2003 United States gubernatorial elections

← 2002 October 4 and 7, and November 6 and 15, 2003 2004 →
4 governorships[a]
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Seats before 26 24 Seats after 28 22 Seat change 2 2 Seats up 1 3 Seats won 3 1
Map of the results      Republican gain      Democratic gain      No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held in four states. Kentucky and Mississippi held their general elections on November 4. Louisiana held the first round of its jungle primary on October 4 and the runoff on November 15. In addition, California held a recall election on October 7.

The Republican Party had a net gain of two seats in 2003, picking up an open seat in Kentucky, removing a Democratic governor in California, and defeating a Democratic governor in Mississippi, while losing an open seat to the Democrats in Louisiana. The election cycle was unusual because every seat that was up for election changed hands. This was the last time a party made net gains in this cycle of gubernatorial elections until 2019.

Election predictions

Race Summary

Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

1. Louisiana, 3.9%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. Mississippi, 6.8%

California (recall)

2003 California gubernatorial recall election

← 2002 October 7, 2003 2006 →
Turnout	61.20%[2] 34.4pp
Vote on recall
Shall Gray Davis be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 4,976,274 55.39% No 4,007,783 44.61% Valid votes 8,984,057 95.44% Invalid or blank votes 429,431 4.56% Total votes 9,413,488 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 15,380,536 61.2%
County results Yes:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% No:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Replacement candidates
If Davis is recalled, who should replace him as governor?
Turnout	61.20%
Candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger Cruz Bustamante Tom McClintock Party Republican Democratic Republican Popular vote 4,206,284 2,724,874 1,161,287 Percentage 48.6% 31.5% 13.4%
County results Schwarzenegger:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Bustamante:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election Gray Davis Democratic Governor after election Arnold Schwarzenegger Republican

The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election was a special election permitted under California state law. It resulted in voters replacing incumbent Democratic Governor Gray Davis with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. The recall effort spanned the latter half of 2003. Seven of the nine previous governors, including Davis, had faced unsuccessful recall attempts.^[3]

After several legal and procedural efforts failed to stop it, California's first-ever gubernatorial recall election was held on October 7, and the results were certified on November 14, 2003, making Davis the first governor recalled in the history of California, and just the second in U.S. history (the first was North Dakota's 1921 recall of Lynn Frazier).^[4] California is one of 19 states that allow recalls.^[5] Nearly 18 years after the 2003 election, California held a second recall election in 2021; however, that recall was unsuccessful, failing to oust Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.^[6]

Kentucky

2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election

← 1999 November 4, 2003 2007 →

Nominee Ernie Fletcher Ben Chandler Party Republican Democratic Running mate Steve Pence Charlie Owen Popular vote 596,284 487,159 Percentage 55.0% 45.0%

County results Congressional district results Fletcher:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Chandler:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Paul E. Patton Democratic Elected Governor Ernie Fletcher Republican

The 2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held to elect the Governor of Kentucky on November 4, 2003. Republican candidate Ernie Fletcher defeated Democrat Ben Chandler and became the first Republican governor of Kentucky in 32 years.^[7]

Louisiana

2003 Louisiana gubernatorial election

← 1999 October 4, 2003 (first round) November 15, 2003 (runoff) 2007 →

Nominee Kathleen Blanco Bobby Jindal Richard Ieyoub Party Democratic Republican Democratic First round 250,136 18.36% 443,389 32.54% 223,513 16.4% Runoff 731,358 51.95% 676,484 48.05% Eliminated   Nominee Buddy Leach Randy Ewing Hunt Downer Party Democratic Democratic Republican First round 187,872 13.79% 123,936 9.1% 84,718 6.22% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated

First round parish results Runoff parish results Parish results Blanco:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Jindal:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Ieyoub:      20–30%      30–40% Leach:      20–30%      30–40%      50–60% Ewing:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Downer:      20–30%      40–50%

Governor before election Mike Foster Republican Elected Governor Kathleen Blanco Democratic

The 2003 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on November 15, 2003 to elect the Governor of Louisiana. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Foster was not eligible to run for re-election to a third term because of term limits established by the Louisiana Constitution. As of 2023, this is the most recent Louisiana gubernatorial election in which the first round winner did not win the runoff.

Mississippi

2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election

← 1999 November 4, 2003 2007 →

Nominee Haley Barbour Ronnie Musgrove Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 76 46 Popular vote 470,404 409,787 Percentage 52.59% 45.81%

County results Barbour:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Musgrove:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Ronnie Musgrove Democratic Elected Governor Haley Barbour Republican

The 2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2003 to elect the governor of the U.S. state of Mississippi. Former Republican National Committee chairman Haley Barbour defeated incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove by a margin of 6.78%.

As of 2023, the election remains the most expensive gubernatorial election in state history, with over $18 million having been spent between Barbour and Musgrove.^[8] An additional $5 million was spent by the Republican Governors Association, mostly on television advertising. Barbour's victory in the election made him only the second Republican governor of Mississippi since Reconstruction.^[9]