List of governors of Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of Arizona |
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Government of Arizona | |
Style | The Honorable |
Residence | No official residence |
Term length | Four years, renewable once consecutively |
Constituting instrument | Arizona Constitution, article V |
Inaugural holder | George W. P. Hunt |
Formation | February 14, 1912 |
Succession | Line of succession |
Deputy | None (until 2027) Lieutenant Governor (expected from 2027) |
Salary | $95,000 (2022) |
The governor of Arizona is the main leader of the state of Arizona. They are like the "boss" of the state's government. The governor makes sure that state laws are followed. They can also approve or reject new laws passed by the Arizona State Legislature. The governor can also call special meetings of the legislature.
The governor is also the leader of Arizona's military forces, called the Arizona National Guard. Arizona is one of the few states that does not have a special house for its governor.
Twenty-four different people have been governor of Arizona. Some governors served more than once. For example, George W. P. Hunt and Thomas Edward Campbell took turns being governor for 17 years. George W. P. Hunt was governor seven times, serving for almost 14 years. Bruce Babbitt served for almost nine years. Wesley Bolin had the shortest time as governor, serving less than five months.
Arizona has had five female governors. This is more than any other U.S. state. Arizona was also the first state where female governors served one after another.
The current governor, since January 2, 2023, is Katie Hobbs. She is a Democrat.
Contents
Arizona's Governors: A History
Territory of Arizona Governors
Arizona was not always a state. For 49 years, it was a territory of the United States. The Arizona Territory was officially created on February 24, 1863. During this time, the U.S. President appointed the governors.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointing President | |
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— | ![]() |
John A. Gurley (1813–1863) |
March 10, 1863 – August 19, 1863 (died before taking office) |
Abraham Lincoln |
1 | ![]() |
John Noble Goodwin (1824–1887) |
August 21, 1863 – April 10, 1866 (resigned) |
Abraham Lincoln |
2 | ![]() |
Richard Cunningham McCormick (1832–1901) |
April 10, 1866 – March 4, 1869 (resigned) |
Andrew Johnson |
3 | ![]() |
Anson P. K. Safford (1830–1891) |
April 8, 1869 – April 5, 1877 (term expired) |
Ulysses S. Grant |
4 | ![]() |
John Philo Hoyt (1841–1926) |
April 5, 1877 – June 14, 1878 (resigned) |
Rutherford B. Hayes |
5 | ![]() |
John C. Frémont (1813–1890) |
June 14, 1878 – October 11, 1881 (resigned) |
Rutherford B. Hayes |
6 | ![]() |
Frederick Augustus Tritle (1833–1906) |
February 6, 1882 – October 7, 1885 (resigned) |
Chester A. Arthur |
7 | ![]() |
C. Meyer Zulick (1839–1926) |
October 15, 1885 – March 28, 1889 (successor appointed) |
Grover Cleveland |
8 | ![]() |
Lewis Wolfley (1839–1910) |
March 28, 1889 – August 20, 1890 (resigned) |
Benjamin Harrison |
9 | ![]() |
John N. Irwin (1844–1905) |
October 1, 1890 – April 19, 1892 (resigned) |
Benjamin Harrison |
10 | ![]() |
Oakes Murphy (1849–1908) |
May 9, 1892 – April 13, 1893 (successor appointed) |
Benjamin Harrison |
11 | ![]() |
L. C. Hughes (1842–1915) |
April 8, 1893 – April 1, 1896 (successor appointed) |
Grover Cleveland |
12 | ![]() |
Benjamin Joseph Franklin (1839–1898) |
April 8, 1896 – July 22, 1897 (resigned) |
Grover Cleveland |
13 | ![]() |
Myron H. McCord (1840–1908) |
July 17, 1897 – August 1, 1898 (resigned) |
William McKinley |
14 | ![]() |
Oakes Murphy (1849–1908) |
July 16, 1898 – July 1, 1902 (resigned) |
William McKinley |
15 | ![]() |
Alexander Oswald Brodie (1849–1918) |
May 14, 1902 – February 14, 1905 (resigned) |
Theodore Roosevelt |
16 | ![]() |
Joseph Henry Kibbey (1853–1924) |
February 27, 1905 – April 15, 1909 (successor appointed) |
Theodore Roosevelt |
17 | ![]() |
Richard Elihu Sloan (1857–1933) |
April 15, 1909 – February 14, 1912 (statehood) |
William Howard Taft |
State of Arizona Governors
Arizona became a state on February 14, 1912. It was the last state in the main part of the U.S. to join the country.
When Arizona first became a state, governors were elected every two years. In 1968, this changed to four-year terms. Originally, there was no limit to how many times a governor could serve. But in 1992, a new rule was made. Now, a governor can only serve two terms in a row. After four years out of office, they can run again.
Arizona is one of the few states that does not have a lieutenant governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, the Secretary of State usually takes over. If the Secretary of State cannot, then other elected officials follow in a specific order. This order is: Attorney General, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.
For example, Bruce Babbitt became governor when Wesley Bolin passed away. Bolin had become governor when Raúl Héctor Castro left to become an ambassador. Later, Rose Mofford became governor after Evan Mecham was removed from office.
Starting with the election in 2026, Arizona will have a lieutenant governor. The governor and lieutenant governor will be elected together. If both offices become empty, the Secretary of State or another official will become governor. They will then choose a new lieutenant governor.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | ||
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1 | ![]() |
George W. P. Hunt (1859–1934) |
February 14, 1912 – January 1, 1917 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1911 | |
1914 | ||||||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Edward Campbell (1878–1944) |
January 1, 1917 – December 25, 1917 (removed from office) |
Republican | 1916 | |
1 | ![]() |
George W. P. Hunt (1859–1934) |
December 25, 1917 – January 6, 1919 (did not run) |
Democratic | ||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Edward Campbell (1878–1944) |
January 6, 1919 – January 1, 1923 (lost election) |
Republican | 1918 | |
1920 | ||||||
1 | ![]() |
George W. P. Hunt (1859–1934) |
January 1, 1923 – January 7, 1929 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1922 | |
1924 | ||||||
1926 | ||||||
3 | ![]() |
John Calhoun Phillips (1870–1943) |
January 7, 1929 – January 5, 1931 (lost election) |
Republican | 1928 | |
1 | ![]() |
George W. P. Hunt (1859–1934) |
January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1930 | |
4 | ![]() |
Benjamin Baker Moeur (1869–1937) |
January 2, 1933 – January 4, 1937 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1932 | |
1934 | ||||||
5 | ![]() |
Rawghlie Clement Stanford (1879–1963) |
January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1936 | |
6 | ![]() |
Robert Taylor Jones (1884–1958) |
January 2, 1939 – January 6, 1941 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1938 | |
7 | ![]() |
Sidney Preston Osborn (1884–1948) |
January 6, 1941 – May 25, 1948 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1940 | |
1942 | ||||||
1944 | ||||||
1946 | ||||||
8 | ![]() |
Dan Edward Garvey (1886–1974) |
May 25, 1948 – January 1, 1951 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | Succeeded from secretary of state |
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1948 | ||||||
9 | ![]() |
John Howard Pyle (1906–1987) |
January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1955 (lost election) |
Republican | 1950 | |
1952 | ||||||
10 | ![]() |
Ernest McFarland (1894–1984) |
January 3, 1955 – January 5, 1959 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1954 | |
1956 | ||||||
11 | ![]() |
Paul Fannin (1907–2002) |
January 5, 1959 – January 4, 1965 (did not run) |
Republican | 1958 | |
1960 | ||||||
1962 | ||||||
12 | ![]() |
Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr. (1919–2006) |
January 4, 1965 – January 2, 1967 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1964 | |
13 | ![]() |
Jack Williams (1909–1998) |
January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1975 (did not run) |
Republican | 1966 | |
1968 | ||||||
1970 | ||||||
14 | ![]() |
Raúl Héctor Castro (1916–2015) |
January 6, 1975 – October 20, 1977 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1974 | |
15 | ![]() |
Wesley Bolin (1909–1978) |
October 20, 1977 – March 4, 1978 (died in office) |
Democratic | Succeeded from secretary of state |
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16 | ![]() |
Bruce Babbitt (b. 1938) |
March 4, 1978 – January 5, 1987 (did not run) |
Democratic | Succeeded from attorney general |
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1978 | ||||||
1982 | ||||||
17 | ![]() |
Evan Mecham (1924–2008) |
January 5, 1987 – April 4, 1988 (removed from office) |
Republican | 1986 | |
18 | ![]() |
Rose Mofford (1922–2016) |
April 4, 1988 – March 6, 1991 (did not run) |
Democratic | Succeeded from secretary of state |
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19 | ![]() |
Fife Symington (b. 1945) |
March 6, 1991 – September 5, 1997 (resigned) |
Republican | 1990–1991 | |
1994 | ||||||
20 | ![]() |
Jane Dee Hull (1935–2020) |
September 5, 1997 – January 6, 2003 (term-limited) |
Republican | Succeeded from secretary of state |
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1998 | ||||||
21 | ![]() |
Janet Napolitano (b. 1957) |
January 6, 2003 – January 20, 2009 (resigned) |
Democratic | 2002 | |
2006 | ||||||
22 | ![]() |
Jan Brewer (b. 1944) |
January 20, 2009 – January 5, 2015 (did not run) |
Republican | Succeeded from secretary of state |
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2010 | ||||||
23 | ![]() |
Doug Ducey (b. 1964) |
January 5, 2015 – January 2, 2023 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2014 | |
2018 | ||||||
24 | ![]() |
Katie Hobbs (b. 1969) |
January 2, 2023 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2022 |
Timeline of Governors

See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Arizona
- Lieutenant Governor of Arizona
- List of Arizona state legislatures