List of governors of New York facts for kids

Kathy Hochul has been governor since August 24, 2021

The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York, the head of the executive branch of New York's state government, and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, to convene the New York State Legislature, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the legislature, as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.

Fifty-seven people have served as state governor, four of whom served non-consecutive terms (George Clinton, DeWitt Clinton, Horatio Seymour, and Al Smith); the official numbering lists each governor only once. There has only been one female governor so far: Kathy Hochul. This numbering includes one acting governor: the lieutenant governor who filled the vacancy after the resignation of the governor, under the 1777 Constitution. The list does not include the prior colonial governors nor those who have acted as governor when the governor was out of state, such as Lieutenant Governor Timothy L. Woodruff during Theodore Roosevelt's vice presidential campaign in 1900, or Acting Speaker of the New York State Assembly Moses M. Weinstein, who acted as governor for 10 days in 1968 while the governor, the lieutenant governor and the senate majority leader were out of the state, attending the Republican National Convention in Miami.

Four men have become president of the United States after serving as governor of New York: Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and six were vice president. Van Buren and Theodore Roosevelt held both offices. Numerous Governors have also sought the Presidency, and won their party's respective nomination, but lost the general election, such as Al Smith, Samuel J. Tilden, Horatio Seymour, Thomas E. Dewey, and Charles Evans Hughes. Two governors have been chief justice: John Jay held that position when he was elected governor in 1795, and Charles Evans Hughes became chief justice in 1930, two decades after leaving the governorship.

The longest-serving governor was the first, George Clinton, who first took office on July 30, 1777, and served seven terms in two different periods, totaling just under 21 years in office. As 18 of those years were consecutive, Clinton also served the longest consecutive period in office for a New York governor. Charles Poletti had the shortest term, serving 29 days following the resignation of the previous governor, Herbert H. Lehman in 1942. David Paterson was the first African American governor of New York, and the first legally blind governor as well. Paterson is only the fourth African American to hold the office of governor in the United States. The current governor is Democrat Kathy Hochul, the state's first female governor, who assumed the office on August 24, 2021, upon the resignation of Andrew Cuomo. Hochul went on to be elected as governor for a full term, after beating Republican Lee Zeldin in the 2022 election.

Governors

New York was one of the original Thirteen Colonies on the east coast of North America, and was admitted as a state on July 26, 1788. Prior to declaring its independence, New York was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, which it in turn obtained from the Dutch as the colony of New Netherland; see the list of colonial governors and the list of directors-general of New Netherland for the pre-statehood period.

The office of the governor was established by the first New York Constitution in 1777. The governor originally served for a term of three years, though the constitution did not specify when the term began. A 1787 law set the start of the term at July 1. The New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821 amended the state constitution, reducing the term of office to two years, moving the election to November, and moving the beginning and the end of the term to coincide with the calendar year. An 1874 amendment extended the term of office back to three years, but the 1894 constitution again reduced it to two years. The most recent New York Constitution of 1938 extended the term to the current four years. There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms a governor may serve.

The Constitution has provided since 1777 for the election of a lieutenant governor of New York, who is ex officio President of the Senate, to the same term (keeping the same term lengths as the governor throughout all the constitutional revisions). Originally, in the event of the death, resignation or impeachment of the governor, the lieutenant governor would become acting governor until the end of the yearly legislative term, the office being filled in a special election, if there was a remainder of the term. Since the 1821 Constitution, the lieutenant governor explicitly becomes governor upon such vacancy in the office and serves for the entire remainder of the term. Should the office of lieutenant governor become vacant, the president pro tempore of the State Senate performs all the duties of the lieutenant governor until the vacancy is filled either at the next gubernatorial election or by appointment. Likewise, should both offices become vacant at the same time, the president pro tempore acts as governor, with the office of lieutenant governor remaining vacant. Should the presidency pro tempore be vacant too, or the incumbent unable to fulfill the duties, the Speaker of the State Assembly is next in the line of succession. The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor, since the 1954 election with a single joint vote cast for both offices, but is nominated separately.

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		Ross, BetsyBetsy Ross
						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