List of governors of Wyoming

The governor of Wyoming is the head of government of Wyoming, and the commander-in-chief of the Wyoming's military department (National Guard).

Governor of Wyoming
Seal of the governor
Incumbent Mark Gordon since January 7, 2019
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	Wyoming Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once (limited to eight years in a sixteen year period)
Inaugural holder	Francis E. Warren
Formation	Wyoming Constitution
Salary	$105,000 (2022)[1]
Website	governor.wyo.gov

The gubernatorial term has been set at four years since statehood. Originally, a governor could be elected any number of times. Since a 1992 referendum, governors have been limited to eight years in office during any 16-year period—effectively limiting them to two consecutive terms.

List of governors

Territory of Wyoming

Governors of the Territory of Wyoming

No.	Governor		Term in office[lower-alpha 1]	Appointing President
1		John Allen Campbell (1835–1880) [2]	April 7, 1869[lower-alpha 2] – February 10, 1875 (successor appointed)	Ulysses S. Grant
2		John Milton Thayer (1820–1906) [6]	February 10, 1875[lower-alpha 3] – April 10, 1878 (successor appointed)	Ulysses S. Grant
3		John Wesley Hoyt (1831–1912) [9]	April 10, 1878[lower-alpha 4] – August 3, 1882 (successor appointed)	Rutherford B. Hayes
4		William Hale (1837–1885) [12]	August 3, 1882[lower-alpha 5] – January 13, 1885 (died in office)[lower-alpha 6]	Chester A. Arthur
5		Francis E. Warren (1844–1929) [15][16]	February 27, 1885[lower-alpha 7] – November 11, 1886 (successor appointed)	Chester A. Arthur
6		George W. Baxter (1855–1929) [19]	November 11, 1886[lower-alpha 8] – December 20, 1886 (resigned)[lower-alpha 9]	Grover Cleveland
7		Thomas Moonlight (1833–1899) [20]	December 20, 1886[lower-alpha 10] – April 9, 1889 (successor appointed)	Grover Cleveland
8		Francis E. Warren (1844–1929) [15][16]	April 9, 1889[lower-alpha 11] – October 11, 1890 (elected state governor)	Benjamin Harrison

State of Wyoming

Governors of the State of Wyoming

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Secretary of State[lower-alpha 12]
1			Francis E. Warren (1844–1929) [15][16][25]	October 11, 1890[26] – November 24, 1890 (resigned)[lower-alpha 13]	Republican[27]	1890		John W. Meldrum
								Amos W. Barber
2			Amos W. Barber (1860–1915) [28][29]	November 24, 1890[30] – January 2, 1893 (successor took office)	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
3			John Eugene Osborne (1858–1943) [31][32]	January 2, 1893[33] – January 7, 1895 (did not run)[31]	Democratic[lower-alpha 14]	1892§		Amos W. Barber[lower-alpha 15]
4			William A. Richards (1849–1912) [35][36]	January 7, 1895[37] – January 2, 1899 (did not run)[35]	Republican[27]	1894		Charles W. Burdick
5			DeForest Richards (1846–1903) [38][39]	January 2, 1899[40] – April 28, 1903 (died in office)	Republican[27]	1898		Fenimore Chatterton
						1902
6			Fenimore Chatterton (1860–1958) [41][42]	April 28, 1903[43] – January 2, 1905 (lost nomination)	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
7			Bryant Butler Brooks (1861–1944) [44]	January 2, 1905[45] – January 2, 1911 (did not run)	Republican[27]	1904 (special)		Fenimore Chatterton
						1906		William Schnitger
8			Joseph M. Carey (1845–1924) [46][47]	January 2, 1911[48] – January 4, 1915 (did not run)	Democratic[lower-alpha 16][46]	1910		Frank L. Houx
9			John B. Kendrick (1857–1933) [49][50]	January 4, 1915[51] – February 24, 1917 (resigned)[lower-alpha 17]	Democratic[27]	1914
10			Frank L. Houx (1854–1941) [52][53]	February 24, 1917[54] – January 6, 1919 (lost election)	Democratic[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
11			Robert D. Carey (1878–1937) [55][56]	January 6, 1919[57] – January 1, 1923 (lost nomination)[lower-alpha 18]	Republican[27]	1918		William E. Chaplin
12			William B. Ross (1873–1924) [58][59]	January 1, 1923[60] – October 2, 1924 (died in office)	Democratic[27]	1922		Frank Lucas[lower-alpha 15]
13			Frank Lucas (1876–1948) [61][62]	October 2, 1924[63] – January 5, 1925 (successor took office)	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
14			Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876–1977) [64][65]	January 5, 1925[66] – January 3, 1927 (lost election)	Democratic[27]	1924 (special)		Frank Lucas[lower-alpha 15]
15			Frank Emerson (1882–1931) [67][68]	January 3, 1927[69] – February 18, 1931 (died in office)	Republican[27]	1926		Alonzo M. Clark
						1930
16			Alonzo M. Clark (1868–1952) [70][71]	February 18, 1931[72] – January 2, 1933 (lost nomination)[lower-alpha 19]	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
17			Leslie A. Miller (1886–1970) [73][74]	January 2, 1933[75] – January 2, 1939 (lost election)	Democratic[27]	1932 (special)		Alonzo M. Clark[lower-alpha 15]
						1934		Lester C. Hunt[lower-alpha 20]
18			Nels H. Smith (1884–1976) [76][77]	January 2, 1939[78] – January 4, 1943 (lost election)	Republican[27]	1938
19			Lester C. Hunt (1892–1954) [79][80]	January 4, 1943[81] – January 3, 1949 (resigned)[lower-alpha 21]	Democratic[27]	1942		Mart T. Christensen[lower-alpha 15]
								William M. Jack
						1946		Arthur G. Crane[lower-alpha 15]
20			Arthur G. Crane (1877–1955) [82][83]	January 3, 1949[84] – January 1, 1951 (successor took office)	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
21			Frank A. Barrett (1892–1962) [85][86]	January 1, 1951[87] – January 3, 1953 (resigned)[lower-alpha 22]	Republican[27]	1950		Clifford Joy Rogers
22			Clifford Joy Rogers (1897–1962) [88][89]	January 3, 1953[90] – January 3, 1955 (lost nomination)[88]	Republican[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
23			Milward Simpson (1897–1993) [91][92]	January 3, 1955[93] – January 5, 1959 (lost election)	Republican[27]	1954		Everett T. Copenhaver
24			Joe Hickey (1911–1970) [94][95]	January 5, 1959[96] – January 2, 1961 (resigned)[lower-alpha 23]	Democratic[27]	1958		Jack R. Gage
25			Jack R. Gage (1899–1970) [97][98]	January 2, 1961[99] – January 7, 1963 (lost election)	Democratic[27]	Secretary of state acting		Acting as governor
26			Clifford Hansen (1912–2009) [100][101]	January 7, 1963[102] – January 2, 1967 (did not run)[lower-alpha 24]	Republican[27]	1962		Thyra Thomson[lower-alpha 15]
27			Stanley K. Hathaway (1924–2005) [103][104]	January 2, 1967[105] – January 6, 1975 (did not run)[103]	Republican[27]	1966
						1970
28			Edgar Herschler (1918–1990) [106][107]	January 6, 1975[108] – January 5, 1987 (did not run)	Democratic[27]	1974
						1978
						1982
29			Mike Sullivan (b. 1939) [109]	January 5, 1987[110] – January 2, 1995 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 25]	Democratic[109]	1986		Kathy Karpan
						1990
30			Jim Geringer (b. 1944) [112]	January 2, 1995[113] – January 6, 2003 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 25]	Republican[112]	1994		Diana J. Ohman
						1998		Joseph Meyer[lower-alpha 15]
31			Dave Freudenthal (b. 1950) [114]	January 6, 2003[115] – January 3, 2011 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 25]	Democratic[114]	2002
						2006		Max Maxfield[lower-alpha 15]
32			Matt Mead (b. 1962) [116]	January 3, 2011[117] – January 7, 2019 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 25]	Republican[116]	2010
						2014		Ed Murray
								Edward Buchanan
33			Mark Gordon (b. 1957) [118]	January 7, 2019[119] – Incumbent[lower-alpha 26]	Republican[118]	2018
								Karl Allred
						2022		Chuck Gray

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Wyoming
• List of Wyoming state legislatures

Notes

1. The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
2. Campbell was nominated on April 3, 1869;^[3] confirmed by the Senate on April 7;^[4] took the oath of office on April 15;^[2] and arrived in the territory on May 7.^[2] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on March 26, 1873.^[5]
3. Thayer was nominated^[7] and confirmed by the Senate^[8] on February 10, 1875, and took the oath of office on March 1.^[6]
4. Hoyt was nominated on March 12, 1878;^[10] confirmed by the Senate on April 10;^[11] and arrived in the territory on May 29.^[9]
5. Hale was nominated on July 26, 1882;^[13] confirmed by the Senate on August 3;^[14] and took the oath of office on August 22.^[12]
6. Territorial Secretary Elliot S. N. Morgan acted as governor until Hale's successor arrived.^[12]
7. Warren was nominated on February 26, 1885;^[17] confirmed by the Senate on February 27;^[18] and took the oath of office on February 28.^[15]
8. Baxter was appointed on November 11, 1886, during a Senate recess.^[19] He was not confirmed by the Senate before he resigned.
9. Baxter resigned due to charges of grazing cattle on government land; Territorial Secretary Elliot S. N. Morgan acted as governor until his successor arrived.^[19]
10. Moonlight was nominated on December 8, 1886;^[21] confirmed by the Senate on December 20;^[22] and took the oath of office on January 24, 1887.^[20]
11. Warren was nominated on March 26, 1889;^[23] confirmed by the Senate on March 27;^[24] and took the oath of office on April 9.^[15]
12. Secretaries of state represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
13. Warren resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[16]
14. Osborne represented the Democratic and Populist parties.^[34]
15. Represented the Republican Party
16. Sobel notes Carey received the Democratic nomination, but called himself an Independent and, later, a Progressive.^[46]
17. Kendrick resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[49]
18. Carey lost the Republican nomination to John W. Hay.^[55]
19. Clark lost the Republican nomination to Harry R. Weston.^[70]
20. Represented the Democratic Party
21. Hunt resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[79]
22. Barrett resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[85]
23. Hickey resigned so that his successor could appoint him to the United States Senate.^[94]
24. Hansen was instead elected to the United States Senate.^[100]
25. Legislation passed in 1992 limited governors to eight years in any period of sixteen years.^[111]
26. Gordon's second term began on January 2, 2023, and will expire January 4, 2027; he will be term-limited.

References

1. "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries". The Council of State Governments. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
2. McMullin 1984, pp. 337–338.
3. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 41st Cong., 1st sess., 76, accessed July 22, 2023.
4. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 41st Cong., 1st sess., 108, accessed July 22, 2023.
5. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 43rd Cong., special sess., 116, accessed July 22, 2023.
6. McMullin 1984, pp. 338–339.
7. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 43rd Cong., 2nd sess., 509, accessed July 22, 2023.
8. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 43rd Cong., 2nd sess., 510, accessed July 22, 2023.
9. McMullin 1984, pp. 339–340.
10. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 45th Cong., 2nd sess., 261, accessed July 22, 2023.
11. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 45th Cong., 2nd sess., 291, accessed July 22, 2023.
12. McMullin 1984, p. 341.
13. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 47th Cong., 1st sess., 497, accessed July 22, 2023.
14. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 47th Cong., 1st sess., 516, accessed July 22, 2023.
15. McMullin 1984, pp. 341–343.
16. Sobel 1978, p. 1765.
17. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 48th Cong., 2nd sess., 484, accessed July 22, 2023.
18. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 48th Cong., 2nd sess., 490, accessed July 22, 2023.
19. McMullin 1984, pp. 343–344.
20. McMullin 1984, pp. 344–346.
21. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 49th Cong., 2nd sess., 597, accessed July 22, 2023.
22. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 49th Cong., 2nd sess., 664, accessed July 22, 2023.
23. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 51st Cong., special sess., 40, accessed July 22, 2023.
24. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 51st Cong., special sess., 46, accessed July 22, 2023.
25. "Francis E. Warren". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
26. "Just Before Midnight". The Cheyenne Daily Leader. October 12, 1890. p. 3. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
27. Kallenbach 1977, pp. 649–651.
28. Sobel 1978, p. 1766.
29. "Amos Walker Barber". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
30. "Governor Barber". The Cheyenne Daily Leader. November 25, 1890. p. 2. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
31. Sobel 1978, pp. 1766–1767.
32. "John Eugene Osborne". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
33. "Governor Osborne Takes the Official Oath a Second Time". Lincoln Journal Star. January 3, 1893. p. 2. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
34. Glashan 1979, p. 346.
35. Sobel 1978, pp. 1767–1768.
36. "William Alford Richards". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
37. "Wyoming's New Governor". Reno Gazette-Journal. Associated Press. January 7, 1895. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
38. Sobel 1978, pp. 1768–1769.
39. "De Forest Richards". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
40. "Inducted into Office". The Salt Lake Tribune. January 3, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
41. Sobel 1978, p. 1769.
42. "Fenimore Chatterton". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
43. "Gov. Richards Called". The Salt Lake Tribune. April 29, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
44. Sobel 1978, p. 1770.
45. "Wyoming's New Governor Takes Office". Chicago Tribune. January 3, 1905. p. 5. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
46. Sobel 1978, pp. 1770–1771.
47. "Joseph Maull Carey". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
48. "Carey Inaugurated Governor of Wyoming". Midland Empire News. January 3, 1911. p. 4. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
49. Sobel 1978, pp. 1771–1772.
50. "John Benjamin Kendrick". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
51. "Kendrick Inducted Wyoming Governor". Salt Lake Telegram. January 4, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
52. Sobel 1978, p. 1772.
53. "Frank L. Houx". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
54. "Frank L. Houx Now Governor of Wyo". The Northern Wyoming Herald. February 28, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
55. Sobel 1978, p. 1773.
56. "Robert Davis Carey". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
57. "Governor Robert D. Carey". The Northern Wyoming Herald. January 8, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
58. Sobel 1978, pp. 1773–1774.
59. "William Bradford Ross". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
60. "New Executive Is Fourth Demo to Hold Office". Casper Star-Tribune. January 2, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
61. Sobel 1978, p. 1774.
62. "Franklin Earl Lucas". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
63. "Governor Ross Is Dead". Casper Star-Tribune. October 2, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
64. Sobel 1978, p. 1775.
65. "Nellie Tayloe Ross". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
66. "Nellie Tayloe Ross Inaugurated Governor; First Woman to Hold This Office in U.S." Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 5, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
67. Sobel 1978, pp. 1775–1776.
68. "Frank Collins Emerson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
69. "Emerson in Inaugural Address Urges Constructive Program". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 3, 1927. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
70. Sobel 1978, pp. 1776–1777.
71. "Alonzo M. Clark". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
72. "Gov. Emerson Dead". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. February 19, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
73. Sobel 1978, p. 1777.
74. "Leslie A. Miller". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
75. "Gov. Miller Assumes Post". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 2, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
76. Sobel 1978, pp. 1777–1778.
77. "Nels H. Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
78. "Governor Smith Takes Oath". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 2, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
79. Sobel 1978, pp. 1778–1779.
80. "Lester Calloway Hunt". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
81. "Governor Hunt Takes Oath". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 4, 1943. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
82. Sobel 1978, p. 1779.
83. "Arthur Griswold Crane". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
84. "Crane Becomes Chief Executive". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 3, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
85. Sobel 1978, pp. 1779–1780.
86. "Frank A. Barrett". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
87. Woolfson, Walt (January 1, 1951). "Barrett Sworn In at Ceremony at Statehouse". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
88. Sobel 1978, p. 1780.
89. "Clifford Joy Rogers". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
90. "Rogers Is Now Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 4, 1953. p. 2. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
91. Sobel 1978, p. 1781.
92. "Milward L. Simpson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
93. "Simpson Is Sworn In As Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 3, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
94. Sobel 1978, pp. 1781–1782.
95. "John Joseph Hickey". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
96. "Joe Hickey Takes Oath As Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 5, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
97. Sobel 1978, pp. 1782–1783.
98. "Jack Robert Gage". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
99. "Hickey Resigns; Appointed to Senate". The Jackson Hole Guide. January 5, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
100. Sobel 1978, p. 1783.
101. "Clifford P. Hansen". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
102. "Gov. Hansen Takes Over Duties Today". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. January 7, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
103. Sobel 1978, pp. 1783–1784.
104. "Stanley K. Hathaway". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
105. Missett Jr., Bill (January 3, 1967). "Hathaway Becomes Wyoming's 19th Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 10. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
106. Sobel 1978, pp. 1784–1785.
107. "Edward Herschler". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
108. Magers, Kathie (January 7, 1975). "Herschler Takes Office". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
109. "Michael J. Sullivan". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
110. Kirshner, Erich (January 6, 1987). "Sullivan Takes Oath As Wyoming's 29th Governor". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
111. Pershing, Chris; Cillizza, Ben (February 16, 2009). "Will Wyoming's Governor Buck Term Limits?". ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
112. "Jim Geringer". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
113. "Geringer Promises Renewed Trust". Billings Gazette. Associated Press. January 3, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
114. "Dave Freudenthal". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
115. "Governor Installed". The Billings Gazette. Associated Press. January 7, 2003. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
116. "Matthew Mead". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
117. Pelzer, Jeremy (January 4, 2011). "'Putting Wyoming First'". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
118. "Mark Gordon". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
119. Gruver, Mead (January 8, 2019). "Governor Takes Oath in Work Zone". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. p. A1. Retrieved July 24, 2023.

Bibliography

• Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. Vol. IV. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
• Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. ISBN 9780379006650. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
• Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466176.
• McMullin, Thomas A. (1984). Biographical Directory of American Territorial Governors. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466114. Retrieved January 19, 2023.

External links

• Office of the Governor of Wyoming