List of Governors of Georgia facts for kids
(Redirected from List of governors of Georgia)Quick facts for kids Governor of Georgia |
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![]() Great Seal of the State of Georgia
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Residence | Georgia Governor's Mansion |
Term length | Four years, renewable once |
Inaugural holder | Archibald Bulloch |
Formation | July 12, 1775 |
Salary | $139,339 (2013) |
The Governor of Georgia is the head of the executive branch of Georgia's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor also has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either veto or approve bills passed by the Georgia Legislature, and the power to convene the legislature.
The current governor is Republican Brian Kemp who assumed office on January 14, 2019.
Governors
Georgia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and ratified the Constitution of the United States on January 2, 1788. Before it declared its independence, Georgia was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Like most early states, Georgia had claims to western areas, but did not cede its claims during the formation of the country like the other states. It sold this area, the Yazoo Lands, to the federal government on April 24, 1802, when it was assigned to Mississippi Territory.
In Georgia's Rules and Regulations of 1776, considered by some to be the first constitution, the chief executive was a president chosen by the legislature every six months. This was quickly superseded by the 1777 constitution, which called for a governor to be chosen by the legislature each year, with a term limited to one year out of every three. In the event of a vacancy, the president of the executive council acted as governor. The governor's term was lengthened to two years in the 1789 constitution. The 1798 constitution modified succession so that the president of the senate would act as governor should that office become vacant. An 1818 amendment to that constitution extended the line of succession to the speaker of the house, and an 1824 amendment provided for popular election of the governor.
While the 1861 secessionist constitution kept the office the same, the other constitutions surrounding the American Civil War brought lots of changes. The 1865 constitution, following Georgia's surrender, limited governors to two consecutive terms of two years each, allowing them to serve again after a gap of four years. The Reconstruction constitution of 1868 increased the governor's term to four years. The 1877 constitution, after local rule was re-established, returned the office to the provisions of the 1865 constitution. An amendment in 1941 lengthened terms to 4 years, but governors could no longer succeed themselves, having to wait four years to serve again. The constitution does not specify when terms start, only that the governor is installed at the next session of the General Assembly.
The 1945 constitution provided for a lieutenant governor, to serve the same term as governor and to act as governor if that office became vacant. Should it become vacant within 30 days of the next general election, or if the governor's term would have ended within 90 days of the next election, the lieutenant governor acts out the term; otherwise, a successor is chosen in the next general election. This was retained in the 1976 constitution. The current constitution of 1983 allows governors to succeed themselves once before having to wait four years to serve again, and lieutenant governors now become governor in the event of a vacancy. Should the office of lieutenant governor be vacant, the speaker of the house acts as governor, and a special election to fill the office must happen in 90 days.
The revolutionary government was thrown into disarray by the Capture of Savannah in 1778, which led to two governments with varying levels of influence; they would reunite in 1780. This article relies on the Official and Statistical Register of Georgia, which ignores the Council of Safety of William Ewen in favor of Archibald Bulloch's government, and omits the government of William Glascock and Seth John Cuthbert.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
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7 | ![]() |
Archibald Bulloch | January 22, 1776 – February 22, 1777 (died in office) |
None | — | Office did not exist | ||
8 | ![]() |
Button Gwinnett | March 4, 1777 – May 8, 1777 |
None | — | |||
9 | ![]() |
John A. Treutlen | May 8, 1777 – January 10, 1778 |
None | — | |||
10 | John Houstoun | January 10, 1778 – December 29, 1778 |
None | — | ||||
— | Vacant | December 29, 1778 – August 6, 1779 |
— | Government in chaos after fall of Savannah |
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11 | John Wereat | August 6, 1779 – November 1779 |
None | — | ||||
12 | ![]() |
George Walton | November 1779 – January 4, 1780 |
None | — | |||
13 | Richard Howly | January 4, 1780 – February 5, 1780 (resigned) |
None | — | ||||
14 | ![]() |
Stephen Heard | February 18, 1780 – August 18, 1781 |
None | — | |||
15 | Nathan Brownson | August 18, 1781 – January 3, 1782 (term limited) |
None | 1781 | ||||
16 | John Martin | January 3, 1782 – January 8, 1783 (term limited) |
None | 1782 | ||||
17 | ![]() |
Lyman Hall | January 8, 1783 – January 9, 1784 (term limited) |
None | 1783 | |||
10 | John Houstoun | January 9, 1784 – January 6, 1785 (term limited) |
None | 1784 | ||||
18 | ![]() |
Samuel Elbert | January 6, 1785 – January 9, 1786 (term limited) |
None | 1785 | |||
19 | Edward Telfair | January 9, 1786 – January 9, 1787 (term limited) |
None | 1786 | ||||
20 | ![]() |
George Mathews | January 9, 1787 – January 26, 1788 (term limited) |
None | 1787 | |||
21 | George Handley | January 26, 1788 – January 7, 1789 (term limited) |
None | 1788 | ||||
12 | ![]() |
George Walton | January 7, 1789 – November 9, 1789 (term limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
Jan. 1789 | |||
19 | Edward Telfair | November 9, 1789 – November 7, 1793 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
Nov. 1789 | ||||
1791 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
George Mathews | November 7, 1793 – January 15, 1796 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1793 | |||
22 | ![]() |
Jared Irwin | January 15, 1796 – January 12, 1798 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1795 | |||
23 | ![]() |
James Jackson | January 12, 1798 – March 3, 1801 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1797 | |||
1799 | ||||||||
24 | David Emanuel | March 3, 1801 – November 7, 1801 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from President of the Senate |
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25 | Josiah Tattnall | November 7, 1801 – November 4, 1802 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1801 | ||||
26 | ![]() |
John Milledge | November 4, 1802 – September 23, 1806 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1802 (special) |
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1803 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
22 | ![]() |
Jared Irwin | September 23, 1806 – November 10, 1809 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from President of the Senate |
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1807 | ||||||||
27 | ![]() |
David Brydie Mitchell | November 10, 1809 – November 5, 1813 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1809 | |||
1811 | ||||||||
28 | ![]() |
Peter Early | November 5, 1813 – November 20, 1815 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1813 | |||
27 | ![]() |
David Brydie Mitchell | November 20, 1815 – March 4, 1817 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1815 | |||
29 | William Rabun | March 4, 1817 – October 24, 1819 (died in office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from President of the Senate |
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1817 | ||||||||
30 | ![]() |
Matthew Talbot | October 24, 1819 – November 5, 1819 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from President of the Senate |
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31 | ![]() |
John Clark | November 5, 1819 – November 7, 1823 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1819 | |||
1821 | ||||||||
32 | ![]() |
George Troup | November 7, 1823 – November 7, 1827 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1823 | |||
1825 | ||||||||
33 | ![]() |
John Forsyth | November 7, 1827 – November 4, 1829 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1827 | |||
34 | ![]() |
George Rockingham Gilmer | November 4, 1829 – November 9, 1831 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1829 | |||
35 | ![]() |
Wilson Lumpkin | November 9, 1831 – November 4, 1835 (not candidate for election) |
Union (Democratic) | 1831 | |||
1833 | ||||||||
36 | ![]() |
William Schley | November 4, 1835 – November 8, 1837 (not candidate for election) |
Union (Democratic) | 1835 | |||
34 | ![]() |
George Rockingham Gilmer | November 8, 1837 – November 6, 1839 (not candidate for election) |
State Rights (Whig) | 1837 | |||
37 | ![]() |
Charles James McDonald | November 6, 1839 – November 8, 1843 (not candidate for election) |
Union (Democratic) | 1839 | |||
1841 | ||||||||
38 | ![]() |
George W. Crawford | November 8, 1843 – November 3, 1847 (not candidate for election) |
Whig | 1843 | |||
1845 | ||||||||
39 | ![]() |
George W. Towns | November 3, 1847 – November 5, 1851 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1847 | |||
1849 | ||||||||
40 | ![]() |
Howell Cobb | November 5, 1851 – November 9, 1853 (not candidate for election) |
Constitutional Union | 1851 | |||
41 | ![]() |
Herschel Vespasian Johnson | November 9, 1853 – November 6, 1857 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1853 | |||
1855 | ||||||||
42 | ![]() |
Joseph E. Brown | November 6, 1857 – June 17, 1865 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1857 | |||
1859 | ||||||||
1861 | ||||||||
1863 | ||||||||
43 | ![]() |
James Johnson | June 17, 1865 – December 14, 1865 (provisional term ended) |
Democratic | Provisional governor appointed by President |
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44 | ![]() |
Charles J. Jenkins | December 14, 1865 – January 13, 1868 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1865 | |||
45 | ![]() |
Thomas H. Ruger | January 13, 1868 – July 4, 1868 (state readmitted) |
— | Military occupation |
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46 | ![]() |
Rufus Bullock | July 4, 1868 – October 30, 1871 (resigned) |
Republican | 1868 | |||
47 | ![]() |
Benjamin F. Conley | October 30, 1871 – January 12, 1872 |
Republican | President of the Senate acting as Governor |
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48 | ![]() |
James Milton Smith | January 12, 1872 – January 12, 1877 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1871 (special) |
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1872 | ||||||||
49 | ![]() |
Alfred H. Colquitt | January 12, 1877 – November 4, 1882 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1876 | |||
1880 | ||||||||
50 | ![]() |
Alexander H. Stephens | November 4, 1882 – March 4, 1883 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1882 | |||
51 | ![]() |
James S. Boynton | March 4, 1883 – May 10, 1883 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting as Governor |
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52 | ![]() |
Henry Dickerson McDaniel | May 10, 1883 – November 9, 1886 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1883 (special) |
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1884 | ||||||||
53 | ![]() |
John Brown Gordon | November 9, 1886 – November 8, 1890 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1886 | |||
1888 | ||||||||
54 | ![]() |
William J. Northen | November 8, 1890 – October 27, 1894 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1890 | |||
1892 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() |
William Yates Atkinson | October 27, 1894 – October 29, 1898 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1894 | |||
1896 | ||||||||
56 | ![]() |
Allen D. Candler | October 29, 1898 – October 25, 1902 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1898 | |||
1900 | ||||||||
57 | ![]() |
Joseph M. Terrell | October 25, 1902 – June 29, 1907 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1902 | |||
1904 | ||||||||
58 | ![]() |
M. Hoke Smith | June 29, 1907 – June 26, 1909 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1906 | |||
59 | ![]() |
Joseph Mackey Brown | June 26, 1909 – July 1, 1911 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1908 | |||
58 | ![]() |
M. Hoke Smith | July 1, 1911 – November 15, 1911 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1910 | |||
60 | ![]() |
John M. Slaton | November 16, 1911 – January 25, 1912 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting as Governor |
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59 | ![]() |
Joseph Mackey Brown | January 25, 1912 – June 28, 1913 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1912 (special) |
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60 | ![]() |
John M. Slaton | June 28, 1913 – June 26, 1915 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1912 | |||
61 | ![]() |
Nathaniel Edwin Harris | June 26, 1915 – June 30, 1917 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1914 | |||
62 | ![]() |
Hugh Dorsey | June 30, 1917 – June 25, 1921 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1916 | |||
1918 | ||||||||
63 | ![]() |
Thomas W. Hardwick | June 25, 1921 – June 30, 1923 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1920 | |||
64 | ![]() |
Clifford Walker | June 30, 1923 – June 25, 1927 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1922 | |||
1924 | ||||||||
65 | ![]() |
Lamartine Griffin Hardman | June 25, 1927 – June 27, 1931 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1926 | |||
1928 | ||||||||
66 | ![]() |
Richard Russell Jr. | June 27, 1931 – January 10, 1933 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1930 | |||
67 | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge | January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1932 | |||
1934 | ||||||||
68 | ![]() |
Eurith D. Rivers | January 12, 1937 – January 14, 1941 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1936 | |||
1938 | ||||||||
67 | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge | January 14, 1941 – January 12, 1943 (not candidate for election) |
Democratic | 1940 | |||
69 | Ellis Arnall | January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1942 | ||||
— | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge | Died before taking office | Democratic | 1946 | Melvin E. Thompson | ||
— | ![]() |
Herman Talmadge | January 14, 1947 – March 18, 1947 (removed from office) |
Democratic | ||||
70 | Melvin E. Thompson | March 18, 1947 – November 17, 1948 (lost election) |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
71 | ![]() |
Herman Talmadge | November 17, 1948 – January 11, 1955 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1948 (special) |
Marvin Griffin | ||
1950 | ||||||||
72 | ![]() |
Marvin Griffin | January 11, 1955 – January 13, 1959 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1954 | Ernest Vandiver | ||
73 | ![]() |
Ernest Vandiver | January 13, 1959 – January 15, 1963 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1958 | Garland T. Byrd | ||
74 | ![]() |
Carl Sanders | January 15, 1963 – January 11, 1967 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1962 | Peter Zack Geer | ||
75 | ![]() |
Lester Maddox | January 11, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1966 | George T. Smith | ||
76 | ![]() |
Jimmy Carter | January 12, 1971 – January 14, 1975 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1970 | Lester Maddox | ||
77 | ![]() |
George Busbee | January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1974 | Zell Miller | ||
1978 | ||||||||
78 | ![]() |
Joe Frank Harris | January 11, 1983 – January 14, 1991 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1982 | |||
1986 | ||||||||
79 | ![]() |
Zell Miller | January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1990 | Pierre Howard | ||
1994 | ||||||||
80 | ![]() |
Roy Barnes | January 11, 1999 – January 13, 2003 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1998 | Mark Taylor | ||
81 | ![]() |
Sonny Perdue | January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011 (term limited) |
Republican | 2002 | |||
2006 | Casey Cagle | |||||||
82 | ![]() |
Nathan Deal | January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019 (term limited) |
Republican | 2010 | |||
2014 | ||||||||
83 | ![]() |
Brian Kemp | January 14, 2019 – present |
Republican | 2018 | Geoff Duncan |
