List of governors of Kentucky facts for kids
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is like the chief boss of Kentucky. They are the main leader of the state government. The governor is also the boss of Kentucky's military forces, like the Kentucky National Guard.
The governor has many important jobs. They make sure state laws are followed. They can also approve or reject (this is called a veto) new laws passed by the Kentucky General Assembly, which is Kentucky's law-making group. The governor can also call the lawmakers together for special meetings. They can even forgive people for crimes (this is called a pardon), except in very serious cases like treason (betraying the state) or impeachment (when a high official is accused of a crime). The governor can also change how the state government is set up or make it smaller. For a long time, this job has been seen as one of the most powerful in the United States.
Fifty-nine people have been governor of Kentucky. Before 1992, a governor could not serve two terms in a row. But four men (Isaac Shelby, John L. Helm, James B. McCreary, and Happy Chandler) served more than one term, but not back-to-back. Paul E. Patton was the first governor who could serve a second term in a row after the rule changed, and he won re-election in 1999. James Garrard served two terms in a row starting in 1800, before the rule against it existed. He is also the longest-serving governor, holding the office for over eight years. In 2023, Democrat Andy Beshear became the third governor in Kentucky history to be re-elected for a second term in a row.
William Goebel, who became governor after a very close election in 1899, is the only governor in any U.S. state to be assassinated while in office. He was also the shortest-serving governor, only in office for three days. Martha Layne Collins, who was governor from 1983 to 1987, was the first woman to be governor of Kentucky. She was also only the third woman in any U.S. state to be governor who was not related to a past governor. The 63rd and current Kentucky governor is Democrat Andy Beshear. He started his term on December 10, 2019.
Governors of Kentucky
Kentucky County, Virginia became the state of Kentucky on June 1, 1792. Since then, there have been 59 governors, serving 63 different times.
During the Civil War, a group of people who wanted to leave the Union formed a Confederate government for Kentucky. This happened on November 20, 1861. This government never really controlled the state, and Kentucky stayed with the Union throughout the war. The Confederate government elected two governors.
The first Kentucky Constitution in 1792 said the governor would be chosen by a special group of voters called an electoral college. They would serve for four years starting on June 1. The second constitution in 1799 changed this. People would vote directly for the governor. It also said governors could not serve again for seven years after their term ended. The start date for the term moved to the fourth Tuesday after the election. The third constitution in 1850 changed the rule again. Governors could not serve again for four years. The term start date moved to the fifth Tuesday after the election.
In 1992, a new change allowed governors to serve a second term in a row. After that, they still couldn't serve for another four years. At first, if the governor's office was empty, the leader of the Senate would take over. In 1799, the job of lieutenant governor was created to fill this role. Since 1992, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on the same ticket.
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) |
June 4, 1792 – June 1, 1796 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1792 | Office did not exist | ||
| 2 |  |
James Garrard (1749–1822) |
June 1, 1796 – September 5, 1804 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1796 | |||
| 1800 | Alexander Scott Bullitt | |||||||
| 3 |  |
Christopher Greenup (1750–1818) |
September 5, 1804 – August 23, 1808 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1804 | John Caldwell (died November 19, 1804) |
||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| Thomas Posey (acting, elected Speaker in 1805) |
||||||||
| 4 |  |
Charles Scott (1739–1813) |
August 23, 1808 – August 24, 1812 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1808 | Gabriel Slaughter | ||
| 5 | |
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) |
August 24, 1812 – September 5, 1816 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1812 | Richard Hickman | ||
| 6 |  |
George Madison (1763–1816) |
September 5, 1816 – October 14, 1816 (died in office) |
Democratic- Republican |
1816 | Gabriel Slaughter | ||
| 7 |  |
Gabriel Slaughter (1767–1830) |
October 14, 1816 – September 7, 1820 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 8 |  |
John Adair (1757–1840) |
September 7, 1820 – August 24, 1824 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1820 | William T. Barry | ||
| 9 |  |
Joseph Desha (1768–1842) |
August 24, 1824 – August 26, 1828 (term-limited) |
Democratic- Republican |
1824 | Robert B. McAfee | ||
| 10 |  |
Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) |
August 26, 1828 – August 28, 1832 (term-limited) |
National Republican |
1828 | John Breathitt | ||
| 11 |  |
John Breathitt (1786–1834) |
August 28, 1832 – February 21, 1834 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1832 | James Turner Morehead | ||
| 12 |  |
James Turner Morehead (1797–1854) |
February 21, 1834 – August 30, 1836 (did not run) |
National Republican |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 13 |  |
James Clark (1779–1839) |
August 30, 1836 – August 27, 1839 (died in office) |
Whig | 1836 | Charles A. Wickliffe | ||
| 14 |  |
Charles A. Wickliffe (1788–1869) |
August 27, 1839 – September 2, 1840 (did not run) |
Whig | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 15 |  |
Robert P. Letcher (1788–1861) |
September 2, 1840 – September 4, 1844 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1840 | Manlius Valerius Thomson | ||
| 16 |  |
William Owsley (1782–1862) |
September 4, 1844 – September 6, 1848 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1844 | Archibald Dixon | ||
| 17 |  |
John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) |
September 6, 1848 – July 30, 1850 (resigned) |
Whig | 1848 | John L. Helm | ||
| 18 |  |
John L. Helm (1802–1867) |
July 30, 1850 – September 2, 1851 (did not run) |
Whig | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 19 |  |
Lazarus W. Powell (1812–1867) |
September 2, 1851 – September 4, 1855 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1851 | John Burton Thompson | ||
| 20 |  |
Charles S. Morehead (1802–1868) |
September 4, 1855 – August 30, 1859 (term-limited) |
American | 1855 | James Greene Hardy | ||
| 21 |  |
Beriah Magoffin (1815–1885) |
August 30, 1859 – August 18, 1862 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1859 | Linn Boyd (died December 17, 1859) |
||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 22 |  |
James Fisher Robinson (1800–1882) |
August 18, 1862 – September 1, 1863 (did not run) |
Democratic | Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
| 23 | .jpg) |
Thomas E. Bramlette (1817–1875) |
September 1, 1863 – September 3, 1867 (term-limited) |
Union Democratic |
1863 | Richard Taylor Jacob | ||
| 24 | |
John L. Helm (1802–1867) |
September 3, 1867 – September 8, 1867 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1867 | John W. Stevenson | ||
| 25 |  |
John W. Stevenson (1812–1886) |
September 8, 1867 – February 13, 1871 (resigned) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1868 (special) |
||||||||
| 26 |  |
Preston Leslie (1819–1907) |
February 13, 1871 – August 31, 1875 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from president of the Senate |
|||
| 1871 | John G. Carlisle | |||||||
| 27 |  |
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) |
August 31, 1875 – September 2, 1879 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1875 | John C. Underwood | ||
| 28 |  |
Luke P. Blackburn (1816–1887) |
September 2, 1879 – September 4, 1883 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1879 | James E. Cantrill | ||
| 29 |  |
J. Proctor Knott (1830–1911) |
September 4, 1883 – August 30, 1887 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1883 | James R. Hindman | ||
| 30 |  |
Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823–1914) |
August 30, 1887 – September 1, 1891 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1887 | James William Bryan | ||
| 31 |  |
John Y. Brown (1835–1904) |
September 1, 1891 – December 10, 1895 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1891 | Mitchell Cary Alford | ||
| 32 |  |
William O'Connell Bradley (1847–1914) |
December 10, 1895 – December 12, 1899 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1895 | William Jackson Worthington | ||
| 33 |  |
William S. Taylor (1853–1928) |
December 12, 1899 – January 31, 1900 (removed from office) |
Republican | 1899 | John Marshall | ||
| 34 |  |
William Goebel (1856–1900) |
January 31, 1900 – February 3, 1900 (died in office) |
Democratic | J. C. W. Beckham | |||
| 35 | .jpg) |
J. C. W. Beckham (1869–1940) |
February 3, 1900 – December 10, 1907 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1900 (special) |
||||||||
| 1903 | William P. Thorne | |||||||
| 36 |  |
Augustus E. Willson (1846–1931) |
December 10, 1907 – December 12, 1911 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1907 | William Hopkinson Cox | ||
| 37 | |
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) |
December 12, 1911 – December 7, 1915 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1911 | Edward J. McDermott | ||
| 38 |  |
Augustus Owsley Stanley (1867–1958) |
December 7, 1915 – May 19, 1919 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1915 | James D. Black | ||
| 39 |  |
James D. Black (1849–1938) |
May 19, 1919 – December 9, 1919 (lost election) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 40 |  |
Edwin P. Morrow (1877–1935) |
December 9, 1919 – December 11, 1923 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1919 | S. Thruston Ballard | ||
| 41 |  |
William J. Fields (1874–1954) |
December 11, 1923 – December 13, 1927 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1923 | Henry Denhardt | ||
| 42 | .png) |
Flem D. Sampson (1875–1967) |
December 13, 1927 – December 8, 1931 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1927 | James Breathitt Jr. | ||
| 43 |  |
Ruby Laffoon (1869–1941) |
December 8, 1931 – December 10, 1935 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1931 | Happy Chandler | ||
| 44 | .jpg) |
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) |
December 10, 1935 – October 9, 1939 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1935 | Keen Johnson | ||
| 45 |  |
Keen Johnson (1896–1970) |
October 9, 1939 – December 7, 1943 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1939 | Rodes K. Myers | |||||||
| 46 | .png) |
Simeon Willis (1879–1965) |
December 7, 1943 – December 9, 1947 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1943 | Kenneth H. Tuggle | ||
| 47 |  |
Earle Clements (1896–1985) |
December 9, 1947 – November 27, 1950 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1947 | Lawrence Wetherby | ||
| 48 | .jpg) |
Lawrence Wetherby (1908–1994) |
November 27, 1950 – December 13, 1955 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1951 | Emerson Beauchamp | |||||||
| 49 | |
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) |
December 13, 1955 – December 8, 1959 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1955 | Harry Lee Waterfield | ||
| 50 | .jpg) |
Bert Combs (1911–1991) |
December 8, 1959 – December 10, 1963 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1959 | Wilson W. Wyatt | ||
| 51 | .jpg) |
Ned Breathitt (1924–2003) |
December 10, 1963 – December 12, 1967 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1963 | Harry Lee Waterfield | ||
| 52 | .jpg) |
Louie Nunn (1924–2004) |
December 12, 1967 – December 7, 1971 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1967 | Wendell Ford | ||
| 53 |  |
Wendell Ford (1924–2015) |
December 7, 1971 – December 28, 1974 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1971 | Julian Carroll | ||
| 54 |  |
Julian Carroll (1931–2023) |
December 28, 1974 – December 11, 1979 (term-limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 1975 | Thelma Stovall | |||||||
| 55 | .png) |
John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022) |
December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1979 | Martha Layne Collins | ||
| 56 | .jpg) |
Martha Layne Collins (b. 1936) |
December 13, 1983 – December 8, 1987 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1983 | Steve Beshear | ||
| 57 |  |
Wallace Wilkinson (1941–2002) |
December 8, 1987 – December 10, 1991 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1987 | Brereton C. Jones | ||
| 58 | .jpg) |
Brereton C. Jones (1939–2023) |
December 10, 1991 – December 12, 1995 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1991 | Paul E. Patton | ||
| 59 | .jpg) |
Paul E. Patton (b. 1937) |
December 12, 1995 – December 9, 2003 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1995 | Steve Henry | ||
| 1999 | ||||||||
| 60 |  |
Ernie Fletcher (b. 1952) |
December 9, 2003 – December 11, 2007 (lost election) |
Republican | 2003 | Steve Pence | ||
| 61 |  |
Steve Beshear (b. 1944) |
December 11, 2007 – December 8, 2015 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 2007 | Daniel Mongiardo | ||
| 2011 | Jerry Abramson (resigned November 13, 2014) |
|||||||
| Crit Luallen | ||||||||
| 62 | .jpg) |
Matt Bevin (b. 1967) |
December 8, 2015 – December 10, 2019 (lost election) |
Republican | 2015 | Jenean Hampton | ||
| 63 | .jpg) |
Andy Beshear (b. 1977) |
December 10, 2019 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2019 | Jacqueline Coleman | ||
| 2023 | ||||||||
Confederate Governors
During the Civil War, some people in Kentucky who wanted to break away from the United States formed their own government. They met in Russellville and created a Confederate government. This government never really took control of the state. Kentucky stayed loyal to the United States throughout the war.
Two men were chosen as governor for this Confederate government:
- George W. Johnson served from November 20, 1861, until he died on April 8, 1862, during the Battle of Shiloh.
- After Johnson's death, Richard Hawes became governor. He served until the Confederate side gave up on April 9, 1865.
The Confederate government of Kentucky ended shortly after the war in 1865.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernadores de Kentucky para niños
- Timeline of Kentucky history
- List of Kentucky General Assemblies
