The 2026 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Incumbent Republican governor Kelly Ayotte defeated Democrat Cinde Warmington, winning re-election to a second two-year term in office.
The primary elections took place on September 8, 2026. Along with neighboring Vermont, it was one of two Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Kamala Harris won in the 2024 presidential election.
New Hampshire was one of two states to vote for different parties for Senate and governor in 2026, electing a Republican governor and a Democratic senator (Chris Pappas, in the concurrent Senate election). The other one was South Carolina, which also elected a Republican governor (Alan Wilson, in the 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial election), and a Democratic senator (Annie Andrews, in the concurrent Senate election).
Background
New Hampshire has voted Democratic in each presidential race starting in 2004. The state's congressional delegation has been entirely Democratic since 2017. Conversely, Republicans hold a trifecta on the statewide level, with a supermajority in the New Hampshire Senate.
In 2024, Kelly Ayotte won the gubernatorial election by 9.34%.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Kelly Ayotte, incumbent governor (2025–present)
Eliminated in primary
- Shaun Fife, farmer and candidate for governor in 2024
- Bob Wayne McClory, welder and candidate for governor in 2024
Declined
- Dan Innis, state senator (2016–2018, 2022–present), candidate for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district in 2014, and previous candidate for U.S. Senate in 2026 (running for re-election)
Endorsements
Kelly Ayotte
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Cinde Warmington, former New Hampshire Executive Councilor (2021–2025) and candidate for governor in 2024
Withdrawn
- Jon Kiper, former Newmarket town councilor and 2024 gubernatorial candidate (ran as an independent, later withdrew)
Declined
- Carleigh Beriont, Hampton selectwoman (Running for Congress)
- Donovan Fenton, state senator from the 10th district (2022–present)
- Deaglan McEachern, mayor of Portsmouth (2022–present)
- Andru Volinsky, former New Hampshire Executive Councilor (2017–2021) and candidate for governor in 2020
- Julia Williams, healthcare executive and daughter of former governor John Lynch
Endorsements
Cinde Warmington
Third-party and independent candidates
Candidates
Declared
- Stephen Villee (Libertarian), software developer and nominee for governor in 2024
Failed to qualify
- Jon Kiper (Independent), former Newmarket town councilor and Democratic candidate for governor in 2024
General election
Post-primary endorsements
Kelly Ayotte (R)
Cinde Warmington (D)
Polling
Aggregate polls