Of the 49 elected governors in the United States (Connecticut's governor John Rowland resigned), 13 won at least one of their general elections with less than 50% of the popular vote and 6 additional governors won a primary election by a mere plurality. In the 1990-2004 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%) | NE: Johanns (Primary 1998: 40%) | |
AZ: Napolitano (General 2002: 46%) |
| |
CA: Schwarzeneggar (General 2003: 48.6%) | OK: Henry (General 2002: 43%) | |
CO: Owens (General 1998: 49%) | OR: Kulongoski (General 2002: 49%) | |
IL: Blagojevich (Primary 2002: 37%) | SD: Rounds (Primary 2002: 44%) | |
LA: Blanco (1st Round Primary 2003: 31% of votes cast for Democrats) | VT: Douglas (General 2002: 45%) | |
ME: Baldacci (General 2002: 47%) | WA: Gregoire (General 2004: 48.9%) | |
MA: Romney (General 2002: 49.8) | WI: Doyle (General 2002: 45%,Primary 2002: 38%) | |
MI: Granholm (Primary 2002: 48%) | WY: Freudenthal (General 2002: 49.9%) | |
MN: Pawlenty (General 2002: 44%) |