List of governors of New York facts for kids

Kathy Hochul has been governor since August 24, 2021. She is the first woman to hold the position.

The governor of New York is like the state's chief leader. This person is in charge of the executive branch of New York's government. They also lead the state's military forces. The governor's job is to make sure state laws are followed. They can also call meetings of the New York State Legislature. The governor can approve or reject new laws passed by the legislature. They can also grant pardons, which means forgiving someone for a crime.

Fifty-seven people have been governor of New York. Four of them served more than one time, but not in a row. Kathy Hochul is the first woman to be governor. She became governor on August 24, 2021. This happened when the previous governor resigned. She was then elected for a full term in 2022.

Some New York governors have become very famous. Four of them later became president of the United States. These were Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Six governors also became vice president. Two governors even became the Chief Justice of the United States, which is the top judge in the country.

The first governor, George Clinton, served the longest. He was governor for almost 21 years. This included 18 years in a row. The shortest term was by Charles Poletti, who served for only 29 days. Herbert H. Lehman was the first Jewish governor. David Paterson was the first African American governor. He was also the first legally blind governor.

Who Are New York's Governors?

New York was one of the first Thirteen Colonies in America. It became a state on July 26, 1788. Before it was a state, New York was a colony of Great Britain. Before that, it was a Dutch colony called New Netherland.

How the Governor's Job Started

The job of governor was created in 1777. This was by New York's first Constitution. At first, a governor served for three years. Later, in 1821, the term was changed to two years. The election was moved to November. In 1874, the term went back to three years. Then, in 1894, it changed back to two years. The most recent New York Constitution, from 1938, set the term at four years. There is no limit to how many times a governor can serve.

What Happens if the Governor Can't Serve?

Since 1777, New York has also had a lieutenant governor. This person is like the governor's assistant. They also lead the State Senate. If the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor takes over. They become the new governor for the rest of the term. If the lieutenant governor's job becomes empty, another leader, like the president pro tempore of the State Senate, steps in. The lieutenant governor is elected with the governor. People vote for both of them together.

Governors of the State of New York

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			George Clinton (1739–1812)	July 30, 1777 – July 1, 1795 (did not run)	No parties	1777		Van Cortlandt, PierrePierre Van Cortlandt
						1780
						1783
						1786
									Anti-Federalist	1792
		2							John Jay (1745–1829)	July 1, 1795 – July 1, 1801 (did not run)	Federalist	1795		Van Rensselaer, StephenStephen Van Rensselaer
1798
1			George Clinton (1739–1812)	July 1, 1801 – July 1, 1804 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1801		Van Rensselaer, JeremiahJeremiah Van Rensselaer
3			Morgan Lewis (1754–1844)	July 1, 1804 – July 1, 1807 (lost election)	Democratic– Republican	1804		Broome, JohnJohn Broome (died August 8, 1810)
4			Daniel D. Tompkins (1774–1825)	July 1, 1807 – February 24, 1817 (resigned)	Democratic– Republican	1807
						1810
							Vacant
								Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler (acting from January 29, 1811)
								Clinton, DeWittDeWitt Clinton (elected May 2, 1811)
						1813		Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler
						1816
5			John Tayler (1742–1829)	February 24, 1817 – July 1, 1817 (successor took office)	Democratic– Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Swift, PhiletusPhiletus Swift (acting)
6			DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828)	July 1, 1817 – January 1, 1823 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1817		Tayler, JohnJohn Tayler
						1820
7			Joseph C. Yates (1768–1837)	January 1, 1823 – January 1, 1825 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	1822		Root, ErastusErastus Root
6			DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828)	January 1, 1825 – February 11, 1828 (died in office)	Democratic– Republican	1824		Tallmadge Jr., JamesJames Tallmadge Jr.
						1826		Pitcher, NathanielNathaniel Pitcher
8			Nathaniel Pitcher (1777–1836)	February 11, 1828 – January 1, 1829 (did not run)	Democratic– Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Livingston, Peter R.Peter R. Livingston (acting)
								Dayan, CharlesCharles Dayan (acting from October 17, 1828)
9			Martin Van Buren (1782–1862)	January 1, 1829 – March 12, 1829 (resigned)	Democratic– Republican	1828		Throop, Enos T.Enos T. Throop
10			Enos T. Throop (1784–1874)	March 12, 1829 – January 1, 1833 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Stebbins, CharlesCharles Stebbins (acting)
								Oliver, William M.William M. Oliver (acting)
						1830		Livingston, Edward PhilipEdward Philip Livingston
11			William L. Marcy (1786–1857)	January 1, 1833 – January 1, 1839 (lost election)	Democratic	1832		Tracy, JohnJohn Tracy
						1834
						1836
12			William H. Seward (1801–1872)	January 1, 1839 – January 1, 1843 (did not run)	Whig	1838		Bradish, LutherLuther Bradish
						1840
13			William C. Bouck (1786–1859)	January 1, 1843 – January 1, 1845 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1842		Dickinson, Daniel S.Daniel S. Dickinson
14			Silas Wright (1795–1847)	January 1, 1845 – January 1, 1847 (lost election)	Democratic	1844		Gardiner, AddisonAddison Gardiner (resigned July 5, 1847)
15			John Young (1802–1852)	January 1, 1847 – January 1, 1849 (did not run)	Whig	1846
								Lester, AlbertAlbert Lester (acting)
								Fish, HamiltonHamilton Fish (took office January 1, 1848)
16			Hamilton Fish (1808–1893)	January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1851 (did not run)	Whig	1848		Patterson, George W.George W. Patterson
17			Washington Hunt (1811–1867)	January 1, 1851 – January 1, 1853 (lost election)	Whig	1850		Church, Sanford E.Sanford E. Church
18			Horatio Seymour (1810–1886)	January 1, 1853 – January 1, 1855 (lost election)	Democratic	1852
19			Myron H. Clark (1806–1892)	January 1, 1855 – January 1, 1857 (lost nomination)	Whig/ Free Soil (fusion)	1854		Raymond, Henry JarvisHenry Jarvis Raymond
20			John A. King (1788–1867)	January 1, 1857 – January 1, 1859 (did not run)	Republican	1856		Selden, Henry R.Henry R. Selden
21			Edwin D. Morgan (1811–1883)	January 1, 1859 – January 1, 1863 (did not run)	Republican	1858		Campbell, RobertRobert Campbell
						1860
18			Horatio Seymour (1810–1886)	January 1, 1863 – January 2, 1865 (lost election)	Democratic	1862		Floyd-Jones, David R.David R. Floyd-Jones
22			Reuben Fenton (1819–1885)	January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1869 (did not run)	Union	1864		Alvord, Thomas G.Thomas G. Alvord
						1866		Woodford, Stewart L.Stewart L. Woodford
23			John T. Hoffman (1828–1888)	January 1, 1869 – January 1, 1873 (did not run)	Democratic	1868		Beach, Allen C.Allen C. Beach
						1870
24			John Adams Dix (1798–1879)	January 1, 1873 – January 1, 1875 (lost election)	Republican	1872		Robinson, John C.John C. Robinson
25			Samuel J. Tilden (1814–1886)	January 1, 1875 – January 1, 1877 (did not run)	Democratic	1874		Dorsheimer, WilliamWilliam Dorsheimer
26			Lucius Robinson (1810–1891)	January 1, 1877 – January 1, 1880 (lost election)	Democratic	1876
27			Alonzo B. Cornell (1832–1904)	January 1, 1880 – January 1, 1883 (lost nomination)	Republican	1879		Hoskins, George GilbertGeorge Gilbert Hoskins
28			Grover Cleveland (1837–1908)	January 1, 1883 – January 6, 1885 (resigned)	Democratic	1882		Hill, David B.David B. Hill
29			David B. Hill (1843–1910)	January 6, 1885 – January 1, 1892 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		McCarthy, DennisDennis McCarthy (acting)
						1885		Jones, Edward F.Edward F. Jones
						1888
30			Roswell P. Flower (1835–1899)	January 1, 1892 – January 1, 1895 (did not run)	Democratic	1891		Sheehan, William F.William F. Sheehan
31			Levi P. Morton (1824–1920)	January 1, 1895 – January 1, 1897 (did not run)	Republican	1894		Saxton, Charles T.Charles T. Saxton
32			Frank S. Black (1853–1913)	January 1, 1897 – December 31, 1898 (lost nomination)	Republican	1896		Woodruff, Timothy L.Timothy L. Woodruff
33			Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)	January 1, 1899 – January 1, 1901 (did not run)	Republican	1898
34			Benjamin Odell (1854–1926)	January 1, 1901 – December 31, 1904 (did not run)	Republican	1900
						1902		Higgins, Frank W.Frank W. Higgins
35			Frank W. Higgins (1856–1907)	January 1, 1905 – January 1, 1907 (did not run)	Republican	1904		Bruce, Matthew LinnMatthew Linn Bruce (resigned December 5, 1906)
								Raines, JohnJohn Raines (acting)
36			Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948)	January 1, 1907 – October 6, 1910 (resigned)	Republican	1906		Chanler, Lewis StuyvesantLewis Stuyvesant Chanler
						1908		White, HoraceHorace White
37			Horace White (1865–1943)	October 6, 1910 – December 31, 1910 (successor took office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Cobb, George H.George H. Cobb (acting)
38			John Alden Dix (1860–1928)	January 1, 1911 – January 1, 1913 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1910		Conway, Thomas F.Thomas F. Conway
39			William Sulzer (1863–1941)	January 1, 1913 – October 17, 1913 (impeached and removed)	Democratic	1912		Glynn, Martin H.Martin H. Glynn
40			Martin H. Glynn (1871–1924)	October 17, 1913 – December 31, 1914 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Wagner, Robert F.Robert F. Wagner (acting)
41			Charles Seymour Whitman (1868–1947)	January 1, 1915 – January 1, 1919 (lost election)	Republican	1914		Schoeneck, EdwardEdward Schoeneck
						1916
42			Al Smith (1873–1944)	January 1, 1919 – December 31, 1920 (lost election)	Democratic	1918		Walker, Harry C.Harry C. Walker
43			Nathan L. Miller (1868–1953)	January 1, 1921 – December 31, 1922 (lost election)	Republican	1920		Wood, JeremiahJeremiah Wood (resigned September 26, 1922)
								Lusk, Clayton R.Clayton R. Lusk (acting)
42			Al Smith (1873–1944)	January 1, 1923 – December 31, 1928 (did not run)	Democratic	1922		Lunn, George R.George R. Lunn
						1924		Lowman, SeymourSeymour Lowman
						1926		Corning, EdwinEdwin Corning
44			Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)	January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1932 (did not run)	Democratic	1928		Lehman, Herbert H.Herbert H. Lehman
						1930
45			Herbert H. Lehman (1878–1963)	January 1, 1933 – December 2, 1942 (resigned)	Democratic	1932		Bray, M. WilliamM. William Bray
						1934
						1936
						1938		Poletti, CharlesCharles Poletti
46			Charles Poletti (1903–2002)	December 2, 1942 – December 31, 1942 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Hanley, Joe R.Joe R. Hanley (acting)
47			Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971)	January 1, 1943 – December 31, 1954 (did not run)	Republican	1942		Wallace, Thomas W.Thomas W. Wallace
						1946		Hanley, Joe R.Joe R. Hanley
						1950		Moore, Frank C.Frank C. Moore (resigned September 30, 1953)
								Wicks, Arthur H.Arthur H. Wicks (acting)
								Mahoney, Walter J.Walter J. Mahoney (acting)
48			W. Averell Harriman (1891–1986)	January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1958 (lost election)	Democratic	1954		DeLuca, GeorgeGeorge DeLuca
49			Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979)	January 1, 1959 – December 18, 1973 (resigned)	Republican	1958		Wilson, MalcolmMalcolm Wilson
						1962
						1966
						1970
50			Malcolm Wilson (1914–2000)	December 18, 1973 – December 31, 1974 (lost election)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Anderson, Warren M.Warren M. Anderson (acting)
51			Hugh Carey (1919–2011)	January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1982 (did not run)	Democratic	1974		Krupsak, Mary AnneMary Anne Krupsak
						1978		Cuomo, MarioMario Cuomo
52			Mario Cuomo (1932–2015)	January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994 (lost election)	Democratic	1982		DelBello, AlfredAlfred DelBello (resigned February 1, 1985)
								Anderson, Warren M.Warren M. Anderson (acting)
						1986		Lundine, StanStan Lundine
						1990
53			George Pataki (b. 1945)	January 1, 1995 – December 31, 2006 (did not run)	Republican	1994		McCaughey, BetsyBetsy McCaughey
						1998		Donohue, MaryMary Donohue
						2002
54			Eliot Spitzer (b. 1959)	January 1, 2007 – March 17, 2008 (resigned)	Democratic	2006		Paterson, DavidDavid Paterson
55			David Paterson (b. 1954)	March 17, 2008 – December 31, 2010 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Bruno, JosephJoseph Bruno (acting)
								Skelos, DeanDean Skelos (acting)
								Smith, MalcolmMalcolm Smith (acting)
								Espada Jr., PedroPedro Espada Jr. (acting)
								Ravitch, RichardRichard Ravitch (contested)
								Smith, MalcolmMalcolm Smith (acting)
								Ravitch, RichardRichard Ravitch
56			Andrew Cuomo (b. 1957)	January 1, 2011 – August 23, 2021 (resigned)	Democratic	2010		Duffy, RobertRobert Duffy
						2014		Hochul, KathyKathy Hochul
						2018
57			Kathy Hochul (b. 1958)	August 24, 2021 – Incumbent	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Stewart-Cousins, AndreaAndrea Stewart-Cousins (acting)
								Benjamin, BrianBrian Benjamin (appointed September 9, 2021) (resigned April 12, 2022)
								Stewart-Cousins, AndreaAndrea Stewart-Cousins (acting)
								Delgado, AntonioAntonio Delgado (appointed May 25, 2022)
						2022

More About New York's Governors

• New York gubernatorial elections
• List of colonial governors of New York
• First ladies and gentlemen of New York
• List of governors of New York by time in office
• List of New York State legislatures

See also

In Spanish: Gobernador del estado de Nueva York para niños