01% | 617 | 41.80% | 47 | 3.19% | 195 | 13.21% | 1,476 |
| Park | 2,771 | 55.66% | 2,006 | 40.29% | 201 | 4.05% | 765 | 15.37% | 4,978 |
| Phillips | 1,256 | 62.54% | 714 | 35.55% | 38 | 1.91% | 542 | 26.99% | 2,008 |
| Pitkin | 1,526 | 28.33% | 3,659 | 67.94% | 200 | 3.73% | -2,133 | -39.61% | 5,385 |
| Prowers | 2,562 | 60.25% | 1,643 | 38.64% | 47 | 1.11% | 919 | 21.61% | 4,252 |
| Pueblo | 18,924 | 41.56% | 25,878 | 56.83% | 726 | 1.61% | -6,954 | -15.27% | 45,528 |
| Rio Blanco | 1,737 | 66.75% | 798 | 30.66% | 67 | 2.59% | 939 | 36.09% | 2,602 |
| Rio Grande | 2,623 | 56.32% | 1,935 | 41.55% | 99 | 2.13% | 688 | 14.77% | 4,657 |
| Routt | 2,786 | 41.61% | 3,697 | 55.22% | 211 | 3.17% | -911 | -13.61% | 6,694 |
| Saguache | 916 | 41.59% | 1,196 | 54.31% | 90 | 4.10% | -280 | -12.72% | 2,202 |
| San Juan | 149 | 46.41% | 151 | 47.04% | 21 | 6.55% | -2 | -0.63% | 321 |
| San Miguel | 714 | 31.70% | 1,417 | 62.92% | 121 | 5.38% | -703 | -31.22% | 2,252 |
| Sedgwick | 672 | 54.32% | 544 | 43.90% | 23 | 1.78% | 128 | 10.42% | 1,239 |
| Summit | 2,595 | 40.35% | 3,630 | 56.45% | 205 | 3.20% | -1,035 | -16.10% | 6,430 |
| Teller | 4,200 | 62.79% | 2,275 | 34.01% | 213 | 3.20% | 1,925 | 28.78% | 6,688 |
| Washington | 1,109 | 66.20% | 509 | 30.38% | 57 | 3.42% | 600 | 35.82% | 1,675 |
| Weld | 25,480 | 54.89% | 19,977 | 43.03% | 958 | 2.08% | 5,503 | 11.86% | 46,415 |
| Yuma | 2,421 | 61.18% | 1,452 | 36.69% | 84 | 2.13% | 969 | 24.49% | 3,957 |
| Total | 645,806 | 49.04% | 637,655 | 48.42% | 33,116 | 2.54% | 8,151 | 0.62% | 1,316,577 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Notes
[edit]- Partisan clients
References
[edit]- ↑ Yeargain, T. Quinn (2021). "One Vote, Two Winners: Team-Ticket Gubernatorial Elections and the Need for Further Reform". University of Miami Law Review. 75 (3): 779. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Davidson, Donetta (1999). State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast 1997-1998-1999 (PDF). Denver, Colorado: Colorado Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "FiveThirtyEight's Pollster Ratings Raw Polls File". GitHub. FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Colorado 1998 Polls". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
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