List of governors of Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Alabama
Standard of the governor
Seal of the governor
Incumbent Kay Ivey since April 10, 2017
Government of Alabama
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Residence	Alabama Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Precursor	Governor of Alabama Territory
Inaugural holder	William Wyatt Bibb
Formation	December 14, 1819 (205 years ago) (1819-12-14)
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
Salary	$127,833 (2022)

The governor of Alabama is the leader of the state government in Alabama. They are in charge of the state's executive branch and make sure state laws are followed.

Alabama has had 54 official governors. This count does not include temporary or military governors. The very first governor was William Wyatt Bibb. He was also the only governor of the Alabama Territory.

In total, 59 different people have served as governor. Some governors, like George Wallace, served more than one term. George Wallace served the longest, for 16 years over four terms. The shortest term for a non-acting governor was Hugh McVay, who served about four and a half months.

Lurleen Wallace was the first woman to become governor of Alabama. She was also the third woman to be a governor in any U.S. state. The current governor is Kay Ivey. She is a Republican and took office on April 10, 2017. She is the second female governor of Alabama.

Governors of Alabama: A Historical Look

This section explores the history of Alabama's governors. It covers both the time when Alabama was a territory and when it became a state.

Governors of the Alabama Territory

The Alabama Territory was created on March 3, 1817. It was formed from the Mississippi Territory. Before Alabama became a state, it had only one governor. This governor was chosen by the President of the United States. He later became Alabama's first state governor.

Governor of the Territory of Alabama

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820)	September 25, 1817 – November 9, 1819 (elected state governor)	James Monroe

Governors of the State of Alabama

Seal for use by the governor-elect

Governor's flag before 1939

Alabama officially became a state on December 14, 1819. It left the United States on January 11, 1861. Alabama then became a founding member of the Confederate States of America. After the American Civil War, Alabama was part of the Reconstruction efforts. It rejoined the Union on July 14, 1868.

The first Alabama Constitution was approved in 1819. It said that a governor would be elected every two years. A governor could serve no more than 4 out of every 6 years. This rule changed with the 1868 constitution. It allowed governors to serve two-year terms without the previous limit.

The current constitution, from 1901, made terms four years long. However, it stopped governors from serving right after themselves. A change in 1968 allowed governors to serve two terms in a row. After two terms, a governor must wait one term before running again.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868. It was removed in 1875 and brought back in 1901. If the governor leaves the state for more than 20 days, the lieutenant governor becomes the acting governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor takes over as governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but on separate ballots.

Alabama was a strong Democratic state for a long time. It elected only Democratic-Republican and Democratic governors before the Civil War. After Reconstruction, there were two Republican governors. Then, 112 years passed before Alabama voters chose another Republican governor.

Governors of the State of Alabama

No.	Governor				Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1				William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820)	November 9, 1819 – July 10, 1820 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican	1819	Office did not exist
2				Thomas Bibb (1783–1839)	July 10, 1820 – November 9, 1821 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from president of the Senate
3				Israel Pickens (1780–1827)	November 9, 1821 – November 25, 1825 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1821
							1823
4				John Murphy (d. 1841)	November 25, 1825 – November 21, 1829 (term-limited)	Jackson Democrat	1825
							1827
5				Gabriel Moore (1785–1844)	November 21, 1829 – March 3, 1831 (resigned)	Jackson Democrat	1829
6				Samuel B. Moore (1789–1846)	March 3, 1831 – November 26, 1831 (lost election)	Jackson Democrat	Succeeded from president of the Senate
7				John Gayle (1792–1859)	November 26, 1831 – November 21, 1835 (term-limited)	Jackson Democrat	1831
						Democratic	1833
8				Clement Comer Clay (1789–1866)	November 21, 1835 – July 17, 1837 (resigned)	Democratic	1835
9				Hugh McVay (1766–1851)	July 17, 1837 – November 21, 1837 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from president of the Senate
10				Arthur P. Bagby (1794–1858)	November 21, 1837 – November 22, 1841 (term-limited)	Democratic	1837
							1839
11				Benjamin Fitzpatrick (1802–1869)	November 22, 1841 – December 9, 1845 (term-limited)	Democratic	1841
							1843
12				Joshua L. Martin (1799–1856)	December 9, 1845 – December 16, 1847 (did not run)	Independent	1845
13				Reuben Chapman (1799–1882)	December 16, 1847 – December 17, 1849 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1847
14				Henry W. Collier (1801–1855)	December 17, 1849 – December 20, 1853 (term-limited)	Democratic	1849
							1851
15				John A. Winston (1812–1871)	December 20, 1853 – December 1, 1857 (term-limited)	Democratic	1853
							1855
16				Andrew B. Moore (1807–1873)	December 1, 1857 – December 2, 1861 (term-limited)	Democratic	1857
							1859
17				John Gill Shorter (1818–1872)	December 2, 1861 – December 1, 1863 (lost election)	Democratic	1861
18				Thomas H. Watts (1819–1892)	December 1, 1863 – May 3, 1865 (arrested and removed)	Whig	1863
—	Vacant				May 3, 1865 – June 21, 1865	Office vacated after civil war
19				Lewis E. Parsons (1817–1895)	June 21, 1865 – December 13, 1865 (successor took office)	Provisional governor appointed by President
20				Robert M. Patton (1809–1885)	December 13, 1865 – July 13, 1868 (did not run)	Nonpartisan	1865
—				Wager Swayne (1834–1902)	March 2, 1867 – January 11, 1868 (removed)	Military occupation
21				William Hugh Smith (1826–1899)	July 13, 1868 – November 26, 1870 (lost election)	Republican	1868		Applegate, Andrew J.Andrew J. Applegate (died August 21, 1870)
								Vacant
22				Robert B. Lindsay (1824–1902)	November 26, 1870 – November 25, 1872 (did not run)	Democratic	1870		Moren, Edward H.Edward H. Moren
23				David P. Lewis (1820–1884)	November 25, 1872 – November 24, 1874 (lost election)	Republican	1872		McKinstry, AlexanderAlexander McKinstry
24				George S. Houston (1811–1879)	November 24, 1874 – November 27, 1878 (did not run)	Democratic	1874		Ligon, Robert F.Robert F. Ligon
							1876	Office did not exist
25				Rufus W. Cobb (1829–1913)	November 27, 1878 – December 1, 1882 (did not run)	Democratic	1878
							1880
26				Edward A. O'Neal (1818–1890)	December 1, 1882 – December 1, 1886 (did not run)	Democratic	1882
							1884
27				Thomas Seay (1846–1896)	December 1, 1886 – December 1, 1890 (did not run)	Democratic	1886
							1888
28				Thomas G. Jones (1844–1914)	December 1, 1890 – December 1, 1894 (did not run)	Democratic	1890
							1892
29				William C. Oates (1835–1910)	December 1, 1894 – December 1, 1896 (did not run)	Democratic	1894
30				Joseph F. Johnston (1843–1913)	December 1, 1896 – December 1, 1900 (did not run)	Democratic	1896
							1898
—				William D. Jelks (1855–1931)	December 1, 1900 – December 26, 1900 (acting)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
31				William J. Samford (1844–1901)	December 1, 1900 – June 11, 1901 (died in office)	Democratic	1900
32				William D. Jelks (1855–1931)	June 11, 1901 – January 14, 1907 (term-limited)	Democratic	Succeeded from president of the Senate
							1902		Cunningham, Russell McWhortorRussell McWhortor Cunningham (acted as governor April 25, 1904–March 5, 1905)
33				B. B. Comer (1848–1927)	January 14, 1907 – January 16, 1911 (term-limited)	Democratic	1906		Gray, Henry B.Henry B. Gray
34				Emmet O'Neal (1853–1922)	January 17, 1911 – January 18, 1915 (term-limited)	Democratic	1910		Seed Sr., Walter D.Walter D. Seed Sr.
35				Charles Henderson (1860–1937)	January 19, 1915 – January 20, 1919 (term-limited)	Democratic	1914		Kilby, ThomasThomas Kilby
36				Thomas Kilby (1865–1943)	January 21, 1919 – January 15, 1923 (term-limited)	Democratic	1918		Miller, Nathan LeeNathan Lee Miller
37				William W. Brandon (1868–1934)	January 16, 1923 – January 17, 1927 (term-limited)	Democratic	1922		McDowell, Charles S.Charles S. McDowell (acted as governor July 10, 1924–July 11, 1924)
38				Bibb Graves (1873–1942)	January 18, 1927 – January 19, 1931 (term-limited)	Democratic	1926		Davis, William C.William C. Davis
39				Benjamin M. Miller (1864–1944)	January 20, 1931 – January 14, 1935 (term-limited)	Democratic	1930		Merrill, Hugh DavisHugh Davis Merrill
38				Bibb Graves (1873–1942)	January 15, 1935 – January 16, 1939 (term-limited)	Democratic	1934		Knight, Thomas E.Thomas E. Knight (died May 17, 1937)
								Vacant
40				Frank M. Dixon (1892–1965)	January 17, 1939 – January 18, 1943 (term-limited)	Democratic	1938		Carmichael, Albert A.Albert A. Carmichael
41				Chauncey Sparks (1884–1968)	January 19, 1943 – January 20, 1947 (term-limited)	Democratic	1942		Ellis, Leven H.Leven H. Ellis
42				Jim Folsom (1908–1987)	January 21, 1947 – January 15, 1951 (term-limited)	Democratic	1946		Inzer, James C.James C. Inzer
43				Gordon Persons (1902–1965)	January 16, 1951 – January 17, 1955 (term-limited)	Democratic	1950		Allen, JamesJames Allen
42				Jim Folsom (1908–1987)	January 18, 1955 – January 19, 1959 (term-limited)	Democratic	1954		Hardwick, William G.William G. Hardwick
44				John M. Patterson (1921–2021)	January 20, 1959 – January 14, 1963 (term-limited)	Democratic	1958		Boutwell, AlbertAlbert Boutwell
45				George Wallace (1919–1998)	January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967 (term-limited)	Democratic	1962		Allen, JamesJames Allen
46				Lurleen Wallace (1926–1968)	January 17, 1967 – May 7, 1968 (died in office)	Democratic	1966		Brewer, AlbertAlbert Brewer (acted as governor July 25, 1967)
47				Albert Brewer (1928–2017)	May 7, 1968 – January 18, 1971 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
45				George Wallace (1919–1998)	January 19, 1971 – January 15, 1979 (term-limited)	Democratic	1970		Beasley, JereJere Beasley (acted as governor June 5, 1972–July 7, 1972)
							1974
48				Fob James (b. 1934)	January 16, 1979 – January 17, 1983 (did not run)	Democratic	1978		McMillan, GeorgeGeorge McMillan
45				George Wallace (1919–1998)	January 18, 1983 – January 19, 1987 (did not run)	Democratic	1982		Baxley, BillBill Baxley
49				H. Guy Hunt (1933–2009)	January 20, 1987 – April 22, 1993 (removed from office)	Republican	1986		Folsom Jr., JimJim Folsom Jr.
							1990
50				Jim Folsom Jr. (b. 1949)	April 22, 1993 – January 16, 1995 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
48				Fob James (b. 1934)	January 17, 1995 – January 18, 1999 (lost election)	Republican	1994		Siegelman, DonDon Siegelman
51				Don Siegelman (b. 1946)	January 19, 1999 – January 20, 2003 (lost election)	Democratic	1998		Windom, SteveSteve Windom
52				Bob Riley (b. 1944)	January 21, 2003 – January 17, 2011 (term-limited)	Republican	2002		Baxley, LucyLucy Baxley
							2006		Folsom Jr., JimJim Folsom Jr.
53				Robert J. Bentley (b. 1943)	January 18, 2011 – April 10, 2017 (resigned)	Republican	2010		Ivey, KayKay Ivey
							2014
54				Kay Ivey (b. 1944)	April 10, 2017 – Incumbent	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
							2018		Ainsworth, WillWill Ainsworth
							2022

More About Alabama's Government

• List of Alabama state legislatures