U.S. Governor Elections

2026 Governor Elections

36 of the 50 governorships are on the ballot, and the two parties start one state apart at 26–24. Fill in the map yourself, or see what the markets make of each race below.

Open Full Interactive Map

Interactive Map Projection

Click into the full map to assign states and build your own governor map.

Governorships now
26 R – 24 D
Virginia and New Jersey both flipped Democratic in 2025
For a majority
26
Of the 50 states
On the ballot
36
34 of them carry a market
Closest race
Nevada
52.5% D – 48% R on the market

Every race the market prices

Closest first. Polymarket, read 6 Aug 2026, 10:36 UTC.

StateMarketDemocraticRepublican
Nevada
Aaron Ford v Joe Lombardo
52.5%48%
Ohio
Amy Acton v Vivek Ramaswamy
45%56%
Wisconsin
41.5%58%
Georgia
Keisha Lance Bottoms v Rick Jackson
59%41%

“Competitive” means the two prices are within 20 points of each other — 4 of the 34 priced races. Candidate names appear only where the market names them; the rest trade as a straight party pair. No party-readable market for California, so it is left out.

What the board looks like

Of the 34 races carrying a market, the Democrats are the favourite in 18 and the Republicans in 16. Only 4 are inside 20 points, so most of the board is priced as already decided and the majority turns on a short list of states.

Key Facts

  • 50 governorships, 26 for a majority
  • Now: 26 R – 24 D
  • 36 on the ballot in 2026
  • Election Day: November 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How many governorships are needed for a majority?

26 of the 50 states. The Republicans currently hold 26 and the Democrats 24, so the two sides are one state apart.

How many governor races are up in 2026?

36 states. The other 14 governorships are holdovers not on the ballot this year, and they are already counted on the map.

Where do the percentages come from?

They are live Polymarket prices for each state's 2026 governor market, not a forecast produced by this site. A contract pays out if that party wins the state, so its price reads as the market's implied probability. The two sides are separate contracts, which is why a state's pair does not always total exactly 100.

Why is California missing from the table?

Because its market cannot be read by party. Most states trade as a simple Democratic-versus-Republican pair, but California runs a list of 23 individual candidates with no party marker attached, so sorting them into parties would mean guessing at the data. It is left out rather than filled in.

Can I build my own governor map?

Yes. Open the full interactive map, assign each state, and use the Share button for a link or embed code.

Percentages are live Polymarket prices carrying the time they were read, not a forecast produced by this site. Governorship counts are the current standing as of January 2026.