1974 United States gubernatorial elections
November 5, 1974
37 governorships
35 states; 2 territories
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 32 18
Seats after 36 13
Seat change Increase4 Decrease5
Seats up 23 12
Seats won 27 7
  Third party
 
Party Independent
Seats before 0
Seats after 1
Seat change Increase1
Seats up 0
Seats won 1
  Republican hold
  Republican gain
  Democratic hold
  Democratic gain
  Independent gain

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 1974, in 35 states and two territories. The Democrats achieved a net gain of four seats, Republicans took a net loss of five seats, and one Independent was elected to the governorship of a state. This election coincided with the Senate and the House elections.

In Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas, governors were elected to four-year terms for the first time, instead of two-year terms. As of 2024, this is the last time that a Democrat was elected South Dakota governor. This is the first time a woman has been elected governor whose husband was not governor of any state. (In this case, Connecticut.)

Election results 1974

A bolded state name features an article about the specific election.

States

State Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
Alabama George Wallace Democratic 1962
1966 (term-limited)
1970		 Incumbent re-elected.[1]
Alaska William A. Egan Democratic 1958
1966 (defeated)
1970		 Incumbent lost re-election.[2]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Arizona Jack Williams Republican 1966 Incumbent retired.[3]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Arkansas Dale Bumpers Democratic 1970 Incumbent retired.[4]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY David Pryor (Democratic) 65.57%
  • Ken Coon (Republican) 34.41%
California Ronald Reagan Republican 1966 Incumbent retired.[5]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Colorado John D. Vanderhoof Republican 1973[lower-alpha 1] Incumbent lost election to full term.[6]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Connecticut Thomas Meskill Republican 1970 Incumbent retired.[7]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Florida Reubin Askew Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[8]
  • Green tickY Reubin Askew (Democratic) 58.35%
  • Jerry Thomas (Republican) 38.8%
Georgia Jimmy Carter Democratic 1970 Incumbent term-limited.[9]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Hawaii John A. Burns Democratic 1962 Incumbent retired.[10]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Idaho Cecil Andrus Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[11]
Iowa Robert D. Ray Republican 1968 Incumbent re-elected.[12]
Kansas Robert Docking Democratic 1966 Incumbent term-limited.[13]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Maine Kenneth M. Curtis Democratic 1970 Incumbent term-limited.[14]
New governor elected.
Independent gain.
Maryland Marvin Mandel Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected.[15]
Massachusetts Francis Sargent Republican 1969[lower-alpha 2] Incumbent lost re-election.[16]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Michigan William Milliken Republican 1969[lower-alpha 3] Incumbent re-elected.[17]
Minnesota Wendell R. Anderson Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[18]
Nebraska J. James Exon Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[19]
Nevada Mike O'Callaghan Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[20]
New Hampshire Meldrim Thomson Jr. Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[21]
New Mexico Bruce King Democratic 1970 Incumbent term-limited.[22]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
New York Malcolm Wilson Republican 1973[lower-alpha 4] Incumbent lost election to full term.[23]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio John J. Gilligan Democratic 1970 Incumbent lost re-election.[24]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Oklahoma David Hall Democratic 1970 Incumbent lost re-nomination.[25]
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Oregon Tom McCall Republican 1966 Incumbent term-limited.[26]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania Milton Shapp Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected.[27]
  • Green tickY Milton Shapp (Democratic) 53.66%
  • Andrew L. Lewis Jr. (Republican) 45.11%
  • Stephen Depue (Constitutionalist) 0.96%
  • Frederick L. Stanton (Socialist Workers) 0.26%
Rhode Island Philip Noel Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[28]
  • Green tickY Philip Noel (Democratic) 78.48%
  • James Nugent (Republican) 21.52%
South Carolina John C. West Democratic 1970 Incumbent term-limited.[29]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
South Dakota Richard F. Kneip Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[30]
Tennessee Winfield Dunn Republican 1970 Incumbent term-limited.[31]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Texas Dolph Briscoe Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[32]
Vermont Thomas P. Salmon Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected.[33]
Wisconsin Patrick Lucey Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected.[34]
Wyoming Stanley K. Hathaway Republican 1966 Incumbent retired.[35]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.

Territories and federal district

Territory Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
District of Columbia None (New office) New office.
New mayor elected.
Democratic gain.
  • Green tickY Walter Washington (Democratic) 82.5%
  • Sam Harris (Independent) 7.3%
  • Jackson R. Champion (Republican) 3.7%
  • Raymond V. Ellis (Independent) 2.9%
  • Nan Bailey (Socialist Workers) 2.3%
  • Tommye Lynn Grant (Independent) 1.3%
Guam Carlos Camacho Republican 1970 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Vanderhoof took office after his predecessor (John Arthur Love) resigned.
  2. ↑ Sargent took office after his predecessor (John Volpe) resigned.
  3. ↑ Milliken took office after his predecessor (George W. Romney) resigned.
  4. ↑ Wilson took office after his predecessor (Nelson Rockefeller) resigned.

References

  1. ↑ "AL Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  2. ↑ "AK Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  3. ↑ "AZ Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  4. ↑ "AR Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  5. ↑ "CA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  6. ↑ "CO Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  7. ↑ "CT Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  8. ↑ "FL Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  9. ↑ "GA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  10. ↑ "HI Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  11. ↑ "ID Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  12. ↑ "IA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  13. ↑ "KS Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  14. ↑ "ME Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  15. ↑ "MD Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  16. ↑ "MA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  17. ↑ "MI Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  18. ↑ "MN Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  19. ↑ "NE Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  20. ↑ "NV Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  21. ↑ "NH Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  22. ↑ "NM Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  23. ↑ "NY Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  24. ↑ "OH Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  25. ↑ "OK Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  26. ↑ "OR Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  27. ↑ "PA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  28. ↑ "RI Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  29. ↑ "SC Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  30. ↑ "SD Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  31. ↑ "TN Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  32. ↑ "TX Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  33. ↑ "VT Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  34. ↑ "WI Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  35. ↑ "WY Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
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