2026 Alabama gubernatorial election

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Party Republican Democratic

IncumbentGovernor Kay Ivey Republican

The2026 Alabama gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the nextgovernor of Alabama. The primary elections will take place on May 19, and in races where no candidate receives over 50% in a primary, runoff elections will take place on June 16.^[1] Incumbent GovernorKay Ivey is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third consecutive full term.

This election will take place alongside races forU.S. Senate,U.S. House,state senate,state house, andnumerous other state and local offices. Democrats have not won a gubernatorial election in Alabama since1998.

• Ken McFeeters, insurance agent and candidate forAlabama's 6th congressional district in2024^[2]
• Will Santivasci, event center operations manager^[3]
• Tommy Tuberville,U.S. senator (2021–present)^[4]

• Will Ainsworth,Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (2019–present)^[5](endorsed Tuberville)^[6]
• Lynda Blanchard, formerU.S. Ambassador to Slovenia (2019–2021) and candidate for governor in2022^[7](nominated forAmbassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization)^[8]
• Mo Brooks, formerU.S. Representative fromAlabama's 5th congressional district (2011–2023)^[9]
• Steve Marshall,Alabama Attorney General (2017–present)^[10](running for U.S Senate)^[11]
• Rick Pate, commissioner of theAlabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (2019–present)(running for Lieutenant Governor)^[12][13]

TheConstitution of Alabama requires that a candidate for governor have been a resident citizen of the state for at least seven years immediately preceding the date of the election, as provided in Article V, Section 117.^[38]

On January 27, 2026, after the filing deadline for the Republican primary had passed, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken McFeeters submitted a formal challenge to theAlabama Republican Party alleging that U.S. Senator and fellow gubernatorial candidateTommy Tuberville does not satisfy the state's residency requirement. McFeeters claimed in his petition that, despite Tuberville owning a home inAuburn, Alabama, he primarily resides at his multimillion-dollar beach house inWalton County, Florida.^[39]

A spokesperson for Tuberville described the challenge as "a ridiculous PR stunt from a desperate candidate."^[40] Tuberville himself dismissed the allegation, stating, "What a joke. I guess they think, you know, I hadn't done my homework."^[41]

The Alabama Republican Party's 21-member steering committee reviewed the challenge on February 2, 2026 and rejected it, clearing the path for Tuberville to be on the primary ballot.^[42]

• Will Boyd, formerGreenville, Illinois city councilor and perennial candidate^[43]
• Ja'Mel Brown, online pastor^[44]
• Yolanda Flowers, educator and nominee for governor in2022^[45]
• Doug Jones, former U.S. senator (2018–2021)^[46]
• Chad Chig Martin, hemp business owner and candidate for governor in2022^[47]
• Nate Mathis, former state representative from the 87th district (1983–1995) and perennial candidate^[48]

Will Boyd was the first candidate to enter the race, in June 2025.^[43]Doug Jones did not rule out a bid in the same month, while campaigning for a Democrat in a state legislative special election.^[54] He officially launched his campaign in November 2025.^[55] Following reporters that Jones would announce a campaign, Boyd's campaign responded by stating that he would not be dropping out of the race.^[56]

Jones focused on Tommy Tuberville's residency issue in his campaign. He also expressed his support for a statelottery in Alabama.^[57] If elected, he also pledged to remove members of theAlabama Public Library Service, and replace them with nonpartisan members.^[58]

• Ronald Burnette Jr. (Independent, write-in)^[59]

Tommy Tuberville vs. Doug Jones

• 2026 United States gubernatorial elections

Official campaign websites

• Will Boyd (D) for Governor
• Doug Jones (D) for Governor
• Chad Chig Martin (D) for Governor
• Ken McFeeters (R) for Governor
• Tommy Tuberville (R) for Governor

• Alabama gubernatorial elections
• 2026 Alabama elections
• 2026 United States gubernatorial elections

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