2024 Gubernatorial Elections

While the 2024 presidential election will capture much of the political attention in 2024, eleven states will also be electing state chief executives. Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia will all hold gubernatorial elections in 2024.

Incumbents Running for Re-election

Incumbency has long been a significant advantage for gubernatorial candidates, but the effect has been especially strong in recent election cycles. Including 2023, since 2013, 95 incumbent governors have run for reelection and 85 have won; that is a success rate of 89.5%.

This year, three of the races feature incumbents attempting to continue that success. In Montana, Greg Gianforte (R) has announced he will run for a second term, as will Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R). In mid-May, Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R) announced–as expected–that he, too, would run for reelection. He is running for his fifth term as Vermont governor, as Vermont is one of two states (with New Hampshire) in which governors serve two-year terms.

Open Races

Eight of the eleven races in 2024 are open races, in which neither candidate is an incumbent. Two of these races are expected to be the most closely watched of the cycle: New Hampshire, in which Governor Chris Sununu (R) announced he would not seek a second term, and North Carolina, where Governor Roy Cooper (D) is term-limited. Both races represent “pickup” opportunities, with Democrats hoping to win the New Hampshire governorship and Republicans hoping to recapture the seat in North Carolina. North Carolina has already held its primary; Attorney General Josh Stein (D) will attempt to hold the seat for the Democrats against Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson (R).

In the remaining six states—Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia—the primaries are key. In each, one party will be heavily favored in the general election (the Republican nominee in Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, and West Virginia and the Democratic candidate in Delaware and Washington).

Currently, Republicans hold 26 of the nation’s gubernatorial seats and Democrats 24.

2024 Gubernatorial Race Chart

See the chart below for this year’s primary dates, and, after the primaries are complete, the nominees.

*Washington runs a “top-two” primary in which all candidates are listed on the ballot and the top two vote-getters–regardless of party–advance to the general election.