1982 Minnesota gubernatorial election

The 1982 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1982. Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party candidate Rudy Perpich defeated Independent-Republican Party challenger Wheelock Whitney, Jr. Warren Spannaus unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination, while Lou Wangberg and Harold Stassen unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination. Perpich became the first candidate to receive over a million votes in a gubernatorial election in Minnesota.

Independent-Republican primary

Rudy Perpich, former Governor of Minnesota
* Running mate: Marlene Johnson, St. Paul advertising and public relations executive
Ellsworth W. Peterson, Tonka Bay aircraft mechanic
* Running mate: Christine Peterson, Bloomington waitress and daughter of Ellsworth Peterson
Warren Spannaus, former Attorney General of Minnesota
* Running mate: Carl M. Johnson, state representative from St. Peter

Franklin Haws, St. Anthony physician and candidate for U.S. House in 1976
* Running mate: Charles W. Bates, systems analyst for General Mills from Plymouth
Tom McDonald, perennial candidate from Minneapolis
* Running mate: Earl Dettman, Minneapolis truck driver and perennial candidate
Rudy Perpich, former Governor of Minnesota
* Running mate: Marlene Johnson, St. Paul advertising and public relations executive
Kathy Wheeler, unemployed iron miner
* Running mate: Carole Lesnick, member of the United Paper Workers union from Minneapolis
Wheelock Whitney Jr., investment banker, nominee for U.S. Senate in 1964, and former mayor of Wayzata
* Running mate: Lauris Krenik, Madison Lake farmer and Regent of the University of Minnesota

The Wheeler-Lesnick ticket was the first all-woman gubernatorial ticket in Minnesota history.