1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election

The 1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic Governor of Hawaii Ben Cayetano ran for re-election to a second and final term, and he was contested by Maui Mayor Linda Lingle. The race between Cayetano and Lingle was close, with Lingle holding a sizable polling advantage. Ultimately, Cayetano narrowly won re-election to a second term in the closest gubernatorial election in Hawaii's history. This alongside the 1966 election were the only two times a Democrat was elected governor without sweeping every county in the state. Lingle later won Hawaii's governorship in 2002 when Cayetano was term-limited; she was re-elected in 2006.