List of governors of Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Mississippi
Seal of Mississippi
Incumbent Tate Reeves since January 14, 2020
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Residence	Mississippi Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Formation	Constitution of Mississippi
Succession	Every four years, unless reelected
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Salary	$122,160

The governor of Mississippi is like the top leader of the state of Mississippi. They are in charge of the state government and also lead Mississippi's military forces, called the Mississippi National Guard. The governor's main jobs include making sure state laws are followed. They can also approve or reject new laws passed by the Mississippi Legislature. Plus, they can call the legislature together whenever needed. The governor also has the power to forgive people who have committed crimes, except in cases of treason or impeachment.

To become governor, a person must be at least 30 years old. They must also have been a United States citizen for 20 years and lived in Mississippi for at least five years before they start the job. The Constitution of Mississippi, which is the state's main set of rules, was approved in 1890. It says the governor serves for four years. Since 2020, governors are chosen using a "two-round system" where voters pick their favorite, and if no one gets enough votes, the top two candidates have a second election. Before 2020, the election system was more complicated.

The governor's term used to be only two years, with no limit on how many times they could serve. Later, a rule was added that said governors could only serve four years out of every six. In 1868, the term became four years, and the limit was removed. Then, in 1890, a new rule said governors couldn't serve right after themselves. But in 1986, this rule changed again, allowing them to serve two terms in a row.

The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1817. It was removed for a while but brought back in 1868. If the governor's job becomes empty for any reason, the lieutenant governor steps in to finish the term. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected together as a team.

The current governor is Tate Reeves from the Republican Party. He started his term on January 14, 2020.

Past Governors

Mississippi Territory

The Mississippi Territory was set up on April 7, 1798. It was land given to the U.S. government by Georgia. During its 19 years as a territory, it had four governors. These governors were chosen by the president of the United States. One of them, David Holmes, later became a state governor.

Governors of Mississippi Territory

No.	Governor		Time in Office	Chosen by
1		Winthrop Sargent (1753–1820)	May 7, 1798 – May 25, 1801	Adams, JohnJohn Adams
2		William C. C. Claiborne (d. 1817)	May 25, 1801 – March 2, 1805	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
3		Robert Williams (1770–1836)	March 2, 1805 – March 7, 1809	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
4		David Holmes (1769–1832)	March 7, 1809 – October 7, 1817	Madison, JamesJames Madison

State of Mississippi

Mississippi officially became a state in the United States on December 10, 1817. Later, on January 9, 1861, it left the Union and became one of the first members of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. After the American Civil War ended, during a time called the Reconstruction era, the U.S. military had some control over who became governor. Mississippi rejoined the Union on February 23, 1870.

Governors of the State of Mississippi

No.	Governor			Time in Office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			David Holmes (1769–1832)	October 7, 1817 – January 5, 1820	Democratic- Republican	1817		Stewart, DuncanDuncan Stewart
2			George Poindexter (1779–1853)	January 5, 1820 – January 7, 1822	Democratic- Republican	1819		Patton, JamesJames Patton
3			Walter Leake (1762–1825)	January 7, 1822 – November 17, 1825 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican	1821		Dickson, David C.David C. Dickson
						1823		Brandon, GerardGerard Brandon
4			Gerard Brandon (1788–1850)	November 17, 1825 – January 7, 1826	Democratic- Republican	Acting		Acting as governor
5			David Holmes (1769–1832)	January 7, 1826 – July 25, 1826 (resigned)	Democratic- Republican	1825		Brandon, GerardGerard Brandon
6			Gerard Brandon (1788–1850)	July 25, 1826 – January 9, 1832	Democratic- Republican	Acting		Acting as governor
						1827		Scott, Abram M.Abram M. Scott
						1829
7			Abram M. Scott (1785–1833)	January 9, 1832 – June 12, 1833 (died in office)	National Republican	1831		Winston, FountainFountain Winston (job ended October 26, 1832)
							Job did not exist
8			Charles Lynch (1783–1853)	June 12, 1833 – November 21, 1833	Whig	Acting
9			Hiram Runnels (1796–1857)	November 21, 1833 – November 21, 1835	Democratic	1833
10			John A. Quitman (1798–1858)	December 3, 1835 – January 7, 1836	Democratic	Acting
11			Charles Lynch (1783–1853)	January 7, 1836 – January 8, 1838	Whig	1835
12			Alexander G. McNutt (1802–1848)	January 8, 1838 – January 9, 1842	Democratic	1837
						1839
13			Tilghman Tucker (1802–1859)	January 10, 1842 – January 10, 1844	Democratic	1841
14			Albert G. Brown (1813–1880)	January 10, 1844 – January 10, 1848	Democratic	1843
						1845
15			Joseph W. Matthews (1812–1862)	January 10, 1848 – January 10, 1850	Democratic	1847
16			John A. Quitman (1798–1858)	January 10, 1850 – February 3, 1851 (resigned)	Democratic	1849
17			John Isaac Guion (1802–1855)	February 3, 1851 – November 4, 1851	Democratic	Acting
18			James Whitfield (1791–1875)	November 25, 1851 – January 10, 1852	Democratic	Acting
19			Henry S. Foote (1804–1880)	January 10, 1852 – January 5, 1854 (resigned)	Union Democratic	1851
20			John J. Pettus (1813–1867)	January 5, 1854 – January 10, 1854	Democratic	Acting
21			John J. McRae (1815–1868)	January 10, 1854 – November 16, 1857	Democratic	1853
						1855
22			William McWillie (1795–1869)	November 16, 1857 – November 21, 1859	Democratic	1857
23			John J. Pettus (1813–1867)	November 21, 1859 – November 16, 1863	Democratic	1859
						1861
24			Charles Clark (1811–1877)	November 16, 1863 – May 22, 1865 (removed from office)	Democratic	1863
25			William L. Sharkey (1798–1873)	June 13, 1865 – October 16, 1865	Appointed by President
26			Benjamin G. Humphreys (1808–1882)	October 16, 1865 – June 15, 1868 (removed)	Non-partisan	1865
27			Adelbert Ames (1835–1933)	June 15, 1868 – March 10, 1870	Appointed by military
28			James L. Alcorn (1816–1894)	March 10, 1870 – November 30, 1871 (resigned)	Republican	1869		Powers, Ridgley C.Ridgley C. Powers
29			Ridgley C. Powers (1836–1912)	November 30, 1871 – January 22, 1874	Republican	Acting		Acting as governor
30			Adelbert Ames (1835–1933)	January 22, 1874 – March 29, 1876 (resigned)	Republican	1873		Davis, Alexander KelsoAlexander Kelso Davis
							Vacant
31			John Marshall Stone (1830–1900)	March 29, 1876 – January 9, 1882	Democratic	Acting
						1877		Sims, William H.William H. Sims
32			Robert Lowry (1829–1910)	January 9, 1882 – January 13, 1890	Democratic	1881		Shands, G. D.G. D. Shands
						1885
33			John Marshall Stone (1830–1900)	January 13, 1890 – January 21, 1896	Democratic	1889		Evans, M. M.M. M. Evans
34			Anselm J. McLaurin (1848–1909)	January 21, 1896 – January 16, 1900	Democratic	1895		Jones, J. H.J. H. Jones
35			Andrew H. Longino (1854–1942)	January 16, 1900 – January 19, 1904	Democratic	1899		Harrison, James T.James T. Harrison
36			James K. Vardaman (1861–1930)	January 19, 1904 – January 21, 1908	Democratic	1903		Carter, John PrentissJohn Prentiss Carter
37			Edmond Noel (1856–1927)	January 21, 1908 – January 16, 1912	Democratic	1907		Manship, LutherLuther Manship
38			Earl L. Brewer (1869–1942)	January 16, 1912 – January 18, 1916	Democratic	1911		Bilbo, Theodore G.Theodore G. Bilbo
39			Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947)	January 18, 1916 – January 18, 1920	Democratic	1915		Russell, Lee M.Lee M. Russell
40			Lee M. Russell (1875–1943)	January 20, 1920 – January 22, 1924	Democratic	1919		Casteel, HomerHomer Casteel
41			Henry L. Whitfield (1868–1927)	January 22, 1924 – March 18, 1927 (died in office)	Democratic	1923		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
42			Dennis Murphree (1886–1949)	March 18, 1927 – January 17, 1928	Democratic	Acting		Acting as governor
43			Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947)	January 17, 1928 – January 19, 1932	Democratic	1927		Adam, BidwellBidwell Adam
44			Martin Sennet Conner (1891–1950)	January 19, 1932 – January 21, 1936	Democratic	1931		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
45			Hugh L. White (1881–1965)	January 21, 1936 – January 16, 1940	Democratic	1935		Snider, Jacob BuehlerJacob Buehler Snider
46			Paul B. Johnson Sr. (1880–1943)	January 16, 1940 – December 26, 1943 (died in office)	Democratic	1939		Murphree, DennisDennis Murphree
47			Dennis Murphree (1886–1949)	December 26, 1943 – January 18, 1944	Democratic	Acting		Acting as governor
48			Thomas L. Bailey (1888–1946)	January 18, 1944 – November 2, 1946 (died in office)	Democratic	1943		Wright, Fielding L.Fielding L. Wright
49			Fielding L. Wright (1895–1956)	November 2, 1946 – January 22, 1952	Democratic	Acting		Acting as governor
50						1947		Lumpkin, SamSam Lumpkin
51			Hugh L. White (1881–1965)	January 22, 1952 – January 17, 1956	Democratic	1951		Gartin, CarrollCarroll Gartin
52			James P. Coleman (1914–1991)	January 17, 1956 – January 19, 1960	Democratic	1955
53			Ross Barnett (1898–1987)	January 19, 1960 – January 21, 1964	Democratic	1959		Johnson Jr., Paul B.Paul B. Johnson Jr.
54			Paul B. Johnson Jr. (1916–1985)	January 21, 1964 – January 16, 1968	Democratic	1963		Gartin, CarrollCarroll Gartin (died December 19, 1966)
							Vacant
55			John Bell Williams (1918–1983)	January 16, 1968 – January 18, 1972	Democratic	1967		Sullivan, Charles L.Charles L. Sullivan
56			Bill Waller (1926–2011)	January 18, 1972 – January 20, 1976	Democratic	1971		Winter, William F.William F. Winter
57			Cliff Finch (1927–1986)	January 20, 1976 – January 22, 1980	Democratic	1975		Gandy, EvelynEvelyn Gandy
58			William F. Winter (1923–2020)	January 22, 1980 – January 10, 1984	Democratic	1979		Dye, BradBrad Dye
59			William Allain (1928–2013)	January 10, 1984 – January 12, 1988	Democratic	1983
60			Ray Mabus (b. 1948)	January 12, 1988 – January 14, 1992	Democratic	1987
61			Kirk Fordice (1934–2004)	January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000	Republican	1991		Briggs, EddieEddie Briggs
						1995		Musgrove, RonnieRonnie Musgrove
62			Ronnie Musgrove (b. 1956)	January 11, 2000 – January 13, 2004	Democratic	1999		Tuck, AmyAmy Tuck
63			Haley Barbour (b. 1947)	January 13, 2004 – January 10, 2012	Republican	2003
						2007		Bryant, PhilPhil Bryant
64			Phil Bryant (b. 1954)	January 10, 2012 – January 14, 2020	Republican	2011		Reeves, TateTate Reeves
						2015
65			Tate Reeves (b. 1974)	January 14, 2020 – Incumbent	Republican	2019		Hosemann, DelbertDelbert Hosemann
						2023

See also

• List of lieutenant governors of Mississippi
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Mississippi
• List of Mississippi state legislatures