Contents

2000 United States gubernatorial elections

2000 United States gubernatorial elections

← 1999 November 7, 2000 2001 →
13 governorships 11 states; 2 territories
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Seats before 30 18 Seats after 29 19 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 5,966,679 6,942,442 Percentage 45.10% 52.48% Seats up 4 7 Seats won 3 8
Map of the results      Democratic hold      Republican hold      Democratic gain      Popular Democratic gain      Nonpartisan      No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 7, 2000, in 11 states and two territories. The elections coincided with the presidential election. Democrats gained one seat by defeating an incumbent in West Virginia. As of 2024, this remains the last gubernatorial cycle in which a Democrat won in Indiana.

States where the margin of victory was under 1%:

1. Missouri, 0.9%

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

1. American Samoa, 2.8%
2. West Virginia, 2.9%
3. Puerto Rico, 3.0%
4. Montana, 3.9%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. New Hampshire, 5.0%
2. North Carolina, 5.8%

2000 Delaware gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Ruth Ann Minner John Burris Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 191,695 128,603 Percentage 59.2% 39.8%

County results Minner:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Tom Carper Democratic Elected Governor Ruth Ann Minner Democratic

The 2000 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000, coinciding with the U.S. presidential election. Incumbent Governor Tom Carper was term-limited and instead successfully ran for the United States Senate. Lieutenant Governor and Democratic nominee Ruth Ann Minner squared off against Republican nominee John M. Burris and won in a landslide on election day.

2000 Indiana gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 (2000-11-07) 2004 →

Nominee Frank O'Bannon David McIntosh Party Democratic Republican Running mate Joe Kernan J. Murray Clark Popular vote 1,232,525 908,285 Percentage 56.6% 41.7%

County results O'Bannon:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% McIntosh:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election Frank O'Bannon Democratic Elected Governor Frank O'Bannon Democratic

The 2000 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Governor Frank O'Bannon, a Democrat, was re-elected over Republican David M. McIntosh with 57% of the vote. Libertarian Andrew Horning also ran and received 2% of the vote. O'Bannon's victory was the fourth consecutive election in which a Democrat was elected Governor of Indiana, the longest winning streak for that party in the state since the Civil War. As of 2023^[update], this was the last time a Democrat was elected Governor of Indiana.

2000 Missouri gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Bob Holden Jim Talent Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,152,752 1,131,307 Percentage 49.12% 48.21%

County results Holden:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Talent:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Roger B. Wilson Democratic Elected Governor Bob Holden Democratic

The 2000 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000 and resulted in a narrow victory for the Democratic nominee, State Treasurer of Missouri Bob Holden, over the Republican candidate, U.S. Representative Jim Talent, and several other candidates. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. However, he was killed in a plane crash on October 16, 2000, while campaigning for Missouri's Class 1 Senate seat. Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson succeeded to the office following Carnahan's death.

Coincidentally, Talent would later be elected at the 2002 Senate special election and defeated Mel Carnahan's widow Jean Carnahan to begin the rest of Mel Carnahan's unexpired Senate term. This was the only time between 1968 and 2020 that the winner of the Missouri gubernatorial election did not come from the same party as the winner of the presidential election held simultaneously. This gubernatorial election was one of the closest in Missouri's history. Bob Holden did well, as expected in St. Louis and Kansas City. Talent easily won most rural parts of the state. Holden did poorly in the St. Louis suburbs. However Holden's wins in the Democratic strongholds of St. Louis and Kansas City proved to be just enough to push him over the finish line. Because the election was decided by less than 1%, Talent could have requested a recount that his campaign would have to pay for since it was not below half a percent. However, most recounts never see a swing of more than 1,000 votes, and Talent was trailing by 21,445. Talent ultimately did not request a recount and conceded defeat on the late evening of November 14.

2000 Montana gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →
Turnout	59.90%10.70[2]
Nominee Judy Martz Mark O'Keefe Party Republican Democratic Running mate Karl Ohs Carol Williams Popular vote 209,135 193,131 Percentage 51.0% 47.1%
County results Martz:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% O'Keefe:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election Marc Racicot Republican Elected Governor Judy Martz Republican

The 2000 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Governor of Montana Marc Racicot, who was first elected in 1992 and was re-elected in 1996, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Judy Martz, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana under Racicot for four years, won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where she faced Mark O'Keefe, the Montana State Auditor and Democratic nominee. Despite the fact that George W. Bush, the Republican nominee for president in 2000, won the state in a landslide, the race between Martz and O'Keefe was close. However, Martz managed to narrowly defeat him to win her first and only term as governor. This was the last time that a Republican was elected Governor of Montana until 2020, when Greg Gianforte was elected.^[3]

2000 New Hampshire gubernatorial election

← 1998 November 7, 2000 2002 →

Nominee Jeanne Shaheen Gordon Humphrey Mary Brown Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 275,038 246,952 35,904 Percentage 48.8% 43.8% 6.4%

County results Municipality results Shaheen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Humphrey:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      40–50%

Governor before election Jeanne Shaheen Democratic Elected Governor Jeanne Shaheen Democratic

The 2000 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen won re-election.

2000 North Carolina gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Mike Easley Richard Vinroot Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,530,324 1,360,960 Percentage 52.02% 46.26%

County results Easley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Vinroot:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Jim Hunt Democratic Elected Governor Mike Easley Democratic

The 2000 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000. The general election was fought between the Republican nominee, former mayor of Charlotte Richard Vinroot and the Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Mike Easley. Easley won by 52% to 46% and succeeded fellow Democrat Jim Huntasgovernor.

2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee John Hoeven Heidi Heitkamp Party Republican Democratic–NPL Running mate Jack Dalrymple Aaron Krauter Popular vote 159,255 130,144 Percentage 55.0% 45.0%

County results Hoeven:      50–60%      60–70% Heitkamp:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election Ed Schafer Republican Elected Governor John Hoeven Republican

The 2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000 for the post of Governor of North Dakota. Incumbent Republican Governor Ed Schafer decided not to run for reelection. Republican nominee John Hoeven won the election over Democratic State Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp. Heitkamp had led in the polls until early October, when reports indicated that she had breast cancer, and would undergo surgery. She ran advertisements to assure voters she was still fit to serve; however, by the final month, Hoeven had taken a six-point lead in polling.^[4] As of 2021, this is the most recent North Dakota gubernatorial election in which the Democratic nominee received over 40% of the vote. Hoeven and Heitkamp later served alongside each other in the United States Senate from 2013 to 2019.

2000 Utah gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Mike Leavitt Bill Orton Party Republican Democratic Running mate Olene Walker Karen Hale Popular vote 424,837 321,979 Percentage 55.77% 42.27%

County results Leavitt:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Orton:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Mike Leavitt Republican Elected Governor Mike Leavitt Republican

The 2000 Utah gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican Mike Leavitt won reelection to a third term.

2000 Vermont gubernatorial election

← 1998 November 7, 2000 2002 →

Nominee Howard Dean Ruth Dwyer Anthony Pollina Party Democratic Republican Progressive Popular vote 148,059 111,359 28,116 Percentage 50.5% 38.0% 9.6%

County results Municipality results Dean:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Dwyer:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

Governor before election Howard Dean Democratic Elected Governor Howard Dean Democratic

The 2000 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic Governor Howard Dean won re-election. The campaign was dominated by the fallout from the passage of a civil union bill and the subsequent backlash encapsulated by the slogan Take Back Vermont. Ruth Dwyer, the Republican nominee in 1998, ran again in 2000 and was closely tied to the Take Back Vermont movement. Howard Dean, the Democratic governor, favored civil unions and was a primary target of Take Back Vermont.^[5]

2000 Washington gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Gary Locke John Carlson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,441,973 980,060 Percentage 58.4% 39.7%

County results Locke:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Carlson:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election Gary Locke Democratic Elected Governor Gary Locke Democratic

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The 2000 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic governor Gary Locke defeated the Republican candidate John Carlson for his second term in a landslide.

As of 2022^[update], this was the earliest gubernatorial election in Washington in which both candidates are currently still living. This is the last time a Democratic nominee for governor outperformed the Democratic nominee for president in Washington. This would also be the last gubernatorial election in Washington in which the margin of victory was in double digits and in which any counties in Eastern Washington voted for a Democrat until Jay Inslee's 2020 landslide victory.

2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Bob Wise Cecil Underwood Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 324,822 305,926 Percentage 50.1% 47.2%

County results Wise:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Underwood:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Cecil Underwood Republican Elected Governor Bob Wise Democratic

The 2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican Governor Cecil Underwood ran for re-election to a second consecutive term in office, but was defeated by Democratic U.S. Representative Bob Wise. Concurrently, the state voted for the opposite party federally, choosing Republican nominee, George W. Bush over Democratic nominee Al Gore in the presidential election that year. As of 2022^[update], this was the last time in which an incumbent West Virginia Governor lost re-election.

2000 Puerto Rican general election

← 1996 7 November 2000 2004 →
Turnout	82.20%
Nominee Sila María Calderón Carlos Pesquera Rubén Berríos Party Popular Democratic New Progressive Independence Alliance Democratic Democratic Popular vote 978,860 919,194 104,705 Percentage 48.9% 45.9% 5.7%
Results by municipality Calderón:      40-50%      50-60% Pesquera:      40–50%      50–60%
Governor before election Pedro Rosselló New Progressive Elected Governor Sila María Calderón Popular Democratic

• 2000 United States elections
  • 2000 United States presidential election
  • 2000 United States Senate elections
  • 2000 United States House of Representatives elections