1971 United States gubernatorial elections

United States gubernatorial elections were held in three states. In Mississippi and Kentucky, general elections took place on 2 November 1971. In Louisiana, their general election took place on 1 February 1972 after the party primaries on 6 November 1971 and a Democratic primary runoff on 18 December 1971. In Mississippi and Louisiana, Democrats held both open seats. In Kentucky, Democrats flipped the open seat from Republicans.

In Kentucky, Louie B. Nunn was not allowed to run for a second term under the term limits rule at the time, a rule that was changed in 1992. In Mississippi, John Bell Williams was also barred from a second term under the term limits rule at the time, a rule that was changed in the mid-1980s. In Louisiana, John McKeithen had been allowed a second term due to a new rule enacted that allowed governors two consecutive terms, and thus was allowed to run for a second term (see Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1967). Thus, he too was term-limited.