Election Deniers in Governor Races

Governors have key roles and responsibilities in several aspects of election administration and voting procedures, including:

• The governor can sign or veto legislation and state budgets that shape state election procedures and financial resources for administering elections.
• The governor can issue executive orders to improve intergovernmental coordination on election issues or address emergency situations impacting elections.
• The governor can be a part of litigation impacting a state’s election and voting laws or redistricting process.

Examples of pro-democracy actions a governor can take: sign legislation that expands or preserves the freedom to vote; veto legislation that undermines the right to vote or facilitate election subversion; draw fair district maps as part of the state’s redistricting process; propose state budgets that invest in election infrastructure and administration; appoint state officials who will advance pro-democracy policies; and issue certificates to presidential electors that reflect the official winner of the state’s presidential race.

Examples of anti-democracy actions a governor can take: veto (in full or part) state budgets that fund state election administration and enforcement; sign legislation that adds barriers to voters’ access to the ballot box; increase partisanship in election administration or audits; underfund election officials; subvert official election results; draw district maps that constitute a political gerrymander or that deprive communities of equal democratic participation; and issue certificates to presidential electors who do not represent the official winner of the state’s presidential race.

Click for an overview of the role of Attorneys General and Secretaries of State in election administration. For more detailed information on statewide election administration roles and responsibilities, visit our “Guide to Statewide Offices and Election Power.”

In 2022, 36 states have contests for governor. As of July 28, 21 states have held their primary races for governor, while 15 primaries remain. With a mix of states that have already voted in their primaries, there are at least 26 Election Deniers are running for Governor in 15 states right now. 

• More than half of primary races (8 of 15) happening in August and September have at least one Election Denier running, for a collective total of 19 remaining Election Denier primary candidates for Governor. 
• More than two-thirds (16) of the 21 primaries that have already happened included at least one Election Denier. Election Deniers won about one in four of these races (6 of 21), and one additional candidate is moving on to the general representing a minority party.

• Some of these Election Deniers won their primaries with significant vote margins: 
  • In Texas, incumbent Greg Abbott won with 66.5% of the vote. That’s a margin of more than 50 points over the next candidate.  
  • In Pennsylvania, where the governor selects the state’s chief election official, Doug Mastriano won with 43.55% of the vote. That’s a margin of more than 20 points. 
  • In New York, Lee Zeldin won with a 20-point lead, and 43.51% of the vote.

• Other Election Deniers were defeated by significant vote margins: 
  • In Ohio, Michael DeWine (the incumbent) won with 48.11% of the vote, a 20-point margin over the Election Denier in the race. 
  • In Idaho, Brad Little (the incumbent) won by a 20-point margin over the next candidate who was an Election Denier, with 52.8% of the vote. 

For more information on the Election Deniers running for Governor across the country, click here to view our dashboard.