List of governors of Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of Washington |
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Seal of the governor
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| Style |
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| Residence | Washington Governor's Mansion |
| Term length | Four years, no term limit |
| Inaugural holder | Elisha P. Ferry |
| Formation | November 11, 1889 |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Washington |
| Salary | $182,179 (2019) |
The governor of Washington is like the chief executive officer for the state of Washington. This person is the head of government and also the commander-in-chief of Washington's military forces, like the Washington National Guard.
The governor has important jobs. They make sure state laws are followed. They can also approve or reject new laws (called bills) that the Washington Legislature passes. Sometimes, they can even cancel specific parts of spending bills. The governor can also call the legislature together for special meetings if needed.
Before Washington became a state in 1889, it was a territory. It had 14 territorial governors. These governors were chosen by the President of the United States. Elisha P. Ferry served the longest as a territorial governor. He then became the very first governor of the state of Washington.
Since Washington became a state, 22 different people have been governor. Most governors have been from the Democratic or Republican parties. The current governor is Bob Ferguson, who started his term on January 15, 2025.
Contents
Governors of Washington: A Look Back
Territorial Governors
The Washington Territory was created on March 2, 1853. It was formed from the northern part of the Oregon Territory.
| No. | Governor | Time in Office | President Who Chose Them | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) |
Isaac Stevens (1818–1862) |
March 17, 1853 – August 11, 1857 (left office) |
Franklin Pierce |
| 2 |  |
Fayette McMullen (1805–1880) |
May 13, 1857 – March 5, 1859 (new governor chosen) |
James Buchanan |
| 3 |  |
Richard D. Gholson (1804–1862) |
March 5, 1859 – February 14, 1861 (left office) |
James Buchanan |
| — | .jpg) |
William H. Wallace (1811–1879) |
April 9, 1861 – July 8, 1861 (left before starting) |
Abraham Lincoln |
| 4 |  |
William Pickering (1798–1873) |
December 19, 1861 – November 21, 1866 (removed) |
Abraham Lincoln |
| Andrew Johnson | ||||
| 5 |  |
George Edward Cole (1826–1906) |
November 21, 1866 – March 4, 1867 (not approved by Senate) |
Andrew Johnson |
| 6 |  |
Marshall F. Moore (1829–1870) |
April 20, 1867 – April 5, 1869 (new governor chosen) |
Andrew Johnson |
| 7 |  |
Alvan Flanders (1825–1894) |
April 5, 1869 – March 14, 1870 (new governor chosen) |
Ulysses S. Grant |
| 8 |  |
Edward S. Salomon (1836–1913) |
March 14, 1870 – April 26, 1872 (left office) |
Ulysses S. Grant |
| 9 |  |
Elisha P. Ferry (1825–1895) |
April 26, 1872 – April 26, 1880 (new governor chosen) |
Ulysses S. Grant |
| 10 |  |
William A. Newell (1817–1901) |
April 26, 1880 – July 2, 1884 (new governor chosen) |
Rutherford B. Hayes |
| 11 |  |
Watson C. Squire (1838–1926) |
July 2, 1884 – April 9, 1887 (new governor chosen) |
Chester A. Arthur |
| 12 |  |
Eugene Semple (1840–1908) |
April 9, 1887 – March 23, 1889 (new governor chosen) |
Grover Cleveland |
| 13 |  |
Miles Conway Moore (1845–1919) |
March 23, 1889 – November 18, 1889 (Washington became a state) |
Benjamin Harrison |
State Governors of Washington
Washington officially became a state on November 11, 1889. The governor serves a four-year term. This term starts on the second Monday in January after the election. There is no limit to how many terms a governor can serve.
If the governor cannot do their job, the lieutenant governor steps in. If both cannot serve, the secretary of state is next in line. Then comes the treasurer. The lieutenant governor is chosen in a separate election from the governor.
| No. | Governor | Time in Office | Political Party | Election Year | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Elisha P. Ferry (1825–1895) |
November 18, 1889 – January 11, 1893 (did not run again) |
Republican | 1889 | Charles E. Laughton | ||
| 2 | .jpg) |
John McGraw (1850–1910) |
January 11, 1893 – January 13, 1897 (did not run again) |
Republican | 1892 | F. H. Luce | ||
| 3 |  |
John Rankin Rogers (1838–1901) |
January 13, 1897 – December 26, 1901 (died in office) |
Populist | 1896 | Thurston Daniels | ||
| Democratic | 1900 | Henry McBride | ||||||
| 4 |  |
Henry McBride (1856–1937) |
December 26, 1901 – January 11, 1905 (lost nomination) |
Republican | Took over from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 5 |  |
Albert E. Mead (1861–1913) |
January 11, 1905 – January 27, 1909 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1904 | Charles E. Coon | ||
| 6 |  |
Samuel G. Cosgrove (1847–1909) |
January 27, 1909 – March 28, 1909 (died in office) |
Republican | 1908 | Marion E. Hay | ||
| 7 |  |
Marion E. Hay (1865–1933) |
March 28, 1909 – January 15, 1913 (lost election) |
Republican | Took over from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 8 |  |
Ernest Lister (1870–1919) |
January 15, 1913 – June 14, 1919 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1912 | Louis F. Hart | ||
| 1916 | ||||||||
| 9 |  |
Louis F. Hart (1862–1929) |
June 14, 1919 – January 14, 1925 (did not run again) |
Republican | Took over from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1920 | William J. Coyle | |||||||
| 10 |  |
Roland H. Hartley (1864–1952) |
January 14, 1925 – January 11, 1933 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1924 | W. Lon Johnson | ||
| 1928 | John Arthur Gellatly | |||||||
| 11 |  |
Clarence D. Martin (1886–1955) |
January 11, 1933 – January 15, 1941 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1932 | Victor Aloysius Meyers | ||
| 1936 | ||||||||
| 12 | .jpg) |
Arthur B. Langlie (1900–1966) |
January 15, 1941 – January 10, 1945 (lost election) |
Republican | 1940 | |||
| 13 | .jpg) |
Monrad Wallgren (1891–1961) |
January 10, 1945 – January 12, 1949 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1944 | |||
| 14 | |
Arthur B. Langlie (1900–1966) |
January 12, 1949 – January 16, 1957 (did not run again) |
Republican | 1948 | |||
| 1952 | Emmett T. Anderson | |||||||
| 15 | .jpg) |
Albert Rosellini (1910–2011) |
January 16, 1957 – January 13, 1965 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1956 | John Cherberg | ||
| 1960 | ||||||||
| 16 |  |
Daniel J. Evans (1925–2024) |
January 13, 1965 – January 12, 1977 (did not run again) |
Republican | 1964 | |||
| 1968 | ||||||||
| 1972 | ||||||||
| 17 | .jpg) |
Dixy Lee Ray (1914–1994) |
January 12, 1977 – January 14, 1981 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1976 | |||
| 18 |  |
John Spellman (1926–2018) |
January 14, 1981 – January 16, 1985 (lost election) |
Republican | 1980 | |||
| 19 | .jpg) |
Booth Gardner (1936–2013) |
January 16, 1985 – January 13, 1993 (did not run again) |
Democratic | 1984 | |||
| 1988 | Joel Pritchard | |||||||
| 20 |  |
Mike Lowry (1939–2017) |
January 13, 1993 – January 15, 1997 (did not run again) |
Democratic | 1992 | |||
| 21 |  |
Gary Locke (b. 1950) |
January 15, 1997 – January 12, 2005 (did not run again) |
Democratic | 1996 | Brad Owen | ||
| 2000 | ||||||||
| 22 | .jpg) |
Christine Gregoire (b. 1947) |
January 12, 2005 – January 16, 2013 (did not run again) |
Democratic | 2004 | |||
| 2008 | ||||||||
| 23 | .jpg) |
Jay Inslee (b. 1951) |
January 16, 2013 – January 15, 2025 (did not run again) |
Democratic | 2012 | |||
| 2016 | Cyrus Habib | |||||||
| 2020 | Denny Heck | |||||||
| 24 | .jpg) |
Bob Ferguson (b. 1965) |
January 15, 2025 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2024 | |||
More to Explore
- List of Washington state legislatures
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Washington
