The Eleven

Eleven firsts. One rule.

The first person of their race or ethnicity, or the first woman, elected governor of a U.S. state or territory. Elected, not succeeded into office. Re-elections don't count. Age, party, religion and other categories are not criteria.

Under that rule, nine Democrats and two Republicans; six women and five men. Each one is listed the same way, in order of their ceremony.

No. 1 · Fri, Jan 1

Deb Haaland

New Mexico · Democrat

First Native American governor of any state

Where: Santa Fe · New Mexico State Capitol (the Roundhouse)
When: Time to be announced Date confirmed
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Also sworn in that day: Lt. Gov. Stephanie Garcia Richard. With Haaland, the first all-women-of-color top ticket in any state.

Go: Santa Fe Official site

No. 2 · Mon, Jan 4

Xavier Becerra

California · Democrat

First Latino elected governor of California

Romualdo Pacheco served as governor in 1875 by succession, not election.

Where: Sacramento · California State Capitol, west steps (expected)
When: Time pending (2023 precedent: 11:30 a.m.) Date set; time pending
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Sacramento Official site

No. 3 · Mon, Jan 4

David Crowley

Wisconsin · Democrat

First Black governor of Wisconsin

Where: Madison · Wisconsin State Capitol, Rotunda (expected)
When: Time to be announced Date confirmed
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Also sworn in that day: Secretary of State JoCasta Zamarripa, the first Latina elected to statewide executive office in Wisconsin.

Go: Madison Official site

No. 4 · Mon, Jan 4

Amy Klobuchar

Minnesota · Democrat

First woman governor of Minnesota

Where: St. Paul · Venue to be announced (2023: Fitzgerald Theater)
When: Date by statute; not yet announced By statute; not announced
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: St. Paul Official site

No. 5 · Mon, Jan 4

Stacey Plaskett

U.S. Virgin Islands · Democrat

First woman governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands; first Black woman governor of a territory

Where: St. Thomas or St. Croix · Venue pending (St. Thomas or St. Croix)
When: Jan 4 announced; venue pending Date announced; venue pending
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Virgin Islands Official site

No. 6 · Mon–Tue, Jan 4–5

Aaron Ford

Nevada · Democrat

First Black governor of Nevada

Where: Carson City · Public ceremony expected at the Carson City Community Center
When: Legal oath Mon; public ceremony expected Tue (2023 precedent: 11:30 a.m.) Public ceremony expected Tue
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Carson City Official site

No. 7 · Tue, Jan 5

Byron Donalds

Florida · Republican

First Black governor of Florida; first Black Republican elected governor of any state

Where: Tallahassee · Historic Capitol steps, Monroe Street (expected)
When: Time to be announced Date confirmed
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Tallahassee Official site

No. 8 · Mon, Jan 11

Keisha Lance Bottoms

Georgia · Democrat

First Black woman governor of a state; first Black and first woman governor of Georgia

Where: Atlanta · Venue to be announced (2023: Georgia State Convocation Center)
When: Expected date; not yet official Expected; not official
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Also sworn in that day: Attorney General Tanya Miller, the first woman Attorney General of Georgia. Secretary of State Penny Brown Reynolds, the first Black woman Secretary of State of Georgia.

Go: Atlanta Official site

No. 9 · Mon, Jan 11

Amy Acton

Ohio · Democrat

First woman elected governor of Ohio

Nancy Hollister served 11 days as governor in 1998–99 by succession.

Where: Columbus · Ohio Statehouse (expected)
When: Date by statute; not yet announced By statute; not announced
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Columbus Official site

No. 10 · Sat, Jan 16 (verify)

Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee · Republican

First woman governor of Tennessee

Where: Nashville · Legislative Plaza / War Memorial Plaza (expected)
When: Press reports Jan 17, a Sunday; Tennessee traditionally inaugurates on Saturday. Verify. Date to verify
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Go: Nashville Official site

No. 11 · Tue, Jan 19

Gina Hinojosa

Texas · Democrat

First Latina governor of Texas

Where: Austin · Texas State Capitol, south steps
When: Noon, south steps Date and time confirmed
Tickets: Not announced · tracker
Stream: Livestream link: posted when announced

Also sworn in that day: Lt. Gov. Vikki Goodwin, the first woman Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

Go: Austin Official site

Initials for now. Official portraits will be added with each governor's permission. Every ceremony will stream. We will post each official livestream link here the day it is announced.

Why these eleven

The rule, in full

Eleven firsts in one election. The previous record was four, set in 2010 and matched in 2022.
Before Nov 3, 2026, three Black governors had ever been elected in U.S. history. Five were elected that night.
Seventeen women will serve as governor in 2027. The previous record was fourteen.
The list is complete: fifty states and five territories, one rule. Nothing is added for balance and nothing is left off for it.

Considered and excluded

Real firsts that do not meet the rule, so you can see the line being drawn.

Wes Moore (Maryland) — A re-election. He was already the first Black governor of Maryland in 2023; re-elections don't count.
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (Alaska) — An age first (youngest governor). Age is not a criterion.
Jason Holscher (Kansas) — A party first for his state. Party is not a criterion.
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands — No governor's race produced a first under the rule this cycle.
An Asian American governor — None was elected this cycle. The list records what happened, not what was possible.