2015 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2015 General Election

2015 Governor's Chairs
by State

3 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2015

3 Elected

47 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2015

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

1 Incumbent renominated by same party

1 Republican

79 Candidates seeking a Governor's Chair (Candidates may run under the banner of multiple parties. Hence, the number of parties may be greater than the number of candidates.)

This is a list of the current Governors' chairs, the incumbents occupying them, and the candidacy status of said incumbents. Chairs up for election in the year 2015 are marked as such.

There have been 0 deaths, 1 resignation, and 0 changes of party affiliation in 2015.

Governor John A. Kitzhaber ( (Democratic - Oregon) resigned 18 February 2015 amid scandal involving payments from and advocacy group. Secretary of State Kate Brown (Democratic) ascended to the Governor's chair upon his resignation.

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Gubernatorial Links



Alabama 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Robert J. Bentley • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

California 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. • First elected: 2010 (Governor Brown served 2 terms as Governor-- from 1975 through 1983); re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Colorado 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor John W. Hickenlooper • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Delaware 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Jack A. Markell • First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Florida 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Richard L. "Rick" Scott • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Georgia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor John Nathan "Nathan" Deal • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Kentucky 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2011, 2015. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

Open		Democratic	Governor Steven L. "Steve" Beshear • First elected: 2007; re-elected: 2011 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2015 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At Term Limit
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Louisiana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2011, 2015. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal • First elected: 2007; re-elected: 2011 • Chair up for regular election: Saturday 24 October 2015 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At Term Limit

Maine 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Paul R. LePage • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Michigan 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Rick Snyder • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Missouri 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Jeremiah W. "Jay" Nixon • First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.

Nevada 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Brian E. Sandoval • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

New Hampshire 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2016. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Maggie Hassan • First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • Open Chair - 5 October 2015: Candidate for the U.S. Senate Class 3 Seat in 2016.

New Jersey 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2013, 2017. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Christopher J. "Chris" Christie • First elected: 2009; re-elected: 2013 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2017 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit

New Mexico 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Susana Martinez • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

North Dakota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jack Dalrymple • Succeeded: 7 December 2010 upon the resignation of Governor John Hoeven (Republican) having been elected to the U.S. Senate. First elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • Open Chair - 24 August 2015: Governor Jack Dalrymple announces he will not run for re-election.

Ohio 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor John Richard Kasich • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Oklahoma 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Mary C. Fallin • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

South Carolina 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

South Dakota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Dennis M. Daugaard • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Tennessee 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor William "Bill" Haslam • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Vermont 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2016. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Peter Shumlin • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2012, 2014. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • Open Chair - 8 June 2015: "I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for a fourth term in 2016."
	If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in the November General Election, the state Legislature chooses the next Governor.

Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2013, 2017. Term Limit: ineligble to immediately succeed after a given 4-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Terry McAuliffe • First elected: 2013 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2017 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

West Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Earl Ray Tomblin • Ascended to the Governor's chair as acting Governor when Governor Joe Manchin, III resigned to take office as a U.S. Senator: 15 November 2010. First elected in a Special Election: 4 October 2011. Re-elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair

Political Parties Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties
	• Democratic
	• Republican
Major Third Parties
	• Constitution
	• Libertarian
	• Reform
Other Third Parties
	• Marijuana
Independents
	• Independent
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• Write-in

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot.