2018 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2018 General Election

2018 Governor's Chairs
by State

36 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2018

36 Elected

14 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2018

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

19 Incumbents renominated by same party

1 Incumbent lost primary - no longer a candidate for this office

1 Republican

262 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 2018 are marked as such.

There have been 0 deaths, 0 resignations, and 0 changes of party affiliation in 2018.

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	1,022,457	59.46%	Governor Kay Ivey
Total		1,719,589	100.00%

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



	Republican	145,631	51.44%	former state Senator Mike J. Dunleavy • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Kevin G. Meyer • 12 September 2017: state Senator Mike J. Dunleavy suspended campaign due to health issues. 22 December 2017: Resumes campaign.
Total		283,134	100.00%

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


	Republican	1,330,863	56.00%	Governor Doug Ducey
Total		2,376,441	100.00%

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	582,406	65.33%	Governor Asa Hutchinson
Total		891,509	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	7,721,410	61.95%	Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom • On General Election ballot 11 February 2015: Announced his candidacy for Governor in 2018.
Total		12,464,235	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	1,348,888	53.42%	Congressman Jared Polis • for Lieutenant Governor: former state Representative Dianne Primavera • Congressional District 2. 11 June 2017: Candidate for Governor in 2018.
Total		2,525,062	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic; Working Families	694,510	49.37%	former Greenwich Selectman Edward "Ned" Lamont • for Lieutenant Governor: former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz
Total		1,406,803	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Republican	4,076,186	49.59%	former Congressman Ronald D. "Ron" DeSantis • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Jeanette Nunez • Congressman CD 6. 5 January 2018: Candidate for Governor in 2018. 10 September 2018: Resigned from Congress.
Total		8,220,561	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Republican	1,978,408	50.22%	Secretary of State Brian Porter Kemp • Proceeds to and won the Runoff, 24 July 2018 31 March 2017: Running for Governor in 2018.
Total		3,939,409	100.00%

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



	Democratic	244,934	61.44%	Governor David Yutaka Ige • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Joshua B. "Josh" Green
Total		398,657	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Republican	361,661	59.77%	Lieutenant Governor Brad Little • 29 June 2016: Candidate for Governor in 2018.
Total		605,131	100.00%

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



	Democratic	2,479,746	54.53%	J.B. Pritzker • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Juliana Stratton
Total		4,547,657	100.00%

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



	Republican	667,275	50.01%	Governor Kimberly K. "Kim" Reynolds • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg
Total		1,334,279	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	506,509	48.03%	state Senator Laura Kelly • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Lynn Rogers
Total		1,054,622	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	320,962	49.68%	state Attorney General Janet T. Mills
Total		646,013	100.00%

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


	Republican	1,275,644	55.35%	Governor Lawrence J. "Larry" Hogan, Jr. • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Boyd K. Rutherford
Total		2,304,512	100.00%

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



	Republican	1,781,341	64.71%	Governor Charles D. "Charlie" Baker, Jr. • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Karyn E. Polito
Total		2,752,665	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	2,266,193	53.31%	forner state Senator Gretchen Whitmer • for Lieutenant Governor: Garlin D. Gilchrist, II
Total		4,250,585	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic-Farmer Labor	1,393,096	53.84%	Congressman Timothy J. "Tim" Walz • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Peggy Flanagan • CD 1. 27 March 2017: Candidate for Governor
Total		2,587,287	100.00%

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



	Republican	411,812	59.00%	Governor J. Peter "Pete" Ricketts • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley
Total		697,981	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Democratic	480,007	49.39%	Clark County Commissioner Stephen F. "Steve" Sisolak
Total		971,799	100.00%

New Hampshire 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2016, 2018. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican


	Republican	302,764	52.78%	Governor Chris Sununu
Total		573,602	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Democratic	398,368	57.20%	Congressman Michelle Lujan Grisham • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Howie C. Morales • 13 December 2016: Announced run for Governor in 2016. Congressman CD 1.
Total		696,459	100.00%

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


	Democratic; Independence; Women's Equality; Working Families	3,635,340	58.34%	Governor Andrew M. Cuomo • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Courtney "Kathy" Hochul
Total		6,230,959	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Republican	2,235,825	50.40%	Attorney General Michael "Mike" DeWine • for Lieutenant Governor: Secretary of State Jon A. Husted • 26 May 2016: Running for Governor in 2018.
Total		4,435,820	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Republican	644,579	54.33%	Kevin Stitt • Proceeds to and won the 28 August 2018 Runoff
Total		1,186,385	100.00%

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; Working Families	934,498	50.05%	Governor Kate Brown
Total		1,866,997	100.00%

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


	Democratic	2,895,652	57.77%	Governor Thomas W. "Tom" Wolf • for Lieutenant Governor: Braddock Mayor John K. Fetterman
Total		5,012,555	100.00%

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


	Democratic	198,122	52.64%	Governor Gina Marie Raimondo
Total		376,401	100.00%

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



	Republican	921,342	53.96%	Governor Henry D. McMaster • for Lieutenant Governor: Pamela Evette • Proceeds to Runoff, 26 June 2018
Total		1,707,569	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Republican	172,912	50.97%	Congressman Kristi Lynn Noem • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Larry Rhoden • 14 November 2016: Congressman Kristi Lynn Noem announces her candidacy for Governor in 2018.
Total		339,214	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)
	Republican	1,336,106	59.56%	Bill Lee
Total		2,243,294	100.00%

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


	Republican	4,656,196	55.81%	Governor Greg Abbott
Total		8,343,443	100.00%

Vermont 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2016, 2018. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican


	Republican	151,261	54.37%	Governor Phil Scott
Total		278,230	100.00%

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



	Democratic	1,324,307	49.54%	Public Instruction Superintendent Anthony Steven "Tony" Evers • for Lieutenant Governor: former state Assemblyman Mandela Barnes
Total		2,673,308	100.00%

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


		Open Chair (no incumbent)

	Republican	136,412	66.45%	Treasurer Mark Gordon
Total		205,275	100.00%

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
	• Republican
Major Third Parties
	• Constitution
	• Green
	• Libertarian
	• Reform
	• Wisconsin Green
Other Third Parties
	• Clear Water Party of Iowa
	• Compassion
	• Conservative
	• Earth Rights
	• Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis
	• Griebel Frank for CT
	• Humanitarian
	• Independence
	• Independent American
	• Independent Party of Connecticut
	• Independent Party of Oregon
	• Liberty Union
	• Marijuana
	• Moderate
	• Natural Law
	• Progressive
	• Republican Takeover
	• Serve America Movement
	• Socialist Workers Party
	• U.S. Taxpayers
	• Unity
	• Women's Equality
	• Working Families
Independents
	• Independent
	• No Affiliation
	• No Party Affiliation
	• No Political Party
	• None
	• Nonpartisan
	• Petition
	• The Wisconsin Party
	• Unenrolled
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• None of these candidates
	• 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.