State executive officials
2026 State Executive Elections
Heading into the 2026 elections, the partisan balance of state executive officials nationally is as follows:
- 24 Democratic governors and 26 Republican governors
- 21 Democratic lieutenant governors and 24
- 22 Democratic attorneys general, 27 Republican attorneys general, one nonpartisan attorney general
- 22 Democratic secretaries of state 25 Republican secretaries of state
State executives act in many capacities according to the powers granted to them by their state constitutions. They are also charged with implementing and enforcing laws made by state legislatures. There are 748 executive seats spread across 13 distinct types of offices in the United States.[2] Of the 13 executive offices, only seven exist in all 50 states: governor, attorney general, superintendent of schools, insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner, and public service commissioner.
State executive offices up for election in 2025 included two gubernatorial seats, two lieutenant gubernatorial seats, and one attorney general seat. Including down-ballot races, there were eight state executive seats up for election across four states in 2025.[3]
State executive offices up for election in 2024 included 11 gubernatorial seats, nine lieutenant gubernatorial seats, 10 attorney general seats, and seven secretary of state seats. Including down-ballot races, there were 167 state executive seats up for election across 30 states in 2024.
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State executive offices by state
State executive offices
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Secretary of State
- Attorney General
- Treasurer
- Controller
- Auditor
- Superintendent of Schools
- Insurance Commissioner
- Agriculture Commissioner
- Natural Resources Commissioner
- Labor Commissioner
- Public Service Commissioner
- State Board of Equalization
- Public Utilities Commissioner
- Industrial Commission Director
- State Mine Inspector
- Department of Revenue Commissioner
- Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Chief Financial Officer
- Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity
- Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
- State Examiner
- Governor's Council
- Transportation Commission
- Executive Director of Employment Security
- Commissioner of Management and Budget
- Tax Commissioner
- Board of Elections
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- ↑ Ballotpedia describes the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state as top-ballot state executive offices. Down-ballot state executive offices that exist in all 50 states include superintendent of schools, insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner, and public service commissioner. Examples of other down-ballot state executive offices include treasurer, auditor, and comptroller.
- ↑ There are 13 state executive offices as Ballotpedia defines the term, however, there are other executive offices that Ballotpedia does not cover in some states.
- ↑ Ballotpedia describes the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state as top-ballot state executive offices. Down-ballot state executive offices that exist in all 50 states include superintendent of schools, insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner, and public service commissioner. Examples of other down-ballot state executive offices include treasurer, auditor, and comptroller.
