List of governors of North Carolina facts for kids

The governor of North Carolina is like the main leader of the state of North Carolina. They are in charge of the state government and also lead North Carolina's military forces, like the National Guard.

North Carolina has had 70 different governors. Six of them served more than one time, but not right after each other. This means there have been 76 terms in total. The current governor is Josh Stein, who started his job on January 1, 2025.

North Carolina's Governors: A Look Back

Early Leaders: Presidents of the Council

Before North Carolina became an independent state, it was a colony of Great Britain. During the American Revolution, a group called the Provincial Council, and later the Council of Safety, was the main governing body. They were chosen by the Provincial Congress. The leader of this Council was a very important person, especially when the Congress wasn't meeting.

Cornelius Harnett was the first president, serving from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. After him, Samuel Ashe and then Willie Jones held the position. By October 25, 1776, North Carolina had set up its own state government.

State Governors Take Charge

North Carolina was one of the first 13 colonies to become a state. It officially joined the United States on November 21, 1789. Later, during the American Civil War, North Carolina left the Union on May 20, 1861. It joined the Confederate States of America. After the war ended, during a time called Reconstruction, the federal government had some say in who became governor. North Carolina rejoined the Union on July 4, 1868.

The first state constitution in 1776 said that the governor would be chosen by the state's lawmakers every year. A governor could only serve up to three years out of every six. In 1835, this changed. People started voting for the governor directly, and the term became two years. Governors could serve twice in a row. The 1868 constitution made the term four years, starting on January 1 after the election. However, governors could not serve two terms in a row. This rule changed again in 1977, allowing them to serve twice in a row.

The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1868. The lieutenant governor would take over if the governor's office became empty. In 1971, this rule changed so the lieutenant governor would actually become the new governor. Before 1868, the leader of the state Senate would act as governor if the position was empty. The governor and lieutenant governor are not chosen together on the same ballot.

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 (removed from office)	Conservative	1862
						1864
—	Vacant			May 13, 1865 – May 29, 1865	Office empty after Civil War
38			William Woods Holden (1818–1892)	May 29, 1865 – December 15, 1865 (lost election)	Temporary governor chosen 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 (removed from office)	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 – January 1, 2025 (term-limited)	Democratic	2016
						2020		Robinson, MarkMark Robinson
76			Josh Stein (b. 1966)	January 1, 2025 – Incumbent	Democratic	2024		Hunt, RachelRachel Hunt

See also

• List of first ladies and gentlemen of North Carolina
• List of North Carolina state legislatures