The 2026 Alabama gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Alabama for a four-year term. The current governor, Kay Ivey, a Republican first elected in 2017 and reelected in 2022, is term-limited and cannot seek reelection. This creates an open-seat race for the first time since 2010, when Ivey was elected lieutenant governor. The election will determine control of the state's executive branch, which has been held by Republicans since 2017, and will shape policy directions on issues like education funding, Medicaid expansion (which Alabama has not adopted), and economic development in a state with a $2.3 billion budget surplus as of fiscal year 2024. Primary elections are expected in spring 2026, with the general election in November. Alabama is a heavily Republican state: Donald Trump won 62% of the vote in 2020, and no Democrat has won a statewide election since 2008. However, the open seat has attracted multiple candidates from both parties, including some with significant name recognition. The Republican primary is expected to be competitive, with candidates including Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, and others. The Democratic primary may feature candidates like former U.S. Senator Doug Jones or others seeking to capitalize on a potentially crowded Republican field. The outcome will have implications for national politics, as Alabama's governor appoints U.S. senators to fill vacancies (as occurred in 2018 with Luther Strange and later Doug Jones' election) and plays a role in redistricting and election administration. The 2026 race is also a test of whether Trump's endorsement remains decisive in GOP primaries, as several candidates have sought his backing. The election is being watched for its potential to shift the balance of power in the South, though Alabama's strong Republican lean makes a Democratic win unlikely without unusual circumstances.

Historical Context

Alabama has a long history of contested gubernatorial elections. The state's constitution, adopted in 1901, originally limited governors to one term, but amendments in 1968 and later allowed successive terms. The current limit is two consecutive terms, after which a governor must wait four years before being eligible again. This has led to frequent open-seat races. From 2003 to 2011, Bob Riley (R) served two terms, followed by Robert Bentley (R) from 2011 to 2017, who resigned amid scandal. Kay Ivey (R) then completed Bentley's term and won two full terms. The last open-seat race was in 2010, when Bentley defeated Democrat Ron Sparks. The 2010 election was notable for the Tea Party wave that swept Republicans into office across the state. The 2018 election saw Ivey win a full term against Democrat Walt Maddox, with Ivey taking 59.6% of the vote. In 2022, Ivey won again with 66.9% against Democrat Yolanda Flowers. No Democrat has won the governorship since Don Siegelman in 1998, who served from 1999 to 2003 and was later convicted on federal corruption charges (overturned in 2019). The 2026 race is the first open-seat contest in 16 years, and the first without an incumbent since 2010. Historically, Alabama governors have significant power over the state budget, appointments to boards and commissions, and the ability to call special legislative sessions. The governor also serves as commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard. The 2026 election will be the first gubernatorial race conducted under new congressional and legislative maps drawn after the 2020 census, which were subject to legal challenges over racial gerrymandering.