2018 Niigata gubernatorial election

A gubernatorial election was held on 10 June 2018 to elect the next Governor of Niigata. Incumbent Governor Ryuichi Yoneyama resigned on 18 April 2018 in the wake of a sex scandal.[2] This was also the first gubernatorial election in Niigata since the voting age was lowered to 18.

2018 Niigata gubernatorial election
10 June 2018
Turnout58.25% 5.20%[1]
 
Candidate Hideyo Hanazumi Chikako Ikeda Satoshi Annaka
Party Independent Independent Independent
Popular vote 546,670 509,568 45,628
Percentage 49.61% 46.25% 4.14%
Governor before election

Ryuichi Yoneyama
Independent

 Elected Governor

Hideyo Hanazumi
Independent

The election was initially expected to be a de facto referendum on the anti-nuclear policies pursued by Gov. Yoneyama, particularly his opposition to the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Central Niigata.[2][3] Both the pro-nuclear and the anti-nuclear camps are coalescing towards one candidate to represent each camp. The pro-nuclear camp will be represented by Hideyo Hanazumi, who is endorsed by the governing LDP and Komeito.[4] Anti-nuclear Chikako Ikeda will be the opposition's unity candidate in the election.[5]

In contrary to the policy of the parties that endorsed him, Hanazumi followed the opposition's line on nuclear energy, not unlike the one held by the incumbent governor.[6] Hanazumi won the gubernatorial election by a narrow 3.4% margin. He vowed to continue Governor Yoneyama's approach on the issue of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant restart and related safety evaluations. In his victory speech, he also mentioned the possibility of resigning and holding another election mid-term to ask the populace whether the reactor should be restarted or not.[6]

Candidates

Running

Declined

Results
Niigata gubernatorial election, 2018[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Hideyo Hanazumi 546,670 49.61
Independent Chikako Ikeda 509,568 46.25
Independent Satoshi Annaka 45,628 4.14
Total valid votes 1,101,866 99.08
Rejected ballots 10,261 0.92
Turnout 1,112,127 58.25 5.20
Registered electors 1,909,379

Breakdown
Division Subdivision
Annaka
Independent		 Hanazumi
Independent		 Ikeda
Independent		 Valid votes Invalid votes Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Total %
Cities Niigata 14,090 3.98 178,726 50.49 161,179 45.53 353,995 99.16 2,989 0.84 356,985 53.73
Kita-ku 1,239 3.83 16,514 51.05 14,595 45.12 32,348 99.25 245 0.75 32,593 52.08
Higashi-ku 2,726 4.63 29,693 50.46 26,430 44.91 58,849 99.15 502 0.85 59,351 51.59
Chūō-ku 2,673 3.33 43,802 54.58 33,785 42.09 80,260 99.12 712 0.88 80,972 55.28
Kōnan-ku 1,331 4.41 15,423 51.09 13,436 44.50 30,190 99.20 244 0.80 30,434 53.16
Akiha-ku 1,457 4.12 16,074 45.48 17,813 50.40 35,344 99.23 273 0.77 30,434 54.98
Minami-ku 781 4.16 9,276 49.39 8,723 46.45 18,780 99.22 148 0.78 18,928 49.49
Nishi-ku 2,846 4.00 35,950 50.48 32,418 45.52 71,214 99.11 641 0.89 71,855 54.99
Nishikan-ku 1,037 3.84 11,994 44.41 13,979 51.75 27,010 99.17 225 0.83 27,235 55.20
Nagaoka 4,658 3.57 61,348 47.04 64,406 49.39 130,412 98.98 1,339 1.02 131,751 58.12
Sanjō 2,402 4.94 23,132 47.54 23,120 47.52 48,654 99.14 423 0.86 49,077 58.88
Kashiwazaki 971 2.07 21,985 46.95 23,871 50.98 46,827 99.21 374 0.79 47,201 65.77
Shibata 1,963 4.23 23,901 51.49 20,552 44.28 46,416 99.08 429 0.92 46,845 56.64
Ojiya 691 3.52 9,071 46.18 9,880 50.30 19,642 98.73 252 1.27 19,894 65.28
Kamo 591 4.14 6,922 48.50 6,760 47.36 14,273 99.08 133 0.92 14,406 60.41
Tōkamachi 975 3.25 14,733 49.14 14,274 47.61 29,982 99.06 286 0.94 30,268 65.83
Mitsuke 973 4.76 8,850 43.34 10,598 51.90 20,421 98.81 245 1.19 20,666 60.08
Murakami 1,068 3.32 17,196 53.41 13,932 43.27 32,196 99.23 251 0.77 32,447 61.76
Tsubame 1,543 3.93 18,937 48.25 18,766 47.82 39,246 99.10 358 0.90 39,604 58.74
Itoigawa 788 3.23 12,958 53.15 10,634 43.62 24,380 99.21 195 0.79 24,575 66.12
Myōkō 757 4.73 7,611 47.54 7,643 47.74 16,011 99.32 110 0.68 20,666 57.78
Gosen 4,049 16.01 11,683 46.19 9,564 37.81 25,296 99.35 165 0.65 25,461 58.46
Jōetsu 3,880 4.24 41,398 45.19 46,338 50.58 91,616 99.00 922 1.00 92,538 57.24
Agano 1,068 4.81 11,971 53.95 9,149 41.23 22,188 99.18 184 0.82 22,372 61.40
Sado 711 2.27 21,344 68.06 9,305 29.67 31,360 99.32 215 0.68 31,575 65.46
Uonuma 916 4.47 9,905 48.38 9,652 47.15 20,473 98.53 305 1.47 20,778 66.48
Minamiuonuma 1,205 4.03 14,122 47.27 14,550 48.70 29,877 98.18 553 1.82 30,430 64.31
Tainai 570 3.73 8,210 53.74 6,496 42.52 15,276 99.19 125 0.81 15,401 61.12
Towns and villages Kitakanbara District 322 5.13 3,566 56.77 2,394 38.11 6,282 99.18 52 0.82 6,334 55.59
Seirō 322 5.13 3,566 56.77 2,394 38.11 6,282 99.18 52 0.82 6,334 55.59
Nishikanbara District 186 4.13 2,136 47.47 2,178 48.40 4,500 99.97 47 1.03 4,547 66.39
Yahiko 186 4.13 2,136 47.47 2,178 48.40 4,500 99.97 47 1.03 4,547 66.39
Minamikanbara District 353 5.30 3,154 47.36 3,153 47.34 6,660 99.06 63 0.94 6,723 65.16
Tagami 353 5.30 3,154 47.36 3,153 47.34 6,660 99.06 63 0.94 6,723 65.16
Higashikanbara District 320 4.51 3,837 54.13 2,931 41.35 7,088 98.95 75 1.05 7,163 70.93
Aga 320 4.51 3,837 54.13 2,931 41.35 7,088 98.95 75 1.05 7,163 70.93
Santō District 68 2.56 1,415 53.34 1,170 44.10 2,653 99.03 26 0.97 2,679 68.39
Izumozaki 68 2.56 1,415 53.34 1,170 44.10 2,653 99.03 26 0.97 2,679 68.39
Minamiuonuma District 164 4.17 1,836 46.68 1,933 49.15 3,933 98.92 43 1.08 3,976 57.56
Yuzawa 164 4.17 1,836 46.68 1,933 49.15 3,933 98.92 43 1.08 3,976 57.56
Nakauonuma District 183 3.11 3,029 51.48 2,672 45.41 5,884 99.21 47 0.79 5,931 70.39
Tsunan 183 3.11 3,029 51.48 2,672 45.41 5,884 99.21 47 0.79 5,931 70.39
Kariwa District 60 2.17 1,566 56.53 1,144 41.30 2,770 99.14 24 0.86 2,794 71.79
Kariwa 60 2.17 1,566 56.53 1,144 41.30 2,770 99.14 24 0.86 2,794 71.79
Iwafune District 103 2.90 2,128 59.86 1,324 37.24 3,555 99.16 30 0.84 3,585 67.97
Sekikawa 99 3.01 1,941 59.00 1,250 37.99 3,290 99.13 29 0.87 3,319 66.49
Awashimaura 4 1.51 187 70.57 74 27.92 265 99.62 1 0.38 266 94.33
Total 45,628 4.14 546,670 49.61 509,568 46.25 1,101,866 99.08 10,246 0.92 1,112,127 58.25
Source: Results

References
  1. "Archived copy" 県知事選挙の投・開票速報を訂正します。 (PDF) (in Japanese). 新潟県. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Niigata governor resigns in sex scandal; reactor restarts get push". Asahi Shimbun. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  3. Kato, Azusa; Takagi, Shinya (25 May 2018). "Nuclear issue again takes center stage in Niigata election". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. "自民、新潟知事選に海保次長を擁立方針　党本部に要請へ" (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  5. "自旧民進が知事選野党共闘へ、新潟" (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  6. "LDP-backed candidate wins governor's race in Niigata". Asahi Shimbun. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  7. "新潟県知事選の候補選び急展開　花角氏、近く意思表明" (in Japanese). Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  8. Osaki, Tomohiro (30 March 2015). "Ex-bureaucrat blasts Abe on news program". Japan Times. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  9. Koga, Shigeaki (14 May 2018). "古賀茂明「注目の新潟県知事選、紆余曲折の末に決まった野党女性候補の素顔」" (in Japanese). AERA dot. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  10. "三条市長、知事選出馬を否定" (in Japanese). Niigata Nippo. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  11. "三条市長、知事選出馬を否定" (in Japanese). Niigata Nippo. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.

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