List of governors of Maryland facts for kids
The governor of Maryland is like the principal of the entire state of Maryland! They are the main leader of the state government. The governor is also in charge of Maryland's military forces. This job is very important, and Maryland's governors have a lot of power compared to governors in other U.S. states.
The person who is currently the governor is Wes Moore. He is a Democrat and started his job on January 18, 2023.
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Maryland's Governors: A Look Back
Maryland was one of the first Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. It officially became a state on April 28, 1788. Before that, it was a colony ruled by the Kingdom of Great Britain.
How Governors Were Chosen Over Time
When Maryland first became a state, its original constitution (a set of rules for the government) was written in 1776. Back then, the state's main law-making group, called the General Assembly, chose the governor. Governors served for one year at a time. They could be chosen again for two more years. After that, they had to take a break for four years before they could be governor again.
In 1838, a change was made to the constitution. This new rule allowed people to vote for their governor directly! Governors would then serve for three years. However, they still couldn't be chosen right after their term ended.
Another big change happened with the 1851 constitution. This removed the rule about not being able to serve again right away. It also made the governor's term longer, to four years. These terms would start in January after the election. Later, in 1948, a new rule was added. Governors could only serve two terms in a row.
The Lieutenant Governor's Role
The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1864. This position is like a vice-principal. The lieutenant governor helps the governor. If the governor's job becomes empty for any reason, the lieutenant governor steps in to become governor. The lieutenant governor position was removed in 1867 but brought back in 1970.
Before the lieutenant governor role existed, if the governor's job was empty, a senior member of the Governor's Council would take over. Later, in 1837, this responsibility went to the secretary of state.
List of Maryland's Governors
This table shows the people who have served as governor of Maryland since it became a state.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Thomas Johnson (1732–1819) |
March 21, 1777 – November 12, 1779 (did not run) |
No party | 1777 | Office did not exist | ||
1778 | ||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee (1745–1819) |
November 12, 1779 – November 22, 1782 (term-limited) |
No party | 1779 | |||
1780 | ||||||||
1781 | ||||||||
3 | ![]() |
William Paca (1740–1799) |
November 22, 1782 – November 26, 1785 (term-limited) |
No party | 1782 | |||
1783 | ||||||||
1784 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
William Smallwood (1732–1792) |
November 26, 1785 – November 27, 1788 (term-limited) |
No party | 1785 | |||
1786 | ||||||||
1787 | ||||||||
5 | ![]() |
John Eager Howard (1752–1827) |
November 27, 1788 – November 14, 1791 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1788 | |||
1789 | ||||||||
1790 | ||||||||
6 | ![]() |
George Plater (1735–1792) |
November 14, 1791 – February 10, 1792 (died in office) |
Federalist | 1791 | |||
— | ![]() |
James Brice (1746–1801) |
February 10, 1792 – April 5, 1792 (successor took office) |
Federalist | Senior council member acting |
|||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee (1745–1819) |
April 5, 1792 – November 17, 1794 (did not run) |
Federalist | 1792 | |||
1793 | ||||||||
7 | ![]() |
John Hoskins Stone (1749–1804) |
November 17, 1794 – November 28, 1797 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1794 | |||
1795 | ||||||||
1796 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
John Henry (1750–1798) |
November 28, 1797 – November 14, 1798 (did not run) |
Federalist | 1797 | |||
9 | ![]() |
Benjamin Ogle (1749–1809) |
November 14, 1798 – November 10, 1801 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1798 | |||
1799 | ||||||||
1800 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() |
John Francis Mercer (1759–1821) |
November 10, 1801 – November 13, 1803 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1801 | |||
1802 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() |
Robert Bowie (1750–1818) |
November 15, 1803 – November 12, 1806 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1803 | |||
1804 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() |
Robert Wright (1752–1826) |
November 12, 1806 – May 6, 1809 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1806 | |||
1807 | ||||||||
1808 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
James Butcher | May 6, 1809 – June 9, 1809 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Senior council member acting |
|||
13 | ![]() |
Edward Lloyd (1779–1834) |
June 9, 1809 – November 16, 1811 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
June 1809 (special) |
|||
Nov. 1809 | ||||||||
1810 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() |
Robert Bowie (1750–1818) |
November 16, 1811 – November 23, 1812 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1811 | |||
14 | ![]() |
Levin Winder (1757–1819) |
November 23, 1812 – January 2, 1816 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1812 | |||
1813 | ||||||||
1814 | ||||||||
15 | ![]() |
Charles Carnan Ridgely (1760–1829) |
January 2, 1816 – January 8, 1819 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1815 | |||
1816 | ||||||||
1817 | ||||||||
16 | ![]() |
Charles Goldsborough (1765–1834) |
January 8, 1819 – December 20, 1819 (lost election) |
Federalist | 1818 | |||
17 | ![]() |
Samuel Sprigg (1783–1855) |
December 20, 1819 – December 16, 1822 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1819 | |||
1820 | ||||||||
1821 | ||||||||
18 | ![]() |
Samuel Stevens Jr. (1778–1860) |
December 16, 1822 – January 9, 1826 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1822 | |||
1823 | ||||||||
1824 | ||||||||
19 | ![]() |
Joseph Kent (1779–1837) |
January 9, 1826 – January 15, 1829 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1826 | |||
1827 | ||||||||
1828 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin (1780–1831) |
January 15, 1829 – January 15, 1830 (lost election) |
Anti-Jacksonian | 1829 | |||
21 | ![]() |
Thomas King Carroll (1793–1873) |
January 15, 1830 – January 13, 1831 (lost election) |
Jacksonian | 1830 | |||
20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin (1780–1831) |
January 13, 1831 – July 11, 1831 (died in office) |
Anti-Jacksonian | 1831 | |||
22 | ![]() |
George Howard (1789–1846) |
July 11, 1831 – January 17, 1833 (did not run) |
Anti-Jacksonian | Senior council member acting |
|||
1832 | ||||||||
23 | ![]() |
James Thomas (1785–1845) |
January 17, 1833 – January 14, 1836 (term-limited) |
Anti-Jacksonian | 1833 | |||
1834 | ||||||||
1835 | ||||||||
24 | ![]() |
Thomas Veazey (1774–1842) |
January 14, 1836 – January 7, 1839 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1836 | |||
1837 | ||||||||
Jan. 1838 | ||||||||
25 | ![]() |
William Grason (1788–1868) |
January 7, 1839 – January 3, 1842 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Oct. 1838 | |||
26 | ![]() |
Francis Thomas (1799–1876) |
January 3, 1842 – January 6, 1845 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1841 | |||
27 | ![]() |
Thomas Pratt (1804–1869) |
January 6, 1845 – January 3, 1848 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1844 | |||
28 | ![]() |
Philip Francis Thomas (1810–1890) |
January 3, 1848 – January 6, 1851 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1847 | |||
29 | ![]() |
Enoch Louis Lowe (1820–1892) |
January 6, 1851 – January 11, 1854 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1850 | |||
30 | ![]() |
Thomas Watkins Ligon (1810–1881) |
January 11, 1854 – January 13, 1858 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1853 | |||
31 | ![]() |
Thomas Holliday Hicks (1798–1865) |
January 13, 1858 – January 8, 1862 (did not run) |
American | 1857 | |||
32 | ![]() |
Augustus Bradford (1806–1881) |
January 8, 1862 – January 10, 1866 (did not run) |
Union | 1861 | |||
33 | ![]() |
Thomas Swann (1809–1883) |
January 10, 1866 – January 13, 1869 (did not run) |
Union | 1864 | Christopher Christian Cox | ||
34 | ![]() |
Oden Bowie (1826–1894) |
January 13, 1869 – January 10, 1872 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1867 | Office did not exist | ||
35 | ![]() |
William Pinkney Whyte (1824–1908) |
January 10, 1872 – March 4, 1874 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1871 | |||
36 | ![]() |
James Black Groome (1838–1893) |
March 4, 1874 – January 12, 1876 (did not run) |
Democratic | Elected governor by legislature |
|||
37 | ![]() |
John Lee Carroll (1830–1911) |
January 12, 1876 – January 14, 1880 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1875 | |||
38 | ![]() |
William Thomas Hamilton (1820–1888) |
January 14, 1880 – January 9, 1884 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1879 | |||
39 | ![]() |
Robert Milligan McLane (1815–1898) |
January 9, 1884 – March 27, 1885 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1883 | |||
40 | ![]() |
Henry Lloyd (1852–1920) |
March 27, 1885 – January 11, 1888 (did not run) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting |
|||
41 | ![]() |
Elihu Emory Jackson (1837–1907) |
January 11, 1888 – January 13, 1892 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1887 | |||
42 | ![]() |
Frank Brown (1846–1920) |
January 13, 1892 – January 8, 1896 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1891 | |||
43 | ![]() |
Lloyd Lowndes Jr. (1845–1905) |
January 8, 1896 – January 10, 1900 (lost election) |
Republican | 1895 | |||
44 | ![]() |
John Walter Smith (1845–1925) |
January 10, 1900 – January 13, 1904 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1899 | |||
45 | ![]() |
Edwin Warfield (1848–1920) |
January 13, 1904 – January 8, 1908 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1903 | |||
46 | ![]() |
Austin Lane Crothers (1860–1912) |
January 8, 1908 – January 10, 1912 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1907 | |||
47 | ![]() |
Phillips Lee Goldsborough (1865–1946) |
January 10, 1912 – January 12, 1916 (did not run) |
Republican | 1911 | |||
48 | ![]() |
Emerson Harrington (1864–1945) |
January 12, 1916 – January 14, 1920 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1915 | |||
49 | ![]() |
Albert Ritchie (1876–1936) |
January 14, 1920 – January 9, 1935 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1919 | |||
1923 | ||||||||
1926 | ||||||||
1930 | ||||||||
50 | ![]() |
Harry Nice (1877–1941) |
January 9, 1935 – January 11, 1939 (lost election) |
Republican | 1934 | |||
51 | ![]() |
Herbert O'Conor (1896–1960) |
January 11, 1939 – January 3, 1947 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1938 | |||
1942 | ||||||||
52 | ![]() |
William Preston Lane Jr. (1892–1967) |
January 3, 1947 – January 10, 1951 (lost election) |
Democratic | Elected by legislature |
|||
1946 | ||||||||
53 | ![]() |
Theodore McKeldin (1900–1974) |
January 10, 1951 – January 14, 1959 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1950 | |||
1954 | ||||||||
54 | ![]() |
J. Millard Tawes (1894–1979) |
January 14, 1959 – January 25, 1967 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1958 | |||
1962 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() |
Spiro Agnew (1918–1996) |
January 25, 1967 – January 7, 1969 (resigned) |
Republican | 1966 | |||
56 | ![]() |
Marvin Mandel (1920–2015) |
January 7, 1969 – January 17, 1979 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1969 (special) |
Blair Lee III | ||
1970 | ||||||||
1974 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
Blair Lee III (1916–1985) |
June 4, 1977 – January 15, 1979 (did not run) |
Democratic | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
57 | ![]() |
Harry Hughes (1926–2019) |
January 17, 1979 – January 21, 1987 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1978 | Samuel Bogley | ||
1982 | J. Joseph Curran Jr. | |||||||
58 | ![]() |
William Donald Schaefer (1921–2011) |
January 21, 1987 – January 18, 1995 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1986 | Melvin Steinberg | ||
1990 | ||||||||
59 | ![]() |
Parris Glendening (b. 1942) |
January 18, 1995 – January 15, 2003 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1994 | Kathleen Kennedy Townsend | ||
1998 | ||||||||
60 | ![]() |
Bob Ehrlich (b. 1957) |
January 15, 2003 – January 17, 2007 (lost election) |
Republican | 2002 | Michael Steele | ||
61 | ![]() |
Martin O'Malley (b. 1963) |
January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2015 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 2006 | Anthony Brown | ||
2010 | ||||||||
62 | ![]() |
Larry Hogan (b. 1956) |
January 21, 2015 – January 18, 2023 (term-limited) |
Boyd Rutherford | 2014 | |||
2018 | ||||||||
63 | ![]() |
Wes Moore (b. 1978) |
January 18, 2023 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2022 | Aruna Miller |