# 1980 United States gubernatorial elections

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 4, 1980, in 13 states and two territories. The Republican party had a net gain of four seats in this election, coinciding with the Senate, House elections and presidential election. As of 2025, this was the last election in which a Democrat won the gubernatorial election in Utah and also the last election in which a Republican won the gubernatorial race in the state of Washington.

## Election results

| State | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Arkansas | Bill Clinton | Democratic | 1978 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Republican gain. | Y Frank D. White (Republican) 51.9% Bill Clinton (Democratic) 48.1% |
| Delaware | Pete du Pont | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Pete du Pont (Republican) 70.7% William J. Gordy (Democratic) 28.5% Lawrence Levy (Libertarian) 0.8% |
| Indiana | Otis Bowen | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Republican hold. | Y Robert D. Orr (Republican) 57.7% John A. Hillenbrand II (Democratic) 41.9% Cletis Artist (American) 0.4% |
| Missouri | Joseph P. Teasdale | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Republican gain. | Y Kit Bond (Republican) 52.6% Joseph P. Teasdale (Democratic) 47.0% Helen Savio (Socialist Workers) 0.3% |
| Montana | Thomas Lee Judge | Democratic | 1972 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New governor elected. Democratic hold. | Y Ted Schwinden (Democratic) 55.4% Jack Ramirez (Republican) 44.6% |
| New Hampshire | Hugh Gallen | Democratic | 1978 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Hugh Gallen (Democratic) 59.0% Meldrim Thomson Jr. (Republican) 40.7% James Pinnaird (Libertarian) 0.3% |
| North Carolina | Jim Hunt | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Jim Hunt (Democratic) 61.9% I. Beverly Lake Jr. (Republican) 37.4% Robert Y. Emory (Libertarian) 0.5% Douglas A. Cooper (Socialist Workers) 0.2% |
| North Dakota | Arthur A. Link | Democratic-NPL | 1972 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Republican gain. | Y Allen I. Olson (Republican) 53.6% Arthur A. Link (Democratic) 46.4% |
| Rhode Island | J. Joseph Garrahy | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y J. Joseph Garrahy (Democratic) 73.7% Buddy Cianci (Republican) 26.3% |
| Utah | Scott M. Matheson | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Scott M. Matheson (Democratic) 55.2% Bob Wright (Republican) 44.4% Lawrence Rey Topham (American) 0.4% |
| Vermont | Richard A. Snelling | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Richard A. Snelling (Republican) 58.7% M. Jerome Diamond (Democratic) 36.6% Daniel E. Woodward (Independent) 2.5% Bruce Cullen (Independent) 1.1% John Potthast (Liberty Union) 0.9% |
| Washington | Dixy Lee Ray | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New governor elected. Republican gain. | Y John Spellman (Republican) 56.7% Jim McDermott (Democratic) 43.3% |
| West Virginia | Jay Rockefeller | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Y Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 54.1% Arch A. Moore Jr. (Republican) 45.4% Jack Kelley (Libertarian) 0.4% |

## Close states

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
* Arkansas, 3.8%
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
* Missouri, 5.6%
* North Dakota, 7.2%
* West Virginia, 8.7%