List of governors of Georgia facts for kids
The governor of Georgia is like the main leader of the U.S. state of Georgia. They are the head of the state's government and the commander-in-chief of Georgia's military forces. The current governor is Republican Brian Kemp, who started his term on January 14, 2019.
Georgia has had 83 official governors. Some governors, like John Houstoun and Eugene Talmadge, served more than one time. The governors who served the longest were George Busbee, Joe Frank Harris, Zell Miller, Sonny Perdue, and Nathan Deal. Each of them served two full four-year terms. Joseph E. Brown, who was governor during the Civil War, was elected four times and served for seven and a half years. The shortest term was by Matthew Talbot, who served only 13 days after the previous governor passed away.
Governors of Georgia
Georgia was one of the first Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. It officially became a state on January 2, 1788. Before it became independent, Georgia was a colony ruled by the Kingdom of Great Britain.
During the American Civil War, Georgia left the United States on January 19, 1861. It then became one of the founding members of the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War ended, during a time called Reconstruction, the U.S. military had some control over who became governor. Georgia was brought back into the Union on July 25, 1868.
When Georgia first set up its rules in 1776, the leader was called a "president" and served for 6 months. In 1777, a formal constitution was written. It created the job of "governor," who would serve for one year. A governor could not serve more than one year out of every three.
Over time, the rules for governors changed:
- In 1789, the term became two years, with no limit on how many times someone could serve.
- The 1865 constitution said governors had to take four years off after serving two terms.
- The 1868 constitution quickly changed this, allowing four-year terms with no limits.
- In 1877, the term length went back to two years, with the same limit as the 1865 constitution.
- The 1945 constitution changed terms to four years. Governors had to wait four years before running again. This constitution also created the job of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. If the governor's office became empty, the lieutenant governor would take over.
- In 1983, the rules changed again. Now, the lieutenant governor fully becomes governor if the office is empty. Before the lieutenant governor's job existed, the president of the state senate would act as governor.
- The 1983 constitution also allows governors to serve two terms in a row before they have to wait four years to run again. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately, not as a team.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | ![]() |
Archibald Bulloch (1730–1777) |
January 22, 1776 – February 22, 1777 (died in office) |
None | — | Office did not exist | ||
8 | ![]() |
Button Gwinnett (1735–1777) |
March 4, 1777 – May 8, 1777 (left office) |
None | — | |||
9 | ![]() |
John A. Treutlen (1734–1782) |
May 8, 1777 – January 10, 1778 (left office) |
None | — | |||
10 | ![]() |
John Houstoun (1744–1796) |
January 10, 1778 – December 29, 1778 (fled from capture) |
None | — | |||
— | Competing governments | December 29, 1778 – August 6, 1779 |
Government in chaos after fall of Savannah |
|||||
11 | ![]() |
John Wereat (d. 1799) |
August 6, 1779 – November 1779 (left office) |
None | — | |||
12 | ![]() |
George Walton (d. 1804) |
November 1779 – January 4, 1780 (left office) |
None | — | |||
13 | ![]() |
Richard Howly (1740–1784) |
January 4, 1780 – February 5, 1780 (left office) |
None | — | |||
— | ![]() |
George Wells (d. 1780) |
February 5, 1780 – February 16, 1780 (died in office) |
None | — | |||
14 | ![]() |
Stephen Heard (1740–1815) |
February 18, 1780 – August 18, 1781 (left office) |
None | — | |||
15 | ![]() |
Nathan Brownson (1742–1796) |
August 18, 1781 – January 3, 1782 (term-limited) |
None | 1781 | |||
16 | ![]() |
John Martin (d. 1786) |
January 3, 1782 – January 8, 1783 (term-limited) |
None | 1782 | |||
17 | ![]() |
Lyman Hall (1724–1790) |
January 8, 1783 – January 9, 1784 (term-limited) |
None | 1783 | |||
10 | ![]() |
John Houstoun (1744–1796) |
January 9, 1784 – January 6, 1785 (term-limited) |
None | 1784 | |||
18 | ![]() |
Samuel Elbert (1740–1788) |
January 6, 1785 – January 9, 1786 (term-limited) |
None | 1785 | |||
19 | ![]() |
Edward Telfair (1735–1807) |
January 9, 1786 – January 9, 1787 (term-limited) |
None | 1786 | |||
20 | ![]() |
George Mathews (1739–1812) |
January 9, 1787 – January 26, 1788 (term-limited) |
None | 1787 | |||
21 | ![]() |
George Handley (1752–1793) |
January 26, 1788 – January 7, 1789 (term-limited) |
None | 1788 | |||
12 | ![]() |
George Walton (d. 1804) |
January 7, 1789 – November 9, 1789 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
Jan. 1789 | |||
19 | ![]() |
Edward Telfair (1735–1807) |
November 9, 1789 – November 7, 1793 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
Nov. 1789 | |||
1791 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
George Mathews (1739–1812) |
November 7, 1793 – January 15, 1796 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1793 | |||
22 | ![]() |
Jared Irwin (1750–1818) |
January 15, 1796 – January 12, 1798 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1795 | |||
23 | ![]() |
James Jackson (1757–1806) |
January 12, 1798 – March 3, 1801 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1797 | |||
1799 | ||||||||
24 | ![]() |
David Emanuel (1744–1808) |
March 3, 1801 – November 7, 1801 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
25 | ![]() |
Josiah Tattnall (d. 1803) |
November 7, 1801 – November 4, 1802 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1801 | |||
26 | ![]() |
John Milledge (1757–1818) |
November 4, 1802 – September 23, 1806 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1802 (special) |
|||
1803 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
22 | ![]() |
Jared Irwin (1750–1818) |
September 23, 1806 – November 10, 1809 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
1807 | ||||||||
27 | ![]() |
David Brydie Mitchell (1766–1837) |
November 10, 1809 – November 5, 1813 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1809 | |||
1811 | ||||||||
28 | ![]() |
Peter Early (1773–1817) |
November 5, 1813 – November 10, 1815 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1813 | |||
27 | ![]() |
David Brydie Mitchell (1766–1837) |
November 10, 1815 – March 4, 1817 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1815 | |||
29 | ![]() |
William Rabun (1771–1819) |
March 4, 1817 – October 24, 1819 (died in office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
1817 | ||||||||
30 | ![]() |
Matthew Talbot (1767–1827) |
October 24, 1819 – November 5, 1819 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
31 | ![]() |
John Clark (1766–1832) |
November 5, 1819 – November 7, 1823 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1819 | |||
1821 | ||||||||
32 | ![]() |
George Troup (1780–1856) |
November 7, 1823 – November 7, 1827 (did not run) |
Troup Democratic- Republican |
1823 | |||
1825 | ||||||||
33 | ![]() |
John Forsyth (1780–1841) |
November 7, 1827 – November 4, 1829 (did not run) |
Troup Democratic- Republican |
1827 | |||
34 | ![]() |
George Rockingham Gilmer (1790–1859) |
November 4, 1829 – November 9, 1831 (lost election) |
Troup Democratic- Republican |
1829 | |||
35 | ![]() |
Wilson Lumpkin (1783–1870) |
November 9, 1831 – November 4, 1835 (did not run) |
Union (Democratic) |
1831 | |||
1833 | ||||||||
36 | ![]() |
William Schley (1786–1858) |
November 4, 1835 – November 8, 1837 (lost election) |
Union (Democratic) |
1835 | |||
34 | ![]() |
George Rockingham Gilmer (1790–1859) |
November 8, 1837 – November 6, 1839 (did not run) |
State Rights (Whig) |
1837 | |||
37 | ![]() |
Charles James McDonald (1793–1860) |
November 6, 1839 – November 8, 1843 (did not run) |
Union (Democratic) |
1839 | |||
1841 | ||||||||
38 | ![]() |
George W. Crawford (1798–1872) |
November 8, 1843 – November 3, 1847 (did not run) |
Whig | 1843 | |||
1845 | ||||||||
39 | ![]() |
George W. Towns (1801–1854) |
November 3, 1847 – November 5, 1851 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1847 | |||
1849 | ||||||||
40 | ![]() |
Howell Cobb (1815–1868) |
November 5, 1851 – November 9, 1853 (did not run) |
Constitutional Union (Democratic) |
1851 | |||
41 | ![]() |
Herschel V. Johnson (1812–1880) |
November 9, 1853 – November 6, 1857 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1853 | |||
1855 | ||||||||
42 | ![]() |
Joseph E. Brown (1821–1894) |
November 6, 1857 – June 17, 1865 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1857 | |||
1859 | ||||||||
1861 | ||||||||
1863 | ||||||||
43 | ![]() |
James Johnson (1811–1891) |
June 17, 1865 – December 19, 1865 (provisional term ended) |
Provisional governor appointed by President |
||||
44 | ![]() |
Charles J. Jenkins (1805–1883) |
December 14, 1865 – January 13, 1868 (removed from office) |
Democratic | 1865 | |||
45 | ![]() |
Thomas H. Ruger (1833–1907) |
January 13, 1868 – July 4, 1868 (state readmitted) |
Military occupation | ||||
46 | ![]() |
Rufus Bullock (1834–1907) |
July 4, 1868 – October 30, 1871 (resigned) |
Republican | 1868 | |||
47 | ![]() |
Benjamin F. Conley (1815–1886) |
October 30, 1871 – January 12, 1872 (successor took office) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
48 | ![]() |
James Milton Smith (1823–1890) |
January 12, 1872 – January 12, 1877 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1871 (special) |
|||
1872 | ||||||||
49 | ![]() |
Alfred H. Colquitt (1824–1894) |
January 12, 1877 – November 4, 1882 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1876 | |||
1880 | ||||||||
50 | ![]() |
Alexander H. Stephens (1812–1883) |
November 4, 1882 – March 4, 1883 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1882 | |||
51 | ![]() |
James S. Boynton (1833–1902) |
March 4, 1883 – May 10, 1883 (successor took office) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting |
|||
52 | ![]() |
Henry Dickerson McDaniel (1836–1926) |
May 10, 1883 – November 9, 1886 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1883 (special) |
|||
1884 | ||||||||
53 | ![]() |
John B. Gordon (1832–1904) |
November 9, 1886 – November 8, 1890 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1886 | |||
1888 | ||||||||
54 | ![]() |
William J. Northen (1835–1913) |
November 8, 1890 – October 27, 1894 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1890 | |||
1892 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() |
William Yates Atkinson (1854–1899) |
October 27, 1894 – October 29, 1898 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1894 | |||
1896 | ||||||||
56 | ![]() |
Allen D. Candler (1834–1910) |
October 29, 1898 – October 25, 1902 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1898 | |||
1900 | ||||||||
57 | ![]() |
Joseph M. Terrell (1861–1912) |
October 25, 1902 – June 29, 1907 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1902 | |||
1904 | ||||||||
58 | ![]() |
M. Hoke Smith (1855–1931) |
June 29, 1907 – June 26, 1909 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1906 | |||
59 | ![]() |
Joseph Mackey Brown (1851–1932) |
June 26, 1909 – July 1, 1911 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1908 | |||
58 | ![]() |
M. Hoke Smith (1855–1931) |
July 1, 1911 – November 15, 1911 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1910 | |||
60 | ![]() |
John M. Slaton (1866–1955) |
November 15, 1911 – January 25, 1912 (successor took office) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting |
|||
59 | ![]() |
Joseph Mackey Brown (1851–1932) |
January 25, 1912 – June 28, 1913 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1912 (special) |
|||
60 | ![]() |
John M. Slaton (1866–1955) |
June 28, 1913 – June 26, 1915 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1912 | |||
61 | ![]() |
Nathaniel Edwin Harris (1846–1929) |
June 26, 1915 – June 30, 1917 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1914 | |||
62 | ![]() |
Hugh Dorsey (1871–1948) |
June 30, 1917 – June 25, 1921 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1916 | |||
1918 | ||||||||
63 | ![]() |
Thomas W. Hardwick (1872–1944) |
June 25, 1921 – June 30, 1923 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1920 | |||
64 | ![]() |
Clifford Walker (1877–1954) |
June 30, 1923 – June 25, 1927 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1922 | |||
1924 | ||||||||
65 | ![]() |
Lamartine Griffin Hardman (1856–1937) |
June 25, 1927 – June 27, 1931 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1926 | |||
1928 | ||||||||
66 | ![]() |
Richard Russell Jr. (1897–1971) |
June 27, 1931 – January 10, 1933 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1930 | |||
67 | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) |
January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1932 | |||
1934 | ||||||||
68 | ![]() |
Eurith D. Rivers (1895–1967) |
January 12, 1937 – January 14, 1941 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1936 | |||
1938 | ||||||||
67 | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) |
January 14, 1941 – January 12, 1943 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | 1940 | |||
69 | ![]() |
Ellis Arnall (1907–1992) |
January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1942 | |||
— | ![]() |
Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) |
Died before taking office |
Democratic | 1946 | Melvin E. Thompson | ||
— | ![]() |
Herman Talmadge (1913–2002) |
January 14, 1947 – March 19, 1947 (removed from office) |
Democratic | ||||
70 | ![]() |
Melvin E. Thompson (1903–1980) |
March 19, 1947 – November 17, 1948 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
71 | ![]() |
Herman Talmadge (1913–2002) |
November 17, 1948 – January 11, 1955 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1948 (special) |
Marvin Griffin | ||
1950 | ||||||||
72 | ![]() |
Marvin Griffin (1907–1982) |
January 11, 1955 – January 13, 1959 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1954 | Ernest Vandiver | ||
73 | ![]() |
Ernest Vandiver (1918–2005) |
January 13, 1959 – January 15, 1963 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1958 | Garland T. Byrd | ||
74 | ![]() |
Carl Sanders (1925–2014) |
January 15, 1963 – January 11, 1967 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1962 | Peter Zack Geer | ||
75 | ![]() |
Lester Maddox (1915–2003) |
January 11, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1966 | George T. Smith | ||
76 | ![]() |
Jimmy Carter (1924–2024) |
January 12, 1971 – January 14, 1975 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1970 | Lester Maddox | ||
77 | ![]() |
George Busbee (1927–2004) |
January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1974 | Zell Miller | ||
1978 | ||||||||
78 | ![]() |
Joe Frank Harris (b. 1936) |
January 11, 1983 – January 14, 1991 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1982 | |||
1986 | ||||||||
79 | ![]() |
Zell Miller (1932–2018) |
January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1990 | Pierre Howard | ||
1994 | ||||||||
80 | ![]() |
Roy Barnes (b. 1948) |
January 11, 1999 – January 13, 2003 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1998 | Mark Taylor | ||
81 | ![]() |
Sonny Perdue (b. 1946) |
January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2002 | |||
2006 | Casey Cagle | |||||||
82 | ![]() |
Nathan Deal (b. 1942) |
January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2010 | |||
2014 | ||||||||
83 | ![]() |
Brian Kemp (b. 1963) |
January 14, 2019 – Incumbent |
Republican | 2018 | Geoff Duncan | ||
2022 | Burt Jones |
See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Georgia
- First ladies of Georgia