Ballotpedia Reports: Gubernatorial Races to Watch in 2026 Ready to Announce with Confidence?

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:

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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Contact:

Carley Allensworth

Public Relations Manager

carley.allensworth@ballotpedia.org

U.S. (618) 553-1830

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284275

Source: Ballotpedia

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