1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election

1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election
File:Flag of Arkansas (1924–2011).svg
← 1980 November 2, 1982 1984 →
	File:1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election results map by county.svg County results; Clinton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%; White: 50–60% 60–70%
Governor before election; Frank D. White; Republican	Elected Governor ; Bill Clinton; Democratic

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The 1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982. Former Democratic governor Bill Clinton regained the position after having narrowly been defeated by Republican candidate Frank D. White at the previous election. Clinton held the position from January 1983 until he resigned after being elected president in 1992. As of 2026, this is the last time that an incumbent governor of Arkansas lost re-election.

Democratic primary

Governor Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas 1979-1981
Lieutenant Governor Joe Purcell, former acting governor of Arkansas, 1979, former lieutenant governor 1975-1981; former attorney general 1967-1971.
Jim Guy Tucker, former congressman and attorney general
Kim Hendren, state senator and automobile dealer
Monroe Schwarzlose, retired turkey farmer and perennial candidate

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Clinton	236,961	41.8
	Democratic	Joe Purcell	166,066	29.3
	Democratic	Jim Guy Tucker	129,362	22.8
Total votes			566,974^[a]	100.00

Republican primary

Frank D. White – incumbent governor
Marshall Chrisman, farmer and former state representative
Connie Voll, nutritionist

Results

Republican primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank D. White (incumbent)	11,111	83.2
	Republican	Marshal Chrisman	1,410	10.6
	Republican	Connie Vol	826	6.2
Total votes			13,347	100.00

Campaign

Clinton, one of the youngest ex-governors in the nation at the age of 36,^{[citation needed]} was aiming to regain the governorship, having lost the 1980 Arkansas gubernatorial election. Frank White, who had won that election, easily won renomination from the Republican party.

White was hurt politically due to several unpopular decisions that he made, and Clinton ran an aggressive campaign.^[2]

Result

Clinton won the election, and was elected again in 1984, 1986, and 1990. He resigned as governor following his presidential victory in November 1992.

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1982^[3]^: 36
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bill Clinton	431,855	54.71%	+6.64%
	Republican	Frank D. White (incumbent)	357,496	45.29%	−6.64%
Total votes			789,351	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic gain from Republican

References

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[2] The total number of votes is not provided and therefore estimated based on the missing percentage value of 6.1%.

[1]

[a]

[2]

[3]

v t e Elections in Arkansas
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Governor	1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 S 1852 1856 1860 1862 1864 U 1868 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 S 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House	1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1851 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 (4th S) 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 (6th S) 1962 1964 1966 (4th S) 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

v t e (1981 ←) 1982 United States elections (→ 1983)
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1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election

Contents

Democratic primary

Results

Republican primary

Results

Campaign

Result

References

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1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election

Democratic primary

Results

Republican primary

Results

Campaign

Result

References

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