1986 Wyoming state elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 4, 1986. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Democrats performed well in the year's elections; Democratic nominee Mike Sullivan won the gubernatorial election by a decisive margin, Superintendent Lynn Simons won a sizable majority in her bid for a third term, and Kathy Karpan won the open Secretary of State's race. Republicans prevailed in elections for State Auditor and Treasurer.

Elections in Wyoming

Federal government

|  Presidential elections

* 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

Presidential caucuses

Democratic
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024

Republican
2008
2012
2016
2024
U.S. Senate elections

* 1890
* 1895
* 1895 sp
* 1899
* 1901
* 1905
* 1907
* 1911
* 1913
* 1916
* 1918
* 1922
* 1924
* 1928
* 1930
* 1930 sp
* 1934
* 1934 sp
* 1936
* 1940
* 1942
* 1946
* 1948
* 1952
* 1954
* 1954 sp
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962 sp
* 1964
* 1966
* 1970
* 1972
* 1976
* 1978
* 1982
* 1984
* 1988
* 1990
* 1994
* 1996
* 2000
* 2002
* 2006
* 2008
* 2008 sp
* 2012
* 2014
* 2018
* 2020
* 2024
* 2026

U.S. House of Representatives elections

* 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
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1984
* 1986
* 1988
* 1989 sp
* 1990
* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

State government

|  General elections

* 1890
* 1894
* 1898
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1910
* 1914
* 1918
* 1922
* 1926
* 1930
* 1934
* 1938
* 1942
* 1946
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1958
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024
* 2026

Gubernatorial elections

* 1890
* 1892 sp
* 1894
* 1898
* 1902
* 1904 sp
* 1906
* 1910
* 1914
* 1918
* 1922
* 1924 sp
* 1926
* 1930
* 1932 sp
* 1934
* 1938
* 1942
* 1946
* 1950
* 1954
* 1958
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

Secretary of State elections

* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Senate elections

* 1992
* 23 sp
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

House of Representatives elections

* 2002
* 36 sp
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 22 sp
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 18 sp
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Judicial elections

* 2024

Local government

|  Local elections

* 2024
* 2026

Cheyenne (list of mayors)

* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Other cities

* Gillette

* v
* t
* e

## Governor

[edit]

Main article: 1986 Wyoming gubernatorial election

Incumbent Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler declined to run for re-election to a fourth term, and attorney Mike Sullivan won the Democratic primary to succeed him. He faced former State Representative Pete Simpson in the general election, whom he defeated by a decisive margin.

1986 Wyoming gubernatorial election<[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Mike Sullivan | 88,879  | 53.96%  | −9.18%
| Republican | Pete Simpson | 75,841  | 46.04%  | +9.18%
Majority | 13,038  | 7.92%  | −18.37%
Turnout | 164,720  |  |
| Democratic hold

## Secretary of State

[edit]

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Thyra Thomson declined to run for re-election to a seventh term. Her son, K. C. Thomson, a Sheridan banker, ran in the Republican primary to succeed her, as did State Senate President Jerry Geis. The contest between the two was extremely close, with unofficial results showing Thomson with a 61-vote lead over Geis.[2] The recount confirmed Thomson's narrow victory over Geis, and he advanced to the general election,[3] where he faced Kathy Karpan, the former Director of the Wyoming Department of Health and Social Services in Governor Edgar Herschler's cabinet. Karpan ended up narrowly defeating Thomson, the first Democratic victory in a Secretary of State's race since 1958.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Kathy Karpan, former Director of the Wyoming Department of Health and Social Services[4]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Kathy Karpan  | 38,201  | 100.0%
Total votes | 38,201  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* K. C. Thomson, Sheridan banker, son of incumbent State Treasurer Thyra Thomson[5]
* Jerry Geis, President of the Wyoming Senate[4]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | K. C. Thomson  | 44,868  | 50.03%
| Republican | Jerry Geis  | 44,807  | 100.00%
Total votes | 89,675  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1986 Wyoming Secretary of State election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Kathy Karpan | 86,449  | 53.59%  | +7.29%
| Republican | K. C. Thomson  | 74,880  | 46.41%  | −7.29%
Majority | 11,569  | 7.17%  | −0.24%
Turnout | 161,329  | 100.00%  |
| Democratic gain from Republican
Results by county

Karpan:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

Thomson:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

## Auditor

[edit]

Incumbent Republican State Auditor Jim Griffith declined to seek re-election to a fourth term. State House Speaker Jack Sidi won the Republican nomination unopposed, and faced Bil Tucker, a technical manager and a former trustee on the Albany County School Board, in the general election. Sidi ultimately defeated Tucker by a decisive margin, though considerably reduced from Griffith's 1982 landslide.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Bil Tucker, former Trustee on the Albany County School Board[6]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Bil Tucker  | 36,254  | 100.00%
Total votes | 36,254  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Jack Sidi, Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives[7]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Jack Sidi  | 78,168  | 100.00%
Total votes | 78,168  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1986 Wyoming Auditor election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Jack Sidi  | 86,384  | 55.30%  | −18.31%
| Democratic | Bil Tucker  | 69,819  | 44.70%  | +18.31%
Majority | 16,565  | 10.60%  | −36.62%
Turnout | 156,203  |  |
| Republican hold
Results by county

Sidi:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

*   70–80%

Tucker:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

## Treasurer

[edit]

In 1982, Wyoming voters approved a constitutional amendment that allowed state treasurers to seek re-election,[8] making incumbent Republican State Treasurer Stan Smith the first treasurer in state history to be eligible for re-election to a second term. Though Smith initially announced that he would run for governor, he ended his campaign and sought re-election as Treasurer.[9] He faced a challenge in the Republican primary from Lee Galeotos, a former official in Governor Stanley Hathaway's administration, who announced that he would run for State Treasurer while Smith was running for governor. When Smith ran for re-election instead, Galeotos remained in the race.[10] Smith defeated Galeotos by a wide margin, and faced former State Representative Carrol P. Orrison, the Democratic nominee, in the general election.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Carrol P. Orrison, former State Representative from Laramie County[11]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Carrol P. Orrison  | 36,080  | 100.00%
Total votes | 36,080  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Stan Smith, incumbent State Treasurer
* Sam Galeotos, former State Director of Administrative and Fiscal Control[12]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Stan Smith (inc.)  | 60,411  | 68.15%
| Republican | Sam Galeotos  | 28,233  | 31.85%
Total votes | 88,644  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1986 Wyoming Treasurer election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Stan Smith (inc.)  | 98,502  | 61.81%  | +3.25%
| Democratic | Carrol P. Orrison  | 60,870  | 38.19%  | −3.25%
Majority | 37,632  | 23.61%  | +6.49%
Turnout | 159,372  | 100.00%  |
| Republican hold
Results by county

Smith:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

*   70–80%

Orrison:

*   50–60%

## Superintendent of Public Instruction

[edit]

Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Lynn Simons ran for re-election to a third term. She faced Millard I. Meredith, the Superintendent of the Converse County School District No. 1 and the Republican nominee, in the general election. Simons defeated Meredith by a sizable margin, largely replicating her victory from 1986.

### Democratic primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Lynn Simons, incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Lynn Simons (inc.)  | 39,172  | 100.00%
Total votes | 39,172  | 100.00%

### Republican primary

[edit]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Millard I. Meredith, Superintendent of the Converse County School District No. 1, 1978 Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction[13]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Party primary results[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Millard I. Meredith  | 77,107  | 100.00%
Total votes | 77,107  | 100.00%

### General election

[edit]

#### Results

[edit]

1986 Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Lynn Simons (inc.)  | 90,978  | 56.88%  | −0.08%
| Republican | Millard I. Meredith  | 68,960  | 43.12%  | +0.08%
Majority | 22,018  | 13.77%  | −0.17%
Turnout | 159,938  | 100.00%  |
| Democratic hold
Results by county

Simons:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

*   70–80%

Meredith:

*   50–60%

*   60–70%

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Karpan, Kathy (1987). 1987 Wyoming Official Directory and 1986 Election Returns. pp. 162, 275–76.
2. ^ Barron, Joan (August 21, 1986). "Recount of secretary of state race begins". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. pp. A1, A14. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
3. ^ "Vote recount shows winner still Thomson". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 27, 1986. pp. A1, A12. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
4. ^ a b Barron, Joan (March 15, 1986). "Geis enters running for secretary of state". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A5. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
5. ^ "Karpan will run for Thomson's job: DHSS director will resign in June to seek nomination". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. May 3, 1986. p. A3. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
6. ^ Barron, Joan (June 7, 1986). "Candidate for state auditor says his campaign will cost at least $60,000". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. D4. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
7. ^ Barron, Joan (March 14, 1986). "Sidi announces candidacy for state auditor's position". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A3. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
8. ^ White, Philip (November 11, 1982). "Voters not voting kills amendment". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
9. ^ Barron, Joan (April 12, 1986). "Smith drops out of race for governor: He says he'll run for treasurer again". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
10. ^ Melnykovych, Andrew (April 16, 1986). "Galeotos staying in treasurer's race". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A3. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
11. ^ Barron, Joan (June 18, 1986). "Casper man files for state treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
12. ^ "Galeotos expected to run for treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. January 18, 1986. p. B1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
13. ^ "Meredith announces candidacy for superintendent of public instruction". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. January 16, 1986. p. B1. Retrieved June 5, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

(1985 ←)   1986 United States elections   (→ 1987)

U.S. Senate|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maryland
* Missouri
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Utah
* Vermont
* Washington
* Wisconsin

U.S.
House|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arkansas
* Arizona
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* District of Columbia
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Governors|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Lt. Gov
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* District of Columbia
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Mexico
* New York
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Vermont
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

State
legislatures|

* Arizona
* Arizona House
* Arizona Senate
* Iowa Senate
* Maryland
* House
* Senate
* Minnesota
* House
* Senate

Attorneys
General|

* California
* Connecticut
* Florida
* Michigan
* New York

Mayors|

* New Orleans, LA
* San Diego, CA (special)
* San Jose, CA
* Washington, DC

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template