page_title: 2017 Virginia gubernatorial election
hierarchical_section_title: 2017 Virginia gubernatorial election
context_page_description: The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2017 was held on November 7, 2017. Incumbent Governor Terry McAuliffe of the Democratic Party was not eligible to run for reelection due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution.
  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. The Democratic Party nominated Ralph Northam and the Republican Party nominated Ed Gillespie. The Libertarian Party nominated Clifford Hyra by convention on May 6, 2017.
  In the general election on November 7, 2017, Democratic nominee Ralph Northam defeated Republican nominee Ed Gillespie, winning by the largest margin for a Democrat since 1985. Northam became the 73rd governor of Virginia, and assumed office on January 13, 2018. The election had the highest voter turnout percentage in a Virginia gubernatorial election in twenty years with over 47% of the state's constituency casting their ballot.
context_section_description: The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2017 was held on November 7, 2017. Incumbent Governor Terry McAuliffe of the Democratic Party was not eligible to run for reelection due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution.
  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. The Democratic Party nominated Ralph Northam and the Republican Party nominated Ed Gillespie. The Libertarian Party nominated Clifford Hyra by convention on May 6, 2017.
  In the general election on November 7, 2017, Democratic nominee Ralph Northam defeated Republican nominee Ed Gillespie, winning by the largest margin for a Democrat since 1985. Northam became the 73rd governor of Virginia, and assumed office on January 13, 2018. The election had the highest voter turnout percentage in a Virginia gubernatorial election in twenty years with over 47% of the state's constituency casting their ballot.
caption: County and independent city results
  Northam:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
  Gillespie:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%