Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2026) - As important as the 2026 congressional elections are for national politics, 80% of the races voters will decide when they head to the polls in November will be for state and local offices. Among those races are 36 gubernatorial elections.

"Governors wield enormous power in shaping their states, from appointing judges to state supreme courts and filling vacant U.S. Senate seats, to naming cabinet members and agency heads who oversee everything from education to environmental policy," says Joel Williams, a Managing Editor at Ballotpedia. "The decisions a governor makes in these appointments can influence state policy for decades, long after they've left office."

Of the 36 gubernatorial races in 2026, 15 incumbents are term-limited, six Democrats and nine Republicans, which means nearly half of this year's contests are open seats with no incumbent on the ballot.

Ballotpedia's list of gubernatorial races to watch this year includes:

• California: Incumbent Gavin Newsom (D) is term-limited, and a long list of notable California politicians are running to replace him. California's top-two primary system means that the general election could feature two candidates from the same party.
• Colorado: Incumbent Gov. Jared Polis (D) is term-limited. Colorado is one of the few Mountain West states that currently has a Democratic trifecta.
• Georgia: Incumbent Brian Kemp (R) is term-limited, leaving a wide-open race in a state that has recently been a battleground at both the presidential and U.S. Senate levels.
• Michigan: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer (D) is term-limited. The state has long been a battleground for both major parties at virtually every level of government.
• Oklahoma: Incumbent Kevin Stitt (R) is term-limited. Oklahoma is solidly Republican, which means the GOP primary will likely decide Stitt's successor.
• Minnesota: Incumbent Tim Walz (D) is not seeking re-election in this closely contested state that has been in the national spotlight over immigration enforcement.
• Rhode Island: Incumbent Daniel McKee (D) has a rematch with Helena Foulkes (D). In the 2022 Democratic primary, McKee defeated Foulkes 32.8% to 29.9% in a five-way race for the nomination.
• South Dakota: Incumbent Larry Rhoden (R) is running against the state's at-large U.S. Representative, Dusty Johnson, in the GOP primary. Rhoden, the former lieutenant governor of South Dakota, assumed the governor's office in January 2025 after former Gov. Kristi Noem (R) was confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
• Wisconsin: Incumbent Tony Evers (D) is not running for re-election, setting up an open race for a successor.

Be sure to use Ballotpedia's gubernatorial election coverage to stay abreast of the latest developments in all 36 gubernatorial elections this year.

About Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia of American politics, is the nation's most trusted source of unbiased information on politics, elections, and policy. Founded in 2007, Ballotpedia has grown from a small group of dedicated volunteers working on a handful of ballot measures to an essential resource for voters, media, and researchers. Ballotpedia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in creating an educated, engaged electorate, and building a strong, healthy democracy. For free access to 650,000+ encyclopedic, professionally authored, and curated articles, visit Ballotpedia.org.

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