# 2026 United States secretary of state elections

The 2026 United States secretary of state elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of twenty-six U.S. states.
The previous secretary of state elections for this group of states took place in 2022. The secretary of state of Vermont serves two-year terms and was last elected in 2024.
These elections will take place concurrently with various other federal, state, and local elections.

## Partisan composition

Going into these elections, this class of secretaries of state is made up of 13 Democrats and 13 Republicans. Democrats are defending four states won by Donald Trump in 2024 (Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin), while Republicans do not hold any states won by Kamala Harris.

## Race summary

| State | Secretary of state | Party | First elected | Status | Candidates |
| Alabama | Wes Allen | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent retiring to run for lieutenant governor | ▌Andrew Sorrell (Republican) |
| Arizona | Adrian Fontes | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent running | ▌Adrian Fontes (Democratic) |
| Arkansas | Cole Jester | Republican | 2025 (appointed) | Term-limited | ▌Kim Hammer (Republican) |
| California | Shirley Weber | Democratic | 2021 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Colorado | Jena Griswold | Democratic | 2018 | Term-limited | ▌Amanda Gonzalez (Democratic) |
| Connecticut | Stephanie Thomas | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Georgia | Brad Raffensperger | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Idaho | Phil McGrane | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Illinois | Alexi Giannoulias | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Indiana | Diego Morales | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Iowa | Paul Pate | Republican | 2014 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Kansas | Scott Schwab | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent retiring to run for governor | TBD |
| Massachusetts | William F. Galvin | Democratic | 1994 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Michigan | Jocelyn Benson | Democratic | 2018 | Term-limited | ▌Aghogho Edevbie (Democratic) |
| Minnesota | Steve Simon | DFL | 2014 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Nebraska | Bob Evnen | Republican | 2018 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Nevada | Cisco Aguilar | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| New Mexico | Maggie Toulouse Oliver | Democratic | 2016 (special) | Term-limited | TBD |
| North Dakota | Michael Howe | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Ohio | Frank LaRose | Republican | 2018 | Term-limited | ▌Bryan Hambley (Democratic) ▌Robert Sprague (Republican) |
| Rhode Island | Gregg Amore | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent running | ▌Gregg Amore (Democratic) |
| South Carolina | Mark Hammond | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| South Dakota | Monae Johnson | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Vermont | Sarah Copeland-Hanzas | Democratic | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Wisconsin | Sarah Godlewski | Democratic | 2023 (appointed) | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |
| Wyoming | Chuck Gray | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent's intent unknown | TBD |

## Alabama

Secretary of State Wes Allen was elected in 2022 with 65.9% of the vote. He is retiring to run for Lieutenant Governor.

## Arizona

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was elected in 2022 with 52.4% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a second term in office. Fontes hinted at a potential primary challenge to Arizona governor Katie Hobbs, but ultimately decided against it.

## Arkansas

Secretary of State John Thurston resigned after being elected as state treasurer in 2024. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Cole Jester to fill the reminder of his term however he cannot run for a full term per the state constitution. Republican candidates include state senator Kim Hammer.

## California

Secretary of State Shirley Weber was elected in 2022 with 60.1% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.

## Colorado

Secretary of State Jena Griswold was re-elected in 2022 with 55.1% of the vote. She will be term limited by the Colorado Constitution and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Democratic candidates include Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez.

## Connecticut

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas was elected in 2022 with 55.2% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.

## Georgia

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was re-elected in 2022 with 53.2% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Idaho

Secretary of State Phil McGrane was elected in 2022 with 72.5% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Illinois

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias was elected in 2022 with 54.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Indiana

Secretary of State Diego Morales was elected in 2022 with 54.1% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so. Beau Bayh, judicial law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and son of former Indiana governor Evan Bayh, is a potential Democratic candidate.

## Iowa

Secretary of State Paul Pate was re-elected in 2022 with 60.1% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Kansas

Secretary of State Scott Schwab was re-elected in 2022 with 58.4% of the vote. He is retiring to run for governor.

## Massachusetts

Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin was re-elected in 2022 with 67.7% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Michigan

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was re-elected in 2022 with 55.9% of the vote. She is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Aghogho Edevbie, the deputy secretary of state of Michigan, has announced that he will run for the seat as a Democrat. Other potential Democratic candidates include Ingham County Clerk Barbara Byrum and state senator Jeremy Moss.

## Minnesota

Secretary of State Steve Simon was re-elected in 2022 with 54.5% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Nebraska

Secretary of State Bob Evnen was re-elected unopposed in 2022. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## New Mexico

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver was re-elected in 2022 with 54.5% of the vote. She is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

## North Dakota

Secretary of State Michael Howe was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## Ohio

Secretary of State Frank LaRose was re-elected in 2022 with 59.3% of the vote. He is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. Ohio State Treasurer Robert Sprague has launched a bid for the Republican nomination, while Ohio Senate Majority Leader Theresa Gavarone has expressed interest in the seat.

## Rhode Island

Secretary of State Gregg Amore was re-elected in 2022 with 59.5% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a second term in office.

## South Carolina

Secretary of State Mark Hammond was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.

## South Dakota

Secretary of State Monae Johnson was elected in 2022 with 63.9% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.

## Vermont

Secretary of State Sarah Copeland-Hanzas was re-elected in 2024 with 59.6% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if she will do so.

## Wisconsin

Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski was appointed in 2023 after Doug La Follette resigned. She is eligible to run for election but has not yet stated if she will do so.

## Wyoming

Secretary of State Chuck Gray was elected in 2022 with 91.6% of the vote, without major party opposition. He is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.