List of governors of Nevada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Nevada
Standard of the governor of Nevada
Seal of Nevada
Incumbent Joe Lombardo since January 2, 2023
Government of Nevada
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal) His Excellency (courtesy)
Residence	Nevada Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Nevada
Precursor	Governor of the Nevada Territory
Inaugural holder	Henry G. Blasdel
Formation	December 5, 1864 (160 years ago) (1864-12-05)
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
Salary	$149,730 (2015)

The governor of Nevada is like the main leader of the state government in Nevada. They are in charge of the executive branch, which carries out the state's laws. The governor also leads Nevada's military forces, like the Nevada National Guard.

Their job is to make sure state laws are followed. They can approve or reject new laws from the state legislature. They can also call the legislature together for special meetings. And, in most cases, they can forgive people for certain crimes.

A governor serves for four years. Since 1970, a governor can only serve two terms, even if they are not back-to-back. The Lieutenant Governor is elected separately. If the governor's office becomes empty, the Lieutenant Governor takes over.

The current governor is Joe Lombardo, a Republican. He started his term on January 2, 2023.

Nevada's Governors: A Look Back

This section lists all the people who have served as governor of Nevada. It includes governors from when Nevada was a territory and after it became a state.

Governors of Nevada Territory

The Nevada Territory was created on March 2, 1861. It was formed from part of the Utah Territory. Before Nevada became a state, only one governor was chosen by the President of the United States.

Before the territory was officially set up, a local group in Genoa chose Isaac Roop to be a temporary governor. He started his role on December 15, 1859.

Governor of the Territory of Nevada

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1	James W. Nye	James W. Nye (1815–1876)	March 22, 1861 – December 5, 1864 (statehood)	Abraham Lincoln

Governors of the State of Nevada

Nevada officially became a state on October 31, 1864. Since then, there have been thirty-one governors.

The governor who served the longest was Bob Miller. He was governor for two and a half terms, from 1989 to 1999. The shortest-serving governor was Frank Bell. He acted as governor for four months after Governor Charles C. Stevenson passed away.

The current governor is Joe Lombardo, who took office on January 2, 2023.

Governors of the State of Nevada

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	Henry G. Blasdel		Henry G. Blasdel (1825–1900)	December 5, 1864 – January 2, 1871 (did not run)	Republican	1864		Crosman, John S.John S. Crosman
						1866		Slingerland, James S.James S. Slingerland
2	Lewis R. Bradley		Lewis R. Bradley (1805–1879)	January 2, 1871 – January 7, 1879 (lost election)	Democratic	1870		Denver, FrankFrank Denver
						1874		Adams, Jewett W.Jewett W. Adams
3	John Henry Kinkead		John Henry Kinkead (1826–1904)	January 7, 1879 – January 1, 1883 (did not run)	Republican	1878
4	Jewett W. Adams		Jewett W. Adams (1835–1920)	January 1, 1883 – January 3, 1887 (lost election)	Democratic	1882		Laughton, Charles E.Charles E. Laughton
5	Charles C. Stevenson		Charles C. Stevenson (1826–1890)	January 3, 1887 – September 21, 1890 (died in office)	Republican	1886		Davis, Henry C.Henry C. Davis (died)
								Chubbuck, Samuel W.Samuel W. Chubbuck (resigned)
								Bell, FrankFrank Bell
6	Frank Bell		Frank Bell (1840–1927)	September 21, 1890 – January 5, 1891 (successor took office)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
7	Roswell K. Colcord		Roswell K. Colcord (1839–1939)	January 5, 1891 – January 8, 1895 (did not run)	Republican	1890		Poujade, JosephJoseph Poujade
8	John Edward Jones		John Edward Jones (1840–1896)	January 8, 1895 – April 10, 1896 (died in office)	Silver	1894		Sadler, ReinholdReinhold Sadler
9	Reinhold Sadler		Reinhold Sadler (1848–1906)	April 10, 1896 – January 5, 1903 (did not run)	Silver	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1898		Judge, James R.James R. Judge
10	John Sparks		John Sparks (1843–1908)	January 5, 1903 – May 22, 1908 (died in office)	Silver- Democratic	1902		Allen, LemuelLemuel Allen
						1906		Dickerson, Denver S.Denver S. Dickerson
11	Denver S. Dickerson		Denver S. Dickerson (1872–1925)	May 22, 1908 – January 2, 1911 (lost election)	Silver- Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
12	Tasker Oddie		Tasker Oddie (1870–1950)	January 2, 1911 – January 4, 1915 (lost election)	Republican	1910		Ross, Gilbert C.Gilbert C. Ross
13	Emmet D. Boyle		Emmet D. Boyle (1879–1926)	January 4, 1915 – January 1, 1923 (did not run)	Democratic	1914		Sullivan, Maurice J.Maurice J. Sullivan
						1918
14	James G. Scrugham		James G. Scrugham (1880–1945)	January 1, 1923 – January 3, 1927 (lost election)	Democratic	1922
15	Fred B. Balzar		Fred B. Balzar (1880–1934)	January 3, 1927 – March 21, 1934 (died in office)	Republican	1926		Griswold, MorleyMorley Griswold
						1930
16	Morley Griswold		Morley Griswold (1890–1951)	March 21, 1934 – January 7, 1935 (lost election)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
17	Richard Kirman Sr.		Richard Kirman Sr. (1877–1959)	January 7, 1935 – January 2, 1939 (did not run)	Democratic	1934		Alward, Fred S.Fred S. Alward
18	Edward P. Carville		Edward P. Carville (1885–1956)	January 2, 1939 – July 24, 1945 (resigned)	Democratic	1938		Sullivan, Maurice J.Maurice J. Sullivan
						1942		Pittman, VailVail Pittman
19	Vail Pittman		Vail Pittman (1880–1964)	July 24, 1945 – January 2, 1951 (lost election)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1946		Jones, Clifford A.Clifford A. Jones
20	Charles H. Russell		Charles H. Russell (1903–1989)	January 2, 1951 – January 5, 1959 (lost election)	Republican	1950
						1954		Bell, RexRex Bell (died July 4, 1962)
21	Grant Sawyer		Grant Sawyer (1918–1996)	January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 (lost election)	Democratic	1958
								Frazier, MaudeMaude Frazier (appointed)
						1962		Laxalt, PaulPaul Laxalt
22	Paul Laxalt		Paul Laxalt (1922–2018)	January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971 (did not run)	Republican	1966		Fike, EdwardEdward Fike
23	Mike O'Callaghan		Mike O'Callaghan (1929–2004)	January 4, 1971 – January 1, 1979 (term-limited)	Democratic	1970		Reid, HarryHarry Reid
						1974		Rose, Robert E.Robert E. Rose
24	Robert List		Robert List (born in 1936)	January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 (lost election)	Republican	1978		Leavitt, Myron E.Myron E. Leavitt
25	Richard Bryan		Richard Bryan (born in 1937)	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989 (resigned)	Democratic	1982		Cashell, BobBob Cashell
						1986		Miller, BobBob Miller
26	Bob Miller		Bob Miller (born in 1945)	January 3, 1989 – January 4, 1999 (term-limited)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1990		Wagner, SueSue Wagner
						1994		Hammargren, LonnieLonnie Hammargren
27	Kenny Guinn		Kenny Guinn (1936–2010)	January 4, 1999 – January 1, 2007 (term-limited)	Republican	1998		Hunt, LorraineLorraine Hunt
						2002
28	Jim Gibbons		Jim Gibbons (born in 1944)	January 1, 2007 – January 3, 2011 (lost nomination)	Republican	2006		Krolicki, BrianBrian Krolicki
29	Brian Sandoval		Brian Sandoval (born in 1963)	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019 (term-limited)	Republican	2010
						2014		Hutchison, MarkMark Hutchison
30	Steve Sisolak		Steve Sisolak (born in 1953)	January 7, 2019 – January 2, 2023 (lost election)	Democratic	2018		Marshall, KateKate Marshall (resigned September 17, 2021)
							Vacant
								Burkhead, Lisa CanoLisa Cano Burkhead (appointed December 16, 2021)
31	Joe Lombardo		Joe Lombardo (born in 1962)	January 2, 2023 – Incumbent	Republican	2022		Anthony, StavrosStavros Anthony

Timeline of Governors

This timeline shows when each governor of Nevada served.

Timeline of Nevada governors

See Also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Nevada