2026 United States secretary of state elections
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The 2026 United States secretary of state elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of twenty-six U.S. states.
The previous secretary of state elections for this group of states took place in 2022. The secretary of state of Vermont serves two-year terms and was last elected in 2024.
These elections will take place concurrently with various other federal, state, and local elections.
Partisan composition
[edit]Going into these elections, this class of secretaries of state is made up of 13 Democrats and 13 Republicans. Democrats are defending four states won by Donald Trump in 2024 (Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin), while Republicans do not hold any states won by Kamala Harris.
Race summary
[edit]| State | Secretary of state |
Party | First elected |
Status | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Wes Allen | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Arizona | Adrian Fontes | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent running |
|
| Arkansas | TBD | Republican | TBD (appointed) | Term-limited[a] | TBD
|
| California | Shirley Weber | Democratic | 2021[b] | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Colorado | Jena Griswold | Democratic | 2018 | Term-limited | TBD
|
| Connecticut | Stephanie Thomas | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Georgia | Brad Raffensperger | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Idaho | Phil McGrane | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Illinois | Alexi Giannoulias | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Indiana | Diego Morales | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Iowa | Paul Pate | Republican | 2014 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Kansas | Scott Schwab | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Massachusetts | William F. Galvin | Democratic | 1994 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Michigan | Jocelyn Benson | Democratic | 2018 | Term-limited | TBD
|
| Minnesota | Steve Simon | DFL | 2014 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Nebraska | Bob Evnen | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Nevada | Cisco Aguilar | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| New Mexico | Maggie Toulouse Oliver | Democratic | 2016 (special) | Term-limited | TBD
|
| North Dakota | Michael Howe | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Ohio | Frank LaRose | Republican | 2018 | Term-limited | TBD
|
| Rhode Island | Gregg Amore | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| South Carolina | Mark Hammond | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| South Dakota | Monae Johnson | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Vermont | Sarah Copeland-Hanzas | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Wisconsin | Sarah Godlewski | Democratic | 2023 (appointed) | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD
|
| Wyoming | Chuck Gray | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
Alabama
[edit]Secretary of State Wes Allen was elected in 2022 with 65.9% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Arizona
[edit]Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was elected in 2022 with 52.4% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a second term in office.[1] Fontes hinted at a potential primary challenge to Arizona governor Katie Hobbs, but ultimately decided against it.[2]
Arkansas
[edit]Secretary of State John Thurston resigned after being elected as state treasurer in 2024. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders will appoint a temporary replacement to fill the remainder of Thurston's term. However, the interim appointee cannot run for election per the state constitution.
California
[edit]Secretary of State Shirley Weber was elected in 2022 with 60.1% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.
Colorado
[edit]Secretary of State Jena Griswold was re-elected in 2022 with 55.1% of the vote. She will be term limited by the Colorado Constitution and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term.[3]
Connecticut
[edit]Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas was elected in 2022 with 55.2% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.
Georgia
[edit]Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was re-elected in 2022 with 53.2% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Idaho
[edit]Secretary of State Phil McGrane was elected in 2022 with 72.5% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Illinois
[edit]Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias was elected in 2022 with 54.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Indiana
[edit]Secretary of State Diego Morales was elected in 2022 with 54.1% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so. Beau Bayh, judicial law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and son of former Indiana governor Evan Bayh, is a potential Democratic candidate.[4]
Iowa
[edit]Secretary of State Paul Pate was re-elected in 2022 with 60.1% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Kansas
[edit]Secretary of State Scott Schwab was re-elected in 2022 with 58.4% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Massachusetts
[edit]Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin was re-elected in 2022 with 67.7% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Michigan
[edit]Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was re-elected in 2022 with 55.9% of the vote. She is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Minnesota
[edit]Secretary of State Steve Simon was re-elected in 2022 with 54.5% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Nebraska
[edit]Secretary of State Bob Evnen was re-elected unopposed in 2022. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
New Mexico
[edit]Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver was re-elected in 2022 with 54.5% of the vote. She is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
North Dakota
[edit]Secretary of State Michael Howe was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Ohio
[edit]Secretary of State Frank LaRose was re-elected in 2022 with 59.3% of the vote. He is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Rhode Island
[edit]Secretary of State Gregg Amore was re-elected in 2022 with 59.5% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
South Carolina
[edit]Secretary of State Mark Hammond was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
South Dakota
[edit]Secretary of State Monae Johnson was elected in 2022 with 63.9% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.
Vermont
[edit]Secretary of State Sarah Copeland-Hanzas was re-elected in 2024 with 59.6% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.
Wisconsin
[edit]Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski was appointed in 2023 after Doug La Follette resigned. She is eligible to run for election but has not yet stated if she will do so.
Wyoming
[edit]Secretary of State Chuck Gray was elected in 2022 with 91.6% of the vote, without major party opposition. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Arkansas State Constitution prohibits appointees from running for election.
- ^ Weber took office after her predecessor (Alex Padilla) resigned.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Wingett Sanchez, Yvonne; Marley, Patrick (December 17, 2024). "Top Arizona election official accuses predecessors of ignoring proof-of-citizenship problem". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
Fontes told The Post this week that he is running for reelection and is no longer considering challenging Hobbs in the Democratic primary for governor.
- ^ Barchenger, Stacy (November 19, 2024). "Adrian Fontes says gubernatorial buzz is 'a real conversation', but focuses on reelection". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ Birkeland ·, Bente (November 8, 2022). "Democrat Jena Griswold wins second term as Colorado's top election official". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Howey, Brian (November 15, 2024). "HOWEY: Indiana Democrats didn't fully embrace McCormick". WTHR. Retrieved November 16, 2024.