1982 Alaska gubernatorial election

The 1982 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1982, for the post of Governor of Alaska. To replace outgoing Republican governor Jay Hammond, Democratic nominee Bill Sheffield defeated three opponents: Republican nominee Tom Fink, Libertarian nominee Dick Randolph and Alaskan Independence Party nominee Joe Vogler. Hammond had endorsed his lieutenant governor, Terry Miller, who lost the Republican nomination to Fink in the primary election.

1982 Alaska gubernatorial election

November 2, 1982

Nominee Bill Sheffield Tom Fink Dick Randolph Party Democratic Republican Libertarian Running mate Steve McAlpine Mike Colletta Donnis Thompson Popular vote 89,918 72,291 29,067 Percentage 46.1% 37.1% 14.9%

Governor before election Jay Hammond Republican Elected Governor Bill Sheffield Democratic

Elections in Alaska
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Randolph, as a member of a political party not recognized by the state, gained access to the ballot via a nominating petition. He garnered nearly fifteen percent of the vote, to date the highest percentage received by any Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate. His running mate, Donnis Thompson, who was married to the mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, was the only woman on a statewide ballot in this year's elections, as well as one of the first in Alaskan history.

As of 2019, this is the earliest governor election in which all major candidates are still living.