Following are the results of elections of governors since 1974. Party primaries as well as general elections are included whenever possible although Republican totals are not available for some early primaries.
The official canvass from the Legislature, the Archives Section of the Texas State Library, and the Texas Secretary of State annual reports are used when available. Otherwise, reports from various editions of the Texas Almanac are used.
Party designations abbreviated are: Dem., Democratic; Rep., Republican; Lib., Libertarian; Ind., Independent; W-I, write-in.
Since 1974, Texas governors serve four-year terms. That followed the 1972 amendment of the state contitution changing the term from two years.
2014
Republican Primary
| Gregg Abbott | 1,222,596 | 91.48 % |
| Lisa Fritsch | 59,172 | 4.42 % |
| Miriam Martinez | 35,567 | 2.66 % |
| Secede Kilgore | 19,039 | 1.42 % |
| Total vote | 1,336,374 |
Democratic Primary
| Wendy Davis | 432,595 | 78.08 % |
| Reynaldo "Ray" Madrigal | 121,419 | 21.91 % |
| Total vote | 554,014 |
General Election
| Gregg Abbott | Rep. | 2,796,547 | 59.15 % |
| Wendy Davis | Dem. | 1,835,596 | 38.83 % |
| Kathie Glass | Lib. | 75,488 | 1.59 % |
| Brandon Parmer | Green | 18.490 | 0.39 % |
| Sarah M. Pavitt | W-I | 1,060 | 0.02 % |
| Total vote | 4,727,181 |
2010
Republican Primary
| Rick Perry | 759,296 | 51.15 % |
| Kay Bailey Hutchison | 450,087 | 30.32 % |
| Debra Medina | 275,159 | 18.53 % |
| Total vote | 1,484,542 |
Democratic Primary
| Bill White | 517,487 | 76.04 % |
| Farouk Shami | 87,411 | 12.84 % |
| Felix Rodriguez Alvarado | 33,714 | 4.95 % |
| Alma Ludivina Aguado | 19,273 | 2.83 % |
| Clement E. Glenn | 9,836 | 1.45 % |
| Bill Dear | 6,551 | 0.96 % |
| Star Locke | 6,276 | 0.92 % |
| Total vote | 680,548 |
General Election
| Rick Perry | Rep. | 2,737,481 | 54.97 % |
| Bill White | Dem. | 2,106,395 | 42.30 % |
| Kathie Glass | Lib. | 109,211 | 2.19 % |
| Deb Shafto | Green | 19,516 | 0.39 % |
| Andy Barron | W-I | 7,267 | 0.15 % |
| Total vote | 4,979,870 |
2006
Republican Primary
| Rick Perry | 552,545 | 84.24 % |
| Larry Kilgore | 50,119 | 7.64 % |
| Rhett R. Smith | 30,225 | 4.61 % |
| Star Locke | 23,030 | 3.51 % |
| Total vote | 655,919 |
Democratic Primary
| Chris Bell | 324,869 | 63.87 % |
| Bob Gammage | 145,081 | 28.53 % |
| Rashad Jafer | 38,652 | 7.60 % |
| Total vote | 508,602 |
General Election
| Rick Perry | Rep. | 1,716,792 | 39.03 % |
| Chris Bell | Dem. | 1,310,337 | 29.79 % |
| Carole Keeton Strayhorn | Ind. | 796,851 | 18.11 % |
| Richard "Kinky" Friedman | Ind. | 547,674 | 12.45 % |
| James Werner | Lib. | 26,749 | 0.61 % |
| James "Patriot" Dillon | W-I | 713 | 0.02 % |
| Total vote | 4,399,116 |
2002
Republican Primary
| Rick Perry (unopposed) | 620,463 | 100.00% |
| Total vote | 620,463 |
Democratic Primary
| Tony Sanchez | 609,383 | 60.73 % |
| Dan Morales | 330,873 | 32.98 % |
| Bill Lyon | 43,011 | 4.29 % |
| John Worldpeace | 20,121 | 2.01 % |
| Total vote | 1,003,388 |
General Election
| Rick Perry | Rep. | 2,632,591 | 57.81 % |
| Tony Sanchez | Dem. | 1,819,798 | 39.96 % |
| Jeff Daiell | Lib. | 66,720 | 1.47 % |
| Rahul Mahajan | Green | 32,187 | 0.71 % |
| Elaine Eure Henderson | W-I | 1,715 | 0.04 % |
| Earl W. "Bill" O'Neil | W-I | 976 | 0.02 % |
| Total vote | 4,553,987 |
1998
Republican Primary
| George W. Bush | 576,528 | 96.60 % |
| R.C. Crawford | 20,311 | 3.40 % |
| Total vote | 596,839 |
Democratic Primary
| Garry Mauro (unopposed) | 492,419 | 100.00 % |
| Total vote | 492,419 |
General Election
| George W. Bush | Rep. | 2,550,821 | 68.24 % |
| Garry Mauro | Dem. | 1,165,592 | 31.18 % |
| Lester R. Turlington Jr. | Lib. | 20,711 | 0.55 % |
| Susan Lee Solar | W-I | 954 | 0.03 % |
| 3,738,078 |
1994
Republican Primary
| George W. Bush | 520,130 | 93.32 % |
| Ray Hollis | 37,210 | 6.68 % |
| Total vote | 557,340 |
Democratic Primary
| Ann W. Richards | 806,597 | 77.79 % |
| Gary Espinosa | 230,310 | 22.21 % |
| 1,036,907 |
General Election
| George W. Bush | Rep. | 2,350,994 | 53.48 % |
| Ann W. Richards | Dem. | 2,016,928 | 45.88 % |
| Keary Ehlers | Lib. | 28,320 | 0.64 % |
| Total vote | 4,396,242 |
1990
Republican Primary
| Clayton Williams | 520,014 | 60.80 % |
| Kent Hance | 132,142 | 15.45 % |
| Tom Luce | 115,835 | 13.54 % |
| Jack Rains | 82,461 | 9.64 % |
| W.N. Otwell | 2,310 | 0.27 % |
| Royce X. Owens | 1,392 | 0.16 % |
| Ed Cude | 1,077 | 0.13 % |
| Total vote | 855,231 |
Democratic Primary
| Ann W. Richards | 580,191 | 39.01 % |
| Jim Mattox | 546,103 | 36.72 % |
| Mark White | 288,161 | 19.38 % |
| Theresa Hearn-Haynes | 31,395 | 2.11 % |
| Earl Holmes | 17,904 | 1.20 % |
| Stanley Adams | 16,118 | 1.08 % |
| Ray Rachal | 9,388 | 0.63 % |
| Total vote | 1,487,280 |
Democratic Runoff
| Ann W. Richards | 640,995 | 57.09 % |
| Jim Mattox | 481,739 | 42.91 % |
| Total vote | 1,122,734 |
General Election
| Ann W. Richards | Dem. | 1,925,670 | 49.47 % |
| Clayton Williams | Rep. | 1,826,431 | 46.92 % |
| Jeff Daiell | Lib. | 129,128 | 3.32 % |
| Others | 11,517 | ||
| Total vote | 3,892,746 |
1986
Republican Primary
| William P. Clements Jr. | 318,808 | 58.53 % |
| Tom Loeffler | 117,673 | 21.60 % |
| Kent Hance | 108,238 | 19.87 % |
| Total vote | 544,719 |
Democratic Primary
| Mark White | 589,536 | 53.76 % |
| Andrew C. Briscoe III | 248,850 | 22.69 % |
| A. Don Crowder | 120,999 | 11.03 % |
| Bobby Locke | 58,936 | 5.37 % |
| Sheila Bilyeu | 39,370 | 3.59 % |
| Ron Slover | 38,861 | 3.54 % |
| Total vote | 1,096,552 |
General Election
| William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,813,779 | 52.70 % |
| Mark White | Dem. | 1,584,515 | 46.04 % |
| Theresa Doyle | Lib. | 42,496 | 1.23 % |
| Others | 670 | ||
| Total vote | 3,441,460 |
1982
Republican Primary
| William P. Clements Jr. | 246,120 | 92.58 % |
| Duke Embs | 19,731 | 7.42 % |
| Total vote | 265,851 |
Democratic Primary
| Mark White | 592,658 | 44.94 % |
| Buddy Temple | 402,693 | 30.54 % |
| Bob Armstrong | 262,189 | 19.88 % |
| David L. Young | 25,386 | 1.93 % |
| Ray Allen Mayo | 20,088 | 1.52 % |
| Donald R. Beagle | 15,649 | 1.19 % |
| Total vote | 1,318,663 |
(White was declared winner of the race after Temple declined to participate in a runoff.)
General Election
| Mark White | Dem. | 1,697,870 | 53.21 % |
| William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,465,937 | 45.94 % |
| David Hutzelman | Lib. | 19,143 | 0.60 % |
| Bob Poteet | Constitution | 8,065 | 0.25 % |
| Others | 76 | ||
| Total vote | 3,191,091 |
1978
Republican Primary
| William P. Clements Jr. | 115,345 | 72.82 % |
| Ray Hutchison | 38,268 | 24.16 % |
| Clarence Thompson | 4,790 | 3.02 % |
| Total vote | 158,403 |
Democratic Primary
| John Hill | 932,345 | 51.43 % |
| Dolph Briscoe | 753,309 | 41.55 % |
| Preston Smith | 92,202 | 5.09 % |
| Ray Allen Mayo | 20,249 | 1.12 % |
| Donald R. Beagle | 14,791 | 0.82 % |
| Total vote | 1,812,896 |
General Election
| William P. Clements Jr. | Rep. | 1,183,828 | 49.96 % |
| John Hill | Dem. | 1,166,919 | 49.24 % |
| Mario C. Compean | La Raza Unida | 14,213 | 0.60 % |
| Sara Jean Johnston | Socialist Workers | 4,624 | 0.20 % |
| Others | 115 | ||
| Total vote | 2,369,699 |
1974
Republican Primary
| Jim Granberry | 53,617 | 77.59 % |
| Odell McBrayer | 15,484 | 22.41 % |
| Total vote | 69,101 |
Democratic Primary
| Dolph Briscoe | 1,025,632 | 67.42 % |
| Frances Farenthold | 437,287 | 28.74 % |
| W.H. Posey | 31,498 | 2.07 % |
| Steve S. Alexander | 26,889 | 1.77 % |
| Total vote | 1,521,306 |
General Election
| Dolph Briscoe | Dem. | 1,016,334 | 61.41 % |
| Jim Granberry | Rep. | 514,725 | 31.10 % |
| Ramsey Muniz | La Raza Unida | 93,294 | 5.64 % |
| S.W. McDonnell | American | 22,208 | 1.34 % |
| Sherry Smith | Socialist Workers | 8,171 | 0.49 % |
| Others | 251 | ||
| Total vote | 1,654,984 |
