United States gubernatorial elections, 1976

The United States gubernatorial elections of 1976 were held on November 2, 1976 in fourteen states. Democrats achieved a net-gain of one in these elections. This coincided with the Presidential election of 1976

United States presidential election, 1976

The United States presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate scandal. It pitted incumbent President Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, against the relatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic...

and with the 1976 Congressional elections.

This was the last year in which Illinois held a gubernatorial election on the same year as the presidential election. The state of Illinois moved its gubernatorial election date from Presidential election years to midterm Congressional election years.

Election results

A bolded state name features an article about the specific election.

State	Incumbent	Party	Status	Opposing Candidates
Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...	David Pryor David Pryor David Hampton Pryor is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from the State of Arkansas. Pryor also served as 39th Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1979 and was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1960 to 1966...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 83.24%	Leon Griffith Leon Griffith Louis Leon Griffith was a master plumber from North Little Rock, who was the Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1976, losing the election to Democratic incumbent Governor David H. Pryor.... (Republican) 16.74%
Delaware Delaware Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...	Sherman W. Tribbitt Sherman W. Tribbitt Sherman Willard Tribbitt was an American merchant and politician from Odessa, in New Castle County, Delaware...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated, 42.46%	Pierre S. du Pont, IV Pierre S. du Pont, IV Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV is an American lawyer and politician from Rockland, in New Castle County, Delaware, near Wilmington. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served three terms as U.S... (Republican) 56.86% George Cripps (American) 0.55% Harry Connor Harry Connor Henry Alexander Connor was a professional ice hockey forward who played 135 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and New York Americans.... (Prohibition Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement... ) 0.13%
Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...	Daniel Walker Daniel Walker Daniel Walker was the 36th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1973 to 1977.-Early life and career:He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised near San Diego, California. He was the second Governor of Illinois to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He served as a naval officer in...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated in Primary, Republican victory	James R. Thompson James R. Thompson James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois... (Republican) 64.68% Michael Howlett Michael Howlett Michael J. Howlett, Sr. was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Illinois, who was elected several times to statewide office.-Early life:... (Democratic) 34.71% Ishmael Flory Ishmael Flory Ishmael Flory was a civil rights activist, trade union organizer, and Communist Party leader in Illinois.-Biography:... (Communist Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement.... ) 0.22%
Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...	Otis R. Bowen Otis R. Bowen Otis Ray Bowen, M.D. is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as the 44th Governor of Indiana from 1973 to 1981 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985 to 1989.-Early life:...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 56.85%	Larry Conrad (Democratic) 42.63% Daniel P. Talbot (American) 0.45%
Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...	Kit Bond Kit Bond Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Defeated, 49.55%	Joseph P. Teasdale Joseph P. Teasdale Joseph Patrick Teasdale is an American politician. He served as the 48th Governor of Missouri from 1977 to 1981. He is member of the Democratic Party.... (Democratic) 50.23% Leon Striler (Nonpartisan) 0.22%
Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	Thomas Lee Judge Thomas Lee Judge Thomas Lee Judge was an American politician.Judge was born in Helena, Montana. He served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1961 to 1967 and in the Montana Senate from 1967 to 1969, and as Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 1969 to 1973. Judge was the 18th Governor of Montana from 1973...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 61.7%	Robert Woodahl (Republican) 36.58% Charley Mahoney (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 1.72%
New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...	Meldrim Thomson, Jr. Meldrim Thomson, Jr. Meldrim Thomson, Jr. was a Republican who served three terms as Governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979, during which time he became known as a strong supporter of conservative political values....	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 57.66%	Harry Spanos (Democratic) 42.32%
North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...	James Holshouser James Holshouser James Eubert Holshouser, Jr. was the 68th Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1973 to 1977. He was born in Boone, North Carolina....	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Jim Hunt Jim Hunt James Baxter Hunt Jr. is an American politician who was the 69th and 71st Governor of the state of North Carolina . He is the longest-serving governor in the state's history.-Early life:... (Democratic) 64.99% David Flaherty (Republican) 33.9% Herbert F. "Chub" Seawell Jr. (American) 0.82% Arlan Andrews (Libertarian Libertarian Party (United States) The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration... ) 0.29%
North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....	Arthur A. Link Arthur A. Link Arthur Albert Link was an American politician for the North Dakota Democratic Party, and later the Democratic-NPL. He was elected as a one-term congressman in 1970 and as the 27th Governor of North Dakota in 1972, and served two terms until 1981.-Life and career:Link was born in Alexander, North...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 51.58%	Richard Elkin (Republican) 46.53% Martin Vaaler (American) 1.89%
Rhode Island Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...	Philip W. Noel Philip W. Noel Philip William Noel was the 68th Governor of Rhode Island from 1973 to 1977.-Biography:Philip Noel was born to Joe Noel, an auto mechanic and Emma Crudeli Noel, a jewelry worker in Warwick, Rhode Island. He attended Brown University where he played football, and then went to law school at...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Retired, Democratic victory	John Garrahy John Garrahy John Joseph Garrahy was the 69th Governor of Rhode Island from 1977 to 1985.-Early life:Garrahy was born on November 26, 1930 in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1952, Garrahy attended the University of Buffalo and in 1953 he attended the University of Rhode Island. Later that year, Garrahy joined... (Democratic) 54.82% James Taft (Republican) 44.71% John C. Swift (Independent) 0.32%
Utah Utah Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...	Calvin L. Rampton Calvin L. Rampton Calvin Lewellyn Rampton was the 11th Governor of the state of Utah from 1965 to 1977.Following his graduation from Davis High School in 1931, he took over his family's automobile business, due to his father's death that same year. He sold the business in 1933 and entered the University of Utah,...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Retired, Democratic victory	Scott M. Matheson Scott M. Matheson -External links:* from... (Democratic) 52.02% Vernon B. Romney (Republican) 45.96% L. S. Brown (American) 1.33% Betty Bates (Concerned Citizens) 0.69%
Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...	Thomas P. Salmon Thomas P. Salmon Thomas Paul Salmon , U.S. Democratic Party politician, served as the 75th Governor of the U.S. state of Vermont from 1973 to 1977....	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Retired, Republican victory	Richard A. Snelling Richard A. Snelling Richard Arkwright Snelling was the 76th and 78th Governor of Vermont from 1977 to 1985 and from January 10, 1991 until his death from heart failure.He was the son of Walter O... (Republican) 53.39% Stella Hackel (Democratic) 40.48% Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives... (Liberty Union Liberty Union Party The Liberty Union Party of Vermont, founded in 1970 by former Congressman William H. Meyer, Peter Diamondstone and others, originated in the anti-war and People's Party movements of the late 1960s and defines itself as a nonviolent socialist party.-History:... ) 6.09%
Washington Washington gubernatorial election, 1976 The State of Washington holds its gubernatorial election every fourth year, concurrent with the United States presidential election. This election was especially significant in that Washington elected its first female governor.-General election results:...	Daniel J. Evans Daniel J. Evans Daniel Jackson Evans served three terms as the 16th Governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989....	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Retired, Democratic victory	Dixy Lee Ray Dixy Lee Ray Dixy Lee Ray was the 17th Governor of the U.S. State of Washington. She was Washington's first female governor.-Early years:... (Democratic) 53.14% John Spellman John Spellman John Dennis Spellman was the 18th Governor of Washington between 1981 and 1985; before that, he was a member of the King County, Washington, County Commission from 1967 to 1969 and the King County Executive from 1969 to 1981. He was a Republican and his opponent in the 1980 election was then-State... (Republican) 44.43% Art Manning (American) 0.8% Red Kelly Red Kelly Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly, CM is a retired Canadian ice hockey player in the NHL. He played on more Stanley Cup winning teams than any player who never played for the Montreal Canadiens, and is the only player to be part of two of the nine dynasties recognized by the NHL in its history... (OWL Party OWL Party The OWL Party of Washington was a minor political party founded in a jazz club, the Tumwater Conservatory, in Tumwater, Washington, to field candidates in the 1976 elections. It was founded by entertainer Red Kelly, owner of the establishment where it was founded... ) 0.8% Henry Killman (Socialist Labor Socialist Labor Party of America The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has... ) 0.27%
West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...	Arch A. Moore, Jr. Arch A. Moore, Jr. Arch Alfred Moore, Jr. was the 28th and 30th Governor of West Virginia from 1969 until 1977 and from 1985 until 1989. He was a Congressman from 1957 until entering the governor's office. He is a member of the United States Republican Party. He ran for reelection in 1988, but was defeated by...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Jay Rockefeller Jay Rockefeller John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985... (Democratic) 66.15% Cecil H. Underwood Cecil H. Underwood Cecil Harland Underwood was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia, known for the length of his career. He was the 25th and 32nd Governor of West Virginia from 1957 until 1961 and from 1997 until 2001. He ran for reelection in 2000 but was defeated by Bob Wise... (Republican) 33.82%

Election results

See also