List of governors of Louisiana facts for kids

The governor of Louisiana is like the principal of the whole state of Louisiana! They are the main leader of the state government and are in charge of making sure state laws are followed. The current governor is Jeff Landry, a Republican, who started his term on January 8, 2024.

Who is the Governor of Louisiana?

The governor is the top leader of Louisiana's government. They make important decisions for the state. They also work to enforce the laws that keep Louisiana running smoothly.

Louisiana's First Governors

Louisiana was bought by the United States from France in 1803. This big purchase was called the Louisiana Purchase. A part of this new land was named the Territory of Orleans in 1804. This territory later became the state of Louisiana.

The first governor of the Territory of Orleans was William C. C. Claiborne. He served from December 20, 1803, until Louisiana became a state in 1812.

Governor of the Territory of Orleans

Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
	William C. C. Claiborne (d. 1817)	December 20, 1803 – July 30, 1812 (elected state governor)	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
			Madison, JamesJames Madison

Governors of the State of Louisiana

Louisiana officially became a state on April 30, 1812. This meant it joined the other states in the United States.

Important Changes for Louisiana Governors

Over the years, the rules for governors in Louisiana have changed. The state's first constitution in 1812 set up the governor's job. Governors would serve for four years.

Later, rules about when a governor's term started changed several times. For example, in 1845, it moved to January. In 1974, it changed to March, and then in 1987, it moved to January again.

At first, governors could not serve two terms in a row. This rule changed a few times. By 1966, a governor could serve two terms in a row before needing a break. Some governors, like Andre B. Roman and Jimmie Davis, even served terms that were not in a row!

What Happens if a Governor Leaves Office?

If the governor's office became empty, the President of the Senate used to take over. But in 1845, the job of lieutenant governor was created. This person is elected at the same time as the governor. If the governor can no longer serve, the lieutenant governor steps in.

Governors of the State of Louisiana

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			William C. C. Claiborne (d. 1817)	July 30, 1812 – December 17, 1816 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1812	Office did not exist
2			Jacques Villeré (1761–1830)	December 17, 1816 – December 18, 1820 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1816
3			Thomas B. Robertson (1779–1828)	December 18, 1820 – November 15, 1824 (resigned)	Democratic- Republican	1820
4			Henry S. Thibodaux (1769–1827)	November 15, 1824 – December 13, 1824 (successor took office)	Democratic- Republican	President of the Senate acting
5			Henry Johnson (1783–1864)	December 13, 1824 – December 15, 1828 (term-limited)	Adams Republican	1824
6			Pierre Derbigny (1769–1829)	December 15, 1828 – October 6, 1829 (died in office)	Adams Republican	1828
7			Arnaud Beauvais (1783–1843)	October 6, 1829 – January 14, 1830 (senate term ended)	National Republican	President of the Senate acting
8			Jacques Dupré (1773–1846)	January 14, 1830 – January 31, 1831 (successor took office)	National Republican	President of the Senate acting
9			Andre B. Roman (1795–1866)	January 31, 1831 – February 2, 1835 (term-limited)	National Republican	1830 (special)
10			Edward Douglass White Sr. (1795–1847)	February 2, 1835 – February 4, 1839 (term-limited)	Whig	1834
9			Andre B. Roman (1795–1866)	February 4, 1839 – January 30, 1843 (term-limited)	Whig	1838
11			Alexandre Mouton (1804–1885)	January 30, 1843 – February 12, 1846 (term-limited)	Democratic	1842
12			Isaac Johnson (1803–1853)	February 12, 1846 – January 28, 1850 (term-limited)	Democratic	1846		Landry, TrasimondTrasimond Landry
13			Joseph Marshall Walker (1784–1856)	January 28, 1850 – January 20, 1853 (term-limited)	Democratic	1849		Plauché, Jean BaptisteJean Baptiste Plauché
14			Paul Octave Hébert (1818–1880)	January 20, 1853 – January 28, 1856 (term-limited)	Democratic	1852		Farmer, William WoodWilliam Wood Farmer (died October 29, 1854)
								Wickliffe, Robert C.Robert C. Wickliffe
15			Robert C. Wickliffe (1819–1895)	January 28, 1856 – January 23, 1860 (term-limited)	Democratic	1855		Mouton, Charles HomerCharles Homer Mouton (resigned 1856)
								Griffin, William F.William F. Griffin
16			Thomas Overton Moore (1804–1876)	January 23, 1860 – January 25, 1864 (term-limited)	Democratic	1859		Hyams, Henry M.Henry M. Hyams
17			George Foster Shepley (1819–1878)	July 2, 1862 – March 4, 1864 (successor took office)	Military governor		Vacant
18			Henry Watkins Allen (1820–1866)	January 25, 1864 – June 2, 1865 (resigned)	Democratic	1863 (Confederate)		Pearce, Benjamin W.Benjamin W. Pearce
19			Michael Hahn (1830–1886)	March 4, 1864 – March 4, 1865 (resigned)	Union Free Trade (Republican)	1864 (Union)		Wells, James MadisonJames Madison Wells
20			James Madison Wells (1808–1899)	March 4, 1865 – June 3, 1867 (removed)	Citizens Ticket	Lieutenant governor acting	Vacant
						1865		Voorhies, AlbertAlbert Voorhies
21			Benjamin Flanders (1816–1896)	June 6, 1867 – January 2, 1868 (resigned)	Appointed by military occupation		Vacant
22			Joshua Baker (1799–1885)	January 2, 1868 – June 27, 1868 (removed)	Appointed by military occupation
23			Henry C. Warmoth (1842–1931)	June 27, 1868 – December 9, 1872 (removed)	Appointed by military occupation
					Republican	1868		Dunn, OscarOscar Dunn (died November 22, 1871)
							Vacant
								Pinchback, P. B. S.P. B. S. Pinchback (appointed December 6, 1871)
24			P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921)	December 9, 1872 – January 13, 1873 (successor took office)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting	Vacant
25			John McEnery (1833–1891)	January 13, 1873 – May 22, 1873 (removed)	Democratic	1872		Penn, Davidson B.Davidson B. Penn
26			William Pitt Kellogg (1830–1918)	January 13, 1873 – January 8, 1877 (did not run)	Republican			Antoine, CaesarCaesar Antoine
27			Stephen B. Packard (1839–1922)	January 8, 1877 – April 25, 1877 (removed)	Republican	1876
28			Francis T. Nicholls (1834–1912)	January 8, 1877 – January 14, 1880 (did not run)	Democratic			Wiltz, Louis A.Louis A. Wiltz
29			Louis A. Wiltz (1843–1881)	January 14, 1880 – October 16, 1881 (died in office)	Democratic	1879		McEnery, Samuel D.Samuel D. McEnery
30			Samuel D. McEnery (1837–1910)	October 16, 1881 – May 21, 1888 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Robertson, William A.William A. Robertson (removed December 24, 1881)
								Walton, George L.George L. Walton
						1884		Knobloch, ClayClay Knobloch
28			Francis T. Nicholls (1834–1912)	May 21, 1888 – May 16, 1892 (did not run)	Democratic	1888		Jeffries, JamesJames Jeffries
31			Murphy J. Foster (1849–1921)	May 16, 1892 – May 21, 1900 (term-limited)	Anti-Lottery Democratic	1892		Parlange, CharlesCharles Parlange (resigned December 11, 1893)
								Lott, Hiram R.Hiram R. Lott (died June 2, 1895)
								Snyder, Robert H.Robert H. Snyder
						1896
32			William Wright Heard (1853–1926)	May 21, 1900 – May 16, 1904 (term-limited)	Democratic	1900		Estopinal, AlbertAlbert Estopinal
33			Newton C. Blanchard (1849–1922)	May 16, 1904 – May 18, 1908 (term-limited)	Democratic	1904		Sanders Sr., Jared Y.Jared Y. Sanders Sr.
34			Jared Y. Sanders Sr. (1869–1944)	May 18, 1908 – May 20, 1912 (term-limited)	Democratic	1908		Lambremont, Paul M.Paul M. Lambremont
35			Luther E. Hall (1869–1921)	May 20, 1912 – May 15, 1916 (term-limited)	Democratic	1912		Barret, Thomas C.Thomas C. Barret
36			Ruffin G. Pleasant (1871–1937)	May 15, 1916 – May 17, 1920 (term-limited)	Democratic	1916		Mouton, FernandFernand Mouton
37			John M. Parker (1863–1939)	May 17, 1920 – May 19, 1924 (term-limited)	Democratic	1920		Bouanchaud, HewittHewitt Bouanchaud (resigned April 12, 1924)
								Johnson, Delos R.Delos R. Johnson
38			Henry L. Fuqua (1865–1926)	May 19, 1924 – October 11, 1926 (died in office)	Democratic	1924		Simpson, Oramel H.Oramel H. Simpson
39			Oramel H. Simpson (1870–1932)	October 11, 1926 – May 21, 1928 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Gilbert, Philip H.Philip H. Gilbert
40			Huey Long (1893–1935)	May 21, 1928 – January 25, 1932 (resigned)	Democratic	1928		Cyr, Paul N.Paul N. Cyr (removed March 4, 1931)
								King, Alvin OlinAlvin Olin King
41			Alvin Olin King (1890–1958)	January 25, 1932 – May 16, 1932 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
42			Oscar K. Allen (1882–1936)	May 16, 1932 – January 28, 1936 (died in office)	Democratic	1932		Fournet, John B.John B. Fournet (resigned January 2, 1935)
								Noe, James A.James A. Noe
43			James A. Noe (1890–1976)	January 28, 1936 – May 12, 1936 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
44			Richard W. Leche (1898–1965)	May 12, 1936 – June 26, 1939 (resigned)	Democratic	1936		Long, EarlEarl Long
45			Earl Long (1895–1960)	June 26, 1939 – May 14, 1940 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Lindsey, ColemanColeman Lindsey
46			Sam H. Jones (1897–1978)	May 14, 1940 – May 9, 1944 (term-limited)	Democratic	1940		Mouton, Marc M.Marc M. Mouton
47			Jimmie Davis (1899–2000)	May 9, 1944 – May 11, 1948 (term-limited)	Democratic	1944		Verret, J. EmileJ. Emile Verret
45			Earl Long (1895–1960)	May 11, 1948 – May 13, 1952 (term-limited)	Democratic	1948		Dodd, BillBill Dodd
48			Robert F. Kennon (1902–1988)	May 13, 1952 – May 15, 1956 (term-limited)	Democratic	1952		Barham, C. E.C. E. Barham
45			Earl Long (1895–1960)	May 15, 1956 – May 10, 1960 (term-limited)	Democratic	1956		Frazar, LetherLether Frazar
47			Jimmie Davis (1899–2000)	May 10, 1960 – May 12, 1964 (term-limited)	Democratic	1960		Aycock, TaddyTaddy Aycock
49			John McKeithen (1918–1999)	May 12, 1964 – May 9, 1972 (term-limited)	Democratic	1964
						1968
50			Edwin Edwards (1927–2021)	May 9, 1972 – March 10, 1980 (term-limited)	Democratic	1972		Fitzmorris, JimmyJimmy Fitzmorris
						1975
51			Dave Treen (1928–2009)	March 10, 1980 – March 12, 1984 (lost election)	Republican	1979		Freeman Sr., Robert LouisRobert Louis Freeman Sr.
50			Edwin Edwards (1927–2021)	March 12, 1984 – March 14, 1988 (withdrew)	Democratic	1983
52			Buddy Roemer (1943–2021)	March 14, 1988 – January 13, 1992 (lost election)	Democratic	1987		Hardy, PaulPaul Hardy
50			Edwin Edwards (1927–2021)	January 13, 1992 – January 8, 1996 (did not run)	Democratic	1991		Schwegmann, MelindaMelinda Schwegmann
53			Mike Foster (1930–2020)	January 8, 1996 – January 12, 2004 (term-limited)	Republican	1995		Blanco, KathleenKathleen Blanco
						1999
54			Kathleen Blanco (1942–2019)	January 12, 2004 – January 14, 2008 (did not run)	Democratic	2003		Landrieu, MitchMitch Landrieu (resigned May 3, 2010)
55			Bobby Jindal (b. 1971)	January 14, 2008 – January 11, 2016 (term-limited)	Republican	2007
								Angelle, ScottScott Angelle
								Dardenne, JayJay Dardenne (elected November 22, 2010)
						2011
56			John Bel Edwards (b. 1966)	January 11, 2016 – January 8, 2024 (term-limited)	Democratic	2015		Nungesser, BillyBilly Nungesser
						2019
57			Jeff Landry (b. 1970)	January 8, 2024 – Incumbent	Republican	2023

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernadores de Luisiana para niños

• List of Louisiana state legislatures
• List of colonial governors of Louisiana
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Louisiana