1885 United States gubernatorial elections

1885 United States gubernatorial elections

← 1884 November 3, 1885
April 1, 1885 (RI)
October 13, 1885 (OH)
1886 →

7 state governorships
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 22 governorships 15 governorships
Seats before 22 15
Seats after 22 16
Seat change Steady Increase1

     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold

United States gubernatorial elections were held in 1885, in seven states.

Mississippi and Virginia at this time held their gubernatorial elections in odd numbered years, every 4 years, following the United States presidential election year. New York at this time elected its governors to a three-year term. Massachusetts and Rhode Island both elected its governors to a single-year term, which they would abandon in 1920 and 1912, respectively. Iowa and Ohio at this time held gubernatorial elections in every odd numbered year.

In Ohio, the gubernatorial election was held in October for the last time; the next gubernatorial election would be held on the same day as federal elections.