2002 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: Midterm Election 2002

2002 Governor's Chairs
by State

36 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2002

36 Elected

14 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2002

20 Open Governor's Chairs (voluntary retirement, seeking other political office, term limits)

16 Incumbents renominated by same party

196 Candidates seeking a Governor's Chair

This is a list of the current Governors' seats, the incumbents occupying them, and the candidacy status of said incumbents. Chairs up for election in the year 2002 are marked as such.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Governor Links



Alaska Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Tony Knowles • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Arizona Term Limit: The Governor can not serve for more than 8 years; 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jane Dee Hull • As Secretary of State, succeeded to the office upon the resignation of Governor Fife Symington (Republican): 5 September 1997; first elected to a full term: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Arizona's Term Limit states that an office holder can not serve for more than 8 years. Governor Hull served 1.5 years of the previous Governor's term and was elected to a full 4 year term in 1998. By November 2002 she will have served 5.5 years making her ineligible for another 4 year term.

Hawaii Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Ben Cayetano • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Illinois Term Limit: None; 4-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor George H. Ryan • First elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Voluntary Retirement
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Kansas Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Bill Graves • First elected: 1994; re-relected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Maine Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent

		Independent	Governor Angus S. King • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Maryland Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Parris N. Glendening • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Massachusetts Term Limit: None; 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jane Swift • As Lieutenant Governor, suceeded to the office upon the resignation of Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci (Republican): 10 April 2001 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Voluntary Retirement
			Open Chair (no incumbent)
	10 April 2001: Argeo Paul Cellucci resigned the Governor's chair to become Ambassador to Canada. He (as Lieutenant Governor) suceeded to the chair upon the resignation of Governor William F. Weld (Republican) on 29 July 1997. Governor Cellucci was first elected to a full term in 1998. On 5 April 2001, the Senate, by voice vote, confirmed Governor Paul Cellucci as Ambassador to Canada. On 13 February 2001, the Bush Administration nominated Massachusetts Governor Cellucci as Ambassador to Canada.

Michigan Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor John Engler • First elected: 1990; re-elected: 1994, 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Minnesota Term Limit: None; 4-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Independence

		Independence	Governor Jesse Ventura • First elected: 1998 (under the banner of the Reform Party: left the Party February 2000) • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Voluntary Retirement
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

New Hampshire Term Limit: None; 2-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Jeanne Shaheen • First elected: 1996; re-elected: 1998, 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Nominee for U.S. Senate
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

New Mexico Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Gary E. Johnson • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Oklahoma Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Frank Keating • First elected: 1994; re-elected 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Oregon Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor John Kitzhaber • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Pennsylvania Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Mark Schweiker • Assumed office: 5 October 2001 upon the resignation of Tom Ridge. • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Voluntary Retirement
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Rhode Island Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Lincoln C. Almond • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

South Dakota Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor William J. Janklow • First elected to these terms: 1994; re-elected: 1998 [had previously been elected Governor in 1978 and re-elected in 1982] • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair - NOTE:Nominee for U.S. House (At-Large seat)
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Tennessee Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Don Sundquist • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Vermont Term Limit: None; 2-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Howard Dean • As Lieutenant Governor, succeeded to the office upon the death of Governor Richard A. Snelling (Republican): 14 August 1991; first elected to a full term: 1992; re-elected: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is NOT affected by this state's term limit. • Open Chair - Voluntary Retirement
			Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Since no candidate received 50% of the vote, Governor's race in will be decided by the Republican controlled State Legislature. On 6 November, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Racine (42%) conceded to Republican Jim Douglas (45%).

Wyoming Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 4-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jim Geringer • First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 5 November 2002 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)