1981 Virginia gubernatorial election
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| Turnout | 64.8% (voting eligible) | ||||||||||||||||
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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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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.
Candidates
- Chuck Robb, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (D)
- J. Marshall Coleman, Attorney General of Virginia (R)
Results
| 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 | ||||