List of governors of North Carolina facts for kids
The governor of North Carolina is like the main leader of the state of North Carolina. They are in charge of the state's government and also lead its military forces, like the National Guard.
North Carolina has had 70 different governors. Some of them served more than one term, but not right after each other. The person who is governor right now is Josh Stein. He started his job on January 1, 2025.
Early Leaders
Presidents of the Council
Before North Carolina became an independent state, it was a colony of Great Britain. During the American Revolution, a group called the Provincial Council (later the Council of Safety) was the main governing body. They were chosen by the Provincial Congress. The leader of this Council was like the highest official in the state when the Congress wasn't meeting.
The first president was Cornelius Harnett, who served from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. After him, Samuel Ashe and Willie Jones held the position until North Carolina formed its own state government.
State Governors
North Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. It officially became a state on November 21, 1789. Later, on May 20, 1861, North Carolina left the United States and joined the Confederate States of America. After the American Civil War ended, North Carolina rejoined the Union on July 4, 1868.
The first state constitution in 1776 said that the governor would be chosen by the state's lawmakers every year. A governor could only serve for three years out of every six. In 1835, this rule changed. People started voting for the governor directly, and they served for two years. They could also be re-elected once. The 1868 constitution made the term four years, starting on January 1 after the election. However, governors could not serve two terms in a row. This changed again in 1977, allowing them to be re-elected once.
The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1868. The lieutenant governor would take over if the governor's office became empty. In 1971, this rule was updated so that the lieutenant governor officially becomes the new governor if the position is vacant. Before the lieutenant governor role existed, the leader of the state Senate would act as governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected together on the same ballot.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Richard Caswell (1729–1789) |
December 19, 1776 – April 21, 1780 (term-limited) |
None | 1776 | Office did not exist | ||
1777 | ||||||||
1778 | ||||||||
1779 | ||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Abner Nash (1740–1786) |
April 21, 1780 – June 26, 1781 (did not run) |
None | 1780 | |||
3 | ![]() |
Thomas Burke (1747–1783) |
June 26, 1781 – April 22, 1782 (did not run) |
None | 1781 | |||
4 | ![]() |
Alexander Martin (1740–1807) |
April 22, 1782 – May 13, 1785 (did not run) |
None | 1782 | |||
1783 | ||||||||
5 | ![]() |
Richard Caswell (1729–1789) |
May 13, 1785 – December 20, 1787 (did not run) |
None | 1784 | |||
1785 | ||||||||
1786 | ||||||||
6 | Samuel Johnston (1733–1816) |
December 20, 1787 – December 17, 1789 (resigned) |
Federalist | 1787 | ||||
1788 | ||||||||
1789 | ||||||||
7 | ![]() |
Alexander Martin (1740–1807) |
December 17, 1789 – December 14, 1792 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1789 (special) |
|||
1790 | ||||||||
1791 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
Richard Dobbs Spaight (1758–1802) |
December 14, 1792 – November 19, 1795 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1792 | |||
1793 | ||||||||
1794 | ||||||||
9 | ![]() |
Samuel Ashe (1725–1813) |
November 19, 1795 – December 7, 1798 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1795 | |||
1796 | ||||||||
1797 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() |
William Richardson Davie (1756–1820) |
December 7, 1798 – November 23, 1799 (did not run) |
Federalist | 1798 | |||
11 | ![]() |
Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) |
November 23, 1799 – December 6, 1802 (term-limited) |
Federalist | 1799 | |||
1800 | ||||||||
1801 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
John Baptista Ashe (1748–1802) |
Died before taking office |
Democratic- Republican |
1802 | |||
12 | ![]() |
James Turner (1766–1824) |
December 6, 1802 – December 10, 1805 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1802 (special) |
|||
1803 | ||||||||
1804 | ||||||||
13 | ![]() |
Nathaniel Alexander (1756–1808) |
December 10, 1805 – December 1, 1807 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1805 | |||
1806 | ||||||||
14 | ![]() |
Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) |
December 1, 1807 – December 12, 1808 (did not run) |
Federalist | 1807 | |||
15 | ![]() |
David Stone (1770–1818) |
December 12, 1808 – December 5, 1810 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1808 | |||
1809 | ||||||||
16 | ![]() |
Benjamin Smith (1756–1826) |
December 5, 1810 – December 9, 1811 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1810 | |||
17 | ![]() |
William Hawkins (1777–1819) |
December 9, 1811 – December 7, 1814 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1811 | |||
1812 | ||||||||
1813 | ||||||||
18 | ![]() |
William Miller (1783–1825) |
December 7, 1814 – December 6, 1817 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1814 | |||
1815 | ||||||||
1816 | ||||||||
19 | ![]() |
John Branch (1782–1863) |
December 6, 1817 – December 7, 1820 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1817 | |||
1818 | ||||||||
1819 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
Jesse Franklin (1760–1823) |
December 7, 1820 – December 7, 1821 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1820 | |||
21 | ![]() |
Gabriel Holmes (1769–1829) |
December 7, 1821 – December 7, 1824 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1821 | |||
1822 | ||||||||
1823 | ||||||||
22 | ![]() |
Hutchins Gordon Burton (1774–1836) |
December 7, 1824 – December 8, 1827 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1824 | |||
1825 | ||||||||
1826 | ||||||||
23 | ![]() |
James Iredell Jr. (1788–1853) |
December 8, 1827 – December 12, 1828 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1827 | |||
24 | ![]() |
John Owen (1787–1841) |
December 12, 1828 – December 18, 1830 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1828 | |||
1829 | ||||||||
25 | ![]() |
Montfort Stokes (1762–1842) |
December 18, 1830 – December 6, 1832 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1830 | |||
1831 | ||||||||
26 | ![]() |
David Lowry Swain (1801–1868) |
December 6, 1832 – December 10, 1835 (term-limited) |
National Republican |
1832 | |||
1833 | ||||||||
1834 | ||||||||
27 | ![]() |
Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr. (1796–1850) |
December 10, 1835 – December 31, 1836 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1835 | |||
28 | ![]() |
Edward Bishop Dudley (1789–1855) |
December 31, 1836 – January 1, 1841 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1836 | |||
1838 | ||||||||
29 | ![]() |
John Motley Morehead (1796–1866) |
January 1, 1841 – January 1, 1845 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1840 | |||
1842 | ||||||||
30 | ![]() |
William Alexander Graham (1804–1875) |
January 1, 1845 – January 1, 1849 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1844 | |||
1846 | ||||||||
31 | ![]() |
Charles Manly (1795–1871) |
January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1851 (lost election) |
Whig | 1848 | |||
32 | ![]() |
David Settle Reid (1813–1891) |
January 1, 1851 – December 6, 1854 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1850 | |||
1852 | ||||||||
33 | ![]() |
Warren Winslow (1810–1862) |
December 6, 1854 – January 1, 1855 (successor took office) |
Democratic | Speaker of the Senate acting |
|||
34 | ![]() |
Thomas Bragg (1810–1872) |
January 1, 1855 – January 1, 1859 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1854 | |||
1856 | ||||||||
35 | ![]() |
John Willis Ellis (1820–1861) |
January 1, 1859 – July 7, 1861 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1858 | |||
1860 | ||||||||
36 | ![]() |
Henry Toole Clark (1808–1874) |
July 7, 1861 – September 8, 1862 (successor took office) |
Democratic | Speaker of the Senate acting |
|||
37 | ![]() |
Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894) |
September 8, 1862 – May 13, 1865 (arrested and removed) |
Conservative | 1862 | |||
1864 | ||||||||
— | Vacant | May 13, 1865 – May 29, 1865 |
Office vacated after civil war |
|||||
38 | ![]() |
William Woods Holden (1818–1892) |
May 29, 1865 – December 15, 1865 (lost election) |
Provisional governor appointed by President |
||||
39 | ![]() |
Johnathan Worth (1802–1869) |
December 15, 1865 – July 1, 1868 (did not run) |
Conservative | 1865 | |||
1866 | ||||||||
40 | ![]() |
William Woods Holden (1818–1892) |
July 1, 1868 – March 22, 1871 (impeached and removed) |
Republican | 1868 | Tod Robinson Caldwell | ||
41 | ![]() |
Tod Robinson Caldwell (1818–1874) |
March 22, 1871 – July 11, 1874 (died in office) |
Republican | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
1872 | Curtis Hooks Brogden | |||||||
42 | ![]() |
Curtis Hooks Brogden (1816–1901) |
July 11, 1874 – January 1, 1877 (successor took office) |
Republican | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
43 | ![]() |
Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894) |
January 1, 1877 – February 5, 1879 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1876 | Thomas Jordan Jarvis | ||
44 | ![]() |
Thomas Jordan Jarvis (1836–1915) |
February 5, 1879 – January 21, 1885 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
1880 | James L. Robinson | |||||||
45 | ![]() |
Alfred Moore Scales (1827–1892) |
January 21, 1885 – January 17, 1889 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1884 | Charles Manly Stedman | ||
46 | ![]() |
Daniel Gould Fowle (1831–1891) |
January 17, 1889 – April 7, 1891 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1888 | Thomas Michael Holt | ||
47 | ![]() |
Thomas Michael Holt (1831–1896) |
April 7, 1891 – January 18, 1893 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
48 | ![]() |
Elias Carr (1839–1900) |
January 18, 1893 – January 12, 1897 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1892 | Rufus A. Doughton | ||
49 | ![]() |
Daniel Lindsay Russell (1845–1908) |
January 12, 1897 – January 15, 1901 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1896 | Charles A. Reynolds | ||
50 | ![]() |
Charles Brantley Aycock (1859–1912) |
January 15, 1901 – January 11, 1905 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1900 | Wilfred D. Turner | ||
51 | ![]() |
Robert Broadnax Glenn (1854–1920) |
January 11, 1905 – January 12, 1909 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1904 | Francis D. Winston | ||
52 | ![]() |
William Walton Kitchin (1866–1924) |
January 12, 1909 – January 15, 1913 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1908 | William C. Newland | ||
53 | ![]() |
Locke Craig (1860–1924) |
January 15, 1913 – January 11, 1917 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1912 | Elijah L. Daughtridge | ||
54 | ![]() |
Thomas Walter Bickett (1869–1921) |
January 11, 1917 – January 12, 1921 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1916 | Oliver Max Gardner | ||
55 | ![]() |
Cameron A. Morrison (1869–1953) |
January 12, 1921 – January 14, 1925 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1920 | William B. Cooper | ||
56 | ![]() |
Angus Wilton McLean (1870–1935) |
January 14, 1925 – January 11, 1929 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1924 | J. Elmer Long | ||
57 | ![]() |
Oliver Max Gardner (1882–1947) |
January 11, 1929 – January 5, 1933 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1928 | Richard T. Fountain | ||
58 | ![]() |
John C. B. Ehringhaus (1882–1949) |
January 5, 1933 – January 7, 1937 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1932 | Alexander H. Graham | ||
59 | ![]() |
Clyde R. Hoey (1877–1954) |
January 7, 1937 – January 9, 1941 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1936 | Wilkins P. Horton | ||
60 | ![]() |
J. Melville Broughton (1888–1949) |
January 9, 1941 – January 4, 1945 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1940 | Reginald L. Harris | ||
61 | ![]() |
R. Gregg Cherry (1891–1957) |
January 4, 1945 – January 6, 1949 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1944 | Lynton Y. Ballentine | ||
62 | ![]() |
W. Kerr Scott (1896–1958) |
January 6, 1949 – January 8, 1953 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1948 | Hoyt Patrick Taylor | ||
63 | ![]() |
William B. Umstead (1895–1954) |
January 8, 1953 – November 7, 1954 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1952 | Luther H. Hodges | ||
64 | ![]() |
Luther H. Hodges (1898–1974) |
November 7, 1954 – January 5, 1961 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Lieutenant governor acting |
Acting as governor | ||
1956 | Luther E. Barnhardt | |||||||
65 | ![]() |
Terry Sanford (1917–1998) |
January 5, 1961 – January 8, 1965 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1960 | Harvey Cloyd Philpott | ||
Vacant | ||||||||
66 | ![]() |
Dan K. Moore (1906–1986) |
January 8, 1965 – January 3, 1969 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1964 | Robert W. Scott | ||
67 | ![]() |
Robert W. Scott (1929–2009) |
January 3, 1969 – January 5, 1973 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1968 | Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr. | ||
68 | ![]() |
James Holshouser (1934–2013) |
January 5, 1973 – January 8, 1977 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1972 | Jim Hunt | ||
69 | ![]() |
Jim Hunt (b. 1937) |
January 8, 1977 – January 5, 1985 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1976 | James C. Green | ||
1980 | ||||||||
70 | ![]() |
James G. Martin (b. 1935) |
January 5, 1985 – January 9, 1993 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1984 | Robert B. Jordan | ||
1988 | Jim Gardner | |||||||
71 | ![]() |
Jim Hunt (b. 1937) |
January 9, 1993 – January 6, 2001 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1992 | Dennis A. Wicker | ||
1996 | ||||||||
72 | ![]() |
Mike Easley (b. 1950) |
January 6, 2001 – January 10, 2009 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 2000 | Bev Perdue | ||
2004 | ||||||||
73 | ![]() |
Bev Perdue (b. 1947) |
January 10, 2009 – January 5, 2013 (did not run) |
Democratic | 2008 | Walter H. Dalton | ||
74 | ![]() |
Pat McCrory (b. 1956) |
January 5, 2013 – January 1, 2017 (lost election) |
Republican | 2012 | Dan Forest | ||
75 | ![]() |
Roy Cooper (b. 1957) |
January 1, 2017 – January 1, 2025 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 2016 | |||
2020 | Mark Robinson | |||||||
76 | ![]() |
Josh Stein (b. 1966) |
January 1, 2025 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2024 | Rachel Hunt |
See also
- List of first ladies and gentlemen of North Carolina
- List of North Carolina state legislatures