List of governors of Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Montana
State flag
State seal
Incumbent Greg Gianforte since January 4, 2021
Government of Montana
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Montana Governor's Residence
Term length	Four years, renewable once (limited to eight years in a sixteen year period)
Constituting instrument	Montana Constitution of 1889
Inaugural holder	Joseph K. Toole
Formation	November 8, 1889 (135 years ago) (1889-11-08)
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Montana
Salary	$108,167 (2022)

The Governor of Montana is like the chief executive officer for the state of Montana. This person is the head of government for Montana and also leads the state's military forces, known as the Montana National Guard.

The governor has several important jobs. They must make sure that state laws are followed. They can also approve or reject (veto) new laws that the Montana State Legislature passes. The governor can call the legislature together for special meetings whenever needed. They also have the power to grant pardons, which means forgiving someone for a crime.

Montana has had 24 governors since it became a state. These leaders have come from two main political parties: 9 were Republicans and 15 were Democrats. The governor who served the longest was Joseph Toole. He was in office for 11 years, from 1889 to 1893 and again from 1901 to 1908. He is the only governor to serve terms that were not back-to-back. The shortest-serving governor was Elmer Holt, who was in office for less than 13 months after the previous governor passed away. The current governor is Republican Greg Gianforte, who started his term on January 4, 2021.

Montana's Early Governors: The Territorial Period

Before Montana became a state, it was a territory. This territory was created on May 26, 1864. During its 35 years as a territory, Montana had nine governors. These governors were chosen by the president of the United States. There were also three acting governors who stepped in when needed.

The first acting governor was Thomas Francis Meagher, who served from 1865 to 1867. Later, James Tufts served for one month in 1869, followed by Wiley Scribner from 1869 to 1870.

Governors of the Territory of Montana

No.	Governor		Time in Office	Appointed by
1		Sidney Edgerton (1818–1900)	June 22, 1864 – July 13, 1866	Lincoln, AbrahamAbraham Lincoln
2		Green Clay Smith (1826–1895)	July 13, 1866 – April 9, 1869	Johnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson
3		James Mitchell Ashley (1824–1896)	April 9, 1869 – December 17, 1869	Grant, Ulysses S.Ulysses S. Grant
4		Benjamin F. Potts (1836–1887)	July 13, 1870 – August 4, 1882	Grant, Ulysses S.Ulysses S. Grant
				Hayes, Rutherford B.Rutherford B. Hayes
5		John Schuyler Crosby (1839–1914)	August 4, 1882 – November 11, 1884	Arthur, Chester A.Chester A. Arthur
6		B. Platt Carpenter (1837–1921)	December 22, 1884 – July 3, 1885	Arthur, Chester A.Chester A. Arthur
7		Samuel Thomas Hauser (1833–1914)	May 14, 1886 – January 13, 1887	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
8		Preston Leslie (1819–1907)	January 13, 1887 – March 27, 1889	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
9		Benjamin F. White (1838–1920)	March 27, 1889 – November 8, 1889	Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison

Montana's State Governors: From 1889 to Today

Montana officially became a state on November 8, 1889. The state's current Constitution, which was approved in 1972, says that a governor serves a 4-year term. This term begins on the first Monday in January after an election.

A rule added in 1992 limits a governor to serving 8 years within any 16-year period. This means they can serve two terms, but then must wait before running again. The constitution also states that a lieutenant governor is elected at the same time as the governor. They run together as a team. If the governor leaves office early due to resignation, disqualification, or death, the lieutenant governor takes over for the rest of the term. If the governor is temporarily unable to do their job, the lieutenant governor can become acting governor.

Governors of the State of Montana

No.	Governor			Time in Office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Joseph Toole (1851–1929)	November 8, 1889 – January 2, 1893	Democratic	1889		Rickards, John E.John E. Rickards
2			John E. Rickards (1848–1927)	January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897	Republican	1892		Botkin, Alexander CampbellAlexander Campbell Botkin
3			Robert Burns Smith (1854–1908)	January 4, 1897 – January 7, 1901	Fusion	1896		Spriggs, Archibald E.Archibald E. Spriggs
4			Joseph Toole (1851–1929)	January 7, 1901 – April 1, 1908	Democratic	1900		Higgins, Frank G.Frank G. Higgins
						1904		Norris, Edwin L.Edwin L. Norris
5			Edwin L. Norris (1865–1924)	April 1, 1908 – January 6, 1913	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		White, Benjamin F.Benjamin F. White
						1908		Allen, WilliamWilliam Allen
6			Sam V. Stewart (1872–1939)	January 6, 1913 – January 3, 1921	Democratic	1912		McDowell, W. W.W. W. McDowell
						1916
7			Joseph M. Dixon (1867–1934)	January 3, 1921 – January 5, 1925	Republican	1920		Story Jr., NelsonNelson Story Jr.
8			John E. Erickson (1863–1946)	January 5, 1925 – March 13, 1933	Democratic	1924		McCormack, W. S.W. S. McCormack
						1928		Hazelbaker, Frank A.Frank A. Hazelbaker
						1932		Cooney, Frank HenryFrank Henry Cooney
9			Frank Henry Cooney (1872–1935)	March 13, 1933 – December 15, 1935	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Kane, TomTom Kane
								Eaton, Ernest T.Ernest T. Eaton
								Holt, ElmerElmer Holt
10			Elmer Holt (1884–1945)	December 15, 1935 – January 4, 1937	Democratic	Succeeded from president of the Senate		Pilgeram, William P.William P. Pilgeram
11			Roy E. Ayers (1882–1955)	January 4, 1937 – January 6, 1941	Democratic	1936		Adair, Hugh R.Hugh R. Adair
12			Sam C. Ford (1882–1961)	January 6, 1941 – January 3, 1949	Republican	1940		Eaton, Ernest T.Ernest T. Eaton
						1944
13			John W. Bonner (1902–1970)	January 3, 1949 – January 5, 1953	Democratic	1948		Cannon, Paul C.Paul C. Cannon
14			J. Hugo Aronson (1891–1978)	January 5, 1953 – January 2, 1961	Republican	1952		Gosman, George M.George M. Gosman
						1956		Cannon, Paul C.Paul C. Cannon
15			Donald Grant Nutter (1915–1962)	January 2, 1961 – January 25, 1962	Republican	1960		Babcock, TimTim Babcock
16			Tim Babcock (1919–2015)	January 25, 1962 – January 6, 1969	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		James, David F.David F. James
						1964		James, TedTed James
17			Forrest H. Anderson (1913–1989)	January 6, 1969 – January 1, 1973	Democratic	1968		Judge, Thomas LeeThomas Lee Judge
18			Thomas Lee Judge (1934–2006)	January 1, 1973 – January 5, 1981	Democratic	1972		Christiansen, BillBill Christiansen
						1976		Schwinden, TedTed Schwinden
19			Ted Schwinden (1925–2023)	January 5, 1981 – January 2, 1989	Democratic	1980		Turman, GeorgeGeorge Turman
						1984
								McOmber, GordonGordon McOmber
20			Stan Stephens (1929–2021)	January 2, 1989 – January 4, 1993	Republican	1988		Kolstad, AllenAllen Kolstad
								Rehberg, DennyDenny Rehberg
21			Marc Racicot (b. 1948)	January 4, 1993 – January 2, 2001	Republican	1992
						1996		Martz, JudyJudy Martz
22			Judy Martz (1943–2017)	January 2, 2001 – January 3, 2005	Republican	2000		Ohs, KarlKarl Ohs
23			Brian Schweitzer (b. 1955)	January 3, 2005 – January 7, 2013	Democratic	2004		Bohlinger, JohnJohn Bohlinger
						2008
24			Steve Bullock (b. 1966)	January 7, 2013 – January 4, 2021	Democratic	2012		Walsh, JohnJohn Walsh
								McLean, AngelaAngela McLean
								Cooney, MikeMike Cooney
						2016
25			Greg Gianforte (b. 1961)	January 4, 2021 – Incumbent	Republican	2020		Juras, KristenKristen Juras
						2024

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Montana
• First Ladies and Gentlemen of Montana
• List of Montana state legislatures