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 County results Pataki: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% McCall: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Golisano: 30–40% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002.Republican GovernorGeorge Pataki was re-elected to a third term.[1] As of 2025, this election was the last statewide election won by a Republican in New York.[2]
Pataki facedDemocratCarl McCall andRochester billionaireTom Golisano, who ran on theIndependence Party line. On Election Day, Pataki was easily re-elected with 49.40% of the vote. McCall received 33.50% of the vote, carrying New York City (other than Staten Island) and nearly carrying Albany County. Golisano received 14.28% of the vote and carried his home county ofMonroe inwestern New York. This was the first time since1978 that the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.
Pataki won the nomination unopposed.[3]
ComptrollerCarl McCall defeatedAndrew Cuomo at the Democratic State Convention,[4] and Cuomo withdrew from the race less than a week before the Democratic primary.[5]
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Democratic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn | ||||||
| Andrew Cuomo | Carl McCall | |||||
| 1 | Aug. 18, 2002 | WCBS-TV | Marcia Kramer | C-SPAN | P | P |
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Carl McCall | 539,883 | 85.28% | |
| Democratic | Andrew Cuomo (withdrew) | 93,195 | 14.72% | |
| Total votes | 633,088 | 100.00% | ||
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Besides his standard Republican nomination, Pataki sought the nominations of theConservative Party and theIndependence Party. Golisano, who sought (and ultimately won) the nomination of the Independence Party,[3] also ran against the Governor in the Conservative primary as a write-in candidate. Pataki secured the Conservative line.[6]
| Candidate | Conservative vote | percentage | Independence vote | percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Pataki | 18,185 | (86.86%) | 9,026 | (48.53%) |
| Tom Golisano | 2,751 | (13.14%) | 9,572 | (51.47%) |
Andrew Cuomo was nominated by the Liberal Party before his withdrawal from the race, and his withdrawal came too late for his name to be removed from the Liberal Party line.[7]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[8] | Likely R | October 31, 2002 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Likely R | November 4, 2002 |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size[b] | Margin of error | George Pataki (R) | Carl McCall (D) | Tom Golisano (I) | Gerald Cronin (RTL) | Other / Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[10] | October 28–30, 2002 | 567 (LV) | ± 4.3% | 47% | 32% | 17% | 2% | 1% |
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic | Independence | Right to Life | Independent | Green | Libertarian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn | |||||||||||
| George Pataki | Carl McCall | Tom Golisano | Gerard Cronin | Thomas Leighton | Stanley Aronowitz | Scott Jeffrey | |||||
| 1 | Oct. 20, 2002 | WTVH-TV | Maureen Green Matt Mulcahy | C-SPAN | P | P | P | A | P | P | P |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Pataki | 2,085,407 | 45.54% | ||
| Conservative | George Pataki | 176,848 | 3.86% | ||
| Total | George Pataki (incumbent) | 2,262,255 | 49.40% | -4.91% | |
| Democratic | Carl McCall | 1,442,531 | 31.50% | ||
| Working Families | Carl McCall | 90,533 | 1.98% | ||
| Total | Carl McCall | 1,534,064 | 33.50% | +0.34% | |
| Independence | Tom Golisano | 654,016 | 14.28% | +6.59% | |
| Right to Life | Gerard Cronin | 44,195 | 0.97% | −0.28% | |
| Green | Stanley Aronowitz | 41,797 | 0.91% | −0.63% | |
| Marijuana Reform | Thomas K. Leighton | 21,977 | 0.48% | −0.18% | |
| Liberal | Andrew M. Cuomo(withdrawn) | 15,761 | 0.34% | −0.68% | |
| Libertarian | Scott Jeffrey | 5,013 | 0.11% | +0.01% | |
| Majority | 728,191 | 15.90% | −5.25% | ||
| Turnout | 4,579,078 | ||||
| Republicanhold | Swing | ||||
| 2002 gubernatorial election in New York City | Manhattan | The Bronx | Brooklyn | Queens | Staten Island | Total | |||
| Democratic | Carl McCall | 202,101 | 121,050 | 230,040 | 160,746 | 18,239 | 732,136 | 53.7% | |
| 55.78% | 61.08% | 56.12% | 45.18% | 20.5% | |||||
| Republican | George Pataki | 117,863 | 58,600 | 141,846 | 155,599 | 59,656 | 533,564 | 39.1% | |
| 32.53% | 29.57% | 34.6% | 43.74% | 67.06% | |||||
| County | Pataki% | Pataki# | McCall% | McCall# | Golisano% | Golisano# | Cronin% | Cronin# | Aronowitz% | Aronowitz# | Others% | Others# | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | 40.29% | 45,804 | 40.24% | 45,748 | 15.04% | 17,101 | 0.79% | 901 | 1.08% | 1,225 | 1.02% | 1,165 | 113,679 |
| Allegany | 59.02% | 8,134 | 14.82% | 2,042 | 19.47% | 2,683 | 1.42% | 196 | 0.70% | 96 | 0.88% | 121 | 13,782 |
| Bronx | 29.57% | 58,600 | 61.08% | 121,050 | 3.98% | 7,893 | 0.41% | 822 | 0.37% | 734 | 0.44% | 875 | 198,195 |
| Broome | 48.64% | 32,339 | 19.45% | 12,956 | 26.24% | 17,478 | 0.64% | 425 | 1.12% | 746 | 0.83% | 550 | 66,604 |
| Cattaraugus | 55.74% | 12,400 | 19.34% | 4,302 | 19.27% | 4,287 | 1.60% | 355 | 0.62% | 139 | 0.85% | 190 | 22,247 |
| Cayuga | 55.16% | 14,203 | 21.04% | 5,417 | 17.84% | 4,593 | 0.89% | 228 | 0.89% | 228 | 0.90% | 233 | 25,749 |
| Chautauqua | 59.41% | 22,869 | 21.62% | 8,323 | 14.93% | 5,747 | 0.89% | 341 | 0.44% | 170 | 0.94% | 360 | 38,493 |
| Chemung | 62.79% | 16,398 | 17.69% | 4,619 | 15.39% | 4,018 | 0.83% | 216 | 0.70% | 183 | 0.64% | 166 | 26,116 |
| Chenango | 59.50% | 8,676 | 17.34% | 2,529 | 17.81% | 2,597 | 0.79% | 115 | 1.54% | 225 | 0.94% | 137 | 14,582 |
| Clinton | 72.36% | 17,113 | 14.82% | 2,529 | 6.55% | 1,550 | 0.64% | 151 | 0.61% | 145 | 1.05% | 248 | 23,650 |
| Columbia | 52.06% | 11,995 | 28.01% | 6,454 | 13.42% | 3,091 | 0.69% | 160 | 1.97% | 454 | 1.50% | 346 | 23,040 |
| Cortland | 54.33% | 7,851 | 24.37% | 3,522 | 16.56% | 2,393 | 0.80% | 116 | 1.44% | 208 | 0.80% | 115 | 14,450 |
| Delaware | 58.99% | 9,139 | 18.58% | 2,878 | 14.98% | 2,320 | 0.86% | 134 | 1.42% | 220 | 1.43% | 221 | 15,492 |
| Dutchess | 57.26% | 44,289 | 24.05% | 18,606 | 13.80% | 10,671 | 1.31% | 1,015 | 0.94% | 729 | 0.92% | 715 | 77,348 |
| Erie | 43.18% | 130,377 | 28.27% | 85,360 | 22.75% | 68,702 | 1.59% | 4,791 | 0.61% | 1,831 | 0.96% | 2,905 | 301,929 |
| Essex | 71.84% | 10,550 | 12.22% | 1,794 | 8.06% | 1,183 | 0.70% | 103 | 0.74% | 108 | 1.15% | 169 | 14,686 |
| Franklin | 68.37% | 8,628 | 15.92% | 2,009 | 7.87% | 993 | 0.83% | 105 | 0.68% | 86 | 0.97% | 122 | 12,619 |
| Fulton | 56.09% | 9,012 | 19.01% | 3,055 | 20.54% | 3,301 | 0.91% | 146 | 0.38% | 61 | 1.00% | 160 | 16,067 |
| Genesee | 52.23% | 9,588 | 13.91% | 2,553 | 29.43% | 5,402 | 1.21% | 223 | 0.44% | 81 | 0.82% | 150 | 18,358 |
| Greene | 57.90% | 9,363 | 20.29% | 3,281 | 16.23% | 2,625 | 1.15% | 186 | 0.80% | 129 | 1.34% | 216 | 16,170 |
| Hamilton | 59.86% | 1,740 | 18.92% | 550 | 16.62% | 483 | 1.10% | 32 | 0.28% | 8 | 1.24% | 36 | 2,907 |
| Herkimer | 59.86% | 11,834 | 15.80% | 3,178 | 20.58% | 4,140 | 0.92% | 186 | 0.48% | 97 | 0.96% | 194 | 20,113 |
| Jefferson | 65.18% | 17,616 | 14.42% | 3,897 | 16.33% | 4,414 | 0.66% | 179 | 0.30% | 82 | 0.64% | 172 | 27,027 |
| Kings(Brooklyn) | 34.60% | 141,846 | 56.12% | 230,040 | 4.10% | 16,787 | 0.40% | 1,655 | 1.38% | 5,674 | 0.21% | 875 | 409,909 |
| Lewis | 62.30% | 5,823 | 14.66% | 1,370 | 16.71% | 1,562 | 0.92% | 86 | 0.29% | 27 | 0.88% | 82 | 9,347 |
| Livingston | 43.10% | 8,757 | 17.97% | 3,651 | 34.77% | 7,066 | 0.82% | 167 | 0.69% | 140 | 1.01% | 205 | 20,320 |
| Madison | 51.87% | 10,393 | 20.99% | 4,206 | 22.43% | 4,493 | 1.18% | 236 | 0.82% | 164 | 0.95% | 191 | 20,035 |
| Monroe | 34.27% | 81,110 | 24.65% | 58,334 | 37.17% | 87,967 | 0.77% | 1,820 | 0.81% | 1,929 | 0.86% | 2,039 | 236,691 |
| Montgomery | 52.64% | 9,285 | 18.97% | 3,346 | 20.26% | 3,573 | 0.87% | 153 | 0.37% | 65 | 1.04% | 183 | 17,640 |
| Nassau | 60.56% | 232,785 | 25.98% | 99,865 | 9.33% | 35,860 | 1.45% | 5,574 | 0.37% | 1,572 | 0.74% | 2,855 | 384,408 |
| New York(Manhattan) | 32.53% | 117,863 | 55.78% | 202,101 | 5.45% | 19,743 | 0.25% | 916 | 2.05% | 7,415 | 1.40% | 5,054 | 362,277 |
| Niagara | 47.65% | 32,005 | 19.30% | 12,966 | 27.21% | 18,278 | 1.36% | 916 | 0.31% | 210 | 0.96% | 648 | 67,165 |
| Oneida | 56.14% | 40,186 | 19.17% | 13,719 | 19.94% | 14,274 | 1.31% | 940 | 0.35% | 251 | 0.93% | 668 | 71,580 |
| Onondaga | 50.47% | 74,694 | 26.43% | 39,110 | 18.56% | 27,459 | 0.92% | 1,366 | 0.84% | 1,239 | 0.97% | 1,437 | 147,986 |
| Ontario | 45.38% | 15,480 | 16.16% | 5,512 | 33.65% | 11,478 | 0.72% | 247 | 0.87% | 297 | 1.01% | 343 | 34,111 |
| Orange | 61.22% | 53,950 | 20.27% | 17,866 | 13.52% | 11,914 | 1.42% | 1,251 | 0.79% | 695 | 0.81% | 715 | 88,121 |
| Orleans | 48.15% | 5,426 | 13.92% | 1,568 | 34.34% | 3,869 | 0.88% | 99 | 0.41% | 46 | 0.75% | 84 | 11,268 |
| Oswego | 52.97% | 17,393 | 20.79% | 6,826 | 21.66% | 7,111 | 0.86% | 284 | 0.45% | 147 | 0.99% | 325 | 32,836 |
| Otsego | 54.40% | 9,846 | 22.70% | 4,109 | 15.60% | 2,824 | 0.97% | 175 | 1.95% | 353 | 1.75% | 316 | 18,099 |
| Putnam | 69.50% | 19,998 | 14.79% | 4,284 | 11.11% | 3,217 | 1.24% | 359 | 0.83% | 240 | 1.09% | 317 | 28,961 |
| Queens | 43.74% | 155,599 | 45.18% | 160,746 | 6.06% | 21,556 | 0.90% | 3,219 | 0.68% | 2,402 | 0.62% | 2,196 | 355,756 |
| Rensselaer | 48.91% | 27,120 | 27.94% | 15,491 | 17.87% | 9,908 | 1.08% | 601 | 0.92% | 512 | 1.14% | 631 | 55,447 |
| Richmond(Staten Island) | 67.06% | 59,656 | 20.50% | 18,239 | 8.52% | 7,583 | 0.81% | 722 | 0.46% | 409 | 0.66% | 586 | 88,958 |
| Rockland | 61.26% | 53,025 | 25.48% | 22,054 | 8.73% | 7,557 | 0.75% | 649 | 0.68% | 589 | 0.87% | 750 | 86,551 |
| St. Lawrence | 62.64% | 19,365 | 19.89% | 6,234 | 11.55% | 3,621 | 0.53% | 166 | 0.46% | 145 | 0.95% | 297 | 31,348 |
| Saratoga | 54.21% | 38,797 | 23.59% | 16,881 | 17.39% | 12,448 | 0.92% | 659 | 1.03% | 735 | 1.13% | 811 | 71,567 |
| Schenectady | 46.96% | 24,201 | 27.90% | 14,378 | 19.63% | 10,116 | 1.06% | 546 | 0.80% | 410 | 1.02% | 527 | 51,537 |
| Schoharie | 53.11% | 5,731 | 21.28% | 2,296 | 19.84% | 2,141 | 1.12% | 121 | 1.01% | 109 | 1.38% | 149 | 10,791 |
| Schuyler | 58.93% | 3,535 | 17.39% | 1,043 | 16.49% | 989 | 0.95% | 57 | 2.02% | 121 | 0.95% | 57 | 5,999 |
| Seneca | 55.65% | 5,969 | 18.52% | 1,986 | 21.16% | 2,270 | 0.74% | 79 | 0.76% | 81 | 1.22% | 131 | 10,726 |
| Steuben | 62.26% | 17,523 | 12.15% | 3,419 | 20.33% | 5,721 | 1.03% | 290 | 0.82% | 232 | 0.81% | 229 | 28,147 |
| Suffolk | 57.79% | 209,361 | 22.85% | 82,776 | 14.16% | 51,288 | 1.54% | 5,589 | 0.55% | 1,978 | 0.89% | 3,216 | 362,280 |
| Sullivan | 54.89% | 11,279 | 24.09% | 4,949 | 15.25% | 3,133 | 1.10% | 226 | 0.83% | 170 | 1.17% | 240 | 20,548 |
| Tioga | 59.54% | 9,561 | 14.92% | 2,396 | 21.54% | 3,459 | 0.82% | 131 | 1.07% | 172 | 0.78% | 125 | 16,059 |
| Tompkins | 39.00% | 10,995 | 38.62% | 10,887 | 11.84% | 3,338 | 0.53% | 150 | 5.03% | 1,418 | 2.13% | 601 | 28,192 |
| Ulster | 50.88% | 29,801 | 26.58% | 15,567 | 15.72% | 9,205 | 0.87% | 511 | 2.25% | 1,318 | 1.79% | 1,046 | 58,572 |
| Warren | 56.75% | 11,964 | 22.91% | 4,831 | 15.09% | 3,182 | 0.89% | 188 | 0.68% | 143 | 1.08% | 227 | 21,083 |
| Washington | 55.23% | 9,491 | 21.92% | 3,767 | 17.53% | 3,012 | 0.93% | 160 | 0.88% | 152 | 1.26% | 217 | 17,183 |
| Wayne | 45.00% | 12,553 | 14.95% | 4,171 | 36.45% | 10,169 | 0.89% | 248 | 0.54% | 152 | 0.87% | 242 | 27,898 |
| Westchester | 54.37% | 140,329 | 31.81% | 82,099 | 8.95% | 23,113 | 0.85% | 2,200 | 0.77% | 1,982 | 1.05% | 2,715 | 258,104 |
| Wyoming | 53.57% | 6,931 | 15.72% | 2,034 | 25.50% | 3,299 | 1.84% | 238 | 0.32% | 41 | 0.87% | 112 | 12,938 |
| Yates | 52.26% | 3,781 | 18.23% | 1,319 | 24.44% | 1,768 | 1.04% | 75 | 1.06% | 77 | 1.16% | 84 | 7,235 |
| Totals | 49.40% | 2,262,255 | 33.50% | 1,534,064 | 14.28% | 654,016 | 0.97% | 44,195 | 0.91% | 41,797 | 0.93% | 42,751 | 4,579,078 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Independence
Official campaign websites (archived)
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