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List of governors of Arkansas facts for kids

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Governor of Arkansas
Seal of Arkansas.svg
Asa Hutchinson crop (3x4b).jpg
Incumbent
Asa Hutchinson

since January 13, 2015 (2015-01-13)
Style
Residence Arkansas Governor's Mansion
Seat State Capitol, Little Rock, Arkansas
Term length Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument Constitution of Arkansas
Precursor Governor of Arkansas Territory
Inaugural holder James Sevier Conway
Formation September 13, 1836
(186 years ago)
 (1836-09-13)
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
Salary US$141,000 per annum
(2016)

The governor of Arkansas is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Arkansas government and is charged with enforcing state laws. They have the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Arkansas General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.

The state has had 46 elected governors, as well as 11 acting governors who assumed powers and duties following the resignation or death of the governor. Before becoming a state, Arkansas Territory had four governors appointed to it by the president of the United States. Orval Faubus (1955–1967) served the longest term as governor, being elected six times to serve 12 years. Bill Clinton (1979-1981; 1983-1992), elected five times over two distinct terms, fell only one month short of 12 years, and Mike Huckabee (1996-2007) served 10 years for two full four-year terms. The shortest term for an elected governor was the 38 days served by John Sebastian Little before his nervous breakdown; one of the acting successors to his term, Jesse M. Martin, took office only three days before the end of the term, the shortest term overall.

The current governor of Arkansas is Republican Asa Hutchinson, who was sworn in on January 13, 2015.

Territorial (1819–1836)

Arkansaw Territory (renamed Arkansas Territory, circa 1822) was split from the Missouri Territory on July 4, 1819. As territorial secretary from 1819 to 1829, Robert Crittenden served as acting governor whenever the appointed governor was not in the state. This meant that Crittenden was the first person to perform the duties of governor, since James Miller did not arrive in the territory until nine months after his appointment.

Governors of Arkansas Territory
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by Notes
1 AR Miller James.jpg James Miller March 3, 1819

December 27, 1824
James Monroe
2 George Izard.jpg George Izard March 4, 1825

November 22, 1828
John Quincy Adams
3 AR Pope John.jpg John Pope March 9, 1829

March 9, 1835
Andrew Jackson
4 WSFulton.jpg William S. Fulton March 9, 1835

September 13, 1836

State (from 1836)

Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836. The state seceded on May 6, 1861, and was admitted to the Confederacy on May 18, 1861. When Little Rock, the state capital, was captured on September 10, 1863, the state government relocated to Washington, Arkansas, and a Union government was installed in its place, causing an overlap in the terms of Confederate governor Harris Flanagin and Union governor Isaac Murphy. During the post-war Reconstruction period, it was part of the Fourth Military District. Arkansas was readmitted to the Union on June 22, 1868.

The Arkansas Constitution of 1836 established four-year terms for governors, which was lowered to two years in the 1874, and current, constitution. An amendment in 1984 increased the terms of both governor and lieutenant governor to four years. Governors were originally limited only to serving no more than eight out of every twelve years, but the 1874 constitution removed any term limit. A referendum in 1992 limited governors to two terms.

Until 1864, the constitutions provided that, should the office of governor be rendered vacant, the president of the senate would serve as acting governor until such time as a new governor were elected or the disability removed, or the acting governor's senate term expired. This led to some situations where the governorship changed hands in quick succession, due to senate terms ending or new senate presidents being elected. For example, after John Sebastian Little resigned in 1907, 3 senate presidents acted as governor before the next elected governor took office. Should the president of the senate be similarly incapacitated, the next in line for the governorship was the speaker of the state house of representatives.

The 1864 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor who would also act as president of the senate, and who would serve as acting governor in case of vacancy. The 1868 constitution maintained the position, but the 1874 constitution removed it and returned to the original line of succession. An amendment to the constitution, passed in 1914 but not recognized until 1925, recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who becomes governor in case of vacancy of the governor's office. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.

Arkansas was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic party. It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 92 years passed before voters chose another Republican. Arkansas has 7 Republican governors, 39 Democratic and 3 independent.

Governors of Arkansas
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lieutenant Governor
1 AR Conway James Sevier.jpg   James Sevier Conway
December 9, 1796 – March 3, 1855
September 13, 1836

November 4, 1840
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1836 Office did not exist
2 Archibald Yell - 2er Gouverneur Arkansas.jpg Archibald Yell
August 9, 1797 – February 23, 1847
November 4, 1840

April 29, 1844
(resigned)
Democratic 1840
Samuel Adams (governor).jpg Samuel Adams
June 5, 1805 – February 27, 1850
April 29, 1844

November 9, 1844
(not candidate for election)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
3 Thomas Stevenson Drew - Gouverneur von Arkansas.jpg Thomas Stevenson Drew
August 25, 1802 – January 1879
November 9, 1844

January 10, 1849
(resigned)
Democratic 1844
1848
Richard C. Byrd
ca. 1805 – June 1, 1854
January 10, 1849

April 19, 1849
(not candidate for election)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
4 Gubernatorial portrait of 4th Governor of Arkansas John Selden Roane.jpg John Selden Roane
January 8, 1817 – April 7, 1867
April 19, 1849

November 15, 1852
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1849
(special)
5 Portrait of 5th Governor of Arkansas Elias Nelson Conway.jpg Elias Nelson Conway
May 17, 1812 – February 28, 1892
November 15, 1852

November 16, 1860
(term-limited)
Democratic 1852
1856
6 Henry Massey Rector.jpg Henry M. Rector
May 1, 1816 – August 12, 1899
November 16, 1860

November 4, 1862
(resigned)
Independent Democratic 1860
Thomas Fletcher
April 8, 1817 – February 26, 1880
November 4, 1862

November 15, 1862
(successor took office)
Independent President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
7 Governor Harris Flanigin.jpg Harris Flanagin
November 3, 1817 – October 23, 1874
November 15, 1862

June 1, 1865
(government in exile
disestablished)
Independent 1862
8 Portrait of 8th Governor of Arkansas Isaac Murphy.jpg Isaac Murphy
October 16, 1799 or 1802 – September 8, 1882
January 20, 1864

July 2, 1868
(not candidate for election)
Independent Appointed
Provisional
Governor by
U.S. President
Abraham Lincoln
1864
(Union)
Calvin C. Bliss
9 Powell Clayton.jpg Powell Clayton
August 7, 1833 – August 25, 1914
July 2, 1868

March 17, 1871
(resigned)
Republican 1868   James M. Johnson
(resigned March 14, 1871)
Vacant
O. A. Hadley (Arkansas Governor) 2.jpg Ozra Amander Hadley
June 30, 1826 – July 18, 1915
March 17, 1871

January 6, 1873
(not candidate for election)
Republican President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
10 Elisha Baxter.png Elisha Baxter
September 1, 1827 – May 31, 1899
January 6, 1873

November 12, 1874
(not candidate for election)
Republican 1872 Volney V. Smith
11 Augustus Hill Garland - Brady-Handy.jpg Augustus Hill Garland
June 11, 1832 – January 26, 1899
November 12, 1874

January 11, 1877
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1874 Office did not exist
12 Painting, Portrait - Governor William R. Miller.jpg William Read Miller
November 23, 1823 – November 29, 1887
January 11, 1877

January 13, 1881
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1876
1878
13 Thomas James Churchill.jpg Thomas James Churchill
March 10, 1824 – May 14, 1905
January 13, 1881

January 13, 1883
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1880
14 Photograph, Cabinet Card - Arkansas Governor James Berry (cropped).jpg James Henderson Berry
May 15, 1841 – January 30, 1913
January 13, 1883

January 15, 1885
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1882
15 Simon Pollard Hughes, Jr - Gouverneur von Arkansas.jpg Simon Pollard Hughes Jr.
April 14, 1830 – June 29, 1906
January 15, 1885

January 17, 1889
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1884
1886
16 Photograph, Sepia - James P. Eagle (cropped).jpg James Philip Eagle
August 10, 1837 – December 20, 1904
January 17, 1889

January 14, 1893
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1888
1890
17 William Meade Fishback.jpg William Meade Fishback
November 5, 1831 – February 9, 1903
January 14, 1893

January 18, 1895
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1892
18 AR Clarke John.jpg James Paul Clarke
August 18, 1854 – October 1, 1916
January 18, 1895

January 18, 1897
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1894
19 Daniel Webster Jones (governor).jpg Daniel Webster Jones
December 15, 1839 – December 25, 1918
January 18, 1897

January 18, 1901
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1896
1898
20 Photograph, Cabinet Card - Arkansas Govenor Jeff Davis (cropped).jpg Jeff Davis
May 6, 1862 – January 3, 1913
January 18, 1901

January 18, 1907
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1900
1902
1904
21 AR Little John.jpg John Sebastian Little
March 15, 1851 – October 29, 1916
January 18, 1907

February 11, 1907
(resigned)
Democratic 1906
John Isaac Moore.jpg John Isaac Moore
February 7, 1856 – March 18, 1937
February 11, 1907

May 14, 1907
(legislature adjourned)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
PindallXO f.jpg Xenophon Overton Pindall
August 21, 1873 – January 2, 1935
May 14, 1907

January 11, 1909
(senate term expired)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
Jesse M. Martin
March 1, 1877 – January 22, 1915
January 11, 1909

January 14, 1909
(successor took office)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
22 Portrait of George Washington Donaghey.jpg George Washington Donaghey
July 1, 1856 – December 15, 1937
January 14, 1909

January 16, 1913
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1908
1910
23 Joseph T. Robinson cropped.jpg Joseph Taylor Robinson
August 26, 1872 – July 14, 1937
January 16, 1913

March 8, 1913
(resigned)
Democratic 1912
William Kavanaugh Oldham
May 20, 1865 – May 6, 1938
March 8, 1913

March 13, 1913
(new president of
the senate elected)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
Junius Marion Futrell.jpg Junius M. Futrell
August 14, 1870 – June 20, 1955
March 13, 1913

August 6, 1913
(successor took office)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
24 George W. Hays (Arkansas governor).jpg George Washington Hays
September 23, 1863 – September 15, 1927
August 6, 1913

January 10, 1917
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1913
(special)
1914
25 Charles Hillman Brough in 1916.jpg Charles Hillman Brough
July 9, 1876 – December 26, 1935
January 10, 1917

January 11, 1921
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1916
1918
26 AR McRae Thomas.jpg Thomas Chipman McRae
December 21, 1851 – June 2, 1929
January 11, 1921

January 13, 1925
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1920
1922
27 Gov. T.J. Terrell of Ark., 6-4-25 LCCN2016850440 (cropped).jpg Tom Terral
December 21, 1882 – March 9, 1946
January 13, 1925

January 11, 1927
(lost renomination)
Democratic 1924
28 JohnEllisMartineau.jpg John Ellis Martineau
December 2, 1873 – March 6, 1937
January 11, 1927

March 14, 1928
(resigned)
Democratic 1926 Harvey Parnell
29 Harvey Parnell.jpg Harvey Parnell
February 28, 1880 – January 16, 1936
March 14, 1928

January 10, 1933
(not candidate for election)
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
1928 Lee Cazort
1930 Lawrence Elery Wilson
30 Junius Marion Futrell.jpg Junius Marion Futrell
August 14, 1870 – June 20, 1955
January 10, 1933

January 12, 1937
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1932 Lee Cazort
1934
31 Carl E. Bailey (cropped).jpg Carl E. Bailey
October 8, 1894 – October 23, 1948
January 12, 1937

January 14, 1941
(lost renomination)
Democratic 1936 Robert L. Bailey
1938
32 Homer M. Adkins.jpg Homer Martin Adkins
October 15, 1890 – February 26, 1964
January 14, 1941

January 9, 1945
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1940
1942 James L. Shaver
33 Ben Laney.jpg Benjamin Travis Laney
November 25, 1896 – January 21, 1977
January 9, 1945

January 11, 1949
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1944
1946 Nathan Green Gordon
34 Sid mcmath1.JPG Sid McMath
June 14, 1912 – October 4, 2003
January 11, 1949

January 13, 1953
(lost renomination)
Democratic 1948
1950
35 Francis Cherry.jpg Francis Cherry
September 5, 1908 – July 15, 1965
January 13, 1953

January 11, 1955
(lost renomination)
Democratic 1952
36 Orval Faubus.jpg Orval Faubus
January 7, 1910 – December 14, 1994
January 11, 1955

January 10, 1967
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
37 Winthrop Rockefeller Razorback 1969 (cropped).jpg Winthrop Rockefeller
May 1, 1912 – February 22, 1973
January 10, 1967

January 12, 1971
(lost election)
Republican 1966 Maurice Britt
1968
38 Dale Bumpers (AR).png Dale Bumpers
August 12, 1925 – January 1, 2016
January 12, 1971

January 3, 1975
(resigned)
Democratic 1970 Bob C. Riley
1972
Bob C. Riley
September 18, 1924 – February 16, 1994
January 3, 1975

January 14, 1975
(successor took office)
Democratic Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor
Acting as Governor
39 David Pryor (AR).png David Pryor
August 29, 1934
January 14, 1975

January 3, 1979
(resigned)
Democratic 1974 Joe Purcell
1976
Joe Purcell (1975).png Joe Purcell
July 29, 1923 – March 5, 1987
January 3, 1979

January 9, 1979
(successor took office)
Democratic Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor
Acting as Governor
40
Bill Clinton (37899881792) (cropped2).jpg Bill Clinton
August 19, 1946
January 9, 1979

January 19, 1981
(lost election)
Democratic 1978 Joe Purcell
41 Frank D. White 1995 (cropped).jpg Frank D. White
June 4, 1933 – May 21, 2003
January 19, 1981

January 11, 1983
(lost election)
Republican 1980 Winston Bryant
42
Bill clinton 1987.jpg Bill Clinton
August 19, 1946
January 11, 1983

December 12, 1992
(resigned)
Democratic 1982
1984
1986
1990 Jim Guy Tucker
43 Jim Guy Tucker.jpg Jim Guy Tucker
June 13, 1943
December 12, 1992

July 15, 1996
(resigned)
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
Mike Huckabee
(elected November 20, 1993)
1994
44
Mike Huckabee by Gage Skidmore 6 (cropped).jpg Mike Huckabee
August 24, 1955
July 15, 1996

January 9, 2007
(term-limited)
Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller
(elected November 19, 1996)
(died July 16, 2006)
1998
2002
Vacant
45 MikeBeebe2009 (cropped) (cropped).jpg Mike Beebe
December 28, 1946
January 9, 2007

January 13, 2015
(term-limited)
Democratic 2006 Bill Halter
2010 Mark Darr
(resigned February 1, 2014)
Vacant
46 Asa Hutchinson crop (3x4b).jpg Asa Hutchinson
December 3, 1950
January 13, 2015

Incumbent
Republican 2014 Tim Griffin
2018
47 Sarah Sanders (49290685006) (3x4a).jpg Sarah Huckabee Sanders (elect)
August 13, 1982
Taking office
January 10, 2023

Republican 2022 Leslie Rutledge (elect)
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