List of governors of Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Mississippi
Seal of Mississippi
Incumbent Tate Reeves since January 14, 2020
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Residence	Mississippi Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Formation	Constitution of Mississippi
Succession	Every four years, unless reelected
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Salary	$122,160

The governor of Mississippi is the head of government of Mississippi and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature, to convene the legislature at any time, and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.

To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years at the time of inauguration. The Constitution of Mississippi, ratified in 1890, calls for a four-year term for the governor, elected via the two-round system since a 2020 referendum. Prior to this, the governor was elected by an electoral college composed of the districts represented in the Mississippi House of Representatives, with a contingent election held in the House in the event no candidate received a majority of district electors. The term length was originally two years, with no limit on how many terms they could serve. The 1832 constitution limited governors to serving no more than four out of every six years. When terms were lengthened to four years in 1868, this limit was removed. The 1890 constitution forbid governors from succeeding themselves, but a 1986 amendment allows them to succeed themselves once. The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1817 constitution, abolished in 1832, and recreated in 1868. When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor exercises the powers of governor for the remainder of the term.

The current governor is Republican Tate Reeves, who took office January 14, 2020.

List of governors

Mississippi Territory

Mississippi Territory was organized on April 7, 1798, from land ceded to the federal government by Georgia. It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States during its 19-year history, including one, David Holmes, who would later serve as state governor.

Governors of Mississippi Territory

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		Winthrop Sargent (1753–1820)	May 7, 1798 – May 25, 1801 (successor appointed)	Adams, JohnJohn Adams
2		William C. C. Claiborne (d. 1817)	May 25, 1801 – March 2, 1805 (successor appointed)	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
3		Robert Williams (1770–1836)	March 2, 1805 – March 7, 1809 (successor appointed)	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
4		David Holmes (1769–1832)	March 7, 1809 – October 7, 1817 (elected state governor)	Madison, JamesJames Madison

State of Mississippi

Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817. It seceded from the Union on January 9, 1861, and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, Mississippi during Reconstruction was part of the Fourth Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870.

Governors of the State of Mississippi

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			David Holmes (1769–1832)	October 7, 1817 – January 5, 1820 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1817		Stewart, DuncanDuncan Stewart
2			George Poindexter (1779–1853)	January 5, 1820 – January 7, 1822 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1819		Patton, JamesJames Patton
3			Walter Leake (1762–1825)	January 7, 1822 – November 17, 1825 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican	1821		Dickson, David C.David C. Dickson
						1823		Brandon, GerardGerard Brandon
4			Gerard Brandon (1788–1850)	November 17, 1825 – January 7, 1826 (successor took office)	Democratic- Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
5			David Holmes (1769–1832)	January 7, 1826 – July 25, 1826 (resigned)	Democratic- Republican	1825		Brandon, GerardGerard Brandon
6			Gerard Brandon (1788–1850)	July 25, 1826 – January 9, 1832 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1827		Scott, Abram M.Abram M. Scott
						1829
7			Abram M. Scott (1785–1833)	January 9, 1832 – June 12, 1833 (died in office)	National Republican	1831		Winston, FountainFountain Winston (office abolished October 26, 1832)
							Office did not exist
8			Charles Lynch (1783–1853)	June 12, 1833 – November 21, 1833 (successor took office)	Whig	President of the Senate acting
9			Hiram Runnels (1796–1857)	November 21, 1833 – November 21, 1835 (lost election)	Democratic	1833
10			John A. Quitman (1798–1858)	December 3, 1835 – January 7, 1836 (successor took office)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
11			Charles Lynch (1783–1853)	January 7, 1836 – January 8, 1838 (did not run)	Whig	1835
12			Alexander G. McNutt (1802–1848)	January 8, 1838 – January 9, 1842 (term-limited)	Democratic	1837
						1839
13			Tilghman Tucker (1802–1859)	January 10, 1842 – January 10, 1844 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1841
14			Albert G. Brown (1813–1880)	January 10, 1844 – January 10, 1848 (term-limited)	Democratic	1843
						1845
15			Joseph W. Matthews (1812–1862)	January 10, 1848 – January 10, 1850 (did not run)	Democratic	1847
16			John A. Quitman (1798–1858)	January 10, 1850 – February 3, 1851 (resigned)	Democratic	1849
17			John Isaac Guion (1802–1855)	February 3, 1851 – November 4, 1851 (senate term expired)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
18			James Whitfield (1791–1875)	November 25, 1851 – January 10, 1852 (successor took office)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
19			Henry S. Foote (1804–1880)	January 10, 1852 – January 5, 1854 (resigned)	Union Democratic	1851
20			John J. Pettus (1813–1867)	January 5, 1854 – January 10, 1854 (successor took office)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
21			John J. McRae (1815–1868)	January 10, 1854 – November 16, 1857 (term-limited)	Democratic	1853
						1855
22			William McWillie (1795–1869)	November 16, 1857 – November 21, 1859 (did not run)	Democratic	1857
23			John J. Pettus (1813–1867)	November 21, 1859 – November 16, 1863 (term-limited)	Democratic	1859
						1861
24			Charles Clark (1811–1877)	November 16, 1863 – May 22, 1865 (arrested and removed)	Democratic	1863
25			William L. Sharkey (1798–1873)	June 13, 1865 – October 16, 1865 (successor took office)	Provisional governor appointed by President
26			Benjamin G. Humphreys (1808–1882)	October 16, 1865 – June 15, 1868 (removed)	Non-partisan	1865
27			Adelbert Ames (1835–1933)	June 15, 1868 – March 10, 1870 (state readmitted)	Provisional governor appointed by military occupation
28			James L. Alcorn (1816–1894)	March 10, 1870 – November 30, 1871 (resigned)	Republican	1869		Powers, Ridgley C.Ridgley C. Powers
29			Ridgley C. Powers (1836–1912)	November 30, 1871 – January 22, 1874 (successor took office)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
30			Adelbert Ames (1835–1933)	January 22, 1874 – March 29, 1876 (resigned)	Republican	1873		Davis, Alexander KelsoAlexander Kelso Davis (impeached and removed)
							Vacant
31			John Marshall Stone (1830–1900)	March 29, 1876 – January 9, 1882 (lost nomination)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
						1877		Sims, William H.William H. Sims
32			Robert Lowry (1829–1910)	January 9, 1882 – January 13, 1890 (did not run)	Democratic	1881		Shands, G. D.G. D. Shands
						1885
33			John Marshall Stone (1830–1900)	January 13, 1890 – January 21, 1896 (term-limited)	Democratic	1889		Evans, M. M.M. M. Evans
34			Anselm J. McLaurin (1848–1909)	January 21, 1896 – January 16, 1900 (term-limited)	Democratic	1895		Jones, J. H.J. H. Jones
35			Andrew H. Longino (1854–1942)	January 16, 1900 – January 19, 1904 (term-limited)	Democratic	1899		Harrison, James T.James T. Harrison
36			James K. Vardaman (1861–1930)	January 19, 1904 – January 21, 1908 (term-limited)	Democratic	1903		Carter, John PrentissJohn Prentiss Carter
37			Edmond Noel (1856–1927)	January 21, 1908 – January 16, 1912 (term-limited)	Democratic	1907		Manship, LutherLuther Manship
38			Earl L. Brewer (1869–1942)	January 16, 1912 – January 18, 1916 (term-limited)	Democratic	1911		Bilbo, Theodore G.Theodore G. Bilbo
39			Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947)	January 18, 1916 – January 18, 1920 (term-limited)	Democratic	1915		Russell, Lee M.Lee M. Russell
40			Lee M. Russell (1875–1943)	January 20, 1920 – January 22, 1924 (term-limited)	Democratic	1919		Casteel, HomerHomer Casteel
41			Henry L. Whitfield (1868–1927)	January 22, 1924 – March 18, 1927 (died in office)	Democratic	1923		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
42			Dennis Murphree (1886–1949)	March 18, 1927 – January 17, 1928 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
43			Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947)	January 17, 1928 – January 19, 1932 (term-limited)	Democratic	1927		Adam, BidwellBidwell Adam
44			Martin Sennet Conner (1891–1950)	January 19, 1932 – January 21, 1936 (term-limited)	Democratic	1931		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
45			Hugh L. White (1881–1965)	January 21, 1936 – January 16, 1940 (term-limited)	Democratic	1935		Snider, Jacob BuehlerJacob Buehler Snider
46			Paul B. Johnson Sr. (1880–1943)	January 16, 1940 – December 26, 1943 (died in office)	Democratic	1939		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
47			Dennis Murphree (1886–1949)	December 26, 1943 – January 18, 1944 (successor took office)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
48			Thomas L. Bailey (1888–1946)	January 18, 1944 – November 2, 1946 (died in office)	Democratic	1943		Wright, Fielding L.Fielding L. Wright
49			Fielding L. Wright (1895–1956)	November 2, 1946 – January 22, 1952 (term-limited)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
50						1947		Lumpkin, SamSam Lumpkin
51			Hugh L. White (1881–1965)	January 22, 1952 – January 17, 1956 (term-limited)	Democratic	1951		Gartin, CarrollCarroll Gartin
52			James P. Coleman (1914–1991)	January 17, 1956 – January 19, 1960 (term-limited)	Democratic	1955
53			Ross Barnett (1898–1987)	January 19, 1960 – January 21, 1964 (term-limited)	Democratic	1959		Johnson Jr., Paul B.Paul B. Johnson Jr.
54			Paul B. Johnson Jr. (1916–1985)	January 21, 1964 – January 16, 1968 (term-limited)	Democratic	1963		Gartin, CarrollCarroll Gartin (died December 19, 1966)
							Vacant
55			John Bell Williams (1918–1983)	January 16, 1968 – January 18, 1972 (term-limited)	Democratic	1967		Sullivan, Charles L.Charles L. Sullivan
56			Bill Waller (1926–2011)	January 18, 1972 – January 20, 1976 (term-limited)	Democratic	1971		Winter, William F.William F. Winter
57			Cliff Finch (1927–1986)	January 20, 1976 – January 22, 1980 (term-limited)	Democratic	1975		Gandy, EvelynEvelyn Gandy
58			William F. Winter (1923–2020)	January 22, 1980 – January 10, 1984 (term-limited)	Democratic	1979		Dye, BradBrad Dye
59			William Allain (1928–2013)	January 10, 1984 – January 12, 1988 (did not run)	Democratic	1983
60			Ray Mabus (b. 1948)	January 12, 1988 – January 14, 1992 (lost election)	Democratic	1987
61			Kirk Fordice (1934–2004)	January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000 (term-limited)	Republican	1991		Briggs, EddieEddie Briggs
						1995		Musgrove, RonnieRonnie Musgrove
62			Ronnie Musgrove (b. 1956)	January 11, 2000 – January 13, 2004 (lost election)	Democratic	1999		Tuck, AmyAmy Tuck
63			Haley Barbour (b. 1947)	January 13, 2004 – January 10, 2012 (term-limited)	Republican	2003
						2007		Bryant, PhilPhil Bryant
64			Phil Bryant (b. 1954)	January 10, 2012 – January 14, 2020 (term-limited)	Republican	2011		Reeves, TateTate Reeves
						2015
65			Tate Reeves (b. 1974)	January 14, 2020 – Incumbent	Republican	2019		Hosemann, DelbertDelbert Hosemann
						2023

See also

• List of lieutenant governors of Mississippi
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Mississippi