2017 Virginia gubernatorial election

The 2017 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2017, to elect the next governor of Virginia. The election was held concurrently with other elections for Virginia's statewide offices, the House of Delegates, and other United States' offices. Incumbent Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe was ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe later unsuccessfully ran for a second non-consecutive term in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election. Primary elections took place on June 13, 2017. Virginia utilizes an open primary, in which registered voters are allowed to vote in either party's primary election. Democrats nominated incumbent lieutenant governor Ralph Northam and Republicans nominated former RNC Chair Ed Gillespie. The Libertarian Party nominated Clifford Hyra by convention on May 6, 2017. In the general election on November 7, 2017, Democrat Ralph Northam defeated Republican Ed Gillespie by 8 % points — the largest gubernatorial margin for Democrats since 1985, though this record would be broken 8 years later when Abigail Spanberger won by 15 % points in 2025. The election had the highest voter turnout percentage in the state's gubernatorial history since 1997 with 47 % of registered voters casting their ballot. At the time, both Northam and Gillespie set records for most votes received by a Virginia gubernatorial candidate though both records would be broken in 2021. Chesterfield County voted Democratic for the first time since 1961. Northam assumed office as the 73rd Governor of Virginia on January 13, 2018.