The Green Papers: Off Year Election 2003
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm 2003 Governor's Chairs
by State

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


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

  Republican Governor Bob Riley
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Frank H. Murkowski
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

Arkansas  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor Mike Huckabee
As Lieutenant Governor, succeeded to the office upon the resignation of Governor Jim Guy Tucker (Democrat): 15 July 1996; first elected to a full term: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

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

  Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
First elected: 7 October 2003 in a recall election to replace Governor Gary Davis.
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.
 

Governor Gary Davis was first elected in 1998, re-elected in 2002, and recalled Tuesday 7 October 2003. Mr. Davis served as Governor until Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in on Monday 17 November 2003.

California Governor Gray Davis will face a recall election on 7 October 2003. In the first part of the ballot, voters will vote for or against the recall. In the second part, the voter may select a replacement candidate. If a majority (50% or more) of the voters vote "yes" on the first question, the replacement candidate who receives the most votes becomes Governor when the vote is certified (no later than 15 November 2003) and will serve the remainder of the current term (the chair is up for election 7 November 2006).

Brief Background Piece about
CALIFORNIA RECALL ELECTION PROVISIONS

Time Line:

  • Wednesday 23 July 2003: 1,356,408 (in excess of 100%) of the necessary 897,158 petition signatures have been verified by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. The recall has qualified for the ballot. Official reference: California Secretary of State - Recall FAQS / Signature Update.
  • Thursday 24 July 2003: Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has set Tuesday 7 October 2003 as the date for the gubernatorial recall election in California.
  • Saturday 9 August 2003: Filing deadline for replacement candidates [filing requirements: 65 nomination signatures, a $3,500 filing fee (or 10,000 signatures in lieu of the fee)]. The last day for write-in candidates to file is 23 September.
  • Monday 11 August 2003: Candidate Ballot order. The order that names appear on the ballot are rotated by Assembly district, starting with Assembly District 1. The order in District 1 is R, W, Q, O, J, M, V, A, H, B, S, G, Z, X, N, T, C, I, E, K, U, P, D, Y, F, L. In Assembly District 2, the candidate who appeared first in Assembly District 1 drops to the bottom and the other candidates move up one position and so on throughout the 80 districts.
  • Ballot access update as of Wednesday 13 August 2003: The Secretary of State has issued a certified list of 135 candidates who have qualifed for the statewide Special Election. Official reference: Candidate Status Report.
  • Monday 15 September 2003: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issues an injunction against the California Gubernatorial Recall Election.
  • Friday 19 September 2003: An en banc panel of 11 judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will convene on Monday 22 September 2003, to hear oral argument re: reviewing the decision of a three-judge Federal appellate panel which had resulted in the issuance of an injunction against the holding of the California Gubernatorial Recall Election on Tuesday 7 October 2003 as originally scheduled.
  • Tuesday 23 September 2003: An en banc panel of 11 judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reinstated the gubernatorial recall election.
  • Tuesday 7 October 2003: California Gubernatorial Recall Election. Results: Shall GRAY DAVIS be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor? Yes: 55.4%, No: 44.6%; Candidate to succeed GRAY DAVIS as Governor if he is recalled: Arnold Schwarzenegger: 48.7%, Cruz M. Bustamante: 31.6%, Tom McClintock: 13.4%, Peter Miguel Camejo: 2.8%.
  • Monday 17 November 2003: Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger's sworn in as Governor.

Partisan sites (in alphabetical order): http://www.GreensAgainstTheRecall.com, http://www.recallgraydavis.com, http://www.RepublicansAgainstTheRecall.com, http://www.RescueCalifornia.com/, http://www.run-for-governor.org/, http://www.StopIssa.org, http://www.StopTheRecall.com.


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

  Republican Governor Bill Owens
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

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

  Republican Governor John G. Rowland
First elected 1994; re-elected: 1998, 2002
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1984, 1986, 1988]
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

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

  Republican Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

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

  Republican Governor Sonny Perdue
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Linda Lingle
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Dirk Kempthorne
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
[also served in U.S. Senate- elected: 1992]
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

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

Chair up for election Republican Governor M.J. "Mike" Foster
First elected: 1995; re-elected: 1999
Chair up for election: Saturday 15 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
 4 October Candidates who did not advance to the November runoff: Alan Allgood (Republican): 1%; Patrick Henry "Dat" Barthel (Democrat): 1%; Quentin R. Brown, Jr. (Independent): 0%; "Hunt" Downer (Republican): 6% J. D. "Boudreaux" Estilette (Independent): 0%; Randy Ewing (Democrat): 9%; Richard P. Ieyoub (Democrat): 16%; J. E. Jumonville, Jr (Democrat): 0%; Patrick "Live Wire&quto; Landry (Independent): 0%; Claude "Buddy" Leach (Democrat): 14%; Edward "Eddie" Mangin (Independent): 0%; Richard McCoy (Democrat): 0%; Fred Robertson (Democrat): 0%; John M. "Doc" Simoneaux (Independent): 0%; "Mike" Stagg: 0%.

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

  Republican Governor Robert L. "Bob" Ehrlich, Jr.
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Mitt Romney
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

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

  Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

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

  Republican Governor Judy Martz
First elected: 2000
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.
13 August 2003: Governor Martz announced that she will not run for re-election in 2004.

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

  Republican Governor Mike Johanns
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

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

  Republican Governor Kenny Guinn
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

New Hampshire  2 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2004. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor Craig Benson
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004

New York  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor George E. Pataki
First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998, 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

North Dakota  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2000, 2004. 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

  Republican Governor John Hoeven
First elected: 2000
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Bob Taft
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and CANNOT run in the next election for Governor.

Rhode Island  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor Donald L. Carcieri
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

South Carolina  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor Mark Sanford
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

South Dakota  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2006. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor Mike Rounds
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
The current Governor is NOT affected by a term limit.

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

  Republican Governor Rick Perry
Lt. Gov. Rick Perry became Governor 21 December 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to take the office of President of the United States. First elected to a full term: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006

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

  Republican Governor Olene S. Walker
Succeeded to the Governor's chair upon the resignation of Governor Michael O. Leavitt: 2003.
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004
 

On 5 November 2003, Governor Leavitt resigned to lead the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Leavitt was first elected Governor in 1992 then re-elected in 1996 and 2000.

Timeline:
12 August 2003: President George W. Bush nominates Governor Mike Leavitt as ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
28 October 2003: Governor Michael O. "Mike" Leavitt is approved by a Senate Roll Call Vote (88-8) for ADMINISTRATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
5 November 2003: Governor Leavitt resigns.

Historical information: Governor Leavitt was eligible to run for re-election in 2004 since he was an incumbent when Utah's term limits were adopted. [Utah Code Section 20A-10-201 (4) For purposes of calculating the term limits established by this section, no person may count the time a state officer, state representative, or state senator served in a particular office before January 1, 1995.]


Vermont  2 year term, Election Cycle: 2002, 2004. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

  Republican Governor James H. "Jim" Douglas
First elected: 2002
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2004
 

 


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