List of governors of Kentucky
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky,[1] and serves as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws;[3] the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kentucky General Assembly;[4] the power to convene the legislature;[5] and the power to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[6] The governor is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size. Historically, the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States.[7]
Fifty-nine individuals have held the office of governor. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, the governor was prohibited from succeeding himself or herself in office, though four men (Isaac Shelby, John L. Helm, James B. McCreary and Happy Chandler) served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul E. Patton, the first Kentucky governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment, won his reelection bid in 1999. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, before the constitutional provision existed. Garrard is also the longest serving governor, serving for a total period of eight years and 90 days.
William Goebel, who was elected to the office in the disputed election of 1899, remains the only governor of any U.S. state to die from assassination while in office.[8] Goebel is also the shortest serving governor, serving for a period of only three days. Martha Layne Collins, who held the office from 1983 to 1987, was the first woman to serve as governor and was only the third woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state who was not the wife or widow of a previous governor.[7] The 63rd and current Kentucky governor is Democrat Andy Beshear, who took office on December 10, 2019.
Governors
Kentucky was initially Kentucky County in Virginia. It achieved statehood and was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792; see the list of governors of Virginia for the period before statehood. There have been 59 governors, serving 63 distinct terms.
An unelected group proclaimed Kentucky's secession from the Union on November 20, 1861, and it was annexed by the Confederate States of America on December 10, 1861. The Confederate government elected two governors (listed separately), but it never held much control over the state, and the main line of governors was preserved.
The original 1792 Kentucky Constitution had the governor chosen by an electoral college for a term of four years.[9] The second constitution in 1799 changed this to a popular vote, and prevented governors from succeeding themselves within seven years of their terms.[10] The third constitution in 1850 reduced the succession limitation to four years.[11] A 1992 amendment to the constitution allowed governors to have a second term before being prevented from succeeding themselves for four years.[12]
| No.[a] | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor[b][c] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaac Shelby December 11, 1750 – July 18, 1826 (aged 75) | June 4, 1792 – June 7, 1796 (not candidate for election) | Democratic- Republican | 1792 | Office did not exist | |||
| 2 | James Garrard January 14, 1749 – January 19, 1822 (aged 73) | June 7, 1796 – September 5, 1804 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1796 | ||||
| 1800 | Alexander Scott Bullitt | |||||||
| 3 | Christopher Greenup 1750 – April 27, 1818 (aged 67 or 68) | September 5, 1804 – September 1, 1808 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1804 | John Caldwell (died November 19, 1804) | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| Thomas Posey (acting, elected Speaker in 1805) | ||||||||
| 4 | Charles Scott April 1739 – October 22, 1813 (aged 74) | September 1, 1808 – August 24, 1812 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1808 | Gabriel Slaughter | |||
| 5 | Isaac Shelby December 11, 1750 – July 18, 1826 (aged 75) | August 24, 1812 – September 5, 1816 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1812 | Richard Hickman | |||
| 6 | George Madison June 1763 – October 14, 1816 (aged 53) | September 5, 1816 – October 14, 1816 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | Gabriel Slaughter | |||
| 7 | Gabriel Slaughter December 12, 1767 – September 19, 1830 (aged 62) | October 14, 1816 – August 29, 1820 (not candidate for election) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 8 | John Adair January 9, 1757 – May 19, 1830 (aged 83) | August 29, 1820 – August 24, 1824 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1820 | William T. Barry | |||
| 9 | Joseph Desha December 9, 1768 – October 11, 1842 (aged 73) | August 24, 1824 – August 26, 1828 (term limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1824 | Robert B. McAfee | |||
| 10 | Thomas Metcalfe March 20, 1780 – August 18, 1855 (aged 75) | August 26, 1828 – September 4, 1832 (term limited) | National Republican | 1828 | John Breathitt[d] | |||
| 11 | John Breathitt September 9, 1786 – February 21, 1834 (aged 47) | September 4, 1832 – February 21, 1834 (died in office) | Democratic | 1832 | James Turner Morehead[e] | |||
| 12 | James Turner Morehead May 24, 1797 – December 28, 1854 (aged 57) | February 21, 1834 – August 30, 1836 (not candidate for election) | National Republican[f] | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 13 | James Clark January 16, 1779 – August 27, 1839 (aged 60) | August 30, 1836 – August 27, 1839 (died in office) | Whig | 1836 | Charles A. Wickliffe | |||
| 14 | Charles A. Wickliffe June 8, 1788 – October 31, 1869 (aged 81) | August 27, 1839 – September 2, 1840 (not candidate for election) | Whig | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 15 | Robert P. Letcher February 10, 1788 – January 24, 1861 (aged 72) | September 2, 1840 – September 4, 1844 (term limited) | Whig | 1840 | Manlius Valerius Thomson | |||
| 16 | William Owsley March 24, 1782 – December 9, 1862 (aged 80) | September 4, 1844 – September 6, 1848 (term limited) | Whig | 1844 | Archibald Dixon | |||
| 17 | John J. Crittenden September 10, 1787 – July 26, 1863 (aged 75) | September 6, 1848 – July 31, 1850 (resigned)[g] | Whig | 1848[h] | John L. Helm | |||
| 18 | John L. Helm July 4, 1802 – September 8, 1867 (aged 65) | July 31, 1850 – September 2, 1851 (not candidate for election) | Whig | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 19 | Lazarus W. Powell October 6, 1812 – July 3, 1867 (aged 54) | September 2, 1851 – September 4, 1855 (term limited) | Democratic | 1851 | John Burton Thompson[i] | |||
| 20 | Charles S. Morehead July 7, 1802 – December 21, 1868 (aged 66) | September 4, 1855 – August 30, 1859 (term limited) | Know Nothing | 1855 | James Greene Hardy | |||
| 21 | Beriah Magoffin April 18, 1815 – February 28, 1885 (aged 69) | August 30, 1859 – August 18, 1862 (resigned)[j] | Democratic | 1859 | Linn Boyd (died December 17, 1859) | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 22 | James Fisher Robinson October 4, 1800 – October 31, 1882 (aged 82) | August 18, 1862 – September 1, 1863 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | Succeeded from President of the Senate | ||||
| 23 | Thomas E. Bramlette January 3, 1817 – January 12, 1875 (aged 58) | September 1, 1863 – September 3, 1867 (term limited) | Democratic | 1863 | Richard Taylor Jacob | |||
| 24 | John L. Helm July 4, 1802 – September 8, 1867 (aged 65) | September 3, 1867 – September 8, 1867 (died in office) | Democratic | 1867 | John W. Stevenson | |||
| 25 | John W. Stevenson May 4, 1812 – August 10, 1886 (aged 74) | September 8, 1867 – February 3, 1871 (resigned)[k] | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 1868 (special) | ||||||||
| 26 | Preston Leslie March 8, 1819 – February 7, 1907 (aged 87) | February 3, 1871 – August 31, 1875 (term limited) | Democratic | Succeeded from President of the Senate | ||||
| 1871 | John G. Carlisle | |||||||
| 27 | James B. McCreary July 8, 1838 – October 8, 1918 (aged 80) | August 31, 1875 – September 2, 1879 (term limited) | Democratic | 1875 | John C. Underwood | |||
| 28 | Luke P. Blackburn June 16, 1816 – September 14, 1887 (aged 71) | September 2, 1879 – September 5, 1883 (term limited) | Democratic | 1879 | James E. Cantrill | |||
| 29 | J. Proctor Knott August 29, 1830 – June 18, 1911 (aged 80) | September 5, 1883 – August 30, 1887 (term limited) | Democratic | 1883 | James R. Hindman | |||
| 30 | Simon Bolivar Buckner April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914 (aged 90) | August 30, 1887 – September 2, 1891 (term limited) | Democratic | 1887 | James William Bryan | |||
| 31 | John Y. Brown June 28, 1835 – January 11, 1904 (aged 68) | September 2, 1891 – December 10, 1895 (term limited) | Democratic | 1891 | Mitchell Cary Alford | |||
| 32 | William O'Connell Bradley March 18, 1847 – May 23, 1914 (aged 67) | December 10, 1895 – December 12, 1899 (term limited) | Republican | 1895 | William Jackson Worthington | |||
| 33 | William S. Taylor October 10, 1853 – August 2, 1928 (aged 74) | December 12, 1899 – January 31, 1900 (removed from office)[l] | Republican | 1899 | John Marshall | |||
| 34 | William Goebel January 4, 1856 – February 3, 1900 (aged 44) | January 31, 1900 – February 3, 1900 (died in office)[l] | Democratic | J. C. W. Beckham | ||||
| 35 | J. C. W. Beckham August 5, 1869 – January 9, 1940 (aged 70) | February 3, 1900 – December 10, 1907 (term limited) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor[l] | Vacant | |||
| 1900 (special) | ||||||||
| 1903 | William P. Thorne | |||||||
| 36 | Augustus E. Willson October 13, 1846 – August 24, 1931 (aged 84) | December 10, 1907 – December 12, 1911 (term limited) | Republican | 1907 | William Hopkinson Cox | |||
| 37 | James B. McCreary July 8, 1838 – October 8, 1918 (aged 80) | December 12, 1911 – December 7, 1915 (term limited) | Democratic | 1911 | Edward J. McDermott | |||
| 38 | Augustus Owsley Stanley May 21, 1867 – August 12, 1958 (aged 91) | December 7, 1915 – May 19, 1919 (resigned)[m] | Democratic | 1915 | James D. Black | |||
| 39 | James D. Black September 24, 1849 – August 5, 1938 (aged 88) | May 19, 1919 – December 9, 1919 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 40 | Edwin P. Morrow November 28, 1877 – June 15, 1935 (aged 57) | December 9, 1919 – December 11, 1923 (term limited) | Republican | 1919 | S. Thruston Ballard | |||
| 41 | William J. Fields December 29, 1874 – October 8, 1954 (aged 79) | December 11, 1923 – December 13, 1927 (term limited) | Democratic | 1923 | Henry Denhardt | |||
| 42 | Flem D. Sampson January 23, 1875 – May 25, 1967 (aged 92) | December 13, 1927 – December 8, 1931 (term limited) | Republican | 1927 | James Breathitt Jr.[d] | |||
| 43 | Ruby Laffoon January 15, 1869 – March 1, 1941 (aged 72) | December 8, 1931 – December 10, 1935 (term limited) | Democratic | 1931 | Happy Chandler | |||
| 44 | Happy Chandler July 14, 1898 – June 15, 1991 (aged 92) | December 10, 1935 – October 9, 1939 (resigned)[n] | Democratic | 1935 | Keen Johnson | |||
| 45 | Keen Johnson January 12, 1896 – February 7, 1970 (aged 74) | October 9, 1939 – December 7, 1943 (term limited) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 1939 | Rodes K. Myers | |||||||
| 46 | Simeon Willis December 1, 1879 – April 2, 1965 (aged 85) | December 7, 1943 – December 9, 1947 (term limited) | Republican | 1943 | Kenneth H. Tuggle | |||
| 47 | Earle Clements October 22, 1896 – March 12, 1985 (aged 88) | December 9, 1947 – November 27, 1950 (resigned)[o] | Democratic | 1947 | Lawrence Wetherby | |||
| 48 | Lawrence Wetherby January 2, 1908 – March 27, 1994 (aged 86) | November 27, 1950 – December 13, 1955 (term limited) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 1951 | Emerson Beauchamp | |||||||
| 49 | Happy Chandler July 14, 1898 – June 15, 1991 (aged 92) | December 13, 1955 – December 8, 1959 (term limited) | Democratic | 1955 | Harry Lee Waterfield | |||
| 50 | Bert Combs August 13, 1911 – December 4, 1991 (aged 80) | December 8, 1959 – December 10, 1963 (term limited) | Democratic | 1959 | Wilson W. Wyatt | |||
| 51 | Ned Breathitt November 26, 1924 – October 14, 2003 (aged 78) | December 10, 1963 – December 12, 1967 (term limited) | Democratic | 1963 | Harry Lee Waterfield | |||
| 52 | Louie Nunn March 8, 1924 – January 29, 2004 (aged 79) | December 12, 1967 – December 7, 1971 (term limited) | Republican | 1967 | Wendell Ford[d] | |||
| 53 | Wendell Ford September 8, 1924 – January 22, 2015 (aged 90) | December 7, 1971 – December 28, 1974 (resigned)[p] | Democratic | 1971 | Julian Carroll | |||
| 54 | Julian Carroll April 16, 1931 | December 28, 1974 – December 11, 1979 (term limited) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Vacant | |||
| 1975 | Thelma Stovall | |||||||
| 55 | John Y. Brown Jr. December 28, 1933 – November 22, 2022 (aged 88) | December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 (term limited) | Democratic | 1979 | Martha Layne Collins | |||
| 56 | Martha Layne Collins December 7, 1936 | December 13, 1983 – December 8, 1987 (term limited) | Democratic | 1983 | Steve Beshear | |||
| 57 | Wallace Wilkinson December 12, 1941 – July 5, 2002 (aged 60) | December 8, 1987 – December 10, 1991 (term limited) | Democratic | 1987 | Brereton Jones | |||
| 58 | Brereton C. Jones June 27, 1939 | December 10, 1991 – December 12, 1995 (term limited) | Democratic | 1991 | Paul E. Patton | |||
| 59 | Paul E. Patton May 26, 1937 | December 12, 1995 – December 9, 2003 (term limited) | Democratic | 1995 | Steve Henry | |||
| 1999 | ||||||||
| 60 | Ernie Fletcher November 12, 1952 | December 9, 2003 – December 11, 2007 (lost election) | Republican | 2003 | Steve Pence | |||
| 61 | Steve Beshear September 21, 1944 | December 11, 2007 – December 8, 2015 (term limited) | Democratic | 2007 | Daniel Mongiardo | |||
| 2011 | Jerry Abramson (resigned November 13, 2014) | |||||||
| Crit Luallen | ||||||||
| 62 | Matt Bevin January 9, 1967 | December 8, 2015 – December 10, 2019 (lost election) | Republican | 2015 | Jenean Hampton | |||
| 63 | Andy Beshear November 29, 1977 | December 10, 2019 – Incumbent[q] | Democratic | 2019 | Jacqueline Coleman | |||
Confederate governors
During the Civil War, a group of secessionists met at Russellville to form a Confederate government for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This government never successfully displaced the government in Frankfort, and Kentucky remained in the Union through the entire war. Two men were elected governor of the Confederate government: George W. Johnson, who served from November 20, 1861, to his death on April 8, 1862, at the Battle of Shiloh, and, on Johnson's death, Richard Hawes, who served until the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865. The Confederate government disbanded shortly after the end of the war in 1865.[15]
See also
Notes
- ^ The state labels Matt Bevin as the 62nd governor;[13] based on this, subsequent terms of repeat governors are numbered.
- ^ The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1799 constitution.[14]
- ^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
- ^ a b c Represented the Democratic Party.
- ^ Represented the National Republican Party.
- ^ The National Republican Party changed its name to the Whig Party in 1834.
- ^ Crittenden resigned to be Attorney General of the United States.
- ^ The 1850 Constitution shifted the election schedule forward, shortening this term by a year.
- ^ Represented the Whig Party.
- ^ Magoffin resigned due to his disagreement with the state legislature over neutrality in the American Civil War.
- ^ Stevenson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ a b c Taylor won the 1899 election and was sworn into office. However, the legislature challenged the validity of his win, claiming ballot fraud. His challenger, Goebel, was shot on January 30, 1900, but was named governor by the legislature and sworn in the next day; he died three days later. Since Lieutenant Governor Marshall's win had also been invalidated, Beckham, having been named lieutenant governor, succeeded Goebel.
- ^ Stanley resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Chandler resigned so that his successor would appoint him to the United States Senate.
- ^ Clements resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Ford resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Beshear's first term expires on December 12, 2023.
References
- General
- . Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on July 8, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- . National Governors Association. Archived from the original on 2011-03-16. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
- . Kentucky Court of Justice. Archived from the original on 2010-03-18. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
- Constitution
- . Kentucky Legislature. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- (PDF). Commonwealth of Kentucky. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-13. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- (PDF). Commonwealth of Kentucky. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-13. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- (PDF). Commonwealth of Kentucky. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-13. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- Specific
- ^ KY Const. art. 69.
- ^ KY Const. art. 75.
- ^ KY Const. art. 81
- ^ KY Const. art. 88.
- ^ KY Const. art. 80.
- ^ KY Const. art. 77.
- ^ a b Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Governor, Office of". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
- ^ Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Goebel Assassination". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
- ^ 1799 Const. art. II, § 2–3
- ^ 1799 Const. art. III, § 3–4
- ^ 1850 Const. art. III, § 3
- ^ KY Const. art. 71
- ^ "Governor Matt Bevin". Governor of Kentucky. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ 1799 Const. art. II, § 15
- ^ Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Confederate Government". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
External links
- Office of the Governor of Kentucky