Thirty-six states elect a governor on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Most of those races are not close. Nine are different. As of late October 2026, the Cook Political Report rates four as Toss-Ups, meaning neither party has a clear advantage, and five as Lean Democrat, meaning Democrats have an advantage but the race remains competitive. No race in the nine is rated Lean Republican by Cook.
A note on dates, because the ratings moved. The baseline often quoted is Cook’s September 2026 ratings: five Toss-Ups and four Lean Democrat races. On 13 October 2026, Cook moved Alaska from Toss-Up to Lean Democrat, leaving four Toss-Ups and five Lean Democrat races. This article uses the current ratings as of 28 October 2026. Polls cited here are snapshots from the dates stated, not forecasts.
The nine races matter beyond who runs each state government. Governors sign or veto the laws their legislatures pass, oversee state budgets and agencies, and in many states have a say, through the veto, in redistricting maps that shape congressional elections for a decade. Six of the seven states that were presidential battlegrounds in 2024 elect a governor in 2026.
The national picture: 36 races, and a possible change of majority
Republicans currently hold 26 governorships and Democrats hold 24. Democrats need a net gain of two to hold a majority, which they have not held since 2010, according to Cook’s 13 October analysis. Of the 36 governorships on the ballot, 18 are held by Democrats and 18 by Republicans, but the competitive races are not evenly spread: four of the five September Toss-Ups were Republican-held, and the Lean Democrat group includes two Republican-held open seats. Democrats therefore have more realistic pickup opportunities, and Republicans’ clearest offset runs through the Democratic-held open seats in Wisconsin and Kansas.
That asymmetry is reflected in recent rating changes. Cook’s 13 October update notes that the national political environment for Republicans was deteriorating and that Democrats remained in an increasingly strong position to regain a majority of governorships.
A Toss-Up does not mean the race is tied in polling, and a Lean rating does not mean the favoured candidate will win. The table below is a map of competitiveness, not a league table of likely winners.
The nine competitive races: matchup table
| State | Matchup (general election) | Seat | Cook rating, 28 Oct 2026 | Rating source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | David Crowley (D) vs Tom Tiffany (R) | Open, Democratic-held | Toss-Up | Cook, Sept ratings |
| Georgia | Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) vs Rick Jackson (R) | Open, Republican-held | Toss-Up | Cook, Sept ratings |
| Nevada | Aaron Ford (D) vs Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) | Republican incumbent | Toss-Up | Cook, Sept ratings; Sabato: Toss-Up, 22 Sept |
| Ohio | Amy Acton (D) vs Vivek Ramaswamy (R) | Open, Republican-held | Toss-Up | Cook, Sept ratings |
| Alaska | Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D) vs Bernadette Wilson (R), Dave Bronson (R) and Treg Taylor (R) | Open, Republican-held | Lean Democrat | Cook: Toss-Up to Lean D, 13 Oct 2026 |
| Michigan | Jocelyn Benson (D) vs John James (R) | Open, Democratic-held | Lean Democrat | Cook, Sept ratings; Sabato: Likely D, 22 Oct |
| Iowa | Rob Sand (D) vs Zach Lahn (R) | Open, Republican-held | Lean Democrat | Cook: Toss-Up to Lean D, 20 Aug 2026 |
| Arizona | Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vs Andy Biggs (R) | Democratic incumbent | Lean Democrat | Cook, Sept ratings |
| Oregon | Gov. Tina Kotek (D) vs Christine Drazan (R) | Democratic incumbent | Lean Democrat | Cook, Sept ratings; previously Likely D |
Candidate names and seat status are taken from the Cook ratings summaries and state reporting cited in the Sources section. Alaska has no single Republican nominee under ranked-choice voting; Oregon also has Pacific Green candidate Brett Smith, reported to be polling well behind.
The four Toss-Ups
Wisconsin is the only Democratic-held Toss-Up. Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, is not seeking a third term, so the seat is open. The Democratic nominee is David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive; the Republican nominee is Representative Tom Tiffany, endorsed by President Donald Trump. Crowley would be Wisconsin’s first Black governor if elected. Trump carried Wisconsin by under a point in 2024, and a Marquette Law School poll in late August had Crowley ahead 49–44; that poll is now two months old.
Georgia is open because Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, is term-limited. The Democratic nominee is Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta. The Republican nominee is Rick Jackson, a billionaire health-care executive with no prior political experience, who beat Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones in the June runoff. Jackson has spent at least $108 million of his own money, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as cited in October reporting, and the Brennan Center reported he had outspent Bottoms five to one. September polling had Jackson narrowly ahead (InsiderAdvantage 48–46; YouGov 46–44). Georgia requires a majority winner, and any runoff would be held on 1 December. Democrats have not won the office since 1998, and Bottoms would become Georgia’s first female governor and its first Black governor if elected.
Nevada is the only Toss-Up in which a Republican incumbent is seeking re-election. Governor Joe Lombardo faces Aaron Ford, the Democratic attorney general, in a race framed around the cost of living and data-centre expansion. Ford led Lombardo 44–42 in an Emerson College poll of 680 likely voters conducted 5–8 September, and would be Nevada’s first Black governor if elected. The financial picture favours Lombardo: his affiliated Better Nevada PAC had raised nearly $30 million in 2026, according to the Brennan Center.
Ohio is open because Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, is term-limited. The Republican nominee is Vivek Ramaswamy, endorsed by Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The Democratic nominee is Amy Acton, the state’s former health director. Ohio is the most Republican-leaning of the four Toss-Ups — Trump carried it by 11 points in 2024. Two polls released on 29 September both had Acton ahead (Suffolk 50–41; Marist 50–44). Sabato moved the race to Toss-Up from Lean Republican on 22 September. Ohio last elected a Democratic governor in 2006.
The five Lean Democrat races
Alaska is the race that changed most during the autumn. The seat is open because Governor Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, is term-limited. Under ranked-choice voting, the ballot has four candidates: Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D), a former state representative, and three Republicans — Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor. Kreiss-Tomkins led the 18 August top-four primary with 22.5%; Begich’s withdrawal moved Taylor onto the ballot. Cook moved the race from Likely Republican to Toss-Up and then, on 13 October, to Lean Democrat. Cook editor Jessica Taylor wrote that, other than Iowa, Alaska “may be Democrats’ best opportunity to flip a governors’ mansion in a red state”. Trump endorsed Wilson on 13 October, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins in late October.
Michigan is open because Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is term-limited. The nominees are Jocelyn Benson (D), the secretary of state, and Representative John James (R), endorsed by Trump. Benson has led James in every recent public poll cited in ratings summaries: Marist, released 21 October, had her ahead 51–45. Cook rates the race Lean Democrat; Sabato moved it to Likely Democrat on 22 October.
Iowa is open because Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, is not running. The Democratic nominee is Rob Sand, the state auditor, who has already won statewide office. The Republican nominee is Zach Lahn. Cook moved the race from Toss-Up to Lean Democrat on 20 August, and Sabato followed on 3 September. Marist had Sand ahead 54–42 among registered voters.
Arizona: Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is seeking a second term against Andy Biggs, a Republican congressman. Cook rates the race Lean Democrat, unchanged in October reporting. No single poll figure is stated for Arizona, because no poll verified for this draft was recent enough and well-sourced enough to quote without misleading readers about its date and sponsor; readers should consult current polling averages, with their dates and sponsors, rather than any single poll.
Oregon: Governor Tina Kotek, a Democrat, is seeking re-election against Christine Drazan, a Republican state senator, in a rematch of 2022, when Kotek won by about 3.4 percentage points. Both Cook and Sabato rate the race Lean Democrat, having moved it from Likely Democrat during the cycle. An Oregon Public Broadcasting-commissioned poll showed Drazan leading Kotek but within the margin of error. Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since Vic Atiyeh in 1982.
Kansas, just outside the nine, could limit Democratic gains. Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, is term-limited, and the open race is rated Lean Republican by Cook. The Republican nominee is Ty Masterson and the Democratic nominee is Cindy Holscher, according to October 2026 state-by-state listings.
Why governors matter: vetoes, maps, elections and implementation
The most direct power is the veto. In most states, a governor can veto bills passed by the legislature, and the legislature needs a supermajority to override. A governor facing a legislature controlled by the other party can block that party’s programme, while a governor whose party also controls the legislature — a “trifecta” — can enact it. As of 2026, 39 states have single-party trifecta control (23 Republican, 16 Democratic), according to MultiState’s analysis.
The second power is redistricting: in most states the governor can veto the legislature’s map, so a governor elected in 2026 will have a say in maps that shape elections through the next decade, although the next full redistricting follows the 2030 census. Governors also sign or veto election laws, and in presidential elections sign the certificate formalising the state’s electors, although they do not count votes. Finally, governors direct state agencies, propose budgets, appoint judges and officials in many states, command the National Guard, and set enforcement priorities, shaping how federal policy is carried out in their state.
How to check your own race, and what happens next
For the governor’s race in your state, the official source is your state election office, reached through the federal portal Vote.gov. This article gives no personal voting advice and endorses no candidate.
Not every race will be called on election night: close races, mail-ballot rules that vary by state, and Alaska’s ranked-choice tabulation can delay a final call, and Georgia may require a 1 December runoff. For the wider midterm picture, see our 2026 midterm elections explainer.
Frequently asked questions
How many governor races are there in 2026?
Thirty-six governorships are on the ballot on 3 November 2026: 18 held by Democrats and 18 by Republicans. Republicans hold 26 governorships nationally and Democrats hold 24.
Which governor races are the most competitive in 2026?
Nine, according to Cook Political Report ratings as of 28 October 2026: four Toss-Ups (Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada and Ohio) and five Lean Democrat races (Alaska, Michigan, Iowa, Arizona and Oregon). Alaska moved from Toss-Up to Lean Democrat on 13 October 2026.
Do Cook ratings predict who will win?
No. Ratings assess competitiveness at a point in time, weighing polling, fundraising, candidates and state fundamentals. They are revised as conditions change, and a Toss-Up or Lean rating is not a result.
Why do governor races matter for national politics?
Governors can sign or veto state laws, including election and redistricting laws, direct state agencies and budgets, and shape how federal policy is carried out in their states. Winning governorships also builds each party’s bench for future national races.
Updated: 28 October 2026. Ratings are as reported by the Cook Political Report on the dates stated and may change before polling day. For your own registration, deadlines and polling place, check your state election office via Vote.gov.
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