2017 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2017 General Election

2017 Governor's Chairs
by State

2 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2017

2 Elected

2 Democratic

48 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2017

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

474 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 2017 are marked as such.

There have been 0 deaths, 1 resignations, and 0 changes of party affiliation in 2017.

Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican, Alabama) resigned on 10 April 2017 amid a sex scandal. Following his resignation, Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey (Republican) was sworn in as Governor.

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 Kay Ivey • Ascended to the chair 10 April 2017 following the resigation of Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican). • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
	10 April 2017: Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican), who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014, resigned amid a sex scandal. Following his resignation, Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey (Republican) was sworn in as Governor. 10 April 2017: Governor Robert J. Bentley was booked at the Montgomery County jail on misdemeanor charges involving campaign finance violations.

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.

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

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: 2016, 2020. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Eric Joseph Holcomb • First elected: 2016 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

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

		Republican	Governor Kimberly K. "Kim" Reynolds • Ascended to the Governor's Chair: 24 May 2017 [re: Governor Terry E. Branstad (Republican) resignation to become Ambassador to China]. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
	Governor Terry E. Branstad (Republican) resigned on 24 May 2017. The Governor was nominated on 7 December 2016 by President-elect Trump to be Ambassador to China, accepted the nomination on 13 December 2016, and on 23 May 2017 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, 82-13. Governor Branstad served as Governor from 1983 to 1999 and 2011 to 2017, 22 years in all and was last elected in 2014.

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 - 27 July 2017: Nominated for Ambassador for Religious Freedom in the Trump Administration.

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.

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 Richard D. "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

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: 2016, 2020. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Eric Greitens • First elected: 2016 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

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: 2016, 2018. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Chris Sununu • First elected: 2016 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

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

Open		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
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

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: 2016, 2020. 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 Doug Burgum • First elected: 2016 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

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

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

		Republican	Governor Henry D. McMaster • 24 January 2017: Ascended to the Governor's Chair following the resignation of Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley (Republican) who became United Nations Ambassador. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
	23 November 2016: President-elect Trump nominates Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley (Republican) for the position of United Nations Ambassador. 24 January 2017: Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley (Republican), who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014, was confirmed as United Nations Ambassador by the U.S. Senate, 96-4. Shortly after confirmation, she resigned as Governor and Lieutenant Governor Henry D. McMaster (Republican) ascended to the Governor's 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

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

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

Utah 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2016, 2020. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Gary R. Herbert • 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, 2016. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020

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

		Republican	Governor Phil Scott • First elected: 2016 • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
	If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in the November General Election, the state Legislature chooses the next Governor.

West Virginia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2016, 2020. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jim Justice • First elected: 2016 (as a Democrat) • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • 3 August 2017: Announced he was changing his affiliation from Democratic to Republican: "... tomorrow I will be changing my registration to Republican."

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. • Open Chair - 7 February 2017: Will not run for re-election in 2018.

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
Other Third Parties
	• American Constitution
	• Independence
	• Marijuana
	• Socialist Party USA
	• Unity
	• We The People
Independents
	• Independent
	• No Party Affiliation
	• No Party Preference
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• Not readily classifiable
	• Scattering

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.