List of governors of Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Iowa
State seal
Incumbent Kim Reynolds since May 24, 2017
Government of Iowa
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Terrace Hill
Term length	Four years, no term limits
Precursor	Governor of Iowa Territory
Inaugural holder	Ansel Briggs
Formation	December 3, 1846 (178 years ago) (1846-12-03)
Salary	$130,000 (2022)

The governor of Iowa is the head of government of the U.S. state of Iowa. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The officeholder has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Iowa General Assembly, to convene the legislature, as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment. The governor of Iowa is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have been 41 individuals who held the position of Iowa governor, with two of those serving multiple distinct terms, Samuel J. Kirkwood and Terry Branstad. The current governor, Kim Reynolds, is the first woman to hold the position and was sworn in on May 24, 2017. The longest-serving is Terry Branstad, who served from 1983 to 1999 and then again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 21 years set by George Clinton of New York. The shortest-serving was Robert D. Fulton, who served 16 days.

List of governors

Territory of Iowa

Iowa Territory was formed on July 4, 1838, from Wisconsin Territory. It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States, though the first resigned days after he was confirmed by the Senate and before ever reaching the territory.

Governors of Iowa Territory

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		Henry Atkinson (1782–1842)	June 13, 1838 – July 7, 1838 (resigned before taking office)	Van Buren, MartinMartin Van Buren
2		Robert Lucas (1781–1853)	July 7, 1838 – June 17, 1841 (successor appointed)	Van Buren, MartinMartin Van Buren
3		John Chambers (1780–1852)	March 25, 1841 – November 18, 1845 (successor appointed)	Tyler, JohnJohn Tyler
4		James Clarke (1812–1850)	November 8, 1845 – December 3, 1846 (statehood)	Polk, James K.James K. Polk

State of Iowa

The southeast portion of Iowa Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa on December 28, 1846. The first Constitution of Iowa, adopted in 1846, created the office of governor with a four-year term, with no specific start date. The 1857 constitution reduced this term to two years, but an amendment in 1972 increased this back to four years. The 1857 constitution also set the start of the term to the second Monday in the January following the election, which was moved one day later by a 1988 amendment.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1857 constitution, elected for the same term as the governor. An amendment in 1988 specified that the lieutenant governor would be elected on the same ticket as the governor. If the office becomes vacant, it devolves upon the lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term or vacancy. Prior to 1857, if the office became vacant, the Secretary of State of Iowa would act as governor. There is no term limit on the number of terms a governor may serve.

Governors of the State of Iowa

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Ansel Briggs (1806–1881)	December 3, 1846 – December 4, 1850 (did not run)	Democratic	1846	Office did not exist
2			Stephen P. Hempstead (1812–1883)	December 4, 1850 – December 9, 1854 (did not run)	Democratic	1850
3			James W. Grimes (1816–1872)	December 9, 1854 – January 14, 1858 (did not run)	Whig	1854
4			Ralph P. Lowe (1805–1883)	January 14, 1858 – January 11, 1860 (did not run)	Republican	1857		Faville, OranOran Faville
5			Samuel J. Kirkwood (1813–1894)	January 11, 1860 – January 14, 1864 (did not run)	Republican	1859		Rusch, Nicholas J.Nicholas J. Rusch
						1861		Needham, John R.John R. Needham
6			William M. Stone (1827–1893)	January 14, 1864 – January 16, 1868 (did not run)	Republican	1863		Eastman, Enoch W.Enoch W. Eastman
						1865		Gue, Benjamin F.Benjamin F. Gue
7			Samuel Merrill (1822–1899)	January 16, 1868 – January 11, 1872 (did not run)	Republican	1867		Scott, JohnJohn Scott
						1869		Walden, Madison MinerMadison Miner Walden (resigned 1871)
							Vacant
								Bulis, Henry C.Henry C. Bulis (appointed September 13, 1871)
8			Cyrus C. Carpenter (1829–1898)	January 11, 1872 – January 13, 1876 (did not run)	Republican	1871
						1873		Dysart, JosephJoseph Dysart
9			Samuel J. Kirkwood (1813–1894)	January 13, 1876 – February 1, 1877 (resigned)	Republican	1875		Newbold, Joshua G.Joshua G. Newbold
10			Joshua G. Newbold (1830–1903)	February 1, 1877 – January 17, 1878 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
11			John H. Gear (1825–1900)	January 17, 1878 – January 12, 1882 (did not run)	Republican	1877		Campbell, Frank T.Frank T. Campbell
						1879
12			Buren R. Sherman (1836–1904)	January 12, 1882 – January 14, 1886 (did not run)	Republican	1881		Manning, Orlando H.Orlando H. Manning
						1883
13			William Larrabee (1832–1912)	January 14, 1886 – February 27, 1890 (did not run)	Republican	1885		Hull, John A. T.John A. T. Hull
						1887
14			Horace Boies (1827–1923)	February 27, 1890 – January 11, 1894 (lost election)	Democratic	1889		Poyneer, Alfred N.Alfred N. Poyneer
						1891		Bestow, Samuel L.Samuel L. Bestow
15			Frank D. Jackson (1854–1938)	January 11, 1894 – January 16, 1896 (did not run)	Republican	1893		Dungan, Warren S.Warren S. Dungan
16			Francis M. Drake (1830–1903)	January 16, 1896 – January 13, 1898 (did not run)	Republican	1895		Parrott, MattMatt Parrott
17			L. M. Shaw (1848–1932)	January 13, 1898 – January 16, 1902 (did not run)	Republican	1897		Milliman, James C.James C. Milliman
						1899
18			Albert B. Cummins (1850–1926)	January 16, 1902 – November 24, 1908 (resigned)	Republican	1901		Herriott, JohnJohn Herriott
						1903
						1906		Garst, WarrenWarren Garst
19			Warren Garst (1850–1924)	November 24, 1908 – January 14, 1909 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
20			Beryl F. Carroll (1860–1939)	January 14, 1909 – January 16, 1913 (did not run)	Republican	1908		Clarke, George W.George W. Clarke
						1910
21			George W. Clarke (1852–1936)	January 16, 1913 – January 11, 1917 (did not run)	Republican	1912		Harding, William L.William L. Harding
						1914
22			William L. Harding (1877–1934)	January 11, 1917 – January 13, 1921 (did not run)	Republican	1916		Moore, Ernest RobertErnest Robert Moore
						1918
23			Nathan E. Kendall (1868–1936)	January 13, 1921 – January 15, 1925 (did not run)	Republican	1920		Hammill, JohnJohn Hammill
						1922
24			John Hammill (1875–1936)	January 15, 1925 – January 15, 1931 (did not run)	Republican	1924		Kimball, Clem F.Clem F. Kimball (died September 10, 1928)
						1926
							Vacant
								McFarlane, Arch W.Arch W. McFarlane (appointed November 15, 1928)
						1928
25			Dan W. Turner (1877–1969)	January 15, 1931 – January 12, 1933 (lost election)	Republican	1930
26			Clyde L. Herring (1879–1945)	January 12, 1933 – January 14, 1937 (did not run)	Democratic	1932		Kraschel, Nelson G.Nelson G. Kraschel
						1934
27			Nelson G. Kraschel (1889–1957)	January 14, 1937 – January 12, 1939 (lost election)	Democratic	1936		Valentine, John K.John K. Valentine
28			George A. Wilson (1884–1953)	January 12, 1939 – January 14, 1943 (did not run)	Republican	1938		Hickenlooper, Bourke B.Bourke B. Hickenlooper
						1940
29			Bourke B. Hickenlooper (1896–1971)	January 14, 1943 – January 11, 1945 (did not run)	Republican	1942		Blue, Robert D.Robert D. Blue
30			Robert D. Blue (1898–1989)	January 11, 1945 – January 13, 1949 (did not run)	Republican	1944		Evans, Kenneth A.Kenneth A. Evans
						1946
31			William S. Beardsley (1901–1954)	January 13, 1949 – November 21, 1954 (died in office)	Republican	1948
						1950		Nicholas, William H.William H. Nicholas
						1952		Elthon, LeoLeo Elthon
32			Leo Elthon (1898–1967)	November 21, 1954 – January 13, 1955 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
33			Leo Hoegh (1908–2000)	January 13, 1955 – January 17, 1957 (lost election)	Republican	1954		Elthon, LeoLeo Elthon
34			Herschel C. Loveless (1911–1989)	January 17, 1957 – January 12, 1961 (did not run)	Democratic	1956		Nicholas, William H.William H. Nicholas
						1958		McManus, Edward JosephEdward Joseph McManus
35			Norman A. Erbe (1919–2000)	January 12, 1961 – January 17, 1963 (lost election)	Republican	1960		Mooty, W. L.W. L. Mooty
36			Harold Hughes (1922–1996)	January 17, 1963 – January 1, 1969 (resigned)	Democratic	1962
						1964		Fulton, Robert D.Robert D. Fulton
						1966
37			Robert D. Fulton (1929–2024)	January 1, 1969 – January 16, 1969 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
38			Robert D. Ray (1928–2018)	January 16, 1969 – January 14, 1983 (did not run)	Republican	1968		Jepsen, RogerRoger Jepsen
						1970
						1972		Neu, ArthurArthur Neu
						1974
						1978		Branstad, TerryTerry Branstad
39			Terry Branstad (b. 1946)	January 14, 1983 – January 15, 1999 (did not run)	Republican	1982		Anderson, Robert T.Robert T. Anderson
						1986		Zimmerman, Jo AnnJo Ann Zimmerman
						1990		Corning, JoyJoy Corning
						1994
40			Tom Vilsack (b. 1950)	January 15, 1999 – January 12, 2007 (did not run)	Democratic	1998		Pederson, SallySally Pederson
						2002
41			Chet Culver (b. 1966)	January 12, 2007 – January 14, 2011 (lost election)	Democratic	2006		Judge, PattyPatty Judge
42			Terry Branstad (b. 1946)	January 14, 2011 – May 24, 2017 (resigned)	Republican	2010		Reynolds, KimKim Reynolds
						2014
43			Kim Reynolds (b. 1959)	May 24, 2017 – Incumbent	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Gregg, AdamAdam Gregg (appointed May 25, 2017) (resigned September 3, 2024)
						2018
						2022
							Vacant
								Cournoyer, ChrisChris Cournoyer (appointed December 16, 2024)

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Iowa