No.[lower-alpha 1] |
Governor |
Term in office |
Party |
Election |
Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] |
1 |
|
|
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [19] |
June 4, 1792[20] – June 1, 1796 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1792 |
Office did not exist |
2 |
|
James Garrard (1749–1822) [23] |
June 1, 1796[24] – September 5, 1804 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1796 |
1800 |
|
Alexander Scott Bullitt |
3 |
|
Christopher Greenup (1750–1818) [27] |
September 5, 1804 – August 23, 1808 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1804 |
John Caldwell (died November 19, 1804) |
Vacant |
|
Thomas Posey (acting, elected Speaker in 1805) |
4 |
|
Charles Scott (1739–1813) [29] |
August 23, 1808 – August 24, 1812 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1808 |
Gabriel Slaughter |
5 |
|
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [19] |
August 24, 1812 – September 5, 1816 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1812 |
Richard Hickman |
6 |
|
George Madison (1763–1816) [31] |
September 5, 1816[lower-alpha 5] – October 14, 1816 (died in office) |
Democratic- Republican |
1816 |
Gabriel Slaughter |
7 |
|
Gabriel Slaughter (1767–1830) [34] |
October 14, 1816[35] – September 7, 1820 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
8 |
|
John Adair (1757–1840) [37] |
September 7, 1820[lower-alpha 6] – August 24, 1824 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1820 |
|
William T. Barry |
9 |
|
Joseph Desha (1768–1842) [41] |
August 24, 1824[42] – August 26, 1828 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican |
1824 |
Robert B. McAfee |
10 |
|
|
Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) [44] |
August 26, 1828[45] – August 28, 1832 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
National Republican[lower-alpha 7] |
1828 |
|
John Breathitt[lower-alpha 8] |
11 |
|
|
John Breathitt (1786–1834) [51] |
August 28, 1832 – February 21, 1834 (died in office) |
Democratic |
1832 |
|
James Turner Morehead[lower-alpha 9] |
12 |
|
|
James Turner Morehead (1797–1854) [54] |
February 21, 1834[55] – August 30, 1836 (did not run) |
National Republican[lower-alpha 10] |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
13 |
|
|
James Clark (1779–1839) [58] |
August 30, 1836[59] – August 27, 1839 (died in office) |
Whig |
1836 |
|
Charles A. Wickliffe |
14 |
|
Charles A. Wickliffe (1788–1869) [62] |
August 27, 1839[63] – September 2, 1840 (did not run) |
Whig |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
15 |
|
Robert P. Letcher (1788–1861) [65] |
September 2, 1840[66] – September 4, 1844 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Whig |
1840 |
|
Manlius Valerius Thomson |
16 |
|
William Owsley (1782–1862) [69] |
September 4, 1844[70] – September 6, 1848 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 4] |
Whig |
1844 |
Archibald Dixon |
17 |
|
John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) [73] |
September 6, 1848[74] – July 30, 1850 (resigned)[lower-alpha 11] |
Whig |
1848[lower-alpha 12] |
John L. Helm |
18 |
|
John L. Helm (1802–1867) [77] |
July 30, 1850[lower-alpha 13] – September 2, 1851 (did not run) |
Whig |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
19 |
|
|
Lazarus W. Powell (1812–1867) [80] |
September 2, 1851[81] – September 4, 1855 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1851 |
|
John Burton Thompson[lower-alpha 15] |
20 |
|
|
Charles S. Morehead (1802–1868) [84] |
September 4, 1855[85] – August 30, 1859 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
American |
1855 |
|
James Greene Hardy |
21 |
|
|
Beriah Magoffin (1815–1885) [88] |
August 30, 1859[89] – August 18, 1862 (resigned)[lower-alpha 16] |
Democratic |
1859 |
|
Linn Boyd (died December 17, 1859) |
Vacant |
22 |
|
James Fisher Robinson (1800–1882) [92] |
August 18, 1862[93] – September 1, 1863 (did not run) |
Democratic |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
23 |
|
Thomas E. Bramlette (1817–1875) [95] |
September 1, 1863[96] – September 3, 1867 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Union Democratic |
1863 |
|
Richard Taylor Jacob |
24 |
|
John L. Helm (1802–1867) [77] |
September 3, 1867[97] – September 8, 1867 (died in office) |
Democratic |
1867 |
John W. Stevenson |
25 |
|
John W. Stevenson (1812–1886) [99] |
September 8, 1867[100] – February 13, 1871 (resigned)[lower-alpha 17] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
1868 (special) |
26 |
|
Preston Leslie (1819–1907) [102] |
February 13, 1871[103] – August 31, 1875 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from president of the Senate |
1871 |
|
John G. Carlisle |
27 |
|
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [105] |
August 31, 1875[106] – September 2, 1879 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1875 |
John C. Underwood |
28 |
|
Luke P. Blackburn (1816–1887) [108] |
September 2, 1879[109] – September 4, 1883 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1879 |
James E. Cantrill |
29 |
|
J. Proctor Knott (1830–1911) [111] |
September 4, 1883[112] – August 30, 1887 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1883 |
James R. Hindman |
30 |
|
Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823–1914) [114] |
August 30, 1887[115] – September 1, 1891 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1887 |
James William Bryan |
31 |
|
John Y. Brown (1835–1904) [117] |
September 1, 1891[118] – December 10, 1895 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1891 |
Mitchell Cary Alford |
32 |
|
|
William O'Connell Bradley (1847–1914) [120] |
December 10, 1895[121] – December 12, 1899 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1895 |
|
William Jackson Worthington |
33 |
|
William S. Taylor (1853–1928) [123] |
December 12, 1899[124] – January 31, 1900 (removed from office)[lower-alpha 18] |
Republican |
1899[lower-alpha 18] |
John Marshall |
34 |
|
|
William Goebel (1856–1900) [126] |
January 31, 1900[127] – February 3, 1900 (died in office)[lower-alpha 18] |
Democratic |
|
J. C. W. Beckham |
35 |
|
J. C. W. Beckham (1869–1940) [129] |
February 3, 1900[130] – December 10, 1907 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor[lower-alpha 18] |
Vacant |
1900 (special) |
1903 |
|
William P. Thorne |
36 |
|
|
Augustus E. Willson (1846–1931) [132] |
December 10, 1907[133] – December 12, 1911 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1907 |
|
William Hopkinson Cox |
37 |
|
|
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [105] |
December 12, 1911[134] – December 7, 1915 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1911 |
|
Edward J. McDermott |
38 |
|
Augustus Owsley Stanley (1867–1958) [136] |
December 7, 1915[137] – May 19, 1919 (resigned)[lower-alpha 19] |
Democratic |
1915 |
James D. Black |
39 |
|
James D. Black (1849–1938) [139] |
May 19, 1919[140] – December 9, 1919 (lost election) |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
40 |
|
|
Edwin P. Morrow (1877–1935) [142] |
December 9, 1919[143] – December 11, 1923 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1919 |
|
S. Thruston Ballard |
41 |
|
|
William J. Fields (1874–1954) [145] |
December 11, 1923[146] – December 13, 1927 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1923 |
|
Henry Denhardt |
42 |
|
|
Flem D. Sampson (1875–1967) [148] |
December 13, 1927[149] – December 8, 1931 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1927 |
James Breathitt Jr.[lower-alpha 8] |
43 |
|
|
Ruby Laffoon (1869–1941) [151] |
December 8, 1931[152] – December 10, 1935 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1931 |
Happy Chandler |
44 |
|
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [154] |
December 10, 1935[155] – October 9, 1939 (resigned)[lower-alpha 20] |
Democratic |
1935 |
Keen Johnson |
45 |
|
Keen Johnson (1896–1970) [157] |
October 9, 1939[158] – December 7, 1943 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
1939 |
|
Rodes K. Myers |
46 |
|
|
Simeon Willis (1879–1965) [160] |
December 7, 1943[161] – December 9, 1947 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1943 |
|
Kenneth H. Tuggle |
47 |
|
|
Earle Clements (1896–1985) [163] |
December 9, 1947[164] – November 27, 1950 (resigned)[lower-alpha 21] |
Democratic |
1947 |
|
Lawrence Wetherby |
48 |
|
Lawrence Wetherby (1908–1994) [166] |
November 27, 1950[167] – December 13, 1955 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
1951 |
|
Emerson Beauchamp |
49 |
|
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [154] |
December 13, 1955[168] – December 8, 1959 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1955 |
Harry Lee Waterfield |
50 |
|
Bert Combs (1911–1991) [170] |
December 8, 1959[171] – December 10, 1963 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1959 |
Wilson W. Wyatt |
51 |
|
Ned Breathitt (1924–2003) [173] |
December 10, 1963[174] – December 12, 1967 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
1963 |
Harry Lee Waterfield |
52 |
|
|
Louie Nunn (1924–2004) [176] |
December 12, 1967[177] – December 7, 1971 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Republican |
1967 |
Wendell Ford[lower-alpha 8] |
53 |
|
|
Wendell Ford (1924–2015) [179] |
December 7, 1971[180] – December 28, 1974 (resigned)[lower-alpha 22] |
Democratic |
1971 |
Julian Carroll |
54 |
|
Julian Carroll (1931–2023) [182] |
December 28, 1974[183] – December 11, 1979 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant |
1975 |
|
Thelma Stovall |
55 |
|
John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022) [184] |
December 11, 1979[185] – December 13, 1983 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic[184] |
1979 |
Martha Layne Collins |
56 |
|
Martha Layne Collins (b. 1936) [186] |
December 13, 1983[187] – December 8, 1987 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic[186] |
1983 |
Steve Beshear |
57 |
|
Wallace Wilkinson (1941–2002) [188] |
December 8, 1987[189] – December 10, 1991 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 14] |
Democratic[188] |
1987 |
Brereton C. Jones |
58 |
|
Brereton C. Jones (1939–2023) [190] |
December 10, 1991[191] – December 12, 1995 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 23] |
Democratic[190] |
1991 |
Paul E. Patton |
59 |
|
Paul E. Patton (b. 1937) [193] |
December 12, 1995[194] – December 9, 2003 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 23] |
Democratic[193] |
1995 |
Steve Henry |
1999 |
60 |
|
|
Ernie Fletcher (b. 1952) [195] |
December 9, 2003[196] – December 11, 2007 (lost election) |
Republican[195] |
2003 |
|
Steve Pence |
61 |
|
|
Steve Beshear (b. 1944) [197] |
December 11, 2007[198] – December 8, 2015 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 23] |
Democratic[197] |
2007 |
|
Daniel Mongiardo |
2011 |
Jerry Abramson (resigned November 13, 2014) |
Crit Luallen |
62 |
|
|
Matt Bevin (b. 1967) [199] |
December 8, 2015[200] – December 10, 2019 (lost election) |
Republican[199] |
2015 |
|
Jenean Hampton |
63 |
|
|
Andy Beshear (b. 1977) [201] |
December 10, 2019[202] – Incumbent[lower-alpha 24] |
Democratic[201] |
2019 |
|
Jacqueline Coleman |
2023 |