In plain dollars, 2026's $4.27 is the highest Election Day gas price on record. After inflation, 2012 ($5.08) and 1980 ($4.94) were higher, and 1982, 2010 and 2022 were slightly higher or about equal, so 2026 ranks sixth of 26 elections since 1976.
| dollars_per_gallon | measure | year |
|---|---|---|
| 0.628 | Price at the time | 1976 |
| 3.65 | In September 2026 dollars | 1976 |
| 0.697 | Price at the time | 1978 |
| 3.48 | In September 2026 dollars | 1978 |
| 1.253 | Price at the time | 1980 |
| 4.94 | In September 2026 dollars | 1980 |
| 1.279 | Price at the time | 1982 |
| 4.4 | In September 2026 dollars | 1982 |
| 1.203 | Price at the time | 1984 |
| 3.85 | In September 2026 dollars | 1984 |
| 0.825 | Price at the time | 1986 |
| 2.52 | In September 2026 dollars | 1986 |
| 0.945 | Price at the time | 1988 |
| 2.65 | In September 2026 dollars | 1988 |
| 1.334 | Price at the time | 1990 |
| 3.39 | In September 2026 dollars | 1990 |
| 1.12 | Price at the time | 1992 |
| 2.67 | In September 2026 dollars | 1992 |
| 1.123 | Price at the time | 1994 |
| 2.53 | In September 2026 dollars | 1994 |
| 1.223 | Price at the time | 1996 |
| 2.61 | In September 2026 dollars | 1996 |
| 1.01 | Price at the time | 1998 |
| 2.08 | In September 2026 dollars | 1998 |
| 1.526 | Price at the time | 2000 |
| 2.96 | In September 2026 dollars | 2000 |
| 1.448 | Price at the time | 2002 |
| 2.7 | In September 2026 dollars | 2002 |
| 2.034 | Price at the time | 2004 |
| 3.61 | In September 2026 dollars | 2004 |
| 2.2 | Price at the time | 2006 |
| 3.65 | In September 2026 dollars | 2006 |
| 2.4 | Price at the time | 2008 |
| 3.7 | In September 2026 dollars | 2008 |
| 2.806 | Price at the time | 2010 |
| 4.33 | In September 2026 dollars | 2010 |
| 3.492 | Price at the time | 2012 |
| 5.08 | In September 2026 dollars | 2012 |
| 2.993 | Price at the time | 2014 |
| 4.24 | In September 2026 dollars | 2014 |
| 2.233 | Price at the time | 2016 |
| 3.12 | In September 2026 dollars | 2016 |
| 2.753 | Price at the time | 2018 |
| 3.67 | In September 2026 dollars | 2018 |
| 2.112 | Price at the time | 2020 |
| 2.73 | In September 2026 dollars | 2020 |
| 3.796 | Price at the time | 2022 |
| 4.31 | In September 2026 dollars | 2022 |
| 3.069 | Price at the time | 2024 |
| 3.28 | In September 2026 dollars | 2024 |
| 4.269 | Price at the time | 2026 |
| 4.27 | In September 2026 dollars | 2026 |