Governor Term Limits by State
Thirty-seven states currently impose some form of gubernatorial term limit. The rules were adopted at different times and vary by state; 13 states impose no gubernatorial term limit. Term limits on governors are a common and effective check and balance in statewide governance. Historically, in the states with term limits, every gubernatorial election has been contested.
Gubernatorial Term Limits
| State | Term Limits |
| Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia | 2 consecutive 4-year terms |
| Indiana, Oregon | 2 consecutive 4-year terms, 1 term pause |
| Montana, Wyoming | 2 consecutive 4-year terms, 2 term pause |
| Arkansas, California, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma | 2 four-year terms a lifetime |
| Virginia | 1 consecutive four-year term |
| Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin | no term limits (NH and VT have unlimited 2 year terms, the remainder have unlimited 4 year terms) |