Impact of term limits on state executive elections in 2024

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
2025 »
« 2023
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Election Analysis Hub, 2024
Election analysis
Competitiveness report
Trifecta vulnerability
Impact of term limits
States with multiple offices up for election
Elections coverage
Election results, 2024
State executives
Governors

Of the 164 state executive seats on the ballot in 2024, 46 of them were represented by incumbents who were subject to term limits.[1] Fourteen of those incumbents were ineligible to run for re-election in 2024 due to term limits. This represented 8.5% of the total seats up for election in 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • A total of five Democrats and seven Republicans were term-limited in 2024. The other two term-limited officials were nonpartisan.
  • Of the 29 states with state executive offices on the ballot in 2024, 10 of them had term-limited officials.
  • Term-limited state executives by state

    The map below displays the 37 states that had laws limiting the number of terms state executive officials could serve as of 2024. Of those states, only 23 states held elections in 2024.

    • Four states—Colorado, Delaware, Montana, and Ohio—had two term-limited officials each. The remaining states with term-limited officials had one each.
    • Thirteen states with state executive term limits had no officials term-limited in 2024. This included the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota.

    Term-limited state executives by position

    The 14 termed-out incumbents in 2024 held 8 different offices: governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, state board of regents member, state board of education member, superintendent of public instruction, public service commissioner, and corporation commissioner.

    The 14 termed-out incumbents were from 10 states. Three states were controlled by a Democratic trifecta, six by a Republican trifecta, and one state was under a divided government. A state government trifecta exists when one political party holds the governor's office and majority control in both chambers of the state legislature. As of March 2024, there were 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party held trifecta control.

    2024 breakdown by position
    Position Number of term-limited officeholders Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Independent Other
    Agriculture Commissioner 0 0 0 0
    Attorney General 0 0 0 0
    Auditor 0 0 0 0
    Board of Education 3 1 0 2
    Board of Equalization 0 0 0 0
    Board of Regents 1 0 1 0
    Comptroller/Controller 0 0 0 0
    Corporation Commissioner 1 0 1 0
    Governor 5 2 3 0
    Insurance Commissioner 0 0 0 0
    Labor Commissioner 0 0 0 0
    Land Commissioner 0 0 0 0
    Lieutenant Governor 1 1 0 0
    Public Service/Regulation Commissioner 1 0 1 0
    Secretary of State 0 0 0 0
    Superintendent of Schools 1 0 1 0
    Transportation Commissioner 0 0 0 0
    Treasurer 1 1 0 0
    Total 14 5 7 2

    Differential impact on parties

    Term limits create open seats, which can impact the competitiveness of state executive elections. A total of 164 state executive seats were on the ballot in 2024, and 46 of those seats were subject to term limits. Out of those 46 seats, 14 featured an open seat since the incumbent was term-limited.

    2024 term-limited state executive elections
    State Trifecta status[2] Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Independent Other # of seats with term limits % of seats term-limited in 2024
    Alabama Republican 0 0 0 0 0%
    Arizona Divided government 0 0 0 3 0%
    Arkansas Republican 0 0 0 1 0%
    Colorado Democratic 1 1 0 7 28.6%
    Delaware Democratic 2 0 0 2 100.0%
    Hawaii Democratic 0 0 0 0 0%
    Indiana Republican 0 1 0 1 100.0%
    Kansas Divided government 0 0 0 0 0%
    Louisiana Divided government 0 0 0 1 0%
    Michigan Democratic 0 0 0 0 0%
    Missouri Republican 0 1 0 2 50.0%
    Montana Republican 0 2 0 9 22.2%
    Nebraska Republican 0 0 0 0 0%
    Nevada Divided governoment 0 0 0 4 0%
    New Mexico Democratic 0 0 0 0 0%
    North Carolina Divided government 1 0 0 2 50.0%
    North Dakota Republican 0 0 0 1 0%
    Ohio Republican 0 0 2 6 33.3%
    Oklahoma Republican 0 1 0 1 100.0%
    Oregon Democratic 1 0 0 2 50.0%
    Pennsylvania Divided government 0 0 0 3 0%
    South Dakota Republican 0 0 0 0 0%
    West Virginia Republican 0 1 0 1 100.0%
    Total N/A 5 7 2 46 30.4%

    Term-limited elections by state

    Alabama

    See also: Alabama state executive official elections, 2024

    Five state executive offices were up for election in Alabama in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Arizona

    See also: Arizona state executive official elections, 2024

    Three state executive offices were up for election in Arizona in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Arkansas

    See also: Arkansas state executive official elections, 2024

    One state executive office was up for election in Arkansas in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Colorado

    See also: Colorado state executive official elections, 2024

    Seven state executive offices were up for election in Colorado in 2024. Two officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Delaware

    See also: Delaware state executive official elections, 2024

    Three state executive offices were up for election in Delaware in 2024. Two officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Hawaii

    See also: Hawaii state executive official elections, 2024

    Four state executive offices were up for election in Hawaii in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Indiana

    See also: Indiana state executive official elections, 2024

    Three state executive offices were up for election in Indiana in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Kansas

    See also: Kansas state executive official elections, 2024

    Five state executive offices were up for election in Kansas in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Louisiana

    See also: Louisiana state executive official elections, 2024

    One state executive office was up for election in Louisiana in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Michigan

    See also: Michigan state executive official elections, 2024

    Eight state executive offices were up for election in Michigan in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Missouri

    See also: Missouri state executive official elections, 2024

    Five state executive offices were up for election in Missouri in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Montana

    See also: Montana state executive official elections, 2024

    Nine state executive offices were up for election in Montana in 2024. Two officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Nebraska

    See also: Nebraska state executive official elections, 2024

    Ten state executive offices were up for election in Nebraska in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Nevada

    See also: Nevada state executive official elections, 2024

    Eight state executive offices were up for election in Nevada in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    New Mexico

    See also: New Mexico state executive official elections, 2024

    Five state executive offices were up for election in New Mexico in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    North Carolina

    See also: North Carolina state executive official elections, 2024

    Ten state executive offices were up for election in North Carolina in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    North Dakota

    See also: North Dakota state executive official elections, 2024

    Seven state executive offices were up for election in North Dakota in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Ohio

    See also: Ohio state executive official elections, 2024

    Six state executive offices were up for election in Ohio in 2024. Two officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Oklahoma

    See also: Oklahoma state executive official elections, 2024

    One state executive office was up for election in Oklahoma in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Oregon

    See also: Oregon state executive official elections, 2024

    Three state executive offices were up for election in Oregon in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    Pennsylvania

    See also: Pennsylvania state executive official elections, 2024

    Three state executive offices were up for election in Pennsylvania in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    South Dakota

    See also: South Dakota state executive official elections, 2024

    One state executive office was up for election in South Dakota in 2024. No officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.

    West Virginia

    See also: West Virginia state executive official elections, 2024

    Six state executive offices were up for election in West Virginia in 2024. One official was ineligible to run because of term limits.

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. This does not include executive offices in the U.S. Territories, but it does include executive offices in Washington, D.C.
    2. A state's trifecta status was current as of March 2024.