1990 United States gubernatorial elections

1990 United States gubernatorial elections
← 1989 November 6, 1990 1991 →
38 governorships
36 states; 2 territories
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 29 21
Seats after 28 20
Seat change Decrease1 Decrease1
Seats up 20 16
Seats won 19 15
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party A Connecticut Party Alaskan Independence
Seats before 0 0
Seats after 1 1
Seat change Increase1 Increase1
Seats up 0 0
Seats won 1 1
1990 Alabama gubernatorial election1990 Alaska gubernatorial election1990 Arizona gubernatorial election1990 Arkansas gubernatorial election1990 California gubernatorial election1990 Colorado gubernatorial election1990 Connecticut gubernatorial election1990 Florida gubernatorial election1990 Georgia gubernatorial election1990 Hawaii gubernatorial election1990 Idaho gubernatorial election1990 Illinois gubernatorial election1990 Iowa gubernatorial election1990 Kansas gubernatorial election1990 Maine gubernatorial election1990 Maryland gubernatorial election1990 Massachusetts gubernatorial election1990 Michigan gubernatorial election1990 Minnesota gubernatorial election1990 Nebraska gubernatorial election1990 Nevada gubernatorial election1990 New Hampshire gubernatorial election1990 New Mexico gubernatorial election1990 New York gubernatorial election1990 Ohio gubernatorial election1990 Oklahoma gubernatorial election1990 Oregon gubernatorial election1990 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election1990 Rhode Island gubernatorial election1990 South Carolina gubernatorial election1990 South Dakota gubernatorial election1990 Tennessee gubernatorial election1990 Texas gubernatorial election1990 Vermont gubernatorial election1990 Wisconsin gubernatorial election1990 Wyoming gubernatorial election1990 Guam gubernatorial election1990 United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election
Map of the results
     Democratic gain      Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     Alaskan Independence gain      A Connecticut Party gain
     No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 6, 1990, in 36 states and two territories. Most elected in these elections would serve for a 4-year term, while those in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont would serve for a 2-year term. The elections coincided with the mid-term elections for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Heading into the elections, there were 20 seats held by Democrats and 16 held by Republicans. By the end of the elections, 19 seats would be held by a Democrat, 15 would be held by a Republican, and two would be held by other parties.

Notably, in these elections, there were two people elected from a third party: former Alaskan governor and Secretary of the Interior under President Nixon Walter Joseph Hickel was elected governor as a part of the Alaskan Independence Party, and former U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut won on A Connecticut Party's ticket. In addition to Weicker, two other U.S. senators were elected governors that year, Republican Pete Wilson of California and Democrat Lawton Chiles of Florida. The 1990 cycle saw six incumbent governors defeated. These were Republicans Mike Hayden of Kansas, Kay Orr of Nebraska, Bob Martinez of Florida and Edward DiPrete of Rhode Island, as well as Democrats James Blanchard of Michigan and Rudy Perpich of Minnesota.

In 1988, Arizona voters approved a runoff-style election following the impeachment of governor Evan Mecham. Because no candidate received a majority (50%) of the vote in the November election, a run-off election occurred on February 26, 1991. This style of voting was later repealed in 1992.

As of 2024, this is the last time a Democrat was elected governor in Idaho or Texas, as well as the last time a Third party won in Connecticut.