List of governors of Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Arizona
Flag of Arizona
Seal of Arizona
Incumbent Katie Hobbs since January 2, 2023
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.

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.

Governors of the Territory of Arizona

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointing President
—		John A. Gurley (1813–1863)	March 10, 1863 – August 19, 1863 (died before taking office)	Lincoln, AbrahamAbraham Lincoln
1		John Noble Goodwin (1824–1887)	August 21, 1863 – April 10, 1866 (resigned)	Lincoln, AbrahamAbraham Lincoln
2		Richard Cunningham McCormick (1832–1901)	April 10, 1866 – March 4, 1869 (resigned)	Johnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson
3		Anson P. K. Safford (1830–1891)	April 8, 1869 – April 5, 1877 (term expired)	Grant, Ulysses S.Ulysses S. Grant
4		John Philo Hoyt (1841–1926)	April 5, 1877 – June 14, 1878 (resigned)	Hayes, Rutherford B.Rutherford B. Hayes
5		John C. Frémont (1813–1890)	June 14, 1878 – October 11, 1881 (resigned)	Hayes, Rutherford B.Rutherford B. Hayes
6		Frederick Augustus Tritle (1833–1906)	February 6, 1882 – October 7, 1885 (resigned)	Arthur, Chester A.Chester A. Arthur
7		C. Meyer Zulick (1839–1926)	October 15, 1885 – March 28, 1889 (successor appointed)	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
8		Lewis Wolfley (1839–1910)	March 28, 1889 – August 20, 1890 (resigned)	Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
9		John N. Irwin (1844–1905)	October 1, 1890 – April 19, 1892 (resigned)	Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
10		Oakes Murphy (1849–1908)	May 9, 1892 – April 13, 1893 (successor appointed)	Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
11		L. C. Hughes (1842–1915)	April 8, 1893 – April 1, 1896 (successor appointed)	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
12		Benjamin Joseph Franklin (1839–1898)	April 8, 1896 – July 22, 1897 (resigned)	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
13		Myron H. McCord (1840–1908)	July 17, 1897 – August 1, 1898 (resigned)	McKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
14		Oakes Murphy (1849–1908)	July 16, 1898 – July 1, 1902 (resigned)	McKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
15		Alexander Oswald Brodie (1849–1918)	May 14, 1902 – February 14, 1905 (resigned)	Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt
16		Joseph Henry Kibbey (1853–1924)	February 27, 1905 – April 15, 1909 (successor appointed)	Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt
17		Richard Elihu Sloan (1857–1933)	April 15, 1909 – February 14, 1912 (statehood)	Taft, William HowardWilliam 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.

Governors of the State of Arizona

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election
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
						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
16			Bruce Babbitt (b. 1938)	March 4, 1978 – January 5, 1987 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from attorney general
						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
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
						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
						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