United States elections, 2005

2005 United States elections

Off-year elections
Election day	November 8
Congressional special elections
Seats contested	3
Net change	0
Gubernatorial elections
Seats contested	3 (2 states, 1 territory)
Net change	0
2005 Gubernatorial election results map
Legend
Democratic holds   not contested

The 2005 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 8. During this off-year election, the only seats up for election in the United States Congress were special elections held throughout the year. None of these congressional seats changed party hands. There were also two gubernatorial races, state legislative elections in two states, numerous citizen initiatives, mayoral races in several major cities, and a variety of local offices on the ballot.

There were three total special elections to the United States House of Representatives during 2005: California's 5th congressional district, California's 48th, and Ohio's 2nd. In each of these special elections, the incumbent party won.

Only New Jersey, Virginia, and the Northern Mariana Islands featured off-year gubernatorial races in 2005.

Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Corzine defeated Republican businessman Doug Forrester, taking the open seat held by an acting governor since Democrat Jim McGreevey resigned.

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine defeated former Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in the race to succeed term-limited Governor (and Democrat) Mark Warner.