How vacancies are filled in state executive offices
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The process for filling vacancies varies by state and state executive office office. Methods for filling vacancies include gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment, appointment by another state official, or a hybrid system.
This page provides information on how every state legislature fills its vacancies. The most common reasons for a state executive vacancy include officeholders resigning, dying, leaving for a new job, being elected or appointed to a different office, or receiving a legal conviction. Thissection below provides information on how each office fills vacancies according to its state constitution and the different vacancy fill systems. This page also gives information onpast state executive vacancies.
How are vacancies filled in state executive offices?
The method for filling a state executive official vacancy varies by both the office and state. Select an office tab below to see a map of how each state fills a vacancy and a table that breaks down the different systems used to fill vacancies. Underneath, select a state-specific office to learn more about how it is filled through state law.Please note this page is undergoing updates, and each tab may not contain every component at this time.
Not every state executive office exists in all 50 states, and the name of an office may vary across states where it is found. For example, the state executive office of controller is known as comptroller in several states like Indiana, Maryland, and New Jersey.
State executive official vacancies can be filled through gubernatorial appointments, state legislative appointments, appointments by another office, a type of hybrid system, or in rare circumstances, a special election. We designate a state as having a hybrid system if a vacancy is filled by one or more methods. The method employed in these states is usually dependent on if the state legislature is in session, the amount of time remaining in the vacant executive official's term, or the time until the next general election in that state. Some offices require the appointment to be confirmed by either the state senate or both chambers of the state legislature. This information is denoted on the map for each state.
Ballotpedia'sstate executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. For some offices, the map does not list any information on how the vacancy is filled which indicates that after extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office, pleaseemail us.
Vacancy fill systems by state
Types of systems used to fill vacancies
Offices
- Governor of Alabama
- Governor of Alaska
- Governor of American Samoa
- Governor of Arizona
- Governor of Arkansas
- Governor of California
- Governor of Colorado
- Governor of Connecticut
- Governor of Delaware
- Governor of Florida
- Governor of Georgia
- Governor of Guam
- Governor of Hawaii
- Governor of Idaho
- Governor of Illinois
- Governor of Indiana
- Governor of Iowa
- Governor of Kansas
- Governor of Kentucky
- Governor of Louisiana
- Governor of Maine
- Governor of Maryland
- Governor of Massachusetts
- Governor of Michigan
- Governor of Minnesota
- Governor of Mississippi
- Governor of Missouri
- Governor of Montana
- Governor of Nebraska
- Governor of Nevada
- Governor of New Hampshire
- Governor of New Jersey
- Governor of New Mexico
- Governor of New York
- Governor of North Carolina
- Governor of North Dakota
- Governor of Ohio
- Governor of Oklahoma
- Governor of Oregon
- Governor of Pennsylvania
- Governor of Puerto Rico
- Governor of Rhode Island
- Governor of South Carolina
- Governor of South Dakota
- Governor of Tennessee
- Governor of Texas
- Governor of Utah
- Governor of Vermont
- Governor of Virginia
- Governor of Washington
- Governor of West Virginia
- Governor of Wisconsin
- Governor of Wyoming
- Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Historical data on state executive vacancies
Party breakdown
This chart compares the party breakdown of irregular office changes by year.
| Party breakdown by year, 2012-2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total by year | Vacancies | |||
 Democrats |  Republicans |  Nonpartisan | |||
| 2024 | 38 | 3 | 5 | 30 | |
| 2023 | 65 | 7 | 11 | 47 | |
| 2022 | 53 | 6 | 9 | 38 | |
| 2021 | 43 | 11 | 11 | 21 | |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 21 | 1 | 13 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 23 | 1 | 17 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |
| 2013 | 36 | 3 | 12 | 21 | |
| 2012 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
| Total by party | 333 | 40 | 91 | 202 | |
Ballot breakdown
This chart compares irregular office changes per year by top ballot and down ballot offices. Top ballot offices includegovernor,lieutenant governor,secretary of state andattorney general. Down ballot offices are all state executive offices covered by Ballotpedia outside of these four positions.
| Top ballot and down ballot offices, 2012-2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total by year | Vacancies | ||
| Top ballot | Down ballot | |||
| 2024 | 38 | 2 | 36 | |
| 2023 | 65 | 12 | 53 | |
| 2022 | 53 | 12 | 41 | |
| 2021 | 43 | 16 | 27 | |
| 2020 | 11 | 1 | 10 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 21 | 9 | 12 | |
| 2017 | 23 | 10 | 13 | |
| 2016 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 4 | 5 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 4 | 8 | |
| 2013 | 36 | 9 | 27 | |
| 2012 | 15 | 2 | 13 | |
| Total by office | 333 | 84 | 249 | |
Office comparison
The first chart compares the irregular top ballot office changes per year by position. The second chart compares irregular down ballot office changes per year by position.
| Breakdown by top ballot offices, 2012-2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total by year | Vacancies | |||
| Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Secretary of State | Attorney General | ||
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| 2021 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2017 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total by office | 84 | 8 | 24 | 31 | 21 |
| Breakdown by down ballot offices, 2012-2024 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total by year | Vacancies | |||||||||
| Treasurer | Auditor | Sup't of Schools | Insurance Commish | Controller | Ag Commish | Land/Natural Resources | Labor Commish | Public Services | Other | ||
| 2024 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 7 |
| 2023 | 53 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 2022 | 41 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 2021 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
| 2020 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2018 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 2012 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Total by office | 249 | 16 | 13 | 45 | 25 | 8 | 15 | 26 | 27 | 54 | 20 |
State comparison
This chart compares irregular office changes per year by state.
| Party breakdown by year, 2012-2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total by year | Vacancies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AL | AK | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS | KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY | ||
| 2024 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 65 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 53 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2021 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total by state | 333 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
Changes 2012-2023
Resignation data
The highlighted cells in the table below indicate which category the irregular office change falls into:political,professional andpersonal. A cell withN/A indicates a change that does not conform to any of the three categories or the reasons were never specified.
- Note: This list may be incomplete. If you know of any irregular office changes which have not been included here, pleaseemail us.
See also
- State executive officials
- State executive offices
- State executive incumbents
- How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
- How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Eyewitness News ABC 7, "Kathy Hochul becomes New York's first female governor as Cuomo exits," August 23, 2021
- ↑The New York Times, "Gina Raimondo, the governor of Rhode Island, is confirmed as commerce secretary," March 2, 2021
- ↑The Nevada Independent, "Director of Nevada’s swamped employment department says she’s leaving; health exchange director to take over," April 28, 2020
- ↑The Columbus Dispatch, "Powerful Ohio utilities regulator steps down following FBI search of his home," November 20, 2020
- ↑The Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah Board of Education loses another member – fourth in less than a year," December 7, 2019
- ↑Alabama Political Reporter, "Ella Bell, longtime state school board member, has died," November 4, 2019
- ↑Governing, "Just 6 Months After Appointment, New Mexico Education Secretary Fired," July 24, 2019
- ↑Las Cruces Sun News, "Meet Ryan Stewart, New Mexico's new secretary of public education," August 19, 2019
- ↑News 3 Las Vegas, "Chairwoman of Nevada Public Utilities Commission resigns," March 14, 2019
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "Secretary of State Dennis Richardson's Courageous Battle with Cancer Comes to a Close," February 27, 2019
- ↑U.S. Army, "South Carolina's last elected adjutant general to retire," February 5, 2019
- ↑APG Wisconsin, "Senate Republicans vote to fire Ag Secretary Brad Pfaff," November 7, 2019
- ↑13.013.113.213.3The Texas Tribune, "Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos — the state's chief elections officer — stepping down," December 6, 2018Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "resign" defined multiple times with different contentCite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "resign" defined multiple times with different contentCite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "resign" defined multiple times with different content - ↑14.014.114.2ABC News, "GOP state senator appointed Missouri lieutenant governor." June 18, 2018Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ltgov" defined multiple times with different content - ↑Associated Press, "Louisiana elections chief quits amid sexual misconduct claim," May 1, 2018
- ↑The New York Times, "Eric Schneiderman, New York’s Attorney General, Resigns Amid Abuse Accusations," May 7, 2018
- ↑News9.com, "Oklahoma Secretary Of State Dave Lopez To Resign At End Of Month,"" March 12, 2018
- ↑KFOR, "Fallin appoints Dave Lopez as new secretary of state," March 20, 2017
- ↑U.S. News & World Report, "State Rep. Gipson Named Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner," March 29, 2018
- ↑KMCH, "Governor Appoints Mike Naig as Iowa’s New Secretary of Agriculture," March 1, 2018
- ↑The Wichita Eagle, "Colyer picks former congressional candidate as lieutenant governor, running mate," February 13, 2018
- ↑Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray resigns amid sexual misconduct allegations," February 10, 2018
- ↑The Kansas City Star, "Gov. Brownback is finally leaving. Now, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer must pick up the pieces," January 24, 2018
- ↑Note: Baldone is listed as a Democrat to reflect his registration at the time of his appointment. Baldone would later register as aRepublican.
- ↑Note: Baldone is listed as a Democrat to reflect his registration at the time of his appointment. Baldone would later register as aRepublican.
- ↑26.026.1The Washington Post, "Oklahoma labor commissioner fatally stabbed; adult son arrested for murder," August 24, 2014Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "death" defined multiple times with different content - ↑NBCNews, "Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello Stabbed to Death Allegedly by Son," August 24, 2015
- ↑The New York Times, "Police Say Thomas Schweich, Candidate for Missouri Governor, Killed Himself," February 26, 2015
- ↑CBS St. Louis, "Gov. Nixon Appoints John Watson as Interim State Auditor," February 27, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "Gov. Brown Appoints Jeanne Atkins as Oregon Secretary of State," March 6, 2015
- ↑The Washington Post, "Pennsylvania state treasurer quits, will plead guilty to campaign finance charges," January 30, 2015
- ↑WITF, "Christopher Craig sworn-in after Treasurer McCord resigns," February 1, 2015
- ↑Pennsylvania Treasury, "Timothy A. Reese confirmed as Treasurer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," July 1, 2015
- ↑New York Times, "Arkansas: Lieutenant Governor Quitting Under Pressure," January 10, 2014
- ↑Arkansas Times, "Arkansas Lt. Gov. Mark Darr to resign Feb. 1, cites politics, family," January 10, 2014
- ↑Omaha.com, "Heineman chooses Omaha Sen. John Nelson as lieutenant governor," accessed September 29, 2014
- ↑Chicago Tribune, "Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka dies at age 70," December 10, 2014
- ↑The Wall Street Journal, "Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Resigns," February 2, 2013
- ↑Tia Mitchell,Miami Herald, "Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigns from post," March 13, 2013
- ↑HJNews, "Utah Lt. Gov. to resign, cites financial needs," September 16, 2013
- ↑NPR Ohio, "Ohio state superintendent Stan Heffner resigns amid ethics charges, attendance rigging investigation," August 4, 2012
- ↑Idaho Press, "Idaho controller resigns, Woolf appointed," October 15, 2012
