The United States has 50 states and 5 territories that each elect a governor to serve as chief executive of the state or territorial government.[1] The sole federal district, the District of Columbia, elects a mayor to oversee their government in a similar manner.[2][3] In the event of a vacancy, the governor is succeeded by the second-highest-ranking state official; in 45 states and 4 territories, the lieutenant governor is the first in the line of succession.[4][5]
As of January 9, 2024[update], there are 27 states with Republican governors and 23 states with Democratic governors. Three territories have Democratic governors, while one has an independent governor. Pedro PierluisiofPuerto Rico is a member of the New Progressive Party, although he is also affiliated with the Democratic Party.[6] The federal District of Columbia is governed by a Democratic mayor.[7]
The current gubernatorial term ends and new term begins in January for most states and territories, two months after their election; in Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Kentucky, the term begins in December.[8][9] Governors serve four-year terms in most states and all territories; New Hampshire and Vermont have two-year terms for their governors. Most states and all but one territory also have term limits that generally allow for two consecutive terms to be served by a candidate. To run for governor, a candidate must generally be a U.S. citizen with prior state residence who meets the minimum age requirement—set at 30 years old in most states.[10]
All 55 governors are members of the National Governors Association, a non-partisan organization which represents states and territories in discussions with the federal government.[11] Other organizations for governors include the partisan Democratic Governors Association and Republican Governors Association; and the three regional associations: Midwestern, Northeastern, and Western.[12]
The longest serving incumbent U.S. governor is Jay InsleeofWashington, who took office on January 16, 2013.[13] The most recently inaugurated governor is Jeff LandryofLouisiana, who took office on January 8, 2024.[6] A total of 15 current governors previously served as lieutenant governor, while ten previously served in the United States House of Representatives.[14] The governor's office has term limits in 37 states and 4 territories; these terms are four years except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where governors serve two-year terms.[10][15]
The average age of governors at the time of their inauguration was about 59 years old. Alabama governor Kay Ivey (born 1944) is the oldest current governor, and Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (born 1982) is the youngest.[16] As of the 2022 elections[update], there are 12 female state governors currently serving. Of the 50 state governors, 46 are non-Hispanic white, two are Hispanic (Michelle Lujan GrishamofNew Mexico and Chris SununuofNew Hampshire), one is Black (Wes MooreofMaryland), and one is Native American (Kevin StittofOklahoma).[16]
The notation "(term limits)" after the year indicates that the governor is ineligible to seek re-election in that year; the notation "(retiring)" indicates that the governor has announced his or her intention not to seek re-election at the end of the term nor to run for another office.
Parties: Republican (27), Democratic (23)
State | Image | Governor[6] | Party[6] | Born | Prior public experience[14] | Inauguration[6] | End of term[6] | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama (list) | Kay Ivey | Republican | (1944-10-15) October 15, 1944 (age 79) | Lieutenant Governor State Treasurer |
April 10, 2017 | 2027 (term limits) | [17] | ||
Alaska (list) | Mike Dunleavy | Republican | (1961-05-05) May 5, 1961 (age 63) | Alaska Senate Matanuska-Susitna Borough Board President |
December 3, 2018 | 2026 (term limits) | [18] | ||
Arizona (list) | Katie Hobbs | Democratic | (1969-12-28) December 28, 1969 (age 54) | Secretary of State Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate Arizona House |
January 2, 2023 | 2027 | [19] | ||
Arkansas (list) | Sarah Huckabee Sanders | Republican | (1982-08-13) August 13, 1982 (age 41) | White House Press Secretary | January 10, 2023 | 2027 | [20] | ||
California (list) | Gavin Newsom | Democratic | (1967-10-10) October 10, 1967 (age 56) | Lieutenant Governor Mayor of San Francisco San Francisco Board of Supervisors |
January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [21] | ||
Colorado (list) | Jared Polis | Democratic | (1975-05-12) May 12, 1975 (age 49) | U.S. House Colorado State Board of Education |
January 8, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [22] | ||
Connecticut (list) | Ned Lamont | Democratic | (1954-01-03) January 3, 1954 (age 70) | Chair of the State Investment Advisory Council Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation Greenwich Board of Selectmen |
January 9, 2019 | 2027 | [23] | ||
Delaware (list) | John Carney | Democratic | (1956-05-20) May 20, 1956 (age 68) | U.S. House Lieutenant Governor State Secretary of Finance |
January 17, 2017 | 2025 (term limits) | [24][25] | ||
Florida (list) | Ron DeSantis | Republican | (1978-09-14) September 14, 1978 (age 45) | U.S. House | January 8, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [26] | ||
Georgia (list) | Brian Kemp | Republican | (1963-11-02) November 2, 1963 (age 60) | Secretary of State Georgia Senate |
January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [27] | ||
Hawaii (list) | Josh Green | Democratic | (1970-02-11) February 11, 1970 (age 54) | Lieutenant Governor Hawaii Senate Hawaii House |
December 5, 2022 | 2026 | [28] | ||
Idaho (list) | Brad Little | Republican | (1954-02-15) February 15, 1954 (age 70) | Lieutenant Governor Idaho Senate |
January 7, 2019 | 2027 | [29] | ||
Illinois (list) | J. B. Pritzker | Democratic | (1965-01-19) January 19, 1965 (age 59) | Chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission | January 14, 2019 | 2027 | [30][31] | ||
Indiana (list) | Eric Holcomb | Republican | (1968-05-02) May 2, 1968 (age 56) | Lieutenant Governor | January 9, 2017 | 2025 (term limits) | [32] | ||
Iowa (list) | Kim Reynolds | Republican | (1959-08-04) August 4, 1959 (age 64) | Lieutenant Governor Iowa Senate Clarke County Treasurer |
May 24, 2017 | 2027 | [33] | ||
Kansas (list) | Laura Kelly | Democratic | (1950-01-24) January 24, 1950 (age 74) | Kansas Senate | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [34] | ||
Kentucky (list) | Andy Beshear | Democratic | (1977-11-29) November 29, 1977 (age 46) | State Attorney General | December 10, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [35] | ||
Louisiana (list) | Jeff Landry | Republican | (1970-12-23) December 23, 1970 (age 53) | State Attorney General U.S. House |
January 8, 2024 | 2028 | [36] | ||
Maine (list) | Janet Mills | Democratic | (1947-12-30) December 30, 1947 (age 76) | State Attorney General Maine House |
January 2, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [37] | ||
Maryland (list) | Wes Moore | Democratic | (1978-10-15) October 15, 1978 (age 45) | No prior public experience | January 18, 2023 | 2027 | [38] | ||
Massachusetts (list) | Maura Healey | Democratic | (1971-02-08) February 8, 1971 (age 53) | State Attorney General | January 5, 2023 | 2027 | [39] | ||
Michigan (list) | Gretchen Whitmer | Democratic | (1971-08-23) August 23, 1971 (age 52) | Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate Michigan House |
January 1, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [40][41] | ||
Minnesota (list) | Tim Walz | Democratic–Farmer–Labor[note 1] | (1964-04-06) April 6, 1964 (age 60) | U.S. House | January 7, 2019 | 2027 | [43] | ||
Mississippi (list) | Tate Reeves | Republican | (1974-06-05) June 5, 1974 (age 50) | Lieutenant Governor State Treasurer |
January 14, 2020 | 2028 (term limits) | [44] | ||
Missouri (list) | Mike Parson | Republican | (1955-09-17) September 17, 1955 (age 68) | Lieutenant Governor Missouri Senate Missouri House Polk County Sheriff |
June 1, 2018 | 2025 (term limits) | [45] | ||
Montana (list) | Greg Gianforte | Republican | (1961-04-17) April 17, 1961 (age 63) | U.S. House | January 4, 2021 | 2025 | [46] | ||
Nebraska (list) | Jim Pillen | Republican | (1955-12-31) December 31, 1955 (age 68) | No prior public experience | January 5, 2023 | 2027 | [47] | ||
Nevada (list) | Joe Lombardo | Republican | (1962-11-08) November 8, 1962 (age 61) | Clark County Sheriff | January 2, 2023 | 2027 | [48] | ||
New Hampshire (list) | Chris Sununu | Republican | (1974-11-05) November 5, 1974 (age 49) | New Hampshire Executive Council | January 5, 2017 | 2025 (retiring)[49] | [50] | ||
New Jersey (list) | Phil Murphy | Democratic | (1957-08-16) August 16, 1957 (age 66) | U.S. Ambassador to Germany | January 16, 2018 | 2026 (term limits) | [51] | ||
New Mexico (list) | Michelle Lujan Grisham | Democratic | (1959-10-24) October 24, 1959 (age 64) | U.S. House Bernalillo County Commission State Secretary of Health |
January 1, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [52][53] | ||
New York (list) | Kathy Hochul | Democratic | (1958-08-27) August 27, 1958 (age 65) | Lieutenant Governor U.S. House Erie County Clerk |
August 24, 2021 | 2026[note 2] | [55] | ||
North Carolina (list) | Roy Cooper | Democratic | (1957-06-13) June 13, 1957 (age 67) | State Attorney General Majority Leader of the North Carolina Senate North Carolina House |
January 1, 2017 | 2025 (term limits) | [56][57] | ||
North Dakota (list) | Doug Burgum | Republican | (1956-08-01) August 1, 1956 (age 67) | No prior public experience | December 15, 2016 | 2024 (retiring)[58] | [59] | ||
Ohio (list) | Mike DeWine | Republican | (1947-01-05) January 5, 1947 (age 77) | State Attorney General U.S. Senate Lieutenant Governor U.S. House Ohio Senate Greene County Prosecutor |
January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [60] | ||
Oklahoma (list) | Kevin Stitt | Republican | (1972-12-28) December 28, 1972 (age 51) | No prior public experience | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [61] | ||
Oregon (list) | Tina Kotek | Democratic | (1966-09-30) September 30, 1966 (age 57) | Speaker of the Oregon House | January 9, 2023 | 2027 | [62] | ||
Pennsylvania (list) | Josh Shapiro | Democratic | (1973-06-20) June 20, 1973 (age 51) | State Attorney General Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Pennsylvania House |
January 17, 2023 | 2027 | [63] | ||
Rhode Island (list) | Dan McKee | Democratic | (1951-06-16) June 16, 1951 (age 73) | Lieutenant Governor | March 2, 2021 | 2027 | [64] | ||
South Carolina (list) | Henry McMaster | Republican | (1947-05-27) May 27, 1947 (age 77) | Lieutenant Governor State Attorney General |
January 24, 2017 | 2027 (term limits) | [65] | ||
South Dakota (list) | Kristi Noem | Republican | (1971-11-30) November 30, 1971 (age 52) | U.S. House South Dakota House |
January 5, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [66] | ||
Tennessee (list) | Bill Lee | Republican | (1959-10-09) October 9, 1959 (age 64) | No prior public experience | January 19, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [67] | ||
Texas (list) | Greg Abbott | Republican | (1957-11-13) November 13, 1957 (age 66) | State Attorney General Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court |
January 20, 2015 | 2027 | [68] | ||
Utah (list) | Spencer Cox | Republican | (1975-07-11) July 11, 1975 (age 49) | Lieutenant Governor Utah House Sanpete County Commission |
January 4, 2021 | 2025 | [69][70] | ||
Vermont (list) | Phil Scott | Republican | (1958-08-04) August 4, 1958 (age 65) | Lieutenant Governor Vermont Senate |
January 5, 2017 | 2025 | [71] | ||
Virginia (list) | Glenn Youngkin | Republican | (1966-12-09) December 9, 1966 (age 57) | No prior public experience | January 15, 2022 | 2026 (term limits) | [72] | ||
Washington (list) | Jay Inslee | Democratic | (1951-02-09) February 9, 1951 (age 73) | U.S. House Washington House |
January 16, 2013 | 2025 (retiring)[73] | [74] | ||
West Virginia (list) | Jim Justice | Republican[note 3] | (1951-04-27) April 27, 1951 (age 73) | No prior public experience | January 16, 2017 | 2025 (term limits) | [76] | ||
Wisconsin (list) | Tony Evers | Democratic | (1951-11-05) November 5, 1951 (age 72) | State Superintendent of Public Instruction | January 7, 2019 | 2027 | [77] | ||
Wyoming (list) | Mark Gordon | Republican | (1957-03-14) March 14, 1957 (age 67) | State Treasurer | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [78] |
Parties: Democratic (3), Independent (1), New Progressive (1)
Territory | Image | Governor[6] | Party[6] | Born | Prior public experience | Inauguration[6] | End of term[6] | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa (list) | Lemanu Peleti Mauga | Democratic | (1960-01-03) January 3, 1960 (age 64) | Lieutenant Governor American Samoa Senate |
January 3, 2021 | 2025 | [79][80][81] | ||
Guam (list) | Lou Leon Guerrero | Democratic | (1950-11-08) November 8, 1950 (age 73) | Guam Legislature | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [82][83] | ||
Northern Mariana Islands (list) | Arnold Palacios | Independent | (1955-08-22) August 22, 1955 (age 68) | Lieutenant Governor President of the CNMI Senate Speaker of the CNMI House |
January 9, 2023 | 2027 | [84] | ||
Puerto Rico (list) | Pedro Pierluisi | New Progressive | (1959-04-25) April 25, 1959 (age 65) | U.S. House Territorial Secretary of Justice |
January 2, 2021 | 2025 | [85] | ||
U.S. Virgin Islands (list) | Albert Bryan | Democratic | (1968-02-21) February 21, 1968 (age 56) | Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [86][87] |
The District of Columbia is a federal district that elects a mayor that has similar powers to those of a state or territorial governor.[2] The cities of Washington and Georgetown within the district elected their own mayors until 1871, when their governments were consolidated into a reorganized District of Columbia by a Congressional act.[88] The district's chief executive from 1871 to 1874 was a governor appointed by the President of the United States; the office was replaced by a Board of Commissioners with three members appointed by the president—two residents and a representative from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[88][89] The Board of Commissioners was originally a temporary body but was made permanent in 1878 with one member selected to serve as the Board President, in effect the city's chief executive.[90] The system was replaced in 1967 by a single mayor–commissioner and home rule in the District of Columbia was fully restored in 1975 under a reorganized government led by an elected mayor.[91]
Parties: Democratic (1)
Federal district | Image | Mayor | Party | Born | Prior public experience | Inauguration | End of term | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
District of Columbia (list) | Muriel Bowser | Democratic[92] | (1972-08-02) August 2, 1972 (age 51)[92] | D.C. Council Advisory Neighborhood Commission[92] |
January 2, 2015[93] | 2027 |