I have commented over 1300 times, but this is my first attempt at a diary. I thought I would for my first time out try something informational and uncontroversial, but hopefully not too boring either.
The US Constitution charges Congress with guaranteeing that every state in the union have a republican form of government. In 1787, that specifically meant elected rather than hereditary officers. Various parts of the Constitution assume that there will be an executive, a legislature, and judges, but beyond that no standards are promulgated for how to set up a state government.
What is interesting to me is the different executive officers the different states elect and that is the topic of the present diary. I was inspired in part by previous diaries analyzing races for Lt. Governors, Secretaries of State, Attorneys General, and Treasurers, which are common, but by no means universal. I will not be analyzing races or even naming names. For the candidates' names you can check Politics1. What follows is simply a list of statewide elected offices on order of succession to the Governorship, often only technically Acting Governor until the next election, if known or applicable. Also note, that some states have these offices, but as appointed rather than elected positions; I only included them here if they are elected. I also did not include members of multi-member bodies. Feel free to comment on your favorite race, especially for one of the less common offices, or provide additional relevant information if you feel I missed something.
The only office universal to all 50 states is that of Governor, and that is also the style used in every state for the position designated in the MA Constitution as the "supreme executive magistrate". Some former British colonies (NH comes to mind and I think maybe PA was another example) started using President because Governor in many minds had unpleasant associations with Royal Governor, but once the Constitution was ratified states allowed President to be reserved for George Washington and his successors. One colonial holdover is the title His Excellency used by MA and NH, yet those are also examples of rather strong and rather weak Governors respectively. Both states remain the only two to retain Governor's Councils, the former being weak and the latter strong. What follows is a list of other statewide offices, first by state and then by title.
ALABAMA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Auditor
Treasurer
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries
ALASKA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
ARIZONA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Mine Inspector
ARKANSAS (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
Land Commissioner
CALIFORNIA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Controller
Treasurer
Attorney General
Insurance Commissioner
Superintendent of Public Instruction
COLORADO (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Attorney General
CONNECTICUT (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Comptroller
DELAWARE (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Insurance Commissioner
Attorney General
Treasurer
Auditor
(the latter three elected in 2014)
FLORIDA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Attorney General
Chief Financial Officer
Agriculture Commissioner
GEORGIA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
School Superintendent
Agriculture Commissioner
Insurance Commissioner
Labor Commissioner
HAWAI'I (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
IDAHO (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Controller
Treasurer
Attorney General
Superintendent of Public Instruction
ILLINOIS (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Comptroller
Treasurer
INDIANA (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Attorney General
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Auditor
(the latter three elected in 2014)
IOWA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
Secretary of Agriculture
KANSAS (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Insurance Commissioner
KENTUCKY (next election 2015, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Attorney General
Treasurer
Auditor
Agriculture Commissioner
LOUISIANA (next election 2015, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
Insurance Commissioner
MAINE - Governor is only statewide elected office, next elected in 2014 for a four year term.
MARYLAND (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Comptroller
Attorney General
MASSACHUSETTS (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Attorney General
Treasurer & Receiver General
Auditor
MICHIGAN (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
MINNESOTA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
MISSISSIPPI (next election 2015, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
Agriculture & Commerce Commissioner
Insurance Commissioner
MISSOURI (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Attorney General
Auditor (to be elected 2014)
MONTANA (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Superintendent of Public Instruction
NEBRASKA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
NEVADA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Controller
Attorney General
NEW HAMPSHIRE - Governor is only statewide elected office, next elected in 2014 for a two-year term.
NEW JERSEY (next election 2017, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed - Incumbent is first holder of new office and Gov. must appoint her to a cabinet position, in the current case Secretary of State.)
NEW MEXICO (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Auditor
Treasurer
Attorney General
Commissioner of Public Lands
NEW YORK (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Comptroller
Attorney General
NORTH CAROLINA (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Agriculture Commissioner
Labor Commissioner
Insurance Commissioner
NORTH DAKOTA (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Treasurer
Auditor
Insurance Commissioner
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Agriculture Commissioner
Tax Commissioner
(the latter four to be elected in 2014)
OHIO (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Auditor
OKLAHOMA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Auditor & Inspector
Attorney General
Treasurer
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Commissioner of Labor
Insurance Commissioner
OREGON (next election 2016, four-year terms; Governor elected 2014)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Attorney General
Labor Commissioner
PENNSYLVANIA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
RHODE ISLAND (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
General Treasurer
SOUTH CAROLINA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed, but will be starting in 2018 per constitutional amendment)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Attorney General
Comptroller General
Superintendent of Education
Adjutant General
Agriculture Commissioner
SOUTH DAKOTA (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Auditor
Treasurer
Commissioner of School & Public Lands
TENNESSEE - Governor is the only statewide elected office, next elected in 2014 for a four year term.
TEXAS (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Attorney General
Comptroller
Land Commissioner
Agriculture Commissioner
UTAH (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed, has duties often incumbent upon a Secretary of State)
Attorney General
Treasurer
Auditor
VERMONT (next election 2014, two-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Treasurer
Secretary of State
Auditor of Accounts
Attorney General
VIRGINIA (next election 2017, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Attorney General
WASHINGTON (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (not ticketed)
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Auditor
Attorney General
Commissioner of Public Lands
Insurance Commissioner
Superintendent of Public Instruction
WEST VIRGINIA (next election 2016, four-year terms)
Secretary of State
Auditor
Treasurer
Agriculture Commissioner
Attorney General
WISCONSIN (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Lt. Governor (ticketed)
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Superintendent of Public Instruction (next elected in 2017)
WYOMING (next election 2014, four-year terms)
Secretary of State
Auditor
Treasurer
Superintendent of Public Instruction
So how does this break down by title? Here are numbers of states which elect each office:
Lt. Governor - 43 (ticketed 25/non-ticketed 18)
Attorney General - 43
Treasurer - 36
Secretary of State - 35
Auditor/Comptroller - 33
Superintendent of Public Instruction - 13
Agriculture Commissioner - 12
Insurance Commissioner - 9
Land Commissioner - 4
Labor Commissioner - 4
Mine Inspector - 1
Tax Commissioner - 1
Adjutant General - 1
The majority of states elect four year terms in the middle of a presidential cycle. Only two states have two year terms. Five states elect in odd years and six states split their executive offices among election cycles. Hope you enjoyed this tour of state elected offices. Again, feel free to add something I may have missed or trivia about one of these offices, or opine about a downballot race in the comments.