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List of governors of California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The governor of California is like the chief executive of the state. They are in charge of making sure state laws are followed and presenting the state's budget each year. The governor also gives a "State of the State" speech to the California State Legislature. They are also the leader of California's military forces, the California National Guard.

The current governor is Gavin Newsom, who started his term in 2019. California has had 39 different people serve as governor. Some of them became very famous across the country. For example, Leland Stanford started Stanford University in 1891. Earl Warren later became the Chief Justice of the United States. He was the only person to run for governor of California almost without anyone running against him.

Two famous actors, Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, also became governors. Ronald Reagan later became the president of the United States. Gray Davis, the 37th governor, was one of only two governors in American history to be removed from office by voters in a special recall election.

The governor who served the shortest time was Milton Latham. He was governor for only five days before being chosen for a seat in the United States Senate. The governor who served the longest was Jerry Brown. He was governor from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to 2019. He is the only governor to serve terms that were not back-to-back. His father, Pat Brown, was also a governor from 1959 to 1967.

Newsom April 2024 (cropped)
Gavin Newsom, the current governor of California.

Becoming Governor of California

California became part of the United States after the Mexican–American War. It joined the U.S. as the 31st state on September 9, 1850. Unlike most other states, California was never a territory first.

The first California Constitution in 1849 said that elections for governor would happen every two years. In 1862, a change was made to make the term four years long. The 1879 constitution set the governor's term to start on the first Monday after January 1, following an election.

Term Limits for Governors

In 1990, a rule called Proposition 140 was passed. This rule changed the constitution to limit governors to serving only two terms. Before this rule, only one governor, Earl Warren, served more than two terms.

Jerry Brown was elected for a third term in 2010 and a fourth term in 2014. This was allowed because his first two terms were before the term limit rule was put in place.

The 1849 constitution also created the job of lieutenant governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor takes over as governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected together on the same ballot.

Governors of the State of California
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1 Peter Hardeman Burnett - circa 1860.jpg   Peter Hardeman Burnett
(1807–1895)
December 20, 1849

January 9, 1851
(resigned)
Nonpartisan 1849   McDougal, JohnJohn McDougal
2 John McDougall Portrait Crop Edit 3x4.jpg John McDougal
(1818–1866)
January 9, 1851

January 8, 1852
(did not run)
Nonpartisan Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Broderick, David C.David C. Broderick
(acting)
3 John Bigler, 1850.jpg John Bigler
(1805–1871)
January 8, 1852

January 9, 1856
(lost election)
Democratic 1851 Purdy, SamuelSamuel Purdy
1853
4 J Neely Johnson (3x4 cropped).jpg J. Neely Johnson
(1825–1872)
January 9, 1856

January 8, 1858
(did not run)
American 1855 Anderson, Robert M.Robert M. Anderson
5 John B Weller by William F Cogswell, 1879 3x4.jpg John B. Weller
(1812–1875)
January 8, 1858

January 9, 1860
(did not run)
Democratic 1857 Walkup, JosephJoseph Walkup
6 Latham1.jpg Milton S. Latham
(1827–1882)
January 9, 1860

January 14, 1860
(resigned)
Lecompton
Democratic
1859 Downey, John G.John G. Downey
7 John G. Downey Crop.jpg John G. Downey
(1827–1894)
January 14, 1860

January 10, 1862
(did not run)
Lecompton
Democratic
Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Quinn, Isaac N.Isaac N. Quinn
(acting)
(term ended January 7, 1861)
de la Guerra, PabloPablo de la Guerra
(acting)
8 Portrait of Leland Stanford Crop.jpg Leland Stanford
(1824–1893)
January 10, 1862

December 10, 1863
(did not run)
Republican 1861 Chellis, John F.John F. Chellis
9 Gov. F. F. Low Crop.jpg Frederick Low
(1828–1894)
December 10, 1863

December 5, 1867
(did not run)
Union 1863 Machin, Tim N.Tim N. Machin
10 Henry Haight (3x4a).jpg Henry Huntly Haight
(1825–1878)
December 5, 1867

December 8, 1871
(lost election)
Democratic 1867 Holden, WilliamWilliam Holden
11 Newton Booth - Brady-Handy Crop.jpg Newton Booth
(1825–1892)
December 8, 1871

February 27, 1875
(resigned)
Republican 1871 Pacheco, RomualdoRomualdo Pacheco
12 Romualdo Pacheco - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg Romualdo Pacheco
(1831–1899)
February 27, 1875

December 9, 1875
(did not run)
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Irwin, WilliamWilliam Irwin
(acting)
13 William Irwin painting 3x4.jpg William Irwin
(1827–1886)
December 9, 1875

January 8, 1880
(did not run)
Democratic 1875 Johnson, James A.James A. Johnson
14 George Clement Perkins (cropped).jpg George C. Perkins
(1839–1923)
January 8, 1880

January 10, 1883
(did not run)
Republican 1879 Mansfield, JohnJohn Mansfield
15 General George Stoneman Crop.jpg George Stoneman
(1822–1894)
January 10, 1883

January 8, 1887
(did not run)
Democratic 1882 Daggett, JohnJohn Daggett
16 Washington Montgomery Bartlett SF Crop.jpg Washington Bartlett
(1824–1887)
January 8, 1887

September 12, 1887
(died in office)
Democratic 1886 Waterman, RobertRobert Waterman
17 Robert Waterman Crop.jpg Robert Waterman
(1826–1891)
September 12, 1887

January 8, 1891
(did not run)
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
White, Stephen M.Stephen M. White
(acting)
18 Governor H. H. Markham (cropped).jpg Henry Markham
(1840–1923)
January 8, 1891

January 11, 1895
(did not run)
Republican 1890 Reddick, John B.John B. Reddick
19 James H. Budd.jpg James Budd
(1851–1908)
January 11, 1895

January 4, 1899
(did not run)
Democratic 1894 Millard, Spencer G.Spencer G. Millard
(died October 24, 1895)
Vacant
Jeter, William T.William T. Jeter
(appointed October 26, 1895)
20 Henry Gage (cropped).jpg Henry T. Gage
(1852–1924)
January 4, 1899

January 7, 1903
(lost nomination)
Republican 1898 Neff, Jacob H.Jacob H. Neff
21 GeorgeCPardee.jpg George Pardee
(1857–1941)
January 7, 1903

January 9, 1907
(lost nomination)
Republican 1902 Anderson, AldenAlden Anderson
22 James Gillett, 1910 (cropped).jpg James Gillett
(1860–1937)
January 9, 1907

January 3, 1911
(did not run)
Republican 1906 Porter, Warren R.Warren R. Porter
23 Hiram Johnson Portrait (3x4 cropped).jpg Hiram Johnson
(1866–1945)
January 3, 1911

March 15, 1917
(resigned)
Republican 1910 Wallace, Albert JosephAlbert Joseph Wallace
Progressive 1914 Eshleman, John M.John M. Eshleman
(died February 28, 1916)
Vacant
Stephens, WilliamWilliam Stephens
(took office July 22, 1916)
24 William D. Stephens LCCN2014715011 (cropped).jpg William Stephens
(1859–1944)
March 15, 1917

January 9, 1923
(lost nomination)
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
1918 Young, C. C.C. C. Young
25 Friend Richardson (cropped).jpg Friend Richardson
(1865–1943)
January 9, 1923

January 4, 1927
(lost nomination)
Republican 1922
26 CC Young (3x4 cropped).jpg C. C. Young
(1869–1947)
January 4, 1927

January 6, 1931
(lost nomination)
Republican 1926 Fitts, BuronBuron Fitts
(resigned November 30, 1928)
Vacant
Carnahan, Herschel L.Herschel L. Carnahan
(appointed December 4, 1928)
27 James Rolph Jr. Crop.jpg James Rolph
(1869–1934)
January 6, 1931

June 2, 1934
(died in office)
Republican 1930 Merriam, FrankFrank Merriam
28 Frank Finley Merriam (cropped).jpg Frank Merriam
(1865–1955)
June 2, 1934

January 2, 1939
(lost election)
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
1934 Hatfield, George J.George J. Hatfield
29 Culbert L. Olson at a convention for the California Federation of Democratic Women's Clubs (cropped).jpg Culbert Olson
(1876–1962)
January 2, 1939

January 4, 1943
(lost election)
Democratic 1938 Patterson, Ellis E.Ellis E. Patterson
30 Earl Warren Portrait, half figure, seated, facing front, as Governor (cropped 3x4).jpg Earl Warren
(1891–1974)
January 4, 1943

October 4, 1953
(resigned)
Republican 1942 Houser, Frederick F.Frederick F. Houser
1946 Knight, GoodwinGoodwin Knight
1950
31 Goodwin J. Knight, 31st Governor of California (cropped).jpg Goodwin Knight
(1896–1970)
October 5, 1953

January 5, 1959
(did not run)
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Powers, Harold J.Harold J. Powers
1954
32 Pat Brown, 1961.jpg Pat Brown
(1905–1996)
January 5, 1959

January 2, 1967
(lost election)
Democratic 1958 Anderson, Glenn M.Glenn M. Anderson
1962
33 Ronald-Reagan-governor-California.jpg Ronald Reagan
(1911–2004)
January 2, 1967

January 6, 1975
(did not run)
Republican 1966 Finch, RobertRobert Finch
(resigned January 8, 1969)
Reinecke, EdwinEdwin Reinecke
(resigned October 2, 1974)
1970
Harmer, John L.John L. Harmer
34 Jerry Brown, 1980.jpg Jerry Brown
(b. 1938)
January 6, 1975

January 3, 1983
(did not run)
Democratic 1974 Dymally, Mervyn M.Mervyn M. Dymally
1978 Curb, MichaelMichael Curb
35 George-Deukmejian-Official-Photo-Cropped.jpg George Deukmejian
(1928–2018)
January 3, 1983

January 7, 1991
(did not run)
Republican 1982 McCarthy, Leo T.Leo T. McCarthy
1986
36 Pete Wilson official portrait, 1991 (cropped).jpg Pete Wilson
(b. 1933)
January 7, 1991

January 4, 1999
(term-limited)
Republican 1990
1994 Davis, GrayGray Davis
37 Gray Davis, portrait.jpg Gray Davis
(b. 1942)
January 4, 1999

November 17, 2003
(recalled)
Democratic 1998 Bustamante, CruzCruz Bustamante
2002
38 A. Schwarzenegger.jpg Arnold Schwarzenegger
(b. 1947)
November 17, 2003

January 3, 2011
(term-limited)
Republican 2003
(recall)
2006 Garamendi, JohnJohn Garamendi
(resigned November 3, 2009)
Pasquil, MonaMona Pasquil
(acting)
Maldonado, AbelAbel Maldonado
(appointed April 27, 2010)
39 Edmund G Brown Jr (3x4).jpg Jerry Brown
(b. 1938)
January 3, 2011

January 7, 2019
(term-limited)
Democratic 2010
Newsom, GavinGavin Newsom
(took office January 10, 2011)
2014
40 Gavin Newsom by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg Gavin Newsom
(b. 1967)
January 7, 2019

Incumbent
Democratic 2018 Kounalakis, EleniEleni Kounalakis
2021
(recall)
2022

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernantes de California para niños

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