2018 United States Gubernatorial Elections facts for kids
In 2018, people across the United States voted for their governors. These important elections happened in 36 states and 3 U.S. territories. The Democrats won many new governor spots. The Republicans also won some. The Independent candidates, who don't belong to a major party, lost one important spot. This happened in Alaska, where the only Independent governor lost to a Republican.
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What is a Governor?
A governor is like the chief leader of a state. They are in charge of the state's government. Think of them as the "president" of a state. Governors help make laws, manage state money, and lead the state's efforts in areas like education and healthcare. They work to make their state a better place for everyone living there.
How Governors are Chosen
Governors are chosen by the people in their state. Every few years, citizens vote to pick who they want to be their governor. This is called a gubernatorial election. The person who gets the most votes wins and becomes the governor for a set number of years.
Who Won in 2018?
The 2018 elections changed who was in charge in some states. Here's a look at how the different political parties did.
Democrats Gained Seats
In 2018, the Democratic Party won the governor's spot in several states where Republicans had been in charge. This meant a change in leadership for these states.
Republicans Gained Seats
The Republican Party also gained one important governor's spot. This happened in a state where an Independent governor had been in charge.
Parties Kept Their Seats
In many states, the same political party stayed in charge of the governor's office. This means the people voted to keep their current party's leadership.
Republicans Stayed in Charge
The Republican Party kept the governor's spot in these states:
- Texas
- Arizona
- Idaho
- Wyoming
- South Dakota
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
Democrats Stayed in Charge
The Democratic Party also kept the governor's spot in these states:
