More incumbents are ineligible to run in 2026 due to term limits than in 2024, 2022, and 2018
A record number of state executive incumbents, including 15 governors, will be unable to seek re-election in 2026 due to term limits—significantly more than in previous election cycles. California leads with eight term-limited officials, followed by Ohio and other states. This creates widespread open-seat races across 15 different state executive offices.
Key Points
- 57 state executive incumbents, including 15 governors, are term-limited and ineligible for 2026
- California has the most term-limited officials with eight, more than any other state
- This represents a higher number of term-limited incumbents than in 2024, 2022, or 2018 elections