2002 New York gubernatorial election

2002 New York gubernatorial election

← 1998 November 5, 2002 2006 →
 
Nominee George Pataki H. Carl McCall Tom Golisano
Party Republican Democratic Independence
Alliance Conservative Working Families
Running mate Mary Donohue Dennis Mehiel Mary Donohue[a]
Popular vote 2,262,255 1,534,064 654,016
Percentage 49.40% 33.50% 14.28%

County results
Pataki:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
McCall:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Golisano:      30–40%

Governor before election

George Pataki
Republican

Elected Governor

George Pataki
Republican

The 2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Republican governor George Pataki was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democrat Carl McCall and Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano, who ran on the Independence Party line. As of 2024, this was the last time a Republican won a statewide election in New York, and the last time Albany, Tompkins and Westchester counties have voted Republican in a statewide election.

On Election Day, Pataki was easily re-elected, but fell short of receiving 50% of the vote. McCall received 33% of the vote, carrying New York City (other than Staten Island) and nearly carrying Albany County. In contrast to the norm for multiple third party campaigns, Golisano did better than his previous elections, receiving 14% of the vote and carrying his home county of Monroe in western New York. This election was the first New York gubernatorial election since 1978 in which the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.
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