2003 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: Off Year Election 2003

2003 Governor's Chairs
by State

27 Republicans
23 Democrats

3 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2003

4 Elected

47 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2003

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

1 Incumbent renominated by same party

1 Democrat

150 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 2003 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



Arizona 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Janet Napolitano • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Delaware 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Ruth Ann Minner • First elected: 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Illinois 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Rod R. Blagojevich • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

Indiana 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Joseph E. "Joe" Kernan • Succeeded to the office of Governor upon the death of Governor Frank O'Bannon, 13 September 2003 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.
	Monday 8 September 2003: 73-year-old Governor Frank O' Bannon suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He underwent several hours of surgery, was placed in a drug-induced coma, and is on a ventilator. Tuesday 9 September 2003: Under the provisions of Article 5, section 10(a) of the State's Constitution, Indiana Lieutenant Governor Joseph E. Kernan has become "Acting Governor". Lt. Governor Kernan has NOT been formally named Acting Governor. Wednesday 10 September 2003: Under other provisions of Article 5, section 10 of the State's Constitution, the State Supreme Court- acting on a formal petition from the President pro Tem of the State Senate and the Speaker of the State House of Representatives- declared Lt. Governor Joe Kernan to be "Acting Governor" for the duration, pending the recovery of Gov. O'Bannon, retroactive to Monday 8 September 2003. Link to Indiana Governor's website: http://www.state.in.us/gov/ Saturday 13 September 2003: Governor Frank O'Bannon passes away at the age of 73; Lt. Governor Joe Kernan succeeds to the office of Governor.

Iowa 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Tom Vilsack • First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

Kansas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Kathleen Sebelius • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Kentucky 4 year term, Election Cycle: 1999, 2003. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Paul Patton • First elected: 1995; re-elected; 1999 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2003 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor. • Open Chair - at term limit

Maine 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor John E. Baldacci • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Michigan 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Jennifer M. Granholm • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Mississippi 4 year term, Election Cycle: 1999, 2003. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Ronnie Musgrove • First elected: 1999 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2003 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit. • Renominated - Tuesday 5 August 2003 Primary

Missouri 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Bob Holden • First elected: 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

New Jersey 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2001, 2005. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor James E. ["Jim"] McGreevey • First elected: 2001 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2005 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

New Mexico 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Bill Richardson • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

North Carolina 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Mike Easley • First elected: 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Oklahoma 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Brad Henry • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Oregon 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Ted Kulongoski • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Pennsylvania 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Ed Rendell • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Tennessee 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Phil Bredesen • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2001, 2005. Term Limit: ineligble to immediately succeed after a given 4-year term
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Mark Warner • First elected: 2001 (succeeding Republican James S. Gilmore) • Chair up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2005 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

Washington 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Gary Locke • First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • 21 July 2003: Governor Locke announced that he will not seek re-election in 2004.

West Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Robert E. Wise, Jr. • First elected: 2000 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit. • 12 August 2003: Governor Wise announced that he is not a candidate for re-election in 2004 (issue with marital infidelity).

Wisconsin 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Jim Doyle • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

Wyoming 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. 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 Democrat

		Democrat	Governor Dave Freudenthal • First elected: 2002 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006 • The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.