State executives are retiring in two out of three states where the filing deadline has passed

By

Joseph Brusgard

The filing deadline for candidates seeking office in 2026 has passed in three states: Arkansas (Nov. 11), Illinois (Nov. 3), and Texas (Dec. 8). In Illinois and Texas, at least one state executive official is not seeking re-election, while in Arkansas, every incumbent state executive official is running for another term.

In Illinois, six state executive offices will be up for election. Two state executive officials are not seeking re-election to their current offices:

  1. Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton (D) is running in the Democratic primary for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. She has served as lieutenant governor since 2019.
  2. State Comptroller Susanna Mendoza (D) announced her retirement from public office on July 16, 2025. She has served as comptroller since 2016.

In Texas, eight offices will be up for election, including the State Board of Education, which has eight seats up for election, for a total of 15 state executive elections. Five officials are not seeking re-election to their current offices:

  1. Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate against incumbent John Cornyn, Rep. Wesley Hunt, and 12 other candidates. He has served as attorney general since 2015.
  2. Four members of the Texas State Board of Education did not file to run for another term:
  3. Rebecca Bell-Meterau (D) did not file to run in District 5.
  4. Will Hickman (R) did not file to run in District 6.
  5. Kevin Ellis (R) did not file to run in District 9.
  6. Evelyn Brooks (R) is not running in District 14 and is instead running in the Republican gubernatorial primary against incumbent Greg Abbott (R) and nine other candidates.

In total, of the state executives not running, four are not seeking another office, two are running for U.S. Senate, and one is running for governor. Additionally, four Republican state executive officials are not running again compared to three Democrats.

Additional states with filing deadlines in December are Mississippi and North Carolina. However, neither state will hold state executive elections in 2026.  Those elections will be held in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

Click here for more information about the elections for state executive offices happening in 2026.