List of governors of North Carolina facts for kids

The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have been 69 governors of North Carolina, with six serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 75 terms. The current governor is Democrat Roy Cooper, who took office on January 1, 2017.

Governors

Presidents of the Council

Prior to declaring its independence, North Carolina was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The 13-member Provincial Council, renamed the Council of Safety in April 1776, was essentially the executive authority during the second year of the revolution, and was appointed by the Provincial Congress. The Presidency of the Council and the Presidency of the Congress could each be considered the highest offices in the state during this time, but the council was supreme when the congress was not in session.

Cornelius Harnett served as the first president from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. Samuel Ashe then served until September 27, 1776, and Willie Jones until October 25, 1776, at which time a state government had been formed.

State governors

North Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies, and was admitted as a state on November 21, 1789. It seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, North Carolina during Reconstruction was part of the Second Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. North Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 4, 1868.

The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be chosen by the legislature annually, and whom may only serve up to three out of every six years. An amendment in 1835 changed this to popular election for a term of two years, allowing them to succeed themselves once. The 1868 constitution lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the first day of January after the election, but they could not succeed themselves, a limit that was changed in 1977 to allow them to succeed themselves once.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, to act as governor when that office is vacant; in 1971 this was changed so that the lieutenant governor becomes governor. Before the office was created, the speaker of the senate would act as governor should it be vacant.

Governors of the State of North Carolina

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Richard Caswell (1729–1789)	December 19, 1776 – April 21, 1780 (term-limited)	None	1776	Office did not exist
						1777
						1778
						1779
2			Abner Nash (1740–1786)	April 21, 1780 – June 26, 1781 (did not run)	None	1780
3			Thomas Burke (1747–1783)	June 26, 1781 – April 22, 1782 (did not run)	None	1781
4			Alexander Martin (1740–1807)	April 22, 1782 – May 13, 1785 (did not run)	None	1782
						1783
5			Richard Caswell (1729–1789)	May 13, 1785 – December 20, 1787 (did not run)	None	1784
						1785
						1786
6			Samuel Johnston (1733–1816)	December 20, 1787 – December 17, 1789 (resigned)	Federalist	1787
						1788
						1789
7			Alexander Martin (1740–1807)	December 17, 1789 – December 14, 1792 (term-limited)	Federalist	1789 (special)
						1790
						1791
8			Richard Dobbs Spaight (1758–1802)	December 14, 1792 – November 19, 1795 (term-limited)	Federalist	1792
						1793
						1794
9			Samuel Ashe (1725–1813)	November 19, 1795 – December 7, 1798 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1795
						1796
						1797
10			William Richardson Davie (1756–1820)	December 7, 1798 – November 23, 1799 (did not run)	Federalist	1798
11			Benjamin Williams (1751–1814)	November 23, 1799 – December 6, 1802 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1799
						1800
						1801
—			John Baptista Ashe (1748–1802)	Died before taking office	Democratic- Republican	1802
12			James Turner (1766–1824)	December 6, 1802 – December 10, 1805 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1802 (special)
						1803
						1804
13			Nathaniel Alexander (1756–1808)	December 10, 1805 – December 1, 1807 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1805
						1806
14			Benjamin Williams (1751–1814)	December 1, 1807 – December 12, 1808 (did not run)	Federalist	1807
15			David Stone (1770–1818)	December 12, 1808 – December 5, 1810 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican	1808
						1809
16			Benjamin Smith (1756–1826)	December 5, 1810 – December 9, 1811 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1810
17			William Hawkins (1777–1819)	December 9, 1811 – December 7, 1814 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1811
						1812
						1813
18			William Miller (1783–1825)	December 7, 1814 – December 6, 1817 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1814
						1815
						1816
19			John Branch (1782–1863)	December 6, 1817 – December 7, 1820 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1817
						1818
						1819
20			Jesse Franklin (1760–1823)	December 7, 1820 – December 7, 1821 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1820
21			Gabriel Holmes (1769–1829)	December 7, 1821 – December 7, 1824 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1821
						1822
						1823
22			Hutchins Gordon Burton (1774–1836)	December 7, 1824 – December 8, 1827 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1824
						1825
						1826
23			James Iredell Jr. (1788–1853)	December 8, 1827 – December 12, 1828 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1827
24			John Owen (1787–1841)	December 12, 1828 – December 18, 1830 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1828
						1829
25			Montfort Stokes (1762–1842)	December 18, 1830 – December 6, 1832 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican	1830
						1831
26			David Lowry Swain (1801–1868)	December 6, 1832 – December 10, 1835 (term-limited)	National Republican	1832
						1833
						1834
27			Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr. (1796–1850)	December 10, 1835 – December 31, 1836 (lost election)	Democratic	1835
28			Edward Bishop Dudley (1789–1855)	December 31, 1836 – January 1, 1841 (term-limited)	Whig	1836
						1838
29			John Motley Morehead (1796–1866)	January 1, 1841 – January 1, 1845 (term-limited)	Whig	1840
						1842
30			William Alexander Graham (1804–1875)	January 1, 1845 – January 1, 1849 (term-limited)	Whig	1844
						1846
31			Charles Manly (1795–1871)	January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1851 (lost election)	Whig	1848
32			David Settle Reid (1813–1891)	January 1, 1851 – December 6, 1854 (resigned)	Democratic	1850
						1852
33			Warren Winslow (1810–1862)	December 6, 1854 – January 1, 1855 (successor took office)	Democratic	Speaker of the Senate acting
34			Thomas Bragg (1810–1872)	January 1, 1855 – January 1, 1859 (term-limited)	Democratic	1854
						1856
35			John Willis Ellis (1820–1861)	January 1, 1859 – July 7, 1861 (died in office)	Democratic	1858
						1860
36			Henry Toole Clark (1808–1874)	July 7, 1861 – September 8, 1862 (successor took office)	Democratic	Speaker of the Senate acting
37			Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894)	September 8, 1862 – May 13, 1865 (arrested and removed)	Conservative	1862
						1864
—	Vacant			May 13, 1865 – May 29, 1865	Office vacated after civil war
38			William Woods Holden (1818–1892)	May 29, 1865 – December 15, 1865 (lost election)	Provisional governor appointed by President
39			Johnathan Worth (1802–1869)	December 15, 1865 – July 1, 1868 (did not run)	Conservative	1865
						1866
40			William Woods Holden (1818–1892)	July 1, 1868 – March 22, 1871 (impeached and removed)	Republican	1868		Caldwell, Tod RobinsonTod Robinson Caldwell
41			Tod Robinson Caldwell (1818–1874)	March 22, 1871 – July 11, 1874 (died in office)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1872		Brogden, Curtis HooksCurtis Hooks Brogden
42			Curtis Hooks Brogden (1816–1901)	July 11, 1874 – January 1, 1877 (successor took office)	Republican	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
43			Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894)	January 1, 1877 – February 5, 1879 (resigned)	Democratic	1876		Jarvis, Thomas JordanThomas Jordan Jarvis
44			Thomas Jordan Jarvis (1836–1915)	February 5, 1879 – January 21, 1885 (term-limited)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1880		Robinson, James L.James L. Robinson
45			Alfred Moore Scales (1827–1892)	January 21, 1885 – January 17, 1889 (term-limited)	Democratic	1884		Stedman, Charles ManlyCharles Manly Stedman
46			Daniel Gould Fowle (1831–1891)	January 17, 1889 – April 7, 1891 (died in office)	Democratic	1888		Holt, Thomas MichaelThomas Michael Holt
47			Thomas Michael Holt (1831–1896)	April 7, 1891 – January 18, 1893 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
48			Elias Carr (1839–1900)	January 18, 1893 – January 12, 1897 (term-limited)	Democratic	1892		Doughton, Rufus A.Rufus A. Doughton
49			Daniel Lindsay Russell (1845–1908)	January 12, 1897 – January 15, 1901 (term-limited)	Republican	1896		Reynolds, Charles A.Charles A. Reynolds
50			Charles Brantley Aycock (1859–1912)	January 15, 1901 – January 11, 1905 (term-limited)	Democratic	1900		Turner, Wilfred D.Wilfred D. Turner
51			Robert Broadnax Glenn (1854–1920)	January 11, 1905 – January 12, 1909 (term-limited)	Democratic	1904		Winston, Francis D.Francis D. Winston
52			William Walton Kitchin (1866–1924)	January 12, 1909 – January 15, 1913 (term-limited)	Democratic	1908		Newland, William C.William C. Newland
53			Locke Craig (1860–1924)	January 15, 1913 – January 11, 1917 (term-limited)	Democratic	1912		Daughtridge, Elijah L.Elijah L. Daughtridge
54			Thomas Walter Bickett (1869–1921)	January 11, 1917 – January 12, 1921 (term-limited)	Democratic	1916		Gardner, Oliver MaxOliver Max Gardner
55			Cameron A. Morrison (1869–1953)	January 12, 1921 – January 14, 1925 (term-limited)	Democratic	1920		Cooper, William B.William B. Cooper
56			Angus Wilton McLean (1870–1935)	January 14, 1925 – January 11, 1929 (term-limited)	Democratic	1924		Long, J. ElmerJ. Elmer Long
57			Oliver Max Gardner (1882–1947)	January 11, 1929 – January 5, 1933 (term-limited)	Democratic	1928		Fountain, Richard T.Richard T. Fountain
58			John C. B. Ehringhaus (1882–1949)	January 5, 1933 – January 7, 1937 (term-limited)	Democratic	1932		Graham, Alexander H.Alexander H. Graham
59			Clyde R. Hoey (1877–1954)	January 7, 1937 – January 9, 1941 (term-limited)	Democratic	1936		Horton, Wilkins P.Wilkins P. Horton
60			J. Melville Broughton (1888–1949)	January 9, 1941 – January 4, 1945 (term-limited)	Democratic	1940		Harris, Reginald L.Reginald L. Harris
61			R. Gregg Cherry (1891–1957)	January 4, 1945 – January 6, 1949 (term-limited)	Democratic	1944		Ballentine, Lynton Y.Lynton Y. Ballentine
62			W. Kerr Scott (1896–1958)	January 6, 1949 – January 8, 1953 (term-limited)	Democratic	1948		Taylor, Hoyt PatrickHoyt Patrick Taylor
63			William B. Umstead (1895–1954)	January 8, 1953 – November 7, 1954 (died in office)	Democratic	1952		Hodges, Luther H.Luther H. Hodges
64			Luther H. Hodges (1898–1974)	November 7, 1954 – January 5, 1961 (term-limited)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1956		Barnhardt, Luther E.Luther E. Barnhardt
65			Terry Sanford (1917–1998)	January 5, 1961 – January 8, 1965 (term-limited)	Democratic	1960		Philpott, Harvey CloydHarvey Cloyd Philpott
							Vacant
66			Dan K. Moore (1906–1986)	January 8, 1965 – January 3, 1969 (term-limited)	Democratic	1964		Scott, Robert W.Robert W. Scott
67			Robert W. Scott (1929–2009)	January 3, 1969 – January 5, 1973 (term-limited)	Democratic	1968		Taylor Jr., Hoyt PatrickHoyt Patrick Taylor Jr.
68			James Holshouser (1934–2013)	January 5, 1973 – January 8, 1977 (term-limited)	Republican	1972		Hunt, JimJim Hunt
69			Jim Hunt (b. 1937)	January 8, 1977 – January 5, 1985 (term-limited)	Democratic	1976		Green, James C.James C. Green
						1980
70			James G. Martin (b. 1935)	January 5, 1985 – January 9, 1993 (term-limited)	Republican	1984		Jordan, Robert B.Robert B. Jordan
						1988		Gardner, JimJim Gardner
71			Jim Hunt (b. 1937)	January 9, 1993 – January 6, 2001 (term-limited)	Democratic	1992		Wicker, Dennis A.Dennis A. Wicker
						1996
72			Mike Easley (b. 1950)	January 6, 2001 – January 10, 2009 (term-limited)	Democratic	2000		Perdue, BevBev Perdue
						2004
73			Bev Perdue (b. 1947)	January 10, 2009 – January 5, 2013 (did not run)	Democratic	2008		Dalton, Walter H.Walter H. Dalton
74			Pat McCrory (b. 1956)	January 5, 2013 – January 1, 2017 (lost election)	Republican	2012		Forest, DanDan Forest
75			Roy Cooper (b. 1957)	January 1, 2017 – Incumbent	Democratic	2016
						2020		Robinson, MarkMark Robinson