Politics

Thirty-six states elect governors in 2026 midterms, with 19 open seats

Nineteen of the races feature open seats after incumbents were term-limited or chose not to run.

Published Nov 3, 2026 · 11:40 UTC2 reports

The short version

Voters in 36 states will elect governors in the 2026 midterms.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera]
In 19 races the incumbent is term-limited or not seeking reelection, which could shift state leadership.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera]
Republicans held 26 of 50 governors' offices heading into the elections, while Democratic governors represented 60 percent of the population.[Associated Press]
The Guttmacher Institute says about a dozen governors have issued executive orders to limit the harm of abortion bans.[Al Jazeera]

Thirty-six US states will elect governors in the 2026 midterm elections.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera]
In 19 gubernatorial races, the current officeholder is term-limited or chose not to run again.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera]
Heading into the elections, Republicans held 26 of the nation's 50 governors' offices.[Associated Press]
Democrats last gained a majority of governorships in 2006, flipping six governors' offices in a midterm under a second-term Republican president.[Associated Press]
The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights organization, says about a dozen governors have issued executive orders to mitigate the harm of abortion bans.[Al Jazeera]
The Eagleton Institute of Politics estimates that only 53 percent of presidential nominees who were previously governors ultimately won their races.[Al Jazeera]

Election results are not included in these sources, which describe the races before the vote.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera]
The 53 percent figure is an estimate attributed to the Eagleton Institute of Politics, not a confirmed outcome.[Al Jazeera]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.