AASHTO Journal, 7 November 2014
The Nov. 4 elections saw voters in at least five states turn to the opposing party in their gubernatorial elections, where the incoming governors can lead efforts to shape their states’ transportation policies.
The race in Alaska was still undecided as of Nov. 6, as vote counting continued.
However, it was already clear that governors’ offices will change hands and party control in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois and Arkansas, news agencies reported.
In most of those states, the governor directly chooses the top state DOT executive; in Arkansas, the state DOT is overseen by a commission whose members are appointed by the governor for staggered 10-year terms, subject to Senate confirmation.
Very close races in Colorado and Connecticut were reported as incumbent victories on Nov. 5. The Vermont race, where neither top candidate topped 50 percent of ballots cast, will be decided by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature in January, a process that would favor the sitting Democratic governor, who leads over his Republican challenger.
Some other governors’ offices plus that of D.C.’s mayor will change hands since the incumbents were not on the November ballot, but those seats were won by candidates of the same party. Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, Rhode Island and Texas, as well as the District of Columbia, are in that category.
Among governors winning re-election were some who also faced strong challenges. They include the governors of Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Maine.