1976 United States gubernatorial elections
← 1975 November 2, 1976 1977 →
15 governorships
14 states; 1 territory
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 36 13
Seats after 37 12
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1
Seats up 8 6
Seats won 9 5
1976 Illinois gubernatorial election1976 Arkansas gubernatorial election1976 Rhode Island gubernatorial election1976 Delaware gubernatorial election1976 Indiana gubernatorial election1976 Missouri gubernatorial election1976 Montana gubernatorial election1976 New Hampshire gubernatorial election1976 North Carolina gubernatorial election1976 North Dakota gubernatorial election1976 Utah gubernatorial election1976 Vermont gubernatorial election1976 Washington gubernatorial election1976 West Virginia gubernatorial election
  Republican hold
  Republican gain
  Democratic hold
  Democratic gain

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 1976, in 14 states and one territory. Democrats achieved a net gain of one in these elections. This coincided with the House, Senate elections and the presidential election.

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 to midterm congressional election years. As a result, the governor elected this year, served a term of only two years.

Election results

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

State Incumbent Party First
elected 		Result Candidates
Arkansas David Pryor Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected.[1]
  • Green tickY David Pryor (Democratic) 83.24%
  • Leon Griffith (Republican) 16.74%
Delaware Sherman W. Tribbitt Democratic 1972 Incumbent lost re-election.[2]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Illinois Dan Walker Democratic 1972 Incumbent lost re-nomination.[3][4]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Indiana Otis Bowen Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[5]
  • Green tickY Otis Bowen (Republican) 56.85%
  • Larry Conrad (Democratic) 42.63%
  • Daniel P. Talbot (American) 0.45%
  • Samuel L. Washington (U.S. Labor) 0.08%
Missouri Kit Bond Republican 1972 Incumbent lost re-election.[6]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Montana Thomas Lee Judge Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[7]
New Hampshire Meldrim Thomson Jr. Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[8]
North Carolina James Holshouser Republican 1972 Incumbent term-limited.[9]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
North Dakota Arthur A. Link Democratic-NPL 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[10]
  • Green tickY Arthur A. Link (Democratic-NPL) 51.58%
  • Richard Elkin (Republican) 46.53%
  • Martin Vaaler (American) 1.89%
Rhode Island Philip Noel Democratic 1972 Incumbent retired.[11]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY J. Joseph Garrahy (Democratic) 54.82%
  • James Taft (Republican) 44.71%
  • John C. Swift (Independent) 0.32%
Utah Cal Rampton Democratic 1964 Incumbent retired.[12]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Vermont Thomas P. Salmon Democratic 1972 Incumbent retired.[13]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Washington Daniel J. Evans Republican 1964 Incumbent retired.[14]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
West Virginia Arch A. Moore Jr. Republican 1968 Incumbent term-limited.[15]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.

See also

References

  1. ^ "AR Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  2. ^ "DE Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  3. ^ "IL Governor- D Primary Race - Mar 16, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  4. ^ "IL Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  5. ^ "IN Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  6. ^ "MO Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  7. ^ "MT Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  8. ^ "NH Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  9. ^ "NC Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  10. ^ "ND Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  11. ^ "RI Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  12. ^ "UT Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  13. ^ "VT Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  14. ^ "WA Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  15. ^ "WV Governor Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
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