Gubernatorial elections
United States elections · 1976 · held
State gubernatorial races held in this election year. Each governor is elected separately; there is no combined national percentage.
State races and results map
Each race has its own denominator. Missing counts are blank. The interactive map uses modern state outlines as navigation references.
Arkansas — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Pryor | Democratic | — | 83.24% | Elected |
| Leon Griffith | Republican | — | 16.74% | — |
Sources & further reading
Delaware — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete du Pont | Republican | — | 56.86% | Elected |
| Sherman W. Tribbitt | Democratic | — | 42.46% | — |
| George Cripps | American | — | 0.55% | — |
| Harry Connor | Prohibition | — | 0.13% | — |
Sources & further reading
Illinois — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James R. Thompson | Republican | — | 64.68% | Elected |
| Michael Howlett | Democratic | — | 34.71% | — |
| Ishmael Flory | Communist | — | 0.22% | — |
Sources & further reading
Indiana — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Bowen | Republican | — | 56.85% | Elected |
| Larry Conrad | Democratic | — | 42.63% | — |
| Daniel P. Talbot | American | — | 0.45% | — |
| Samuel L. Washington | U.S. Labor | — | 0.08% | — |
Sources & further reading
Missouri — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph P. Teasdale | Democratic | — | 50.23% | Elected |
| Kit Bond | Republican | — | 49.55% | — |
| Leon Striler | Nonpartisan | — | 0.22% | — |
Sources & further reading
Montana — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Lee Judge | Democratic | — | 61.70% | Elected |
| Robert Woodahl | Republican | — | 36.58% | — |
| Charley Mahoney | Independent | — | 1.72% | — |
Sources & further reading
New Hampshire — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meldrim Thomson Jr. | Republican | — | 57.66% | Elected |
| Harry Spanos | Democratic | — | 42.32% | — |
Sources & further reading
North Carolina — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Hunt | Democratic | — | 64.99% | Elected |
| David Flaherty | Republican | — | 33.90% | — |
| Herbert F. "Chub" Seawell Jr. | American | — | 0.82% | — |
| Arlan Andrews | Libertarian | — | 0.29% | — |
Sources & further reading
North Dakota — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur A. Link | Democratic-NPL | — | 51.58% | Elected |
| Richard Elkin | Republican | — | 46.53% | — |
| Martin Vaaler | American | — | 1.89% | — |
Sources & further reading
Rhode Island — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Joseph Garrahy | Democratic | — | 54.82% | Elected |
| James Taft | Republican | — | 44.71% | — |
| John C. Swift | Independent | — | 0.32% | — |
Sources & further reading
Utah — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott M. Matheson | Democratic | — | 52.02% | Elected |
| Vernon B. Romney | Republican | — | 45.96% | — |
| L. S. Brown | American | — | 1.33% | — |
| Betty Bates | Concerned Citizens | — | 0.69% | — |
Sources & further reading
Vermont — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard A. Snelling | Republican | — | 53.39% | Elected |
| Stella Hackel | Democratic | — | 40.48% | — |
| Bernie Sanders | Liberty Union | — | 6.09% | — |
Sources & further reading
Washington — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dixy Lee Ray | Democratic | — | 53.14% | Elected |
| John Spellman | Republican | — | 44.43% | — |
| Art Manning | American | — | 0.80% | — |
| Red Kelly | OWL Party | — | 0.80% | — |
| Henry Killman | Socialist Labor | — | 0.27% | — |
Sources & further reading
West Virginia — Governor — General
Popular election. Popular votes in this state contest
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Rockefeller | Democratic | — | 66.15% | Elected |
| Cecil H. Underwood | Republican | — | 33.82% | — |
Sources & further reading
Results: final · partial coverage · Separate state governor races
This entry covers governor elections held in the election year, including available special contests, not off-year elections or every sitting governor. Candidate-specific ideology is used where sourced; election-era party ideology is the fallback. Historical indirect selections and unavailable counts are identified separately. Source summaries may omit minor candidates; blank values do not mean zero votes.