Governor of Alabama

Statewide — all of Alabama

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Sources re-checked October 19, 2026 · How we research

• Open seat: Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited. The race is a rematch of the 2020 U.S. Senate contest between Tommy Tuberville and Doug Jones.[1][2]
• Republican primary (May 19): U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville won with about 85% of the vote in unofficial results from Ken McFeeters and Will Santivasci; Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth had declined to run.[2][1]
• Democratic primary (May 19): former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones won with about 78% in unofficial results, ahead of Will Boyd, 2022 nominee Yolanda Flowers and three others.[2]
• A lawsuit challenging whether Tuberville meets Alabama's seven-year residency requirement for governor was dismissed on July 9 by a Montgomery County circuit judge who said she lacked jurisdiction; the order did not address the merits. The plaintiffs appealed, and on October 9 the Alabama Supreme Court ruled 7–0 against the lawsuit, upholding the dismissal, according to Yellowhammer News. Per that report, the court held that a party primary-election contest is the exclusive way to challenge a nominee's qualifications before the general election and did not weigh where Tuberville lives.[14][13]
• The Alabama Secretary of State's August 26 certifications list only Tuberville (Republican) and Jones (Democrat) for governor, and the certified independent candidates include no one for governor. Independents Ronald Burnette Jr. and Darren Knight are reported as declared write-in candidates; write-in candidates do not appear as printed names on the ballot.[10][11][12][1]