2016 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2016 General Election

2016 Governor's Chairs
by State

12 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2016

12 Elected

38 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2016

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

4 Incumbents renominated by same party

111 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 2016 are marked as such.

There have been 0 deaths, 0 resignations, and 0 changes of party affiliation in 2016.

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

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

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

		Independent	Governor Bill Walker • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
	Governor Bill Walker was previously affiliated with the Republican Party.

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

		Republican	Governor Doug Ducey • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

Arkansas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Asa Hutchinson • First elected: 2014. Previously served in the U.S. Congress: 3 January 1997 - 6 August 2001 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

California 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 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

Connecticut 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Dannel P. "Dan" Malloy • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

Open		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
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

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

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

		Democratic	Governor David Yutaka Ige • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Shan S. Tsutsui

Idaho 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter • First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2010, 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • Open Chair - 14 October 2014: "Won't run for a fourth term" in 2018.

Illinois 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Bruce Rauner • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Indiana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Michael R. "Mike" Pence • First elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Open Chair - 3 May 2016 Renomination by Primary. 14 July 2016: Media reports indicate that Donald John Trump, Sr.- the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for President when that Party's National Convention meets in Cleveland, Ohio next week- has chosen Governor Mike Pence [R-Indiana] to be his Vice President should Trump be elected President of the United States this coming Fall. Governor Pence has reportedly suspended his re-election campaign.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Iowa 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Terry E. Branstad • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

		Republican	Governor Samuel D. "Sam" Brownback • 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: 2015, 2019. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Matthew Griswold "Matt" Bevin • First elected: 2015 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

Louisiana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor John Bel Edwards • First elected: 2015 • Chair up for regular election: Saturday 26 October 2019 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's 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

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

		Republican	Governor Lawrence J. "Larry" Hogan, Jr. • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • 22 June 2015: Governor Hogan announced that he has advanced and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Massachusetts 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Charles D. "Charlie" Baker, Jr. • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

Minnesota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Mark Dayton • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • Open Chair - 21 November 2016: Retiring at the end of his term.

Mississippi 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Phil Bryant • First elected: 2011; re-elected: 2015. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.

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

Open		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.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Montana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 4-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Steve Bullock • Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016 • First elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated - 7 June 2016 Primary

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

		Republican	Governor J. Peter "Pete" Ricketts • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's 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

Open		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.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

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

New York 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Andrew M. Cuomo • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

North Carolina 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Patrick L. "Pat" McCrory • First elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated - 15 March 2016 Primary

North Dakota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: North Dakota passed an initiative in November 2022 to amend the state's Constitution to add Gubernatorial term limits of 2 4 year terms. Applies to individuals elected after 1 January 2023
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		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 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Open Chair - 24 August 2015: Governor Jack Dalrymple announces he will not run for re-election.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

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 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

Oregon 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Kate Brown • Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016 • Ascended to the Governor's chair 18 February 2015 re: resignation of John A. Kitzhaber (Democratic). • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated - 17 May 2016 Primary. Governor Brown will serve until a Tuesday 8 November 2016 Special Election. Next regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

		Democratic	Governor Tom Wolf • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • 24 February 2016: Announced that he has prostate cancer which was detected early and is treatable.

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

		Democratic	Governor Gina Marie Raimondo • First elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

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
	23 November 2016: President-elect Trump nominates Governor Nikki Haley for the position of United Nations Ambassador.

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

Texas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Greg Abbott • First elected: 2014. Previously served as Attorney General: first elected 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

		Republican	Governor Gary R. Herbert • Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016 • As Lieutenant Governor, succeeded to the Governorship upon the resignation of Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. (Republican), effective 11 August 2009. First elected in a special election: 2010; re-elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • Renominated - 28 June 2016 Primary

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

Open		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."
			Open Chair (no incumbent)
	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

Washington 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic

		Democratic	Governor Jay R. Inslee • Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016 • First elected: 2012 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 • on General Election ballot - 2 August 2016 Primary

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

Open		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
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

Wisconsin 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Scott Walker • First elected: 2010; retained in a recall election: 5 June 2012; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Wyoming 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 4-term period. The Wyoming Supreme Court determined on 4 May 2004 that term limits require an amendment to the state constitution rather than, as they were, imposed by a 1992 ballot initiative. At the time, the ruling was not applied to statewide offices. Reference: CATHCART v. MEYER, 2004 WY 49, 88 P.3d 1050, Case Number: 04-32, 04-33, 04-34, Decided: 05/04/2004
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Matt Mead • First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

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
	• Democratic-Farmer Labor
	• Democratic-Nonpartisan League
	• Republican
Major Third Parties
	• Constitution
	• Green
	• Libertarian
Other Third Parties
	• America First
	• Independent American
	• Independent Party of Oregon
	• Liberty Union
	• Mountain
	• Unity
	• Working Families
Independents
	• Independent
	• No Affiliation
	• No Party Affiliation
	• Unaffiliated
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• Scattering
	• 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.