| Election Name: | 2016 United States attorney general elections |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Seats For Election: | 10 attorney general offices 10 states |
| Seats Before1: | 23 |
| 2Data2: | 5 |
| 1Data2: | 6 |
| Seats After2: | 19 |
| Seats Before2: | 20 |
| Popular Vote2: | 11,149,338 |
| Percentage2: | 48.92% |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| 1Data1: | 4 |
| 2Data1: | 5 |
| Seats After1: | 24 |
| Popular Vote1: | 10,444,739[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Percentage1: | 45.82% |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Flag Year: | 1960 |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2015 United States attorney general elections |
| Previous Year: | 2015 |
| Next Election: | 2018 United States attorney general elections |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
| Elected Members: | 2017 (VA) |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Seats won |
The 2016 United States attorney general elections were held on November 8, 2016, in 10 states.[2] The previous attorney general elections for eight of the 10 states took place in 2012. The last attorney general elections for Utah and Vermont took place in 2014, as Utah held a special election due to the resignation of John Swallow, while the attorney general of Vermont serves two-year terms.[3] The elections took place concurrently with the 2016 presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, and numerous state and local elections.
Six state attorneys general ran for reelection and four did not. Missouri was only state that changed partisan control, where Republican Josh Hawley won the open seat, replacing outgoing Democrat Chris Koster.[4] The four other open seats were won by the party which previously held the office, and all five incumbents who ran won re-election. Republicans expanded their majority control of popularly elected state attorneys general.
| State | Attorney General | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 2008 | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Representative. New attorney general elected. Republican hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Missouri | 2008 | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Missouri. New attorney general elected. Republican gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| Montana | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| North Carolina | 2000 | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of North Carolina. New attorney general elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Oregon | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| Pennsylvania | 2016 | Incumbent retired. New attorney general elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Utah | 2013 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| Vermont | 1997 | Incumbent retired. New attorney general elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Washington | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| West Virginia | 2012 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|
States where the margin of victory was under 1%:
States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
| Election Name: | 2016 Indiana Attorney General election |
| Country: | Indiana |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Indiana Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Indiana Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Curtis Hill DOJ panel (1).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Curtis Hill |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,643,689 |
| Percentage1: | 62.3% |
| Nominee2: | Lorenzo Arredondo |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 994,085 |
| Percentage2: | 37.7% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Greg Zoeller |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Curtis Hill |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
Incumbent Republican Attorney General Greg Zoeller declined to run for a third term in order to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.[5] Republicans chose Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill over former Attorney General Steve Carter, state senator Randall Head, and Deputy Attorney General Abby Kuzma at the Republican state convention on June 11.[6] Democrats nominated Lorenzo Arredondo, former Lake County Circuit Judge.[7] Hill won the election.
| Election Name: | 2016 Missouri Attorney General election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Missouri Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Missouri Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Josh Hawley Primary Night (cropped 2).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Josh Hawley |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,607,550 |
| Percentage1: | 58.5% |
| Nominee2: | Teresa Hensley |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,140,252 |
| Percentage2: | 41.5% |
| Map Size: | 275px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Chris Koster |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Josh Hawley |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See main article: 2016 Missouri Attorney General election. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster chose not to run for re-election to a third term, but instead ran for Governor of Missouri.[8] [9] [10]
Former Cass County prosecuting attorney Tereasa Hensley was nominated in the Democratic primary over St. Louis County assessor Jake Zimmerman.[11] [12] State senator Scott Sifton also announced his candidacy, but withdrew before the primary in order to run for re-election.[13] The Republican nominee was MU law professor Josh Hawley, who was nominated over state senator Kurt Schaefer.[14] [15]
Although early polling showed a tighter race, Hawley won the election by a wide margin, becoming the first Republican attorney general since William L. Webster left office in 1993.
| Election Name: | 2016 Montana Attorney General election |
| Country: | Montana |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Montana Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Montana Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Tim Fox.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Tim Fox |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 332,766 |
| Percentage1: | 67.7% |
| Nominee2: | Larry Jent |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 158,970 |
| Percentage2: | 32.3% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Tim Fox |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Tim Fox |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
Incumbent Republican Tim Fox ran for re-election to a second term and was unopposed in the Republican primary. The Democratic nominee was state senator Larry Jent, who also ran for the nomination unopposed. Fox easily won re-election.[16]
| Election Name: | 2016 North Carolina Attorney General election |
| Country: | North Carolina |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 North Carolina Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 North Carolina Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Josh Stein.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Josh Stein |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,303,619 |
| Percentage1: | 50.3% |
| Nominee2: | Buck Newton |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,279,006 |
| Percentage2: | 49.7% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Roy Cooper |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Josh Stein |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See main article: 2016 North Carolina Attorney General election. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper chose not to run for re-election to a fifth term in office, but instead successfully ran for Governor.[17]
Primary elections were held on March 15. Democratic former state senator Josh Stein defeated Republican state senator Buck Newton in the general election.[18] [19]
| Election Name: | 2016 Oregon Attorney General election |
| Country: | Oregon |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Oregon Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Oregon Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum addresses attendees at the conference (15478927731) (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Ellen Rosenblum |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,035,361 |
| Percentage1: | 55.2% |
| Nominee2: | Daniel Crowe |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 776,664 |
| Percentage2: | 41.4% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Ellen Rosenblum |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Ellen Rosenblum |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum ran for re-election to a second full term. She won the election over Republican nominee Daniel Zene Crowe.[20]
| Election Name: | 2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election |
| Country: | Pennsylvania |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Pennsylvania Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Pennsylvania Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Comms Broida III (cropped 1).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Josh Shapiro |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,057,010 |
| Percentage1: | 51.4% |
| Nominee2: | John Rafferty Jr. |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,891,325 |
| Percentage2: | 48.6% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Bruce Beemer |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Josh Shapiro |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See main article: 2016 Pennsylvania Attorney General election. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Kane originally indicated her intention to seek re-election, but dropped out after she was criminally charged with violating grand jury secrecy laws stemming from alleged leaks of grand jury investigation details to embarrass a political enemy.[21] [22] Inspector General Bruce Beemer was appointed to fill out the remainder of her term, although he did not seek election to a full term.
Democratic candidates included Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli,[23] Montgomery County Board of Supervisors chair Josh Shapiro,[24] and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala.[25] The Republican primary was between two candidates: state senator John Rafferty Jr. and former prosecutor Joe Peters.[26] [27] Shapiro and Rafferty won their respective primaries.[28]
Governing rated this election as a tossup.[29] Shapiro narrowly defeated Rafferty in the general election.
| Election Name: | 2016 Utah Attorney General election |
| Country: | Utah |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2014 Utah Attorney General special election |
| Previous Year: | 2014 (special) |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Utah Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | File:Sean Reyes (5893896909) (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Sean Reyes |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 719,064 |
| Percentage1: | 65.4% |
| Nominee2: | Jon Harper |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 275,571 |
| Percentage2: | 25.1% |
| Nominee3: | Andrew McCullough |
| Party3: | Libertarian Party (US) |
| Popular Vote3: | 73,975 |
| Percentage3: | 6.7% |
| Map Size: | 230px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Sean Reyes |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Sean Reyes |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
Incumbent Republican Attorney General Sean Reyes ran for re-election to a full term after serving the remainder of John Swallow's term. He easily won the general election, defeating Democratic nominee Jon Harper and Libertarian nominee Andrew McCullogh.[30]
| Election Name: | 2016 Vermont Attorney General election |
| Country: | Vermont |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2014 Vermont Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2014 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2018 Vermont Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
| Image1: | T.J. Donovan.jpg |
| Nominee1: | T. J. Donovan |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 200,020 |
| Percentage1: | 66.6% |
| Nominee2: | Deborah Bucknam |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 88,431 |
| Percentage2: | 29.4% |
| Map Size: | 210px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | William Sorrell |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | T. J. Donovan |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General William Sorrell, the state's longest-serving Attorney General (since 1997), did not run for re-election.[31] Democratic nominee T.J. Donovan won the general election.[32]
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington Attorney General election |
| Country: | Washington (state) |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | File:Defend DACA rally - Seattle - September 5, 2017 - 15 - Bob Ferguson (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Bob Ferguson |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,000,804 |
| Percentage1: | 66.9% |
| Nominee2: | Joshua B. Trumbull |
| Party2: | Libertarian Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 979,105 |
| Percentage2: | 32.8% |
| Map Size: | 275px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Bob Ferguson |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Bob Ferguson |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson sought re-election, opposed by Joshua B. Trumbull, who ran as a Libertarian.[33] In the general election, Ferguson won re-election to a second term, defeating Trumbull.[34]
| Election Name: | 2016 West Virginia Attorney General election |
| Country: | West Virginia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 West Virginia Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2020 West Virginia Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Patrick Morrisey by Gage Skidmore.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Patrick Morrisey |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 358,424 |
| Percentage1: | 51.6% |
| Nominee2: | Doug Reynolds |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 291,232 |
| Percentage2: | 42.0% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Patrick Morrisey |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Patrick Morrisey |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
Incumbent Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey ran for re-election to a second term. He faced Democratic state delegate Doug Reynolds in the general election, with both being unopposed in their respective primaries. Morrisey won the general election.[35]