New York gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: July 12, 2018
Primary: September 13, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Democrat)
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (general elections); primary times vary by county
Voting in New York
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
New York
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Comptroller

Incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) defeated Duchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R) and three others in the general election on November 6, 2018, for governor of New York.

Heading into the election, New York was one of 16 states under divided government, with the Democratic Party holding the governor's office and a majority in the New York State Assembly and the Republican Party holding an effective 32-31 majority in the New York State Senate through a coalition with Democratic state Sen. Simcha Felder. As a result of the November 6 elections, Democrats obtained a trifecta for the first time since 2010 by holding the governorship and state Assembly and taking control of the state Senate. For more information on the 2018 elections in the New York State Senate, click here.

Cuomo was first elected in 2010 by a margin of 28 percentage points and was re-elected by a margin of 14 percentage points in 2014. Heading into the election, New York had not elected a Republican governor since electing George Pataki (R) in 2002.[1]

Third party and independent candidates included retired United Parcel Service worker Howie Hawkins (Green Party), former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner (I), and business consultant Larry Sharpe (L).

New York was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Democratic Party Click here for more information on the Democratic gubernatorial primary and here for more information on the lieutenant gubernatorial primary.
Republican Party Click here for more information on the Republican gubernatorial primary and here for more information on the lieutenant gubernatorial primary.

Candidates and election results

Governor

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

General election

General election

General election for Governor of New York

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo (D / Working Families Party / Independence Party / Women's Equality Party)
 
59.6
 
3,635,340
Image of Marcus Molinaro
Marcus Molinaro (R / Conservative Party / Tax Revolt Party) Candidate Connection
 
36.2
 
2,207,602
Image of Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins (G) Candidate Connection
 
1.7
 
103,946
Image of Larry Sharpe
Larry Sharpe (L)
 
1.6
 
95,033
Image of Stephanie Miner
Stephanie Miner (Serve America Movement Party)
 
0.9
 
55,441
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
7,115

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 6,104,477
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Political party key:
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
Darkred.png Conservative Party
Begins.png Green Party
Darkpurple.png Independence Party
Blueslashed.png Reform Party
Cyanslashed.png Tax Revolt Party
Women's Equality Party Women's Equality Party
Darkgreen.png Working Families Party

Fusion voting candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of New York

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
 
65.5
 
1,021,160
Image of Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon
 
34.5
 
537,192

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,558,352
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary election

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Lieutenant governor

General election candidates

Political party key:
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
Darkred.png Conservative Party
Begins.png Green Party
Darkpurple.png Independence Party
Blueslashed.png Reform Party
Cyanslashed.png Tax Revolt Party
Women's Equality Party Women's Equality Party
Darkgreen.png Working Families Party

Fusion voting candidates

Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York
AndrewCuomo2015.png

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: Governor of New York (Assumed office:2011), Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1993-1997), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1997-2001)

Biography: The son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo earned a B.A. from Fordham University in 1979. In 1982, Cuomo earned a J.D. from Albany Law School and was named a top aide to his father's inaugural campaign for governor. He then joined the governor's staff as one of his father's top policy advisers. Cuomo served as assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1997 and as secretary of HUD from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Cuomo was elected New York attorney general in 2006, a seat he held until assuming office as governor in 2011.[2]

Key messages
  • Cuomo ran on his record in office. He listed the state's $15 minimum wage, expanded anti-homelessness programs, and a plan to provide free college for New York students as evidence of his success in combatting income inequality during his tenure.[3]
  • Cuomo touted a $100 billion infrastructure program and partnerships with organized labor as part of his strategy to make the state more competitive in the global economy.[3]
  • Cuomo highlighted that during his tenure New York became "the first large state to pass marriage equality and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status or gender dysphoria."[3]



Marcus Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive
Marcus Molinaro.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: Dutchess County Executive, (Assumed office: 2012), New York State Assembly District 103 (2007-2012),

Biography: Molinaro graduated from Pace University Land Use Law Center Community Leadership Alliance and earned his A.A. in Humanities and Social Sciences from Dutchess Community College. His professional experience includes work in real estate and acting as the executive director of the Association for Senior Citizens.[4] Molinaro served as mayor of Tivoli, New York, from 1995 to 2006. When elected at 19 years old, Molinaro became the youngest mayor in the United States. Molinaro was elected to represent District 103 in the New York State Assembly in 2006, serving from 2007-2012. Molinaro was elected as Dutchess County executive in 2011.[5]

Key messages
  • Molinaro proposed an eight-point plan to reform the MTA including reducing project labor costs by addressing workforce efficiency issues. Molinaro cited a two-percent drop in subway ridership between 2015 and 2017 and the New York City Comptroller's finding that New York City Transit (NYCT) delays cost the city’s economy almost $400 million per year as evidence of mismanagement of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).[6]
  • Molinaro supported amending the constitution to include term limits for state elected politicians to combat corruption, saying, "It is neither unfair nor inappropriate to suggest that New York is one of the most corrupt states in the nation. [6]
  • Molinaro pledged to cut property taxes by 30 percent if elected, saying, “these nation-leading taxes aren’t only oppressive, they are foolishly counterproductive.” He said he would make the state's current 2 percent property tax cap permanent, and expand the cap to include New York City, which was exempt at the time of the election.[6]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
New York gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018
Poll Poll sponsor Cuomo MolinaroNixonSharpeHawkinsMinerUndecided/OtherMargin of ErrorSample Size
Siena College
October 28-November 1, 2018		None 49%36%0%3%2%2%7%+/-3.9641
Quinnipiac University
October 10-16, 2018		None 58%35%0%0%0%0%7%+/-4.4852
Siena College
September 20-27, 2018		None 50%28%10%2%1%1%8%+/-3.9701
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected]

Campaign finance

Race rating

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: New York gubernatorial election, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
November 5, 2018October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018
The Cook Political ReportSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites.


Noteworthy general election endorsements
Endorsement Cuomo (D) Molinaro (R)
Organizations
The Business Council of New York State[7] ✔
Newspapers
The Post Star[8] ✔
The Buffalo News[9] ✔
The New York Post[10] ✔
The Auburn Citizen[11] ✔
The New York Times[12] ✔
The Kingston Daily Gazette[13] ✔
The Syracuse Post-Standard[14] ✔

Timeline

  • November 4, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Cuomo with 49 percent and Molinaro with 36 percent. The margin of error was 3.9 percentage points.
  • November 1, 2018: The New York Times endorsed Cuomo.
  • November 1, 2018: All candidates except Cuomo participated in a League of Women Voters forum at the College of Saint Rose. Read more below.
  • October 28, 2018: The New York Post and The Auburn Citizen endorsed Molinaro.
  • October 27, 2018: The Buffalo News endorsed Cuomo.
  • October 23, 2018: Cuomo and Molinaro participated in a head-to-head televised debate. Read more below.
  • October 18, 2018: A Quinnipiac University poll showed Cuomo leading Molinaro 58-35. The margin of error was 4.4 percentage points.
  • October 3, 2018: The Working Families Party voted to remove Cynthia Nixon and Jumaane Williams from its general election ballot line. Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul were offered the party's endorsement, which would result in their names appearing on both the Democratic and Working Families Party line in the election.[15]
  • October 1, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Cuomo leading Molinaro 58 to 28 percent in the six-way race. 10 percent said they would vote for Nixon, 2 percent for Sharpe, 1 percent for Hawkins and 1 percent for Miner. The margin of error was 3.9 percentage points.

Policy stances

This section summarizes candidate positions on select policy issues discussed over the course of the election. If you are aware of a significant policy issue in this race, please email us.

Abortion

Democratic Party Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo supported abortion access. On his website, he said he "will always protect a woman’s right to choose and will fight the extreme conservatives in Washington who threaten that right."[16]

Republican Party Marc Molinaro

In an interview with the Albany Times Union editorial board on October 31, Molinaro said he would support efforts to codify legalized abortion if the United States Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, which said states could not ban abortion. He said, "I understand the need, should the Supreme Court suggest that [abortion is] not a constitutional right – and it is. Should the Supreme Court suggest it's not a constitutional right, the state would need to act, to at least codify, so that it's not treated as a criminal or penal violation."[17]

Campaign advertisements

Andrew Cuomo

Support
"Stand with us in the fight to end the NRA’s stranglehold on American politics" digital ad released August 5, 2018
"Women for Cuomo" released August 2, 2018
"CHALLENGING TIMES – PROVEN LEADERSHIP" released July 23, 2018
"Fight Back" released July 9, 2018
"Before They Happen" released June 12, 2018
Oppose
"Guilty" Molinaro campaign ad released August 13, 2018

Marc Molinaro

Support
"Join Me" Molinaro campaign ad released August 13, 2018

Debates and forums

Nov. 1 debate

All candidates except Cuomo participated in a League of Women Voters forum at the College of Saint Rose.[18]

Read a roundup of the debate from Politico.

Oct. 23 debate

Cuomo and Molinaro participated in a head-to-head televised debate.[19]

Read roundups of the debate here:

Campaign themes

Democratic Party Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Civil Rights and Criminal Justice Reform
New York was founded on the values of equality, justice and tolerance, and Governor Cuomo has fought over the past eight years to uphold that legacy. He established the Liberty Defense Project to assist immigrants threatened by intimidating policies and made history by creating the Office for New Americans as the first statutorily created immigrant services office. He has fought to pass the DREAM Act and will not stop fighting for DREAMERs. Additionally, he reformed an antiquated criminal justice system by raising the age of criminal responsibility to 18, implementing discovery reforms, and launching innovative re-entry programs to ensure a lower recidivism rate and fairness for all New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo has worked to provide opportunity for all, to welcome immigrants, and to protect individual and religious freedoms. He will defend these New York’s values against the extreme conservatives who are looking to take us backwards.

Gun Safety
While Washington ignores the scourge of gun violence, Governor Cuomo is taking action. Following Sandy Hook, he passed the SAFE Act — the toughest and smartest gun safety program in the nation. And as students across the nation speak out against gun violence in the wake of continued shootings, Governor Cuomo further strengthened New York law by enacting legislation that removes guns from domestic abusers. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, a multi-state coalition was formed to share research and data to keep New Yorkers safer.

Fighting for Women’s Equality
Governor Cuomo knows that when women succeed, New York succeeds. He has fought to champion women’s rights and break down barriers to equality. Under Governor Cuomo, New York passed the most comprehensive paid family leave program in the nation, launched the most aggressive public university sexual assault policy in the country, fought for a comprehensive policy to combat sexual harassment, achieved the smallest wage gap in the country, and ensured that contraceptive coverage is not interrupted regardless of what happens in Washington. He will always protect a woman’s right to choose and will fight the extreme conservatives in Washington who threaten that right.

LGBTQ Community
Pride was born at the Stonewall Inn in New York, and Governor Cuomo is a tireless fighter for the rights of the LGBTQ community. Under the Governor’s leadership, New York became the first large state to pass marriage equality and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status or gender dysphoria. He has pledged to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.

Educational Opportunity for All
From pre-kindergarten to college, Governor Cuomo is committed to providing the nation’s best educational opportunities to all New Yorkers. The Governor increased education funding to record highs, fought for funding equity in education, expanded full-day pre-k, launched New York’s first 3-year-old pre-k program, expanded community school programs, and passed the groundbreaking Excelsior Scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program to provide cost-free tuition at New York’s public colleges and universities. He puts students first and works to ensure that all New Yorkers are empowered to achieve their dreams.

A Healthier New York
Governor Cuomo believes health care is a right, not a luxury, and has fought to expand quality and affordable health care for more New Yorkers. From redesigning Medicaid to reduce costs and improve care, to embracing the Affordable Care Act, and enrolling nearly one in five New Yorkers through the state’s marketplace, Governor Cuomo strengthened New York’s health care system and set an example for other states to follow. He is also laser focused on combating the opioid epidemic, making record investments in treatment services and increasing access to life-saving Naloxone.

Protecting New York’s Environment
Governor Cuomo has taken decisive action to lead the fight against climate change, create the clean energy jobs of tomorrow, and protect our environment for generations to come. From banning fracking, to making record investments in conservation, clean water, and renewable energy like offshore wind and solar, to standing up to Washington’s proposal to drill off New York’s coast, Governor Cuomo is picking up the mantle of climate leadership where Washington is failing.

Building a New New York
To grow New York’s competitiveness in the 21st century global economy, Governor Cuomo is building today for a better tomorrow. Under the Governor’s leadership, and with the support of the men and women of organized labor, New York advanced a nation-leading $100 billion infrastructure program to rebuild roads, bridges, tunnels and airports, make historic investments in public transportation, and expand access to high speed broadband.

Creating a Strong Middle Class
Governor Cuomo knows that the American Dream depends on economic mobility and a strong middle class. Today, every New Yorker pays a lower tax rate than they did before he took office. He took action to change a largely flat, regressive income tax into a fairer tax system by adding additional brackets. Now New York has more private sector jobs than at any point in history. Governor Cuomo is also fighting to protect New Yorkers against Washington’s devastating elimination of full state and local tax deductibility and to protect our economy.

Combatting Income Inequality
Governor Cuomo is fighting for economic justice by securing New York’s groundbreaking $15 minimum wage, enacting critical protections for New York’s workers, passing the largest affordable housing and anti-homelessness program in state history, expanding the child care tax credit for working families, and passing the first in the nation plan to provide free college for New York students. Governor Cuomo has fought to give all New Yorkers the opportunity to succeed. [20]

”
—Andrew Cuomo’s campaign website (2018)[21]

Republican Party Marc Molinaro

Molinaro’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Revitalizing the MTA Introduction Every day, millions of New Yorkers step onto subway cars, commuter trains, paratransit vehicles, and buses headed to their jobs, their schools, to visit loved ones, or to see the sights. They rely on this vast public transit system to connect them with the myriad opportunities offered by the New York City metro area. For them, the roar of the trains, the screech of the rails, and the hum of the crowd of fellow riders is how they begin and end each day — it is part of their routine; part of their lives. For too many, this daily pattern has become anything but routine, with daily delays, gridlock, and broken escalators and elevators turning their typical travels into an odyssey. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder, crammed on overcrowded platforms or stuffed into broken-down subway cars watching the time tick by as they run later and later for meetings or job interviews, or they sit sullenly as they realize they are going to miss their college graduation or a promising first date. There is a human toll to the crisis faced by the Metropolitan TransportationAuthority (MTA); for some, it is a missed opportunity and for others, it is a lost job or derailed train. “The future of a city, a region, and the people that live within it are at stake - we must work together, put aside our differences, own the problem, and fix the MTA.”

The viability and livability of a region the size and density of the New York City metro area are contingent upon a reliable, safe, fast, and well organized public-transit system. Such a system is a key component of the dynamism that breathes life into the metropolis and draws in travelers, dreamers, fortune-seekers, skilled professionals, artists, and immigrants. The economic and social well-being of New York City and the surrounding suburbs depends on the transit system. The future of a city, a region, and the people that live within it are at stake — we must work together, put aside our differences, own the problem, and fix the MTA. The content of this document relies heavily on the independent work of the Regional Plan Association, the Manhattan Institute, the Citizens Budget Commission, and many others. It is clear we do not suffer from a lack of expert analysis and good ideas, but rather the political will and leadership to turn good ideas into real solutions. VIEW FULL PDF HERE

Restoring Public Trust in Government Introduction It is neither unfair nor inappropriate to suggest that New York is one of the most corrupt states in the nation. In 2015, FiveThirtyEight ranked states using various metrics for corruption (total number of convictions, convictions per capita, reporter ranking, and lack of stringent laws), New York ranked in the top 15 for most corrupt in every category. That same year the Center for Public Integrity gave New York a “D-minus” on an assessment of state government accountability and transparency earning it the rank of 31st in the nation. Also in 2015, Politico named New York the most corrupt state in the country. These rankings are not surprising to anyone who watches the local news or reads the daily papers, as it is hard to recall a time in recent memory when Albany wasn’t being “rocked” by the latest corruption trial or newest scandal.

The three most recent governors were either personally embroiled or directly connected to a scandal. Add to this tally, five recent Senate Majority Leaders and the man once thought to be the true power in Albany, former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. When 2018 is finished, five high-profile corruption trials will have been completed including the retrials of Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver as well as the trials of Governor Cuomo’s close friend and former aide Joe Percoco, key economic development figure Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, and former Erie County Democratic Chairman Steve Pigeon. At some level, corruption is not a problem that can be legislated away. There will always be bad actors willing to distort, twist, and break the law to utilize the levers of government to serve themselves. However, there are systemic and structural failures that allow bad actors to thrive and too often perversely incentivize corrupt behavior. These failures must be addressed. Consider the contribution limit loophole enjoyed by limited liability companies, political careerism, the lack of transparency and independent oversight, and the overall transactional nature of the State’s economic development policy - these are all failures that can only be addressed by changing the law, policy approach, and culture of New York State Government. Corruption for many often seems abstract and people often, rightfully, wonder how it impacts their daily lives - my answer to them is there is an insidious cost to corruption that every taxpayer, voter, and resident pays. VIEW FULL PDF HERE [20]

”
—Marc Molinaro’s campaign website (2018)[22]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Democratic Party Andrew Cuomo Facebook

Republican Party Marc Molinaro Facebook

Other 2018 statewide elections

See also: States with both gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections in 2018

This race took place in one of twenty-two states that held elections for both governor and U.S. Senate in 2018.

A table of where these elections occurred, the names of incumbents prior to the 2018 elections, and links to our coverage of these races can be viewed by clicking "[show]" on the banner below:

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eighteen of 62 New York counties—29 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Broome County, New York 2.01% 5.31% 8.02%
Cayuga County, New York 11.64% 11.40% 8.48%
Cortland County, New York 5.58% 9.11% 9.96%
Essex County, New York 1.14% 18.77% 13.32%
Franklin County, New York 5.45% 26.07% 22.23%
Madison County, New York 14.20% 0.89% 0.87%
Niagara County, New York 17.75% 0.84% 1.00%
Orange County, New York 5.50% 5.65% 4.13%
Oswego County, New York 21.99% 7.93% 2.44%
Otsego County, New York 11.13% 2.72% 5.91%
Rensselaer County, New York 1.41% 12.19% 9.34%
St. Lawrence County, New York 8.82% 16.71% 16.33%
Saratoga County, New York 3.21% 2.44% 3.40%
Seneca County, New York 11.01% 9.08% 2.60%
Suffolk County, New York 6.84% 3.69% 5.99%
Sullivan County, New York 11.23% 9.02% 9.46%
Warren County, New York 8.47% 2.32% 2.64%
Washington County, New York 18.40% 1.90% 0.81%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won New York with 59 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 36.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, New York voted Democratic 45.6 percent of the time and Republican 35 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New York voted Democratic all five times.[23]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in New York. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[24][25]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 114 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 99 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 50.3 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 36 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 10.5 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 51 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 17.6 points. Trump won 13 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


Seat election history

2014

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew Cuomo/Kathy Hochul Incumbent 54.3% 2,069,480
     Republican Rob Astorino/Chris Moss 40.3% 1,536,879
     Green Howie Hawkins/Brian Jones 4.8% 184,419
     Libertarian Michael McDermott/Chris Edes 0.4% 16,967
     Sapient Steven Cohn/Bobby K. Kalotee 0.1% 4,963
Total Votes 3,812,708
Election results via New York State Board of Elections

2010

New York Governor/Lt. Governor, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew Cuomo/Robert Duffy 61% 2,910,876
     Republican Carl Paladino/Gregory Edwards 32.5% 1,547,857
     Green Howie Hawkins/Gloria Mattera 1.3% 59,906
     Rent is 2 Damn High Jimmy McMillan/No candidate 0.9% 41,129
     Libertarian Warren Redlich/Alden Link 1% 48,359
     Anti-Prohibition Kristin Davis/Tanya Gendelman 0.4% 20,421
     Freedom Charles Barron/Eva Doyle 0.5% 24,571
     Blank - 2.3% 107,823
     Void - 0.1% 3,963
     Scattering - 0.1% 4,836
Total Votes 4,769,741
Election results via New York State Board of Elections

Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to gubernatorial elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 11 gubernatorial waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

Gubernatorial wave elections
Year President Party Election type Gubernatorial seats change Elections analyzed[27]
1970 Nixon R First midterm -12 35
1922 Harding R First midterm -11 33
1932 Hoover R Presidential -10 35
1920 Wilson D Presidential -10 36
1994 Clinton D First midterm -10 36
1930 Hoover R First midterm -9 33
1938 Roosevelt D Second midterm -9 33
1966 Johnson D First midterm[28] -9 35
1954 Eisenhower R First midterm -8 33
1982 Reagan R First midterm -7 36
2010 Obama D First midterm -7 33

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in New York heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the New York State Legislature. They had a 104-41 majority in the state Assembly and a 32-31 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • New York was a Democratic trifecta, meaning that the Democratic Party controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.

2018 elections

See also: New York elections, 2018

New York held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for New York
 New YorkU.S.
Total population:19,747,183316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):47,1263,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:64.6%73.6%
Black/African American:15.6%12.6%
Asian:8%5.1%
Native American:0.4%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.9%3%
Hispanic/Latino:18.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.6%86.7%
College graduation rate:34.2%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$59,269$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.5%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New York.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, New York's three largest cities were New York (pop. est. 8,622,698), Hempstead (pop. est. 774,959), and Brookhaven (pop. est. 486,170).[29][30]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in New York from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the New York State Board of Elections.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in New York every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), New York 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 59.0% Republican Party Donald Trump 36.5% 22.5%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 63.3% Republican Party Mitt Romney 35.2% 28.1%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 62.9% Republican Party John McCain 36.0% 26.1%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 58.4% Republican Party George W. Bush 40.1% 18.3%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 60.2% Republican Party George W. Bush 35.2% 25.0%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in New York from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), New York 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Chuck Schumer 70.7% Republican Party Wendy Long 27.1% 43.6%
2012 Democratic Party Kirsten Gillibrand 67.6% Republican Party Wendy Long 24.7% 42.9%
2010 Democratic Party Chuck Schumer 64.0% Republican Party Jay Townsend 31.1% 32.9%
2008 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 67.0% Republican Party John Spencer 31.0% 36.0%
2004 Democratic Party Chuck Schumer 71.2% Republican Party Howard Mills 24.2% 47.0%
2000 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 55.3% Republican Party Rick Lazio 43.0% 22.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in New York.

Election results (Governor), New York 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Democratic Party Andrew Cuomo 50.3% Republican Party Rob Astorino 40.3% 10.0%
2010 Democratic Party Andrew Cuomo 61.0% Republican Party Carl Paladino 32.5% 28.5%
2006 Democratic Party Eliot Spitzer 65.3% Republican Party John Faso 27.1% 38.2%
2002 Republican Party George Pataki 49.4% Democratic Party Carl McCall 33.5% 15.9%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent New York in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, New York 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 9 33.3% Democratic Party 18 66.7% D+7
2014 Republican Party 9 33.3% Democratic Party 18 66.7% D+7
2012 Republican Party 6 22.2% Democratic Party 21 77.8% D+15
2010 Republican Party 8 27.6% Democratic Party 21 72.4% D+13
2008 Republican Party 3 10.3% Democratic Party 26 89.6% D+23
2006 Republican Party 6 20.7% Democratic Party 23 79.3% D+17
2004 Republican Party 9 31.0% Democratic Party 20 69.0% D+9
2002 Republican Party 10 34.5% Democratic Party 19 65.5% D+9
2000 Republican Party 12 38.7% Democratic Party 19 61.3% D+7

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

New York Party Control: 1992-2024
Eight years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D
Assembly D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D




Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New York governor election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

New York gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 - Google News

See also

New York government:

Elections:

Ballotpedia exclusives:

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ NPR, "5 Things You Should Know About George Pataki," May 28, 2015
  2. ↑ Biography.com, "Andrew Cuomo," accessed July 10, 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Andrew Cuomo for Governor, "Issues," accessed September 24, 2018
  4. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography of Marcus Molinaro," accessed December 24, 2014
  5. ↑ MidHudsonNews, "Dems tap Barrett for Assembly run," January 19, 2012
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Molinaro for NY, "Policy," accessed September 24, 2018
  7. ↑ Wall Street Journal, "New York Business Leaders Back Cuomo in Election," October 22, 2018
  8. ↑ The Post Star, "Endorsement: Molinaro would bring needed change," October 21, 2018
  9. ↑ The Buffalo News, "Cuomo for governor," October 27, 2018
  10. ↑ The New York Post, "Vote for reformer Marc Molinaro, not corruptocrat Andrew Cuomo," October 28, 2018
  11. ↑ The Auburn Citizen, "Molinaro should be New York's next governor," October 28, 2018
  12. ↑ New York Times, "Andrew Cuomo Is New York’s Best Choice for Governor," November 1, 2018
  13. ↑ The Kingston Daily Gazette, "Gazette Endorsements 2018," November 4, 2018
  14. ↑ The Syracuse Post-Standard, "Editorial endorsement: Marc Molinaro for NY governor," November 4, 2018
  15. ↑ Spectrum News NY1, "What Happens Now That a Party Has Voted to Pull Cynthia Nixon from its Line for the Governor's Race," accessed October 3, 2018
  16. ↑ Andrew Cuomo for Governor, "On the Issues," accessed November 1, 2018
  17. ↑ Albany Times Union, "Molinaro backs partial strengthening of state abortion law," October 31, 2018
  18. ↑ Albany Times Union, "Cuomo won't take part in Saint Rose debate," October 31, 2018
  19. ↑ Albany Times Union, "Cuomo and Molinaro set for one-on-one debate," October 22, 2018
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  21. ↑ Andrew Cuomo’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed August 22, 2018
  22. ↑ Marc Molinaro’s campaign website, “Policy,” accessed September 24, 2018
  23. ↑ 270towin.com, "New York," accessed June 1, 2017
  24. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  25. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  26. ↑ Democrats won Assembly District 9 in a special election on May 23, 2017. The seat was previously held by a Republican.
  27. ↑ The number of gubernatorial seats up for election varies, with as many as 36 seats and as few as 12 seats being up in a single even-numbered year.
  28. ↑ Lyndon Johnson's (D) first term began in November 1963 after the death of President John F. Kennedy (D), who was first elected in 1960. Before Johnson had his first midterm in 1966, he was re-elected president in 1964.
  29. ↑ New York Demographics, "New York Cities by Population," accessed September 4, 2018
  30. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts New York," accessed September 4, 2018
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