Who Is Running for Arizona Governor
Democrat Katie Hobbs, the governor, and Republican Andy Biggs, a member of Congress, are the major-party nominees for Arizona governor on November 3, 2026. Each one runs with a lieutenant governor on a single ticket, so one vote picks both (Ballotpedia; Arizona Constitution, Art. V, Sec. 1).
Key facts
- The general election is November 3, 2026, and the last day to register is October 5, 2026 (Arizona Secretary of State).
- Katie Hobbs won the office in 2022 with 50.3% of the vote and is seeking a second term.
- Andy Biggs has represented Arizona’s 5th Congressional District since January 3, 2017 and won the Republican primary with 74%.
- Republicans hold both chambers of the Legislature, but not the two-thirds needed to override a veto.
Katie Hobbs served as secretary of state before she became governor. Andy Biggs is giving up his House seat to run (Ballotpedia). Risa Lombardo of the Green Party and Teri Hourihan of the No Labels Party are also on the ballot.
Major-party tickets for Arizona governor and lieutenant governor on the November 3, 2026 ballot
Source: Ballotpedia, Arizona gubernatorial election, 2026, as of 2026-10-14
Arizona’s First Lieutenant Governor
Arizona has never had a lieutenant governor, and the winning ticket on November 3 will fill the office for the first time. Voters created the post with Proposition 131 in 2022. Each nominee for governor picks a running mate after the primary, and a single vote elects both (Art. V, Sec. 1).
The lieutenant governor becomes first in line to succeed the governor. Until a lieutenant governor takes office, the secretary of state comes first, and an elected secretary of state can belong to a different party than the governor (Art. V, Sec. 6). Katie Hobbs chose John Giles, a former Republican mayor of Mesa, and Andy Biggs chose Sine Kerr, a former Republican state senator.
Arizona Governor Primary Results
Katie Hobbs ran unopposed in the July 21, 2026 Democratic primary and drew 512,550 votes. Andy Biggs won a four-way Republican primary with 74% of 613,000 votes (Ballotpedia).
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Andy Biggs | 74% |
| David Schweikert | 14.4% |
| Scott Neely | 7% |
| Ken Miceli | 4.6% |
Source: Ballotpedia, certified results.
Arizona’s primaries are open to voters who are not registered with a party: they can ask for one party’s ballot (NCSL). Our primary elections guide explains how each state runs them.
The 2022 Arizona Governor Result
In 2022, Katie Hobbs beat Republican Kari Lake by 17,117 votes out of more than 2.5 million cast.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Katie Hobbs (D) | 50.3% |
| Kari Lake (R) | 49.6% |
Source: Ballotpedia, certified results. Write-in candidates took the rest.
That result is the most recent statewide test for the office. It does not predict 2026, and this page carries no polls or race ratings.
The Arizona Legislature and the Veto
Republicans hold the state Senate 17 to 13 and the state House 33 to 27, according to Ballotpedia. A bill needs both chambers and the governor, so a Democratic governor and a Republican Legislature have to agree for anything to become law.
Overriding a veto takes two-thirds of the members elected to each house, 20 senators and 40 representatives (Art. V, Sec. 7). Republicans are short of that in both chambers. Legislators serve two-year terms, so all 30 Senate seats and all 60 House seats are on the November 3 ballot.
What the Arizona Governor Can Do
Arizona’s governor runs the state agencies, signs or vetoes every bill, and can strike single spending items from the budget. A bill the governor neither signs nor returns within five days, not counting Sundays, becomes law while the Legislature is in session.
Powers of the Arizona governor
Source: Arizona Constitution, Articles IV and V
How to Vote for Governor
Register by 11:59 p.m. on October 5, 2026; Arizona has no Election Day registration. Early voting starts October 7, 2026, and any registered voter can ask for an early ballot by mail. Check your registration and polling place on the Secretary of State’s voter dashboard.
Arizona's 2026 governor election, step by step
- October 5, 2026 Last day to register Online, by mail, or in person, until 11:59 p.m.
- October 7, 2026 Early voting begins Early ballots go out by mail, and in-person early voting opens.
- October 23, 2026 Last day to request a mailed ballot The county must receive the request by 5 p.m.
- November 3, 2026 Election Day Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Early ballots must arrive or be dropped off by 7 p.m. on November 3, 2026.
- January 4, 2027 Term begins The four-year term starts on the first Monday of January.
The request and return deadlines come from state law (A.R.S. 16-542; A.R.S. 16-548). A ballot that arrives after 7 p.m. on Election Day is not counted, even if it was mailed earlier.
Our 2026 governor races guide covers all 36 races on the ballot this year.
Arizona Governor Questions
Who is running for Arizona governor in 2026?
Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is running for a second term against Republican Andy Biggs, a member of Congress who won the July 21 primary with 74%. Katie Hobbs’s running mate is John Giles, and Andy Biggs’s is Sine Kerr. Green and No Labels Party candidates are also on the ballot.
Does Arizona have a lieutenant governor?
Not yet. Voters created the office with Proposition 131 in 2022, and the first lieutenant governor is elected on November 3, 2026, on a joint ticket with the governor. Until then, the secretary of state is first in line to succeed the governor.
How close was the 2022 Arizona governor race?
Katie Hobbs beat Republican Kari Lake 50.3% to 49.6% in 2022, according to certified results.
When is the deadline to register to vote in Arizona for November 2026?
11:59 p.m. on October 5, 2026. Early voting begins October 7, 2026, a mailed early ballot must be requested by October 23, 2026, and early ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on November 3, 2026.
What You Can Do
- Check your registration before October 5, 2026 on the voter dashboard. After that date you cannot register for November 3.
- Ask for a mailed early ballot by October 23, 2026 if you want to vote from home, then mail it back early or drop it off. It must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
- Look up your state senator and representatives with the Legislature’s district finder. Every seat is on the ballot.
- Compare the issues on the line in Arizona: the minimum wage, abortion laws and marijuana laws.