List of governors of Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Iowa
State seal
Incumbent Kim Reynolds since May 24, 2017
Government of Iowa
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Terrace Hill
Term length	Four years, no term limits
Precursor	Governor of Iowa Territory
Inaugural holder	Ansel Briggs
Formation	December 3, 1846 (178 years ago) (1846-12-03)
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
Salary	$130,000 (2022)

The governor of Iowa is like the chief executive officer for the state of Iowa. This person is in charge of the state's executive branch, which means they make sure state laws are followed. The governor can also approve or reject (this is called a veto) new laws passed by the Iowa General Assembly. They can also call the legislature together for special meetings.

The governor has the power to grant pardons, which means forgiving someone for a crime, except in very serious cases like treason (betraying your country) or impeachment (being removed from office for serious wrongdoing). The governor is also the leader of Iowa's military forces, known as the Iowa National Guard. They can issue special orders, called executive orders, to create new groups or make changes to the state budget to prevent money problems.

Iowa has had 41 different people serve as governor. Two of them, Samuel J. Kirkwood and Terry Branstad, served more than one time. The current governor is Kim Reynolds, who became the first woman to hold this important job on May 24, 2017. The longest-serving governor is Terry Branstad, who was governor for a total of 22 years. He holds the record for the longest-serving governor in U.S. history. The shortest time someone served as governor was just 16 days, by Robert D. Fulton.

Iowa's Governors: A Look Back

The role of governor in Iowa has changed over time. Let's explore how it started and how it works today.

Governors of Iowa Territory

Before Iowa became a state, it was a territory. The Iowa Territory was created on July 4, 1838. During this time, the governors were chosen by the president of the United States. There were four territorial governors. Interestingly, the very first one resigned before he even arrived in Iowa!

Governors of the State of Iowa

Iowa officially became a state on December 28, 1846. The first Constitution of Iowa said the governor would serve a four-year term. Later, in 1857, this was changed to a two-year term, but then changed back to four years in 1972. The governor's term now officially starts on the second Monday in January after the election.

The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1857. The lieutenant governor is elected at the same time as the governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor steps in to finish the term. Before 1857, the Secretary of State of Iowa would take over if the governor's office was empty. There is no limit to how many times a person can be elected governor in Iowa.

Governors of the State of Iowa

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Ansel Briggs (1806–1881)	December 3, 1846 – December 4, 1850 (did not run)	Democratic	1846	Office did not exist
2			Stephen P. Hempstead (1812–1883)	December 4, 1850 – December 9, 1854 (did not run)	Democratic	1850
3			James W. Grimes (1816–1872)	December 9, 1854 – January 14, 1858 (did not run)	Whig	1854
4			Ralph P. Lowe (1805–1883)	January 14, 1858 – January 11, 1860 (did not run)	Republican	1857		Faville, OranOran Faville
5			Samuel J. Kirkwood (1813–1894)	January 11, 1860 – January 14, 1864 (did not run)	Republican	1859		Rusch, Nicholas J.Nicholas J. Rusch
						1861		Needham, John R.John R. Needham
6			William M. Stone (1827–1893)	January 14, 1864 – January 16, 1868 (did not run)	Republican	1863		Eastman, Enoch W.Enoch W. Eastman
						1865		Gue, Benjamin F.Benjamin F. Gue
7			Samuel Merrill (1822–1899)	January 16, 1868 – January 11, 1872 (did not run)	Republican	1867		Scott, JohnJohn Scott
						1869		Walden, Madison MinerMadison Miner Walden (resigned 1871)
							Vacant
								Bulis, Henry C.Henry C. Bulis (appointed September 13, 1871)
8			Cyrus C. Carpenter (1829–1898)	January 11, 1872 – January 13, 1876 (did not run)	Republican	1871
						1873		Dysart, JosephJoseph Dysart
9			Samuel J. Kirkwood (1813–1894)	January 13, 1876 – February 1, 1877 (resigned)	Republican	1875		Newbold, Joshua G.Joshua G. Newbold
10			Joshua G. Newbold (1830–1903)	February 1, 1877 – January 17, 1878 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
11			John H. Gear (1825–1900)	January 17, 1878 – January 12, 1882 (did not run)	Republican	1877		Campbell, Frank T.Frank T. Campbell
						1879
12			Buren R. Sherman (1836–1904)	January 12, 1882 – January 14, 1886 (did not run)	Republican	1881		Manning, Orlando H.Orlando H. Manning
						1883
13			William Larrabee (1832–1912)	January 14, 1886 – February 27, 1890 (did not run)	Republican	1885		Hull, John A. T.John A. T. Hull
						1887
14			Horace Boies (1827–1923)	February 27, 1890 – January 11, 1894 (lost election)	Democratic	1889		Poyneer, Alfred N.Alfred N. Poyneer
						1891		Bestow, Samuel L.Samuel L. Bestow
15			Frank D. Jackson (1854–1938)	January 11, 1894 – January 16, 1896 (did not run)	Republican	1893		Dungan, Warren S.Warren S. Dungan
16			Francis M. Drake (1830–1903)	January 16, 1896 – January 13, 1898 (did not run)	Republican	1895		Parrott, MattMatt Parrott
17			L. M. Shaw (1848–1932)	January 13, 1898 – January 16, 1902 (did not run)	Republican	1897		Milliman, James C.James C. Milliman
						1899
18			Albert B. Cummins (1850–1926)	January 16, 1902 – November 24, 1908 (resigned)	Republican	1901		Herriott, JohnJohn Herriott
						1903
						1906		Garst, WarrenWarren Garst
19			Warren Garst (1850–1924)	November 24, 1908 – January 14, 1909 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
20			Beryl F. Carroll (1860–1939)	January 14, 1909 – January 16, 1913 (did not run)	Republican	1908		Clarke, George W.George W. Clarke
						1910
21			George W. Clarke (1852–1936)	January 16, 1913 – January 11, 1917 (did not run)	Republican	1912		Harding, William L.William L. Harding
						1914
22			William L. Harding (1877–1934)	January 11, 1917 – January 13, 1921 (did not run)	Republican	1916		Moore, Ernest RobertErnest Robert Moore
						1918
23			Nathan E. Kendall (1868–1936)	January 13, 1921 – January 15, 1925 (did not run)	Republican	1920		Hammill, JohnJohn Hammill
						1922
24			John Hammill (1875–1936)	January 15, 1925 – January 15, 1931 (did not run)	Republican	1924		Kimball, Clem F.Clem F. Kimball (died September 10, 1928)
						1926
							Vacant
								McFarlane, Arch W.Arch W. McFarlane (appointed November 15, 1928)
						1928
25			Dan W. Turner (1877–1969)	January 15, 1931 – January 12, 1933 (lost election)	Republican	1930
26			Clyde L. Herring (1879–1945)	January 12, 1933 – January 14, 1937 (did not run)	Democratic	1932		Kraschel, Nelson G.Nelson G. Kraschel
						1934
27			Nelson G. Kraschel (1889–1957)	January 14, 1937 – January 12, 1939 (lost election)	Democratic	1936		Valentine, John K.John K. Valentine
28			George A. Wilson (1884–1953)	January 12, 1939 – January 14, 1943 (did not run)	Republican	1938		Hickenlooper, Bourke B.Bourke B. Hickenlooper
						1940
29			Bourke B. Hickenlooper (1896–1971)	January 14, 1943 – January 11, 1945 (did not run)	Republican	1942		Blue, Robert D.Robert D. Blue
30			Robert D. Blue (1898–1989)	January 11, 1945 – January 13, 1949 (lost nomination)	Republican	1944		Evans, Kenneth A.Kenneth A. Evans
						1946
31			William S. Beardsley (1901–1954)	January 13, 1949 – November 21, 1954 (died in office)	Republican	1948
						1950		Nicholas, William H.William H. Nicholas
						1952		Elthon, LeoLeo Elthon
32			Leo Elthon (1898–1967)	November 21, 1954 – January 13, 1955 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
33			Leo Hoegh (1908–2000)	January 13, 1955 – January 17, 1957 (lost election)	Republican	1954		Elthon, LeoLeo Elthon
34			Herschel C. Loveless (1911–1989)	January 17, 1957 – January 12, 1961 (did not run)	Democratic	1956		Nicholas, William H.William H. Nicholas
						1958		McManus, Edward JosephEdward Joseph McManus
35			Norman A. Erbe (1919–2000)	January 12, 1961 – January 17, 1963 (lost election)	Republican	1960		Mooty, W. L.W. L. Mooty
36			Harold Hughes (1922–1996)	January 17, 1963 – January 1, 1969 (resigned)	Democratic	1962
						1964		Fulton, Robert D.Robert D. Fulton
						1966
37			Robert D. Fulton (1929–2024)	January 1, 1969 – January 16, 1969 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
38			Robert D. Ray (1928–2018)	January 16, 1969 – January 14, 1983 (did not run)	Republican	1968		Jepsen, RogerRoger Jepsen
						1970
						1972		Neu, ArthurArthur Neu
						1974
						1978		Branstad, TerryTerry Branstad
39			Terry Branstad (b. 1946)	January 14, 1983 – January 15, 1999 (did not run)	Republican	1982		Anderson, Robert T.Robert T. Anderson
						1986		Zimmerman, Jo AnnJo Ann Zimmerman
						1990		Corning, JoyJoy Corning
						1994
40			Tom Vilsack (b. 1950)	January 15, 1999 – January 12, 2007 (did not run)	Democratic	1998		Pederson, SallySally Pederson
						2002
41			Chet Culver (b. 1966)	January 12, 2007 – January 14, 2011 (lost election)	Democratic	2006		Judge, PattyPatty Judge
42			Terry Branstad (b. 1946)	January 14, 2011 – May 24, 2017 (resigned)	Republican	2010		Reynolds, KimKim Reynolds
						2014
43			Kim Reynolds (b. 1959)	May 24, 2017 – Incumbent	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Gregg, AdamAdam Gregg (appointed May 25, 2017) (resigned September 3, 2024)
						2018
						2022
							Vacant
								Cournoyer, ChrisChris Cournoyer (appointed December 16, 2024)

Images for kids

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  Henry Atkinson

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  Robert Lucas

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  John Chambers

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  James Clarke

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Iowa