1981 Virginia gubernatorial election
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| Turnout | 64.8% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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 County and independent city results Robb: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Coleman: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Virginia |
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In the 1981 Virginia gubernatorial election, Republican incumbent Governor John N. Dalton was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Chuck Robb, the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, was nominated by the Democratic Party to run against the Republican nominee, state Attorney General J. Marshall Coleman.
Robb's victory ended 12 consecutive years of Republican control of the Governor's Mansion.
Fairfax County voted Democratic for Governor for the first time since 1949, whilst as of 2021 this remains the last occasion when Mathews County or Mecklenburg County voted Democratic for Governor.
General election
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Chuck Robb, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (Democratic)
- J. Marshall Coleman, Attorney General of Virginia (Republican)
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Charles S. Robb | 760,357 | 53.56% | +10.32% | |
| Republican | J. Marshall Coleman | 659,398 | 46.44% | −9.41% | |
| Majority | 100,959 | 7.11% | −5.51% | ||
| Turnout | 1,419,755 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
Results by county or independent city
[edit]| Charles Spittal Robb Democratic |
John Marshall Coleman Republican |
Various candidates Write-ins |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack County | 4,114 | 52.06% | 3,786 | 47.91% | 2 | 0.03% | 328 | 4.15% | 7,902 |
| Albemarle County | 6,954 | 48.79% | 7,273 | 51.02% | 27 | 0.19% | -319 | -2.24% | 14,254 |
| Alleghany County | 2,545 | 62.67% | 1,515 | 37.31% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,030 | 25.36% | 4,061 |
| Amelia County | 1,536 | 51.41% | 1,451 | 48.56% | 1 | 0.03% | 85 | 2.84% | 2,988 |
| Amherst County | 3,549 | 51.24% | 3,377 | 48.76% | 172 | 2.48% | 6,926 | ||
| Appomattox County | 2,219 | 59.89% | 1,486 | 40.11% | 733 | 19.78% | 3,705 | ||
| Arlington County | 27,472 | 59.20% | 18,870 | 40.66% | 62 | 0.13% | 8,602 | 18.54% | 46,404 |
| Augusta County | 5,980 | 42.20% | 8,189 | 57.78% | 3 | 0.02% | -2,209 | -15.59% | 14,172 |
| Bath County | 831 | 55.03% | 678 | 44.90% | 1 | 0.07% | 153 | 10.13% | 1,510 |
| Bedford County | 4,797 | 50.48% | 4,703 | 49.49% | 3 | 0.03% | 94 | 0.99% | 9,503 |
| Bland County | 1,010 | 52.25% | 920 | 47.59% | 3 | 0.16% | 90 | 4.66% | 1,933 |
| Botetourt County | 3,677 | 54.45% | 3,076 | 45.55% | 601 | 8.90% | 6,753 | ||
| Brunswick County | 2,659 | 60.31% | 1,748 | 39.65% | 2 | 0.05% | 911 | 20.66% | 4,409 |
| Buchanan County | 4,971 | 65.28% | 2,644 | 34.72% | 2,327 | 30.56% | 7,615 | ||
| Buckingham County | 2,415 | 69.26% | 1,068 | 30.63% | 4 | 0.11% | 1,347 | 38.63% | 3,487 |
| Campbell County | 4,650 | 42.84% | 6,202 | 57.13% | 3 | 0.03% | -1,552 | -14.30% | 10,855 |
| Caroline County | 2,612 | 63.88% | 1,477 | 36.12% | 1,135 | 27.76% | 4,089 | ||
| Carroll County | 3,053 | 43.08% | 4,033 | 56.92% | -980 | -13.83% | 7,086 | ||
| Charles City County | 1,411 | 80.03% | 352 | 19.97% | 1,059 | 60.07% | 1,763 | ||
| Charlotte County | 1,886 | 51.80% | 1,719 | 47.21% | 36 | 0.99% | 167 | 4.59% | 3,641 |
| Chesterfield County | 16,639 | 38.09% | 27,032 | 61.89% | 8 | 0.02% | -10,393 | -23.79% | 43,679 |
| Clarke County | 1,258 | 49.88% | 1,261 | 50.00% | 3 | 0.12% | -3 | -0.12% | 2,522 |
| Craig County | 941 | 63.03% | 552 | 36.97% | 389 | 26.05% | 1,493 | ||
| Culpeper County | 2,731 | 47.33% | 3,039 | 52.67% | -308 | -5.34% | 5,770 | ||
| Cumberland County | 1,311 | 52.38% | 1,192 | 47.62% | 119 | 4.75% | 2,503 | ||
| Dickenson County | 3,977 | 60.76% | 2,566 | 39.21% | 2 | 0.03% | 1,411 | 21.56% | 6,545 |
| Dinwiddie County | 3,191 | 57.06% | 2,401 | 42.94% | 790 | 14.13% | 5,592 | ||
| Essex County | 1,190 | 48.75% | 1,251 | 51.25% | -61 | -2.50% | 2,441 | ||
| Fairfax County | 85,818 | 51.76% | 79,909 | 48.20% | 73 | 0.04% | 5,909 | 3.56% | 165,800 |
| Fauquier County | 3,891 | 46.69% | 4,442 | 53.30% | 1 | 0.01% | -551 | -6.61% | 8,334 |
| Floyd County | 1,634 | 46.81% | 1,856 | 53.17% | 1 | 0.03% | -222 | -6.36% | 3,491 |
| Fluvanna County | 1,239 | 51.47% | 1,163 | 48.32% | 5 | 0.21% | 76 | 3.16% | 2,407 |
| Franklin County | 5,828 | 62.33% | 3,512 | 37.56% | 10 | 0.11% | 2,316 | 24.77% | 9,350 |
| Frederick County | 3,499 | 43.35% | 4,572 | 56.65% | -1,073 | -13.29% | 8,071 | ||
| Giles County | 3,302 | 59.56% | 2,242 | 40.44% | 1,060 | 19.12% | 5,544 | ||
| Gloucester County | 3,337 | 51.96% | 3,083 | 48.01% | 2 | 0.03% | 254 | 3.96% | 6,422 |
| Goochland County | 2,257 | 53.79% | 1,937 | 46.16% | 2 | 0.05% | 320 | 7.63% | 4,196 |
| Grayson County | 2,616 | 50.37% | 2,578 | 49.63% | 38 | 0.73% | 5,194 | ||
| Greene County | 763 | 41.72% | 1,066 | 58.28% | -303 | -16.57% | 1,829 | ||
| Greensville County | 1,790 | 59.08% | 1,240 | 40.92% | 550 | 18.15% | 3,030 | ||
| Halifax County | 3,847 | 47.86% | 3,993 | 49.68% | 198 | 2.46% | -146 | -1.82% | 8,038 |
| Hanover County | 6,637 | 39.95% | 9,974 | 60.03% | 3 | 0.02% | -3,337 | -20.09% | 16,614 |
| Henrico County | 27,054 | 42.73% | 36,246 | 57.24% | 20 | 0.03% | -9,192 | -14.52% | 63,320 |
| Henry County | 7,415 | 57.00% | 5,591 | 42.98% | 2 | 0.02% | 1,824 | 14.02% | 13,008 |
| Highland County | 510 | 44.82% | 628 | 55.18% | -118 | -10.37% | 1,138 | ||
| Isle of Wight County | 3,953 | 59.49% | 2,691 | 40.50% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,262 | 18.99% | 6,645 |
| James City County | 3,223 | 50.84% | 3,117 | 49.16% | 106 | 1.67% | 6,340 | ||
| King and Queen County | 1,099 | 61.60% | 685 | 38.40% | 414 | 23.21% | 1,784 | ||
| King George County | 1,172 | 48.91% | 1,224 | 51.09% | -52 | -2.17% | 2,396 | ||
| King William County | 1,415 | 50.34% | 1,396 | 49.66% | 19 | 0.68% | 2,811 | ||
| Lancaster County | 1,474 | 40.59% | 2,156 | 59.38% | 1 | 0.03% | -682 | -18.78% | 3,631 |
| Lee County | 4,368 | 59.79% | 2,938 | 40.21% | 1,430 | 19.57% | 7,306 | ||
| Loudoun County | 7,334 | 49.12% | 7,594 | 50.86% | 2 | 0.01% | -260 | -1.74% | 14,930 |
| Louisa County | 2,727 | 57.13% | 2,026 | 42.45% | 20 | 0.42% | 701 | 14.69% | 4,773 |
| Lunenburg County | 1,875 | 55.62% | 1,492 | 44.26% | 4 | 0.12% | 383 | 11.36% | 3,371 |
| Madison County | 1,561 | 50.27% | 1,544 | 49.73% | 17 | 0.55% | 3,105 | ||
| Mathews County | 1,565 | 50.68% | 1,523 | 49.32% | 42 | 1.36% | 3,088 | ||
| Mecklenburg County | 3,415 | 50.63% | 3,329 | 49.36% | 1 | 0.01% | 86 | 1.28% | 6,745 |
| Middlesex County | 1,519 | 52.06% | 1,398 | 47.91% | 1 | 0.03% | 121 | 4.15% | 2,918 |
| Montgomery County | 7,451 | 54.47% | 6,225 | 45.51% | 2 | 0.01% | 1,226 | 8.96% | 13,678 |
| Nelson County | 2,106 | 58.63% | 1,486 | 41.37% | 620 | 17.26% | 3,592 | ||
| New Kent County | 1,227 | 49.84% | 1,235 | 50.16% | -8 | -0.32% | 2,462 | ||
| Northampton County | 2,310 | 59.32% | 1,584 | 40.68% | 726 | 18.64% | 3,894 | ||
| Northumberland County | 1,577 | 43.38% | 2,058 | 56.62% | -481 | -13.23% | 3,635 | ||
| Nottoway County | 2,674 | 54.68% | 2,212 | 45.24% | 4 | 0.08% | 462 | 9.45% | 4,890 |
| Orange County | 2,449 | 50.62% | 2,387 | 49.34% | 2 | 0.04% | 62 | 1.28% | 4,838 |
| Page County | 2,678 | 48.57% | 2,834 | 51.40% | 2 | 0.04% | -156 | -2.83% | 5,514 |
| Patrick County | 2,847 | 58.56% | 2,014 | 41.42% | 1 | 0.02% | 833 | 17.13% | 4,862 |
| Pittsylvania County | 6,708 | 42.90% | 8,930 | 57.10% | -2,222 | -14.21% | 15,638 | ||
| Powhatan County | 1,669 | 44.29% | 2,099 | 55.71% | -430 | -11.41% | 3,768 | ||
| Prince Edward County | 2,729 | 55.66% | 2,165 | 44.16% | 9 | 0.18% | 564 | 11.50% | 4,903 |
| Prince George County | 2,302 | 49.06% | 2,389 | 50.92% | 1 | 0.02% | -87 | -1.85% | 4,692 |
| Prince William County | 13,387 | 51.41% | 12,644 | 48.56% | 8 | 0.03% | 743 | 2.85% | 26,039 |
| Pulaski County | 5,152 | 55.36% | 4,149 | 44.58% | 5 | 0.05% | 1,003 | 10.78% | 9,306 |
| Rappahannock County | 1,009 | 57.59% | 743 | 42.41% | 266 | 15.18% | 1,752 | ||
| Richmond County | 1,012 | 46.40% | 1,169 | 53.60% | -157 | -7.20% | 2,181 | ||
| Roanoke County | 12,038 | 49.99% | 12,040 | 50.00% | 2 | 0.01% | -2 | -0.01% | 24,080 |
| Rockbridge County | 2,406 | 52.12% | 2,205 | 47.77% | 5 | 0.11% | 201 | 4.35% | 4,616 |
| Rockingham County | 5,779 | 39.71% | 8,756 | 60.17% | 17 | 0.12% | -2,977 | -20.46% | 14,552 |
| Russell County | 4,753 | 60.64% | 3,085 | 39.36% | 1,668 | 21.28% | 7,838 | ||
| Scott County | 3,264 | 48.80% | 3,424 | 51.20% | -160 | -2.39% | 6,688 | ||
| Shenandoah County | 3,608 | 40.86% | 5,223 | 59.14% | -1,615 | -18.29% | 8,831 | ||
| Smyth County | 4,678 | 51.00% | 4,494 | 49.00% | 184 | 2.01% | 9,172 | ||
| Southampton County | 3,061 | 57.83% | 2,232 | 42.17% | 829 | 15.66% | 5,293 | ||
| Spotsylvania County | 4,088 | 54.21% | 3,453 | 45.79% | 635 | 8.42% | 7,541 | ||
| Stafford County | 4,625 | 47.01% | 5,214 | 52.99% | -589 | -5.99% | 9,839 | ||
| Surry County | 1,727 | 71.42% | 690 | 28.54% | 1 | 0.04% | 1,037 | 42.89% | 2,418 |
| Sussex County | 2,339 | 66.62% | 1,172 | 33.38% | 1,167 | 33.24% | 3,511 | ||
| Tazewell County | 5,988 | 59.02% | 4,156 | 40.96% | 2 | 0.02% | 1,832 | 18.06% | 10,146 |
| Warren County | 3,086 | 55.08% | 2,517 | 44.92% | 569 | 10.16% | 5,603 | ||
| Washington County | 5,617 | 49.67% | 5,690 | 50.32% | 1 | 0.01% | -73 | -0.65% | 11,308 |
| Westmoreland County | 2,266 | 56.13% | 1,771 | 43.87% | 495 | 12.26% | 4,037 | ||
| Wise County | 6,459 | 64.08% | 3,620 | 35.92% | 2,839 | 28.17% | 10,079 | ||
| Wythe County | 3,898 | 52.43% | 3,537 | 47.57% | 361 | 4.86% | 7,435 | ||
| York County | 4,615 | 49.81% | 4,649 | 50.18% | 1 | 0.01% | -34 | -0.37% | 9,265 |
| Alexandria City | 15,892 | 60.21% | 10,487 | 39.73% | 14 | 0.05% | 5,405 | 20.48% | 26,393 |
| Bedford City | 1,141 | 56.68% | 872 | 43.32% | 269 | 13.36% | 2,013 | ||
| Bristol City | 2,339 | 54.03% | 1,989 | 45.95% | 1 | 0.02% | 350 | 8.09% | 4,329 |
| Buena Vista City | 993 | 62.14% | 604 | 37.80% | 1 | 0.06% | 389 | 24.34% | 1,598 |
| Charlottesville City | 6,069 | 59.34% | 4,114 | 40.22% | 45 | 0.44% | 1,955 | 19.11% | 10,228 |
| Chesapeake City | 16,335 | 60.99% | 10,448 | 39.01% | 2 | 0.01% | 5,887 | 21.98% | 26,785 |
| Clifton Forge City | 1,022 | 63.20% | 593 | 36.67% | 2 | 0.12% | 429 | 26.53% | 1,617 |
| Colonial Heights City | 2,153 | 36.28% | 3,780 | 63.70% | 1 | 0.02% | -1,627 | -27.42% | 5,934 |
| Covington City | 1,961 | 67.74% | 934 | 32.26% | 1,027 | 35.47% | 2,895 | ||
| Danville City | 6,108 | 38.85% | 9,603 | 61.08% | 12 | 0.08% | -3,495 | -22.23% | 15,723 |
| Emporia City | 783 | 47.66% | 860 | 52.34% | -77 | -4.69% | 1,643 | ||
| Fairfax City | 3,021 | 50.24% | 2,992 | 49.76% | 29 | 0.48% | 6,013 | ||
| Falls Church City | 2,000 | 55.59% | 1,597 | 44.39% | 1 | 0.03% | 403 | 11.20% | 3,598 |
| Franklin City | 1,199 | 59.30% | 823 | 40.70% | 376 | 18.60% | 2,022 | ||
| Fredericksburg City | 2,226 | 55.19% | 1,807 | 44.81% | 419 | 10.39% | 4,033 | ||
| Galax City | 999 | 52.72% | 896 | 47.28% | 103 | 5.44% | 1,895 | ||
| Hampton City | 17,509 | 61.18% | 11,103 | 38.80% | 5 | 0.02% | 6,406 | 22.39% | 28,617 |
| Harrisonburg City | 2,156 | 46.62% | 2,456 | 53.10% | 13 | 0.28% | -300 | -6.49% | 4,625 |
| Hopewell City | 3,230 | 48.02% | 3,496 | 51.97% | 1 | 0.01% | -266 | -3.95% | 6,727 |
| Lexington City | 976 | 55.80% | 772 | 44.14% | 1 | 0.06% | 204 | 11.66% | 1,749 |
| Lynchburg City | 8,269 | 44.26% | 10,399 | 55.66% | 14 | 0.07% | -2,130 | -11.40% | 18,682 |
| Manassas City | 1,727 | 48.52% | 1,832 | 51.48% | -105 | -2.95% | 3,559 | ||
| Manassas Park City | 468 | 52.88% | 417 | 47.12% | 51 | 5.76% | 885 | ||
| Martinsville City | 3,100 | 54.95% | 2,537 | 44.97% | 5 | 0.09% | 563 | 9.98% | 5,642 |
| Newport News City | 20,240 | 57.70% | 14,824 | 42.26% | 12 | 0.03% | 5,416 | 15.44% | 35,076 |
| Norfolk City | 34,780 | 67.75% | 16,526 | 32.19% | 30 | 0.06% | 18,254 | 35.56% | 51,336 |
| Norton City | 695 | 65.88% | 360 | 34.12% | 335 | 31.75% | 1,055 | ||
| Petersburg City | 7,296 | 65.88% | 3,776 | 34.10% | 2 | 0.02% | 3,520 | 31.79% | 11,074 |
| Poquoson City | 1,044 | 38.71% | 1,653 | 61.29% | -609 | -22.58% | 2,697 | ||
| Portsmouth City | 19,718 | 70.03% | 8,427 | 29.93% | 11 | 0.04% | 11,291 | 40.10% | 28,156 |
| Radford City | 2,070 | 57.31% | 1,542 | 42.69% | 528 | 14.62% | 3,612 | ||
| Richmond City | 45,378 | 64.48% | 24,926 | 35.42% | 71 | 0.10% | 20,452 | 29.06% | 70,375 |
| Roanoke City | 16,648 | 61.61% | 10,367 | 38.37% | 6 | 0.02% | 6,281 | 23.24% | 27,021 |
| Salem City | 3,700 | 52.13% | 3,395 | 47.84% | 2 | 0.03% | 305 | 4.30% | 7,097 |
| South Boston City | 847 | 43.98% | 1,065 | 55.30% | 14 | 0.73% | -218 | -11.32% | 1,926 |
| Staunton City | 3,138 | 49.18% | 3,241 | 50.80% | 1 | 0.02% | -103 | -1.61% | 6,380 |
| Suffolk City | 8,414 | 64.10% | 4,712 | 35.90% | 3,702 | 28.20% | 13,126 | ||
| Virginia Beach City | 27,993 | 50.83% | 27,060 | 49.14% | 16 | 0.03% | 933 | 1.69% | 55,069 |
| Waynesboro City | 1,876 | 37.90% | 3,072 | 62.06% | 2 | 0.04% | -1,196 | -24.16% | 4,950 |
| Williamsburg City | 1,224 | 54.62% | 1,017 | 45.38% | 207 | 9.24% | 2,241 | ||
| Winchester City | 2,522 | 47.50% | 2,787 | 52.50% | -265 | -4.99% | 5,309 | ||
| Totals | 760,357 | 53.52% | 659,398 | 46.42% | 856 | 0.06% | 100,959 | 7.11% | 1,420,611 |
References
[edit]- ^ Virginia Department of Elections (2016). "Registration/Turnout Statistics". The Commonwealth of Virginia. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ^ Sabato, Larry (February 1982). "The 1981 Gubernatorial Election in Virginia" (PDF). The University of Virginia Newsletter. Vol. 58, no. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
- ^ "VA Governor – November 03, 1981". Our Campaigns.
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