2026 Governor's Chairs by State

The Green Papers: 2026 General Election

2026 Governor's Chairs
by State

36 Governor's Chairs up for election in 2026

18 Democratic
18 Republican

14 Governor's Chairs not up for election in 2026

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

17 Incumbents renominated by same party

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

1 Democratic

229 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 2024 are marked as such.

There have been 0 deaths, 0 resignation, and 0 changes of party affiliation in 2023.

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Gubernatorial Links



Alabama 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Kay Ivey • Ascended to the chair 10 April 2017 following the resignation of Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican). First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit Regular Primary on 19 May 2026. If no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the primary, a 16 June runoff will be held between the top two vote-getters.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		former U.S. Senator Gordon Douglas "Doug" Jones • First elected to the US Senate in a special election: 12 December 2017; unsuccessful candidate for re-election: 2020.

		Republican		Senator Thomas H. "Tommy" Tuberville • 27 May 2025: Senator Thomas H. "Tommy" Tuberville announces his candidacy for Governor in 2026.

Alaska 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Mike J. Dunleavy • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair
			Open Chair (no incumbent)
		Republican		former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson • for Lieutenant Governor: Josh Church • on General Election ballot.
		Democratic; Nonpartisan		former state Representative Jonathan S. "JKT" Kreiss-Tomkins • for Lieutenant Governor: Zac Johnson • Jonathan "JKT" Kreiss-Tomkins (Democratic) Zac Johnson (Nonpartisan) on General Election ballot
		Write-in; (Democratic; Republican)		former Angoon City Council Member James Willia"JP4" Parkin, IV • for Lieutenant Governor: Ramadhani "Ram" Greer • 18 August 2026: Lost the primary. Now running as a write-in. Parkin is a registered Republican. Greer is a registered Democrat.
		Republican		former Attorney General Treg Taylor • for Lieutenant Governor: Candi English
		Republican		Bernadette M. Wilson • for Lieutenant Governor: former state Senator Michael K. "Mike" Shower • On General Election ballot.

Arkansas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: No one can serve more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders • First elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated

		Democratic		state Senator Fredrick J. "Fred" Love

		Republican		Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

		Libertarian		Colt Shelby

Florida 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Ronald D. "Ron" DeSantis • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		former Member of Congress David W. Jolly • for Lieutenant Governor: former Member of Congress Gwen Graham • First elected as a Republican in a special Congressional election: 11 March 2014 [re: passing of Congressman Charles William "C.W." "Bill" Young (Republican)], reelected: 2014, unsuccessful candidate for reelection: 2016. 4 June 2025: Filed with the Florida Department of State to run for Governor as a Democrat.

		Republican		Member of Congress Byron Donalds • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Bryan Avila • 26 February 2025: Member of Congress Donalds, CD 19, is a candidate for Governor in 2026.

		Libertarian		Scott Eckhard Jewett • for Lieutenant Governor: Nicole Skelly

		No Party Affiliation		Dean Ocean Abrams • for Lieutenant Governor: Joe Van Vactor
		No Party Affiliation; (Republican)		former Surfside Mayor Charles W. Burkett • for Lieutenant Governor: Surfside City Commissioner Ruben Coto
		No Party Affiliation		Jeffrey Peter "Dr. Jeff" Datto • for Lieutenant Governor: Juan Santana
		No Party Affiliation		Moliere "Moe" Dimanche • for Lieutenant Governor: Benjamin Rojas
		No Party Affiliation		Frank J. Russo • for Lieutenant Governor: Rachel Rodriguez (write-in)

		Write-in		Kathleen Gail "Kathy" Anderson • for Lieutenant Governor: Daniel Nokovich
		Write-in		Erik Edward Morris • for Lieutenant Governor: LeRoy Alaways

Georgia 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Brian Porter Kemp • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		former Atlanta Mayor Keisha R. Lance Bottoms

		Republican		Rick Jackson • Advances to and won 16 June runoff. Received 35% in the 19 May primary.

		Write-in		David C. Byrne
		Write-in		Jacqueline Angela DaCosta
		Write-in		Deb Broughton Davis
		Write-in		Milton J. Lofton
		Write-in		David Leon Moreland
		Write-in		Leland Jake Olinger, II
		Write-in		Andrew Pacetti

Idaho 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Brad Little • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • Renominated

		Democratic		Terri Pickens

		Republican		Governor Brad Little

		Constitution		Marvin "Pro Life" Richardson

		Libertarian		Paul Sand

		Independent		former state Supreme Court Justice John R. Stegner

		Write-in; (Independent)		Jacob Burnett

Iowa 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		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]; first elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • Open Chair - 11 April 2025: "After a lot of thought, prayer, and conversations with my family, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in 2026...."
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		Auditor Rob Sand • for Lieutenant Governor: Crawford County Supervisor Dave Muhlbauer • 12 May 2025: Auditor Rob Sand is a candidate for Governor in 2026.

		Republican		Zach Lahn • for Lieutenant Governor: state Representative Derek Wulf

Nebraska 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Jim Pillen • First elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated

		Democratic		former state Senator Lynne Walz • for Lieutenant Governor: Richardson County Rural Water District Board Member Ben Steffen

		Republican		Governor Jim Pillen • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly

		America First		former state Senator Brent Lindstrom • for Lieutenant Governor: Michael "Mike" Picard

		Legal Marijuana Now		Rick Beard • for Lieutenant Governor: Keenya Barnes

Nevada 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Joseph "Joe" Lombardo • First elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated

		~~Democratic~~		~~Sunshine Arterburn - lost primary~~
		~~Democratic~~		~~Miqehl Bayfield - lost primary~~
		~~Democratic~~		~~Emile Bouari - lost primary~~
		~~Democratic~~		~~James Cooper - lost primary~~
		Democratic		Attorney General Aaron Darnell Ford
		~~Democratic~~		~~Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill - lost primary~~

		~~Republican~~		~~Donald J. "Donald Jr" Beaudry, Jr. - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Irina Hansen - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Michael Kameron "M. Kameron" Hawkins - lost primary~~
		Republican		Governor Joseph "Joe" Lombardo
		~~Republican~~		~~Matthew Rian Winterhawk - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Jose M. Zelaya - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Barak Zilberberg - lost primary~~

		~~No Political Party~~		~~Christopher "Chris" Battenberg - apparently not a candidate~~
		No Political Party		state Board of Education Member Danielle Ford
		~~No Political Party~~		~~Jordan Koteras - apparently not a candidate~~
		~~No Political Party~~		~~Allen Anderson Rheinhart - apparently not a candidate~~ • Democratic Socialist
		~~No Political Party~~		~~Emilio Ray Rodriguez - apparently not a candidate~~
		~~No Political Party~~		~~John T. Scott - apparently not a candidate~~

New Hampshire 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2024. Term Limit: None. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Kelly Ayotte • First elected: 2024. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • Renominated

		Democratic		former Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington

		Republican		Governor Kelly Ayotte

		Libertarian		Stephen Villee • Granite State Libertarian Party

Ohio 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Michael "Mike" DeWine • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		Amy Acton • for Lieutenant Governor: former Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper

		Republican		Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Robert A. "Rob" McColley

		Libertarian		Donald C. "Don" Kissick • for Lieutenant Governor: James L. Mills

		Write-in; (Forward Party; Independent)		Timothy "Tim" Grady • for Lieutenant Governor: Andrea Neutzling
		Write-in		Heather Hill • for Lieutenant Governor: Patrick Manley
		Write-in		Renea Turner • for Lieutenant Governor: Jalen Turner
		Write-in		Ron Ula • for Lieutenant Governor: Michael C. "Mike" Lehnerd

Oklahoma 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor J. Kevin Stitt • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		~~Democratic~~		~~Arya Azma - lost primary~~
		~~Democratic~~		~~former state Senator Connie Johnson - lost primary~~
		Democratic		state Representative Cyndi Munson

		~~Republican~~		~~Attorney General Gentner F. Drummond - lost primary~~ • 16 June 2026: Received 26.3% in the primary. Advances to but lost 25 August runoff.
		Republican		former state Senator Mike Mazzei • 16 June 2026: Received 25.9% in the primary. Advances to and won 25 August runoff iwht 50.3%.

		Independent		Robert E. Brooks, Sr.
		Independent		Orlando Lynn Bush
		Independent		former Tulsa School Board Member Jerry Griffin

South Carolina 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor Henry Dargan McMaster • 24 January 2017: Ascended to the Governor's Chair following the resignation of Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley (Republican) who became United Nations Ambassador; first elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.

		Democratic		state Representative Jermaine L. Johnson, Sr. • for Lieutenant Governor: Samuel "Sam" Skardon

		Republican		Attorney General Michael Alan "Alan" Wilson • for Lieutenant Governor: state Senator Mike Reichenbach • Received 26.4% in the 9 June primary. Advances to and won 23 June runoff.

		Green		Walid N. Hakim • for Lieutenant Governor: Arnold E. Karr

		United Citizens		Michael A. Addison • for Lieutenant Governor: Candace Brewer

South Dakota 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Larry Rhoden • Ascended to the Chair: 26 January 2025 [re: resignation of Governor Kristi Lynn Noem (Republican)] • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Renominated

		Democratic		former state Senator Dan Ahlers • for Lieutenant Governor: Steven McCleerey

		Republican		Governor Larry Rhoden • for Lieutenant Governor: Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen • 2 June 2026: Advances to and won the 28 July 2026 runoff with 25.2% of the vote.
	12 November 2024: President-elect Donald Trump nominates Governor Kristi Lynn Noem to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. 25 January 2025: Governor Kristi Lynn Noem (Republican), who was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, resigned after being confirmed by the US Senate 59-34 as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She previously served in the U.S. House 2011-2019. 25 January 2024: Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden (Republican) who was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, ascended to the Governor's Chair upon the resignation of Governor Kristi Lynn Noem (Republican). Governor Noem was earlier confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Tennessee 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms. GOVERNOR is the only Statewide elected officer
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

Open		Republican	Governor William "Bill" Lee • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election. • Open Chair - At term limit.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green

		Republican		Senator Marsha Blackburn • 6 August 2025: Candidate for Governor in 2026. "It's official! I'm running for Governor ...." Previously served in the U.S. House: 2003-2019; first elected to the U.S. Senate: 2018; re-elected: 2024.

		Independent		Misam Abidi
		Independent		Harold Dean "Dean" Brewer
		Independent		Edgar Ray "Ray" Brown
		Independent; (Republican)		David Elmer Hatley
		Independent		Wendell Jackson
		Independent		Charles Van Morgan
		Independent		Eddie Lee Murphy
		Independent; (Forward Party)		Lauren M. Pinkston
		Independent		Victor Lloyd "Vic" Scoggin
		Independent		David "Dave" Seeman
		Independent		Karl Knox Smithson
		Independent		Larita Webb "L. Webb" Taylor
		Independent		Robert C. Vick

		Write-in		Stephen C. Maxwell

Texas 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. 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; re-elected: 2018, 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • Renominated

		Democratic		state Representative Gina Hinojosa

		Republican		Governor Greg Abbott

		Libertarian		former Lago Vista City Council Member Pat Dixon

		Write-in		Edward Earl Giles
		Write-in		Jinghpaw Majoishingra
		Write-in		Mike Miller
		Write-in; (Independent)		Jenn Mack Raphoon • aka Jenn Mack

Vermont 2 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2024. Term Limit: None
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican

		Republican	Governor Phil Scott • First elected: 2016; re-elected: 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • Renominated

		Democratic; Progressive		Amanda Janoo

		Republican		Governor Phil Scott

		Peace And Justice		June Goodband

		Freedom and Unity Party		Dean R. Roy • The candidate is 15 years old.

		Independent		Brian Judd

		Write-in; (Constitution)		Mark Grimek
		Write-in		David King
		Write-in		Bryan Ponnwitz
	If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in the November General Election, the state Legislature chooses the next Governor. [Vermont Constitution Section 47, Chapter II]

Wyoming 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. 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		Republican	Governor Mark Gordon • First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022. • Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit. • Open Chair - 16 April 2026: Stated he will not run for a 3rd term.
			Open Chair (no incumbent)

		Democratic		Kenneth R. "Ken" Casner

		Republican		state Senator Eric Barlow
		~~Republican~~		~~Brent Warren Bien - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Curt Norman Blake - lost primary~~
		~~Republican~~		~~Public Instruction Superintendent Megan Degenfelder - lost primary~~

		Constitution		Rebecca Bextel

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
	• American Constitution
	• Constitution
	• Green
	• Green-Rainbow
	• Libertarian
	• Pacific Green
	• Peace And Justice
	• U.S. Taxpayers
Other Third Parties
	• America First
	• American Solidarity
	• Approval Voting
	• Coalition Party
	• Conservative
	• Forward Party
	• Freedom and Unity Party
	• Independent Party of Connecticut
	• Legal Marijuana Now
	• No Labels
	• Progressive
	• Prohibition Party
	• Socialist Workers Party
	• United Citizens
	• Unity
	• Vote Affordable
	• Working Class
	• Working Families
Independents
	• Independent
	• No Party Affiliation
	• No Political Party
	• Nonpartisan
	• Unaffiliated
	• Unenrolled
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• 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.

"Apparently not a candidate" indicates that someone we once listed as a candidate for an elective office will not, in fact, be running for that office (primarily because said candidate is not listed on an official ballot provided by a jurisdiction's election authorities, where that candidate has not previously withdrawn his/her candidacy or otherwise indicated no longer [or even ever] being a candidate for that office).

"FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary.

When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details.

If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements.