United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 1976, in 14 states and one territory. Democrats achieved a net gain of one in these elections. This coincided with the House, Senate elections, and the presidential election.
This was the last year in which Illinois held a gubernatorial election on the same year as the presidential election. The state of Illinois moved its gubernatorial election date to midterm congressional election years. As a result, the governor elected this year, served a term of only two years.
Close states
States where the margin of victory was under 1%:
- Missouri, 0.68%
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- North Dakota, 5.05%
- Utah, 6.06%
- Washington, 8.71%
Arkansas
The 1976 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday November 2, Incumbent Democratic governor David Pryor defeated Republican candidate Leon Griffith with 83.24% of the vote.
Delaware
The 1976 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Pitting incumbent Democratic Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt Against U.S. Representative Pete du Pont. Largely due to the state's unresolved financial problems, du Pont defeated Governor Tribbitt by a landslide margin of 57% to 42%. This is the last time that an incumbent governor of Delaware lost re-election.
Illinois
The 1976 Illinois gubernatorial election was held in Illinois on November 2, 1976. Incumbent first-term Democratic governor Dan Walker lost renomination to Illinois Secretary of State Michael Howlett, who was an ally of Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley. Howlett then lost the general election to Republican nominee James R. Thompson. This election was the first of seven consecutive Republican gubernatorial victories in Illinois, a streak not broken until the election of Democrat Rod Blagojevich in 2002.
This election is the most recent time an Illinois gubernatorial election was held concurrently with a Presidential election.
Indiana
The 1976 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Republican Governor Otis Bowen defeated Democratic nominee Larry A. Conrad with 56.85% of the vote.
Missouri
The 1976 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976 and resulted in a narrow victory for the Democratic nominee, Joseph P. Teasdale, over the Republican candidate, incumbent Governor Kit Bond, and two other candidates. Teasdale defeated William J. Cason and George D. Weber for the Democratic nomination.
Montana
The 1976 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Governor of Montana Thomas Lee Judge, who was first elected in 1972, ran for re-election. He won the Democratic primary unopposed, and moved on to the general election, where he was opposed by Bob Woodahl, the Attorney General of Montana and the Republican nominee. Ultimately, Judge defeated Woodahl by a landslide to win his second and final term as governor.
New Hampshire
The 1976 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. defeated Democratic nominee Harry V. Spanos with 57.66% of the vote.
North Carolina
The 1976 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Democratic nominee Jim Hunt defeated Republican nominee David T. Flaherty with 64.99% of the vote.
North Dakota
The 1976 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic governor Arthur A. Link Ran for a second term against Republican Richard Elkin. Link won reelection defeating Elkin 52% to 47%.
Rhode Island
The 1976 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Democratic nominee J. Joseph Garrahy defeated Republican nominee James L. Taft Jr. with 54.82% of the vote.
Utah
The 1976 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. Democratic candidate Scott M. Matheson defeated Republican nominee Vernon B. Romney, who had defeated Dixie L. Leavitt for his party's nomination, with 52.02% of the vote.
Vermont
The 1976 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democrat Thomas P. Salmon did not seek another term as Governor of Vermont, instead running for United States Senate. Republican candidate Richard A. Snelling won the election, defeating Democratic candidate Stella B. Hackel and Liberty Union candidate Bernie Sanders.
Washington
The 1976 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1976. This election was especially significant in that Washington elected its first female governor, Dixy Lee Ray. Wesley C. Uhlman and John Patric unsuccessfully ran in the blanket primary.
West Virginia
The 1976 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1976, to elect the governor of West Virginia. Democrat Jay Rockefeller, the nephew of the then current Vice President of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller, defeated Republican Cecil Underwood.