Incumbent governor Ruth Ann Minner faced a serious challenge from retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee, but managed a five-point victory on election day.

As of 2022[update], this was the last time Kent County voted for the Republican candidate in a gubernatorial election or that the statewide margin was within single digits.

Democrat Brian Schweitzer defeated Montana Secretary of State and Republican nominee Bob Brown with 50.4% of the vote against 46%.

Schweitzer formed a ticket with a Republican running mate, choosing state legislator John Bohlinger for the lieutenant governorship.

Democrat John Lynch, a multimillionaire businessman from Hopkinton, narrowly defeated incumbent Republican governor Craig Benson of Rye, winning a two-year term.

Incumbent Republican governor John Hoeven was easily re-elected defeating Democratic-NPL former state senator Joe Satrom.

Although Gregoire was sworn in as governor of Washington on January 12, 2005, Rossi did not formally concede and called for a re-vote over concerns about the integrity of the election.

The Republican Party filed a lawsuit in Chelan County Superior Court contesting the election, but the trial judge ruled against it, citing lack of evidence of deliberate electoral sabotage.

[7] Rossi chose not to appeal to the Washington State Supreme Court, formally conceding the election on June 6, 2005.