List of governors of New York facts for kids

The Governor of New York is like the chief leader of the state of New York. They are in charge of the state's government and its executive branch, which means they make sure state laws are followed. The governor also leads the state's military forces. They have important jobs like making sure state laws are carried out, calling meetings of the New York State Legislature (where laws are made), and deciding whether to approve or reject new laws. They can also grant pardons, which means forgiving someone for a crime.

So far, 57 people have been governor of New York. Interestingly, four of them served more than one term, but not in a row! The first and only female governor has been Kathy Hochul, who took office on August 24, 2021.

New York's governors have often gone on to do big things! Four of them became president of the United States: Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Six others became vice president of the United States. Some governors even tried to become president but didn't win, like Al Smith and Thomas E. Dewey. Two governors, John Jay and Charles Evans Hughes, also became the Chief Justice of the United States, which is the top judge in the country.

The governor who served the longest was the very first one, George Clinton. He was governor for almost 21 years! The shortest term was held by Charles Poletti, who served for only 29 days. New York has also had its share of "firsts": Herbert H. Lehman was the first Jewish governor, and David Paterson was the first African American governor and the first legally blind governor.

How the Governor's Job Works

New York was one of the original 13 colonies that formed the United States. It became a state on July 26, 1788. Before that, it was a colony of Great Britain, and even before that, it was a Dutch colony called New Netherland.

The job of governor was created by New York's first constitution in 1777. Back then, a governor served for three years. Later, in 1821, the term was changed to two years, and elections were moved to November. In 1874, it went back to three years, then to two years again in 1894. Finally, in 1938, the term was set to the current four years. There's no limit to how many times a person can be elected governor!

The Lieutenant Governor

Since 1777, New York has also had a lieutenant governor. This person is like the governor's assistant and also leads the State Senate. If the governor leaves office because they resign, die, or are removed, the lieutenant governor steps in to become governor for the rest of the term. If the lieutenant governor's job becomes empty, the leader of the State Senate takes over their duties. If both jobs are empty, the Senate leader becomes acting governor. Since 1954, the governor and lieutenant governor run for election together on the same "ticket," but they are chosen separately by their parties.

New York's Governors (1777-Present)

Governors of the State of New York

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			George Clinton (1739–1812)	July 30, 1777 – July 1, 1795 (did not run)	No parties	1777		Van Cortlandt, PierrePierre Van Cortlandt
						1780
						1783
						1786
						1789
					Anti-Federalist	1792
2			John Jay (1745–1829)	July 1, 1795 – July 1, 1801 (did not run)	Federalist	1795		Van Rensselaer, StephenStephen Van Rensselaer
						1798
1			George Clinton (1739–1812)	July 1, 1801 – July 1, 1804 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1801		Van Rensselaer, JeremiahJeremiah Van Rensselaer
3			Morgan Lewis (1754–1844)	July 1, 1804 – July 1, 1807 (lost election)	Democratic– Republican	1804		Broome, JohnJohn Broome (died August 8, 1810)
4			Daniel D. Tompkins (1774–1825)	July 1, 1807 – February 24, 1817 (resigned)	Democratic– Republican	1807
						1810
							Vacant
								Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler (acting from January 29, 1811)
								Clinton, DeWittDeWitt Clinton (elected May 2, 1811)
						1813		Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler
						1816
5			John Tayler (1742–1829)	February 24, 1817 – July 1, 1817 (successor took office)	Democratic– Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Swift, PhiletusPhiletus Swift (acting)
6			DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828)	July 1, 1817 – January 1, 1823 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1817		Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler
						1820
7			Joseph C. Yates (1768–1837)	January 1, 1823 – January 1, 1825 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1822		Root, ErastusErastus Root
6			DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828)	January 1, 1825 – February 11, 1828 (died in office)	Democratic– Republican	1824		Tallmadge Jr., JamesJames Tallmadge Jr.
						1826		Pitcher, NathanielNathaniel Pitcher
8			Nathaniel Pitcher (1777–1836)	February 11, 1828 – January 1, 1829 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Livingston, Peter R.Peter R. Livingston (acting)
								Dayan, CharlesCharles Dayan (acting from October 17, 1828)
9			Martin Van Buren (1782–1862)	January 1, 1829 – March 12, 1829 (resigned)	Democratic– Republican	1828		Throop, Enos T.Enos T. Throop
10			Enos T. Throop (1784–1874)	March 12, 1829 – January 1, 1833 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Stebbins, CharlesCharles Stebbins (acting)
								Oliver, William M.William M. Oliver (acting)
						1830		Livingston, Edward PhilipEdward Philip Livingston
11			William L. Marcy (1786–1857)	January 1, 1833 – January 1, 1839 (lost election)	Democratic	1832		Tracy, JohnJohn Tracy
						1834
						1836
12			William H. Seward (1801–1872)	January 1, 1839 – January 1, 1843 (did not run)	Whig	1838		Bradish, LutherLuther Bradish
						1840
13			William C. Bouck (1786–1859)	January 1, 1843 – January 1, 1845 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1842		Dickinson, Daniel S.Daniel S. Dickinson
14			Silas Wright (1795–1847)	January 1, 1845 – January 1, 1847 (lost election)	Democratic	1844		Gardiner, AddisonAddison Gardiner (resigned July 5, 1847)
15			John Young (1802–1852)	January 1, 1847 – January 1, 1849 (did not run)	Whig	1846
								Lester, AlbertAlbert Lester (acting)
								Fish, HamiltonHamilton Fish (took office January 1, 1848)
16			Hamilton Fish (1808–1893)	January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1851 (did not run)	Whig	1848		Patterson, George W.George W. Patterson
17			Washington Hunt (1811–1867)	January 1, 1851 – January 1, 1853 (lost election)	Whig	1850		Church, Sanford E.Sanford E. Church
18			Horatio Seymour (1810–1886)	January 1, 1853 – January 1, 1855 (lost election)	Democratic	1852
19			Myron H. Clark (1806–1892)	January 1, 1855 – January 1, 1857 (lost nomination)	Whig/ Free Soil (fusion)	1854		Raymond, Henry JarvisHenry Jarvis Raymond
20			John A. King (1788–1867)	January 1, 1857 – January 1, 1859 (did not run)	Republican	1856		Selden, Henry R.Henry R. Selden
21			Edwin D. Morgan (1811–1883)	January 1, 1859 – January 1, 1863 (did not run)	Republican	1858		Campbell, RobertRobert Campbell
						1860
18			Horatio Seymour (1810–1886)	January 1, 1863 – January 2, 1865 (lost election)	Democratic	1862		Floyd-Jones, David R.David R. Floyd-Jones
22			Reuben Fenton (1819–1885)	January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1869 (did not run)	Union	1864		Alvord, Thomas G.Thomas G. Alvord
						1866		Woodford, Stewart L.Stewart L. Woodford
23			John T. Hoffman (1828–1888)	January 1, 1869 – January 1, 1873 (did not run)	Democratic	1868		Beach, Allen C.Allen C. Beach
						1870
24			John Adams Dix (1798–1879)	January 1, 1873 – January 1, 1875 (lost election)	Republican	1872		Robinson, John C.John C. Robinson
25			Samuel J. Tilden (1814–1886)	January 1, 1875 – January 1, 1877 (did not run)	Democratic	1874		Dorsheimer, WilliamWilliam Dorsheimer
26			Lucius Robinson (1810–1891)	January 1, 1877 – January 1, 1880 (lost election)	Democratic	1876
27			Alonzo B. Cornell (1832–1904)	January 1, 1880 – January 1, 1883 (lost nomination)	Republican	1879		Hoskins, George GilbertGeorge Gilbert Hoskins
28			Grover Cleveland (1837–1908)	January 1, 1883 – January 6, 1885 (resigned)	Democratic	1882		Hill, David B.David B. Hill
29			David B. Hill (1843–1910)	January 6, 1885 – January 1, 1892 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		McCarthy, DennisDennis McCarthy (acting)
						1885		Jones, Edward F.Edward F. Jones
						1888
30			Roswell P. Flower (1835–1899)	January 1, 1892 – January 1, 1895 (did not run)	Democratic	1891		Sheehan, William F.William F. Sheehan
31			Levi P. Morton (1824–1920)	January 1, 1895 – January 1, 1897 (did not run)	Republican	1894		Saxton, Charles T.Charles T. Saxton
32			Frank S. Black (1853–1913)	January 1, 1897 – December 31, 1898 (lost nomination)	Republican	1896		Woodruff, Timothy L.Timothy L. Woodruff
33			Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)	January 1, 1899 – January 1, 1901 (did not run)	Republican	1898
34			Benjamin Odell (1854–1926)	January 1, 1901 – December 31, 1904 (did not run)	Republican	1900
						1902		Higgins, Frank W.Frank W. Higgins
35			Frank W. Higgins (1856–1907)	January 1, 1905 – January 1, 1907 (did not run)	Republican	1904		Bruce, Matthew LinnMatthew Linn Bruce (resigned December 5, 1906)
								Raines, JohnJohn Raines (acting)
36			Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948)	January 1, 1907 – October 6, 1910 (resigned)	Republican	1906		Chanler, Lewis StuyvesantLewis Stuyvesant Chanler
						1908		White, HoraceHorace White
37			Horace White (1865–1943)	October 6, 1910 – December 31, 1910 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Cobb, George H.George H. Cobb (acting)
38			John Alden Dix (1860–1928)	January 1, 1911 – January 1, 1913 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1910		Conway, Thomas F.Thomas F. Conway
39			William Sulzer (1863–1941)	January 1, 1913 – October 17, 1913 (impeached and removed)	Democratic	1912		Glynn, Martin H.Martin H. Glynn
40			Martin H. Glynn (1871–1924)	October 17, 1913 – December 31, 1914 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Wagner, Robert F.Robert F. Wagner (acting)
41			Charles Seymour Whitman (1868–1947)	January 1, 1915 – January 1, 1919 (lost election)	Republican	1914		Schoeneck, EdwardEdward Schoeneck
						1916
42			Al Smith (1873–1944)	January 1, 1919 – December 31, 1920 (lost election)	Democratic	1918		Walker, Harry C.Harry C. Walker
43			Nathan L. Miller (1868–1953)	January 1, 1921 – December 31, 1922 (lost election)	Republican	1920		Wood, JeremiahJeremiah Wood (resigned September 26, 1922)
								Lusk, Clayton R.Clayton R. Lusk (acting)
42			Al Smith (1873–1944)	January 1, 1923 – December 31, 1928 (did not run)	Democratic	1922		Lunn, George R.George R. Lunn
						1924		Lowman, SeymourSeymour Lowman
						1926		Corning, EdwinEdwin Corning
44			Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)	January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1932 (did not run)	Democratic	1928		Lehman, Herbert H.Herbert H. Lehman
						1930
45			Herbert H. Lehman (1878–1963)	January 1, 1933 – December 2, 1942 (resigned)	Democratic	1932		Bray, M. WilliamM. William Bray
						1934
						1936
						1938		Poletti, CharlesCharles Poletti
46			Charles Poletti (1903–2002)	December 2, 1942 – December 31, 1942 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Hanley, Joe R.Joe R. Hanley (acting)
47			Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971)	January 1, 1943 – December 31, 1954 (did not run)	Republican	1942		Wallace, Thomas W.Thomas W. Wallace
						1946		Hanley, Joe R.Joe R. Hanley
						1950		Moore, Frank C.Frank C. Moore (resigned September 30, 1953)
								Wicks, Arthur H.Arthur H. Wicks (acting)
								Mahoney, Walter J.Walter J. Mahoney (acting)
48			W. Averell Harriman (1891–1986)	January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1958 (lost election)	Democratic	1954		DeLuca, GeorgeGeorge DeLuca
49			Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979)	January 1, 1959 – December 18, 1973 (resigned)	Republican	1958		Wilson, MalcolmMalcolm Wilson
						1962
						1966
						1970
50			Malcolm Wilson (1914–2000)	December 18, 1973 – December 31, 1974 (lost election)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Anderson, Warren M.Warren M. Anderson (acting)
51			Hugh Carey (1919–2011)	January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1982 (did not run)	Democratic	1974		Krupsak, Mary AnneMary Anne Krupsak
						1978		Cuomo, MarioMario Cuomo
52			Mario Cuomo (1932–2015)	January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994 (lost election)	Democratic	1982		DelBello, AlfredAlfred DelBello (resigned February 1, 1985)
								Anderson, Warren M.Warren M. Anderson (acting)
						1986		Lundine, StanStan Lundine
						1990
53			George Pataki (b. 1945)	January 1, 1995 – December 31, 2006 (did not run)	Republican	1994		McCaughey, BetsyBetsy McCaughey
						1998		Donohue, MaryMary Donohue
						2002
54			Eliot Spitzer (b. 1959)	January 1, 2007 – March 17, 2008 (resigned)	Democratic	2006		Paterson, DavidDavid Paterson
55			David Paterson (b. 1954)	March 17, 2008 – December 31, 2010 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Bruno, JosephJoseph Bruno (acting)
								Skelos, DeanDean Skelos (acting)
								Smith, MalcolmMalcolm Smith (acting)
								Espada Jr., PedroPedro Espada Jr. (acting)
								Ravitch, RichardRichard Ravitch (contested)
								Smith, MalcolmMalcolm Smith (acting)
								Ravitch, RichardRichard Ravitch
56			Andrew Cuomo (b. 1957)	January 1, 2011 – August 23, 2021 (resigned)	Democratic	2010		Duffy, RobertRobert Duffy
						2014		Hochul, KathyKathy Hochul
						2018
57			Kathy Hochul (b. 1958)	August 24, 2021 – Incumbent	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Stewart-Cousins, AndreaAndrea Stewart-Cousins (acting)
								Benjamin, BrianBrian Benjamin (appointed September 9, 2021) (resigned April 12, 2022)
								Stewart-Cousins, AndreaAndrea Stewart-Cousins (acting)
								Delgado, AntonioAntonio Delgado (appointed May 25, 2022)
						2022

See also

• New York gubernatorial elections
• List of colonial governors of New York
• First ladies and gentlemen of New York
• List of governors of New York by time in office
• List of New York State legislatures