List of governors of Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Wisconsin
Gubernatorial seal
Incumbent Tony Evers since January 7, 2019
Residence	Wisconsin Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, no term limits
Inaugural holder	Nelson Dewey
Formation	June 7, 1848 (1848-06-07)
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Salary	$152,756 (2022)

The governor of Wisconsin is like the state's top leader. They are in charge of the state government and also the boss of Wisconsin's Army and Air National Guard. The governor makes sure state laws are followed. They can approve new laws passed by the Wisconsin Legislature or say 'no' to them (this is called a veto). They can also call the legislature together for special meetings and forgive people for certain crimes.

Many people have been governor of Wisconsin since it became a state in 1848. One governor, Philip La Follette, served two separate times. Nelson Dewey was the very first governor, starting on June 7, 1848. The governor who served the longest was Tommy Thompson. He was governor for over 14 years! The shortest term was just 5 days, held by Arthur MacArthur Sr.. The current governor is Tony Evers, who is a Democrat. He started his term on January 7, 2019.

Governors of Wisconsin: A Look Back

Before Wisconsin became a state, it was part of different territories. After the American Revolution, parts of what is now Wisconsin were claimed by Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. These states later gave up their claims.

Wisconsin's Early Days as a Territory

On July 13, 1787, the Northwest Territory was created, and it included the area we now call Wisconsin. Arthur St. Clair was the governor of this territory. As new states joined the United States, Wisconsin became part of other territories. It was part of the Indiana Territory (1800–1809), then the Illinois Territory (1809–1818), and finally the Michigan Territory (1818–1836).

Governors of Wisconsin Territory

The Wisconsin Territory was officially formed on July 3, 1836. During this time, three different people were appointed as governor by the President of the United States. One of them, Henry Dodge, served two separate times.

When most of the Wisconsin Territory became the state of Wisconsin, a small part was left over. People in this area still kept a local government. The Territorial Secretary, John Catlin, acted as the governor for this remaining part.

Governors of the Territory of Wisconsin

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointing President
1		Henry Dodge (1782–1867)	April 30, 1836 – September 13, 1841 (successor appointed)	Jackson, AndrewAndrew Jackson
				Van Buren, MartinMartin Van Buren
2		James Duane Doty (1799–1865)	September 13, 1841 – June 15, 1844 (successor appointed)	Tyler, JohnJohn Tyler
3		Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (1795–1864)	June 15, 1844 – April 8, 1845 (successor appointed)	Tyler, JohnJohn Tyler
4		Henry Dodge (1782–1867)	April 8, 1845 – June 23, 1848 (statehood)	Polk, James K.James K. Polk

Governors of the State of Wisconsin

Wisconsin officially became a state on May 29, 1848. Since then, 45 people have served as governor. One of them, Philip La Follette, served two times that were not back-to-back.

Governors used to serve for two years. But in 1967, the state constitution was changed. Now, governors serve for four years. Jeremiah McLain Rusk served one three-year term because of a change in election timing. Patrick Lucey, elected in 1970, was the first governor to serve a full four-year term. There is no limit to how many terms a person can be governor in Wisconsin.

Several governors have served three terms. Tommy Thompson is the only one to have won four terms. He was elected in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998. He resigned in 2001.

The state constitution also creates the job of lieutenant governor. This person is like the vice president for the state. In the past, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected separately. This meant they might not be from the same political party. Since 1967, they are chosen and voted on together.

If the governor's job becomes empty, the lieutenant governor takes over. If the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor becomes the new governor. If the governor is just away from the state or can't do their job, the lieutenant governor acts as governor. If both jobs are empty, the secretary of state steps in. So far, two Wisconsin governors have died in office, and four have resigned.

Governors of the State of Wisconsin

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Nelson Dewey (1813–1889)	June 7, 1848 – January 5, 1852 (did not run)	Democratic	1848		Holmes, John EdwinJohn Edwin Holmes
						1849		Beall, SamuelSamuel Beall
2			Leonard J. Farwell (1819–1889)	January 5, 1852 – January 2, 1854 (did not run)	Whig	1851		Burns, TimothyTimothy Burns (died September 21, 1853)
							Vacant
3			William A. Barstow (1813–1865)	January 2, 1854 – March 21, 1856 (resigned)	Democratic	1853		Lewis, James T.James T. Lewis
						1855		MacArthur Sr., ArthurArthur MacArthur Sr.
4			Arthur MacArthur Sr. (1815–1896)	March 21, 1856 – March 25, 1856 (removed from office)	Democratic			Acting as governor
5			Coles Bashford (1816–1878)	March 25, 1856 – January 4, 1858 (did not run)	Republican			MacArthur Sr., ArthurArthur MacArthur Sr.
6			Alexander Randall (1819–1872)	January 4, 1858 – January 6, 1862 (did not run)	Republican	1857		Campbell, Erasmus D.Erasmus D. Campbell
						1859		Noble, ButlerButler Noble
7			Louis P. Harvey (1820–1862)	January 6, 1862 – April 19, 1862 (died in office)	Republican	1861		Salomon, EdwardEdward Salomon
8			Edward Salomon (1828–1909)	April 19, 1862 – January 4, 1864 (lost nomination)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
9			James T. Lewis (1819–1904)	January 4, 1864 – January 1, 1866 (did not run)	Republican	1863		Spooner, WymanWyman Spooner
10			Lucius Fairchild (1831–1896)	January 1, 1866 – January 1, 1872 (did not run)	Republican	1865
						1867
						1869		Pound, Thaddeus C.Thaddeus C. Pound
11			Cadwallader C. Washburn (1818–1882)	January 1, 1872 – January 5, 1874 (lost election)	Republican	1871		Pettit, MiltonMilton Pettit (died March 23, 1873)
							Vacant
12			William Robert Taylor (1820–1909)	January 5, 1874 – January 3, 1876 (lost election)	Reform	1873		Parker, Charles D.Charles D. Parker
13			Harrison Ludington (1812–1891)	January 3, 1876 – January 7, 1878 (did not run)	Republican	1875
14			William E. Smith (1824–1883)	January 7, 1878 – January 2, 1882 (did not run)	Republican	1877		Bingham, James M.James M. Bingham
						1879
15			Jeremiah McLain Rusk (1830–1893)	January 2, 1882 – January 7, 1889 (did not run)	Republican	1881		Fifield, SamSam Fifield
						1884
						1886		Ryland, George WashingtonGeorge Washington Ryland
16			William D. Hoard (1836–1918)	January 7, 1889 – January 5, 1891 (lost election)	Republican	1888
17			George Wilbur Peck (1840–1916)	January 5, 1891 – January 7, 1895 (lost election)	Democratic	1890		Jonas, CharlesCharles Jonas (resigned April 4, 1894)
						1892
							Vacant
18			William H. Upham (1841–1924)	January 7, 1895 – January 4, 1897 (did not run)	Republican	1894		Baensch, EmilEmil Baensch
19			Edward Scofield (1842–1925)	January 4, 1897 – January 7, 1901 (did not run)	Republican	1896
						1898		Stone, JesseJesse Stone (died May 11, 1902)
20			Robert M. La Follette (1855–1925)	January 7, 1901 – January 1, 1906 (resigned)	Republican	1900
							Vacant
						1902		Davidson, James O.James O. Davidson
						1904
21			James O. Davidson (1854–1922)	January 1, 1906 – January 2, 1911 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1906		Connor, William D.William D. Connor
						1908		Strange, JohnJohn Strange
22			Francis E. McGovern (1866–1946)	January 2, 1911 – January 4, 1915 (did not run)	Republican	1910		Morris, ThomasThomas Morris
						1912
23			Emanuel L. Philipp (1861–1925)	January 4, 1915 – January 3, 1921 (did not run)	Republican	1914		Dithmar, EdwardEdward Dithmar
						1916
						1918
24			John J. Blaine (1875–1934)	January 3, 1921 – January 3, 1927 (did not run)	Republican	1920		Comings, GeorgeGeorge Comings
						1922
						1924		Huber, HenryHenry Huber
25			Fred R. Zimmerman (1880–1954)	January 3, 1927 – January 7, 1929 (lost nomination)	Republican	1926
26			Walter J. Kohler Sr. (1875–1940)	January 7, 1929 – January 5, 1931 (lost nomination)	Republican	1928
27			Philip La Follette (1897–1965)	January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933 (lost nomination)	Republican	1930
28			Albert G. Schmedeman (1864–1946)	January 2, 1933 – January 7, 1935 (lost election)	Democratic	1932		O'Malley, Thomas J.Thomas J. O'Malley (died May 27, 1936)
29			Philip La Follette (1897–1965)	January 7, 1935 – January 2, 1939 (lost election)	Progressive	1934
							Vacant
						1936		Gunderson, HenryHenry Gunderson (resigned October 16, 1937)
							Vacant
								Ekern, HermanHerman Ekern (appointed May 16, 1938)
30			Julius P. Heil (1876–1949)	January 2, 1939 – January 4, 1943 (lost election)	Republican	1938		Goodland, Walter SamuelWalter Samuel Goodland
						1940
—			Orland Steen Loomis (1893–1942)	Died before taking office	Progressive	1942
31			Walter Samuel Goodland (1862–1947)	January 4, 1943 – March 12, 1947 (died in office)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1944		Rennebohm, OscarOscar Rennebohm
						1946
32			Oscar Rennebohm (1889–1968)	March 12, 1947 – January 1, 1951 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1948		Smith, George M.George M. Smith
33			Walter J. Kohler Jr. (1904–1976)	January 1, 1951 – January 7, 1957 (did not run)	Republican	1950
						1952
						1954		Knowles, Warren P.Warren P. Knowles
34			Vernon Wallace Thomson (1905–1988)	January 7, 1957 – January 5, 1959 (lost election)	Republican	1956
35			Gaylord Nelson (1916–2005)	January 5, 1959 – January 7, 1963 (did not run)	Democratic	1958		Nash, PhilleoPhilleo Nash
						1960		Knowles, Warren P.Warren P. Knowles
36			John W. Reynolds Jr. (1921–2002)	January 7, 1963 – January 4, 1965 (lost election)	Democratic	1962		Olson, Jack B.Jack B. Olson
37			Warren P. Knowles (1908–1993)	January 4, 1965 – January 4, 1971 (did not run)	Republican	1964		Lucey, PatrickPatrick Lucey
						1966		Olson, Jack B.Jack B. Olson
						1968
38			Patrick Lucey (1918–2014)	January 4, 1971 – July 6, 1977 (resigned)	Democratic	1970		Schreiber, Martin J.Martin J. Schreiber
						1974
39			Martin J. Schreiber (b. 1939)	July 6, 1977 – January 3, 1979 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
40			Lee S. Dreyfus (1926–2008)	January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1983 (did not run)	Republican	1978		Olson, RussellRussell Olson
41			Tony Earl (1936–2023)	January 3, 1983 – January 5, 1987 (lost election)	Democratic	1982		Flynn, JamesJames Flynn
42			Tommy Thompson (b. 1941)	January 5, 1987 – February 1, 2001 (resigned)	Republican	1986		McCallum, ScottScott McCallum
						1990
						1994
						1998
43			Scott McCallum (b. 1950)	February 1, 2001 – January 6, 2003 (lost election)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Farrow, MargaretMargaret Farrow (appointed May 9, 2001)
44			Jim Doyle (b. 1945)	January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011 (did not run)	Democratic	2002		Lawton, BarbaraBarbara Lawton
						2006
45			Scott Walker (b. 1967)	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019 (lost election)	Republican	2010		Kleefisch, RebeccaRebecca Kleefisch
						2012 (recall)
						2014
46			Tony Evers (b. 1951)	January 7, 2019 – Incumbent	Democratic	2018		Barnes, MandelaMandela Barnes
						2022		Rodriguez, SaraSara Rodriguez

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Wisconsin
• List of Wisconsin state legislatures