Georgia elects nation’s first Black female governor

Nov. 3 (UPI) — Voters in 36 states are casting ballots Tuesday to elect governors, with several closely contested races offering Democrats an opportunity to gain control of statehouses tightly held by Republicans.

Republicans enter Election Day controlling 26 governorships nationwide, compared with 24 held by Democrats. Each party is defending 18 seats in this year’s elections.

The contests could also produce historic firsts, including the nation’s first Native American female governor.

Georgia voters elected Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Atlanta mayor, who was running agsinst Republican Rick Jackson.

Bottoms became Georgia’s first female governor and the first Black woman elected governor anywhere in the United States, NBC News and Decision HQ projected.

Key gubernatorial battleground states include Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The results will help determine the balance of power in state governments during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term and ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking re-election for the third time. He is running against Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who could become the state’s first Latina governor.

Abbott is seeking to maintain Republican control of the governor’s office, which the party has held since 1995.

In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

Acton, a former state health director, could become the first woman elected governor of Ohio. Republican Nancy Hollister briefly served as governor for 12 days in 1999 after succeeding George Voinovich.

In New Mexico, Democrat Deb Haaland, former U.S. interior secretary, is running against Republican Gregg Hull.

Haaland, who previously served in Congress, could become the first Native American woman to govern a U.S. state.

Several other races could shift control of governor’s offices between the parties.

In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand faces Republican Zach Lahn in a contest to replace Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is not seeking another term.

Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo is seeking re-election against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in a race considered competitive.

In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley faces Republican Tom Tiffany for the seat being vacated by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, faces Republican Christine Drazan in a rematch of their 2022 election.

Alaskan voters are also choosing a successor to Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy in a race featuring Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and Republican candidates Dave Bronson, Treg Taylor and Bernadette Wilson.

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. The counting process could extend beyond Election Day if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes.

Polls begin closing at 6 p.m. EST in Indiana and Kentucky, followed by Georgia at 7 p.m. and several other states throughout the evening.