Center for Voting and Democracy

Of the 50 elected governors in the United States, 15 won at least one of their general elections with less than 50% of the popular vote and 7 additional governors won a primary election by a mere plurality. In the 1990-2003 period overall, there were 36 states and one territory with governors who had won either their primary or general election with less than 50% of the vote. Most recently, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won the 2003 special election in California with 48.6% of the vote and Democrat Kathleen Blanco was elected governor of Louisiana after having received 31% of the Democratic vote in the first round. In the 2002 general elections, eleven governors won by a plurality vote, including California's Gray Davis. Two current governors have won more than one election by plurality: George Pataki (NY) and James Doyle (WI).

AL: Riley (General 2002: 49%)
MO: Holden (General 2000: 49%)

AZ: Napolitano (General 2002: 46%) NE: Johanns (Primary 1998: 40%)

CA: Schwarzeneggar
(General 2003: 48.6%) NH: Benson (Primary 2002: 37%)

CO: Owens (General 1998: 49%)
NY: Pataki (General 2002: 49%,
General 1994: 49%)

CT: Rowland (General 1994: 36%) OK: Henry (General 2002: 43%)

IL: Blagojevich (Primary 2002: 37%) OR: Kulongoski (General 2002: 49%)

LA: Blanco
(1st Round Primary 2003: 31%) SD: Rounds (Primary 2002: 44%)

ME: Baldacci (General 2002: 47%) VT: Douglas (General 2002: 45%)

MA: Romney (General 2002: 49.8) WA: Locke (Primary 1996: 45%)

MI: Granholm (Primary 2002: 48%)
WI: Doyle
(General 2002: 45%,Primary 2002: 38%)

MN: Pawlenty (General 2002: 44%) WY: Freudenthal (General 2002: 49.9%)

Return to Plurality Index.