Most career popular votes in governor elections
Jerry Brown has drawn more votes in elections for governor than anyone: 16,826,977 across a record of 4–0. Gavin Newsom (14,191,514) and Nelson Rockefeller (12,050,574) follow. Because governors of the largest states run statewide on four-year terms, a handful of re-elections in California, Texas or New York outweighs a lifetime elsewhere.
Looking for who is in office right now rather than the all-time record? See Most career popular votes of all time.
Which governor has won the most votes?
Jerry Brown, with 16,826,977 popular votes across their elections for governor (record 4–0). Only gubernatorial races count here.
Why do a few states dominate this list?
A governor’s race is statewide, so the electorate is the state’s. California casts more votes in one election than several small states cast in a decade, and the leaders come from the largest states.
Are recall elections included?
Yes, where our dataset holds them: a recall is still a statewide election for the office, and the votes are recorded as cast.
| # | Politician | Career governor votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jerry BrownD California | 16,826,9774–0 record |
| 2 | Gavin NewsomD California | 14,191,5142–0 record |
| 3 | Nelson RockefellerR New York | 12,050,5744–0 record |
| 4 | Greg AbbottR Texas | 11,889,8423–0 record |
| 5 | Herbert H. LehmanD New York | 10,223,1094–0 record |
| 6 | Thomas E. DeweyR New York | 10,120,5943–1 record |
| 7 | Mario CuomoD New York | 9,972,2493–1 record |
| 8 | Frank LauscheD Ohio | 9,292,2025–1 record |
| 9 | Arnold SchwarzeneggerR California | 9,056,4412–0 record |
| 10 | Jim RhodesR Ohio | 8,927,3474–2 record |
| 11 | Pat BrownD California | 8,926,3592–1 record |
| 12 | Ron DeSantisR Florida | 8,690,3962–0 record |
| 13 | Andrew CuomoD New York | 8,615,6963–0 record |
| 14 | Pete WilsonR California | 8,573,6702–0 record |
| 15 | Charlie CristD Florida | 8,427,3561–2 record |
| 16 | Gray DavisD California | 8,394,1922–0 record |
| 17 | George DeukmejianR California | 8,386,6152–0 record |
| 18 | Jim ThompsonR Illinois | 8,332,0294–0 record |
| 19 | G. Mennen WilliamsD Michigan | 7,604,2396–0 record |
| 20 | George PatakiR New York | 7,372,9483–0 record |
| 21 | Ronald ReaganR California | 7,182,0872–0 record |
| 22 | Jeb BushR Florida | 7,119,0182–1 record |
| 23 | Rick PerryR Texas | 7,086,8753–0 record |
| 24 | Pat McCroryR North Carolina | 6,740,7551–2 record |
| 25 | Tom BradleyD California | 6,569,3830–2 record |
| 26 | William StrattonR Illinois | 6,559,6282–1 record |
| 27 | Earl WarrenR California | 6,081,5833–0 record |
| 28 | Dwight H. GreenR Illinois | 5,889,0552–1 record |
| 29 | Milton ShappD Pennsylvania | 5,790,0002–1 record |
| 30 | Jay InsleeD Washington | 5,637,5653–0 record |
| 31 | John W. BrickerR | 5,590,1213–1 record |
| 32 | Rick ScottR Florida | 5,484,6782–0 record |
| 33 | Hugh CareyD New York | 5,457,7752–0 record |
| 34 | Martin L. DaveyD Ohio | 5,224,8532–2 record |
| 35 | Dick CelesteD Ohio | 5,194,8852–1 record |
| 36 | Roy CooperD North Carolina | 5,143,9472–0 record |
| 37 | W. Averell HarrimanD New York | 5,114,6331–1 record |
| 38 | John EnglerR Michigan | 5,058,2403–0 record |
| 39 | Jim HuntD North Carolina | 5,029,3224–0 record |
| 40 | Scott WalkerR Wisconsin | 5,019,3123–1 record |
| 41 | Otto Kerner Jr.D Illinois | 5,013,1252–0 record |
| 42 | George W. BushR Texas | 4,901,8152–0 record |
| 43 | Mike DeWineR Ohio | 4,816,2492–0 record |
| 44 | Tom WolfD Pennsylvania | 4,816,0172–0 record |
| 45 | John A. VolpeR Massachusetts | 4,771,0063–1 record |
| 46 | John H. CoxR California | 4,742,8250–1 record |
| 47 | JB PritzkerD Illinois | 4,733,4942–0 record |
| 48 | Michael DiSalleD Ohio | 4,706,8841–2 record |
| 49 | Gretchen WhitmerD Michigan | 4,696,6982–0 record |
| 50 | George W. RomneyR Michigan | 4,674,8713–0 record |
| 51 | Richard B. OgilvieR Illinois | 4,601,1041–1 record |
| 52 | Paul A. DeverD Massachusetts | 4,468,9512–2 record |
| 53 | Bill ClementsR Texas | 4,463,5442–1 record |
| 54 | Brian DahleR California | 4,462,9140–1 record |
| 55 | James J. BlanchardD Michigan | 4,451,9682–1 record |
| 56 | Ed RendellD Pennsylvania | 4,383,7522–0 record |
| 57 | George VoinovichR Ohio | 4,339,6752–0 record |
| 58 | William MillikenR Michigan | 4,324,3973–0 record |
| 59 | Ted StricklandD Ohio | 4,247,5641–1 record |
| 60 | Lawton ChilesD Florida | 4,130,2142–0 record |
| 61 | Meg WhitmanR California | 4,127,3910–1 record |
| 62 | Brian KempR Georgia | 4,089,9802–0 record |
| 63 | Andrew GillumD Florida | 4,043,7230–1 record |
| 64 | Henry HornerD Illinois | 3,998,1912–0 record |
| 65 | Len SmallR Illinois | 3,973,6372–1 record |
| 66 | Ann RichardsD Texas | 3,942,5981–1 record |
| 67 | Edwin EdwardsD Louisiana | 3,888,8834–1 record |
| 68 | Dick ThornburghR Pennsylvania | 3,838,8262–0 record |
| 69 | John KasichR Ohio | 3,834,0342–0 record |
| 70 | Charlie BakerR Massachusetts | 3,790,7802–1 record |
| 71 | Bob CaseyD Pennsylvania | 3,782,7282–0 record |
| 72 | Jennifer GranholmD Michigan | 3,773,7892–0 record |
| 73 | John ConnallyD Texas | 3,762,3483–0 record |
| 74 | Tom CorbettR Pennsylvania | 3,748,2741–1 record |
| 75 | Stacey AbramsD Georgia | 3,737,3580–2 record |
| 76 | James FlorioD New Jersey | 3,734,1701–2 record |
| 77 | Richardson DilworthD Pennsylvania | 3,648,9820–2 record |
| 78 | Jim EdgarR Illinois | 3,637,4442–0 record |
| 79 | Bruce RaunerR Illinois | 3,589,3781–1 record |
| 80 | Rod BlagojevichD Illinois | 3,583,7712–0 record |
| 81 | Beto O'RourkeD Texas | 3,553,6560–1 record |
| 82 | Lupe ValdezD Texas | 3,546,6150–1 record |
| 83 | Bob TaftR Ohio | 3,543,7282–0 record |
| 84 | Dianne FeinsteinD California | 3,525,1970–1 record |
| 85 | Kathleen BrownD California | 3,519,7990–1 record |
| 86 | A. Victor DonaheyD Ohio | 3,508,6243–1 record |
| 87 | Rick SnyderR Michigan | 3,479,8682–0 record |
| 88 | Mike EasleyD North Carolina | 3,469,4782–0 record |
| 89 | Terry BranstadR Iowa | 3,437,7986–0 record |
| 90 | Pat QuinnD Illinois | 3,426,5621–1 record |
| 91 | C. William O'NeillR Ohio | 3,399,8621–1 record |
| 92 | Rudy PerpichD Minnesota | 3,393,7042–2 record |
| 93 | Bob MartinezR Florida | 3,382,5931–1 record |
| 94 | Orville FreemanD Minnesota | 3,382,0193–2 record |
| 95 | Phil AngelidesD California | 3,376,7320–1 record |
| 96 | Michael DukakisD Massachusetts | 3,369,1793–0 record |
| 97 | Tom RidgeR Pennsylvania | 3,364,8202–0 record |
| 98 | Mark WhiteD Texas | 3,282,3851–1 record |
| 99 | Dan LungrenR California | 3,218,0300–1 record |
| 100 | John J. GilliganD Ohio | 3,207,7511–1 record |
How this ranking is measured
Popular votes summed across a candidate’s general elections for governor only (1789–present). Coverage of gubernatorial races before the twentieth century is uneven and some early contests store only the top two candidates, so early totals may understate a career. See the combined career list for every office at once.