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The governor of Maryland is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[1] The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.[2]
The current governor is Democrat Wes Moore, who took office on January 18, 2023.[3]
Maryland was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on April 28, 1788.[4] Before it declared its independence, Maryland was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Under the constitution of 1776, governors were appointed by the General Assembly legislature to one-year terms. They could be reelected for two additional terms, though they must take four years off after leaving office. An 1838 constitutional amendment allowed for popular election of governors to three-year terms, though they could not succeed themselves. The 1851 constitution removed the term limit, and lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the second Wednesday of January following the election. Governors were limited to two consecutive terms beginning in 1948.[5]
The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1864, abolished in 1867, and recreated in 1970. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the office of governor should it become vacant. In the original constitution, the first named of the Governor's Council would act as governor if it were vacant, until a new governor was selected; this was changed to the secretary of state in 1837.[6] The 1867 constitution originally called for the General Assembly to immediately elect a new governor; if they were not in session, the president of the Senate would act as governor until one was elected.[7]
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Thomas Johnson (1732–1819) [10][11] |
March 21, 1777[12] – November 12, 1779 (did not run) |
No party[13] | 1777 | Office did not exist | ||
1778 | ||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee (1745–1819) [14][15][16] |
November 12, 1779[17] – November 22, 1782 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
No party[13] | 1779 | |||
1780 | ||||||||
1781 | ||||||||
3 | ![]() |
William Paca (1740–1799) [19][20] |
November 22, 1782[21] – November 26, 1785 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
No party[13] | 1782 | |||
1783 | ||||||||
1784 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
William Smallwood (1732–1792) [22] |
November 26, 1785[23] – November 27, 1788 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
No party[13] | 1785 | |||
1786 | ||||||||
1787 | ||||||||
5 | ![]() |
John Eager Howard (1752–1827) [24][25][26] |
November 27, 1788[27] – November 14, 1791 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Federalist[13] | 1788 | |||
1789 | ||||||||
1790 | ||||||||
6 | ![]() |
George Plater (1735–1792) [28][29][30] |
November 14, 1791[31] – February 10, 1792 (died in office) |
Federalist[13] | 1791 | |||
— | ![]() |
James Brice (1746–1801) [32] |
February 10, 1792[33] – April 5, 1792 (successor took office) |
Federalist[13] | Senior council member acting | |||
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee (1745–1819) [14][15][16] |
April 5, 1792[34] – November 17, 1794 (did not run) |
Federalist[13] | 1792 | |||
1793 | ||||||||
7 | ![]() |
John Hoskins Stone (1749–1804) [35][36][37] |
November 17, 1794[38] – November 28, 1797 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Federalist[39] | 1794 | |||
1795 | ||||||||
1796 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
John Henry (1750–1798) [40][41][42] |
November 28, 1797[43] – November 14, 1798 (did not run)[40] |
Federalist[39] | 1797 | |||
9 | ![]() |
Benjamin Ogle (1749–1809) [44][45][46] |
November 14, 1798[47] – November 10, 1801 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Federalist[39] | 1798 | |||
1799 | ||||||||
1800 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() |
John Francis Mercer (1759–1821) [48][49][50] |
November 10, 1801[51] – November 13, 1803 (did not run)[48] |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
1801 | |||
1802 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() |
Robert Bowie (1750–1818) [52][53][54] |
November 15, 1803[55] – November 12, 1806 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
1803 | |||
1804 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() |
Robert Wright (1752–1826) [56][57][58] |
November 12, 1806[59] – May 6, 1809 (resigned)[lower-alpha 4] |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
1806 | |||
1807 | ||||||||
1808 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
James Butcher | May 6, 1809[60] – June 9, 1809 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican[61] |
Senior council member acting[58] | |||
13 | ![]() |
Edward Lloyd (1779–1834) [62][63][64] |
June 9, 1809[65] – November 16, 1811 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
June 1809 (special)[lower-alpha 5] | |||
Nov. 1809 | ||||||||
1810 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() |
Robert Bowie (1750–1818) [52][53][54] |
November 16, 1811[66] – November 23, 1812 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
1811 | |||
14 | ![]() |
Levin Winder (1757–1819) [67][68][69] |
November 23, 1812[70] – January 2, 1816 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Federalist[39] | 1812 | |||
1813 | ||||||||
1814 | ||||||||
15 | ![]() |
Charles Carnan Ridgely (1760–1829) [71][72][73] |
January 2, 1816[74] – January 8, 1819 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Federalist[39] | 1815 | |||
1816 | ||||||||
1817 | ||||||||
16 | ![]() |
Charles Goldsborough (1765–1834) [75][76][77] |
January 8, 1819[78] – December 20, 1819 (lost election) |
Federalist[39] | 1818 | |||
17 | ![]() |
Samuel Sprigg (1783–1855) [79][80][81] |
December 20, 1819[82] – December 16, 1822 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Democratic- Republican[39] |
1819 | |||
1820 | ||||||||
1821 | ||||||||
18 | ![]() |
Samuel Stevens Jr. (1778–1860) [83][84][85] |
December 16, 1822[86] – January 9, 1826 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Democratic- Republican[61] |
1822 | |||
1823 | ||||||||
1824 | ||||||||
19 | ![]() |
Joseph Kent (1779–1837) [87][88][89] |
January 9, 1826[90] – January 15, 1829 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Democratic- Republican[61] |
1826 | |||
1827 | ||||||||
1828 | ||||||||
20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin (1780–1831) [91][92][93] |
January 15, 1829[94] – January 15, 1830 (lost election) |
Anti-Jacksonian[39] | 1829 | |||
21 | ![]() |
Thomas King Carroll (1793–1873) [95][96][97] |
January 15, 1830[98] – January 13, 1831 (lost election) |
Jacksonian[39] | 1830 | |||
20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin (1780–1831) [91][92][93] |
January 13, 1831[99] – July 11, 1831 (died in office) |
Anti-Jacksonian[39] | 1831 | |||
22 | ![]() |
George Howard (1789–1846) [100][101][102] |
July 11, 1831[103] – January 17, 1833 (did not run)[100] |
Anti-Jacksonian[39] | Senior council member acting | |||
1832 | ||||||||
23 | ![]() |
James Thomas (1785–1845) [104][105][106] |
January 17, 1833[107] – January 14, 1836 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 3] |
Anti-Jacksonian[39] | 1833 | |||
1834 | ||||||||
1835 | ||||||||
24 | ![]() |
Thomas Veazey (1774–1842) [108][109][110] |
January 14, 1836[111] – January 7, 1839 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 6] |
Whig[39] | 1836 | |||
1837 | ||||||||
Jan. 1838 | ||||||||
25 | ![]() |
William Grason (1788–1868) [113][114][115] |
January 7, 1839[116] – January 3, 1842 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 6] |
Democratic[39] | Oct. 1838 | |||
26 | ![]() |
Francis Thomas (1799–1876) [117][118][119] |
January 3, 1842[120] – January 6, 1845 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 6] |
Democratic[121] | 1841 | |||
27 | ![]() |
Thomas Pratt (1804–1869) [122][123][124] |
January 6, 1845[125] – January 3, 1848 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 6] |
Whig[121] | 1844 | |||
28 | ![]() |
Philip Francis Thomas (1810–1890) [126][127][128] |
January 3, 1848[129] – January 6, 1851 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 6] |
Democratic[121] | 1847 | |||
29 | ![]() |
Enoch Louis Lowe (1820–1892) [130][131][132] |
January 6, 1851[133] – January 11, 1854 (did not run)[lower-alpha 7] |
Democratic[121] | 1850 | |||
30 | ![]() |
Thomas Watkins Ligon (1810–1881) [134][135][136] |
January 11, 1854[137] – January 13, 1858 (did not run) |
Democratic[138] | 1853 | |||
31 | ![]() |
Thomas Holliday Hicks (1798–1865) [139][140][141] |
January 13, 1858[142] – January 8, 1862 (did not run) |
American[138] | 1857 | |||
32 | ![]() |
Augustus Bradford (1806–1881) [143][144][145] |
January 8, 1862[146] – January 10, 1866 (did not run) |
Union[61] | 1861 | |||
33 | ![]() |
Thomas Swann (1809–1883) [147][148][149] |
January 10, 1866[61] – January 13, 1869 (did not run) |
Union[61] | 1864 | Christopher Christian Cox | ||
34 | ![]() |
Oden Bowie (1826–1894) [150][151][152] |
January 13, 1869[153] – January 10, 1872 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1867 | Office did not exist | ||
35 | ![]() |
William Pinkney Whyte (1824–1908) [154][155][156] |
January 10, 1872[157] – March 4, 1874 (resigned)[lower-alpha 8] |
Democratic[61] | 1871 | |||
36 | ![]() |
James Black Groome (1838–1893) [158][159][160] |
March 4, 1874[161] – January 12, 1876 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | Elected governor by legislature | |||
37 | ![]() |
John Lee Carroll (1830–1911) [162][163][164] |
January 12, 1876[165] – January 14, 1880 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1875 | |||
38 | ![]() |
William Thomas Hamilton (1820–1888) [166][167][168] |
January 14, 1880[169] – January 9, 1884 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1879 | |||
39 | ![]() |
Robert Milligan McLane (1815–1898) [170][171][172] |
January 9, 1884[173] – March 27, 1885 (resigned)[lower-alpha 9] |
Democratic[61] | 1883 | |||
40 | ![]() |
Henry Lloyd (1852–1920) [174][175][176] |
March 27, 1885[177] – January 11, 1888 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | President of the Senate acting | |||
41 | ![]() |
Elihu Emory Jackson (1837–1907) [178][179][180] |
January 11, 1888[181] – January 13, 1892 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1887 | |||
42 | ![]() |
Frank Brown (1846–1920) [182][183][184] |
January 13, 1892[185] – January 8, 1896 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1891 | |||
43 | ![]() |
Lloyd Lowndes Jr. (1845–1905) [186][187][188] |
January 8, 1896[189] – January 10, 1900 (lost election) |
Republican[61] | 1895 | |||
44 | ![]() |
John Walter Smith (1845–1925) [190][191][192] |
January 10, 1900[193] – January 13, 1904 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1899 | |||
45 | ![]() |
Edwin Warfield (1848–1920) [194][195][196] |
January 13, 1904[197] – January 8, 1908 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1903 | |||
46 | ![]() |
Austin Lane Crothers (1860–1912) [198][199][200] |
January 8, 1908[201] – January 10, 1912 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1907 | |||
47 | ![]() |
Phillips Lee Goldsborough (1865–1946) [202][203][204] |
January 10, 1912[205] – January 12, 1916 (did not run) |
Republican[61] | 1911 | |||
48 | ![]() |
Emerson Harrington (1864–1945) [206][207][208] |
January 12, 1916[209] – January 14, 1920 (did not run) |
Democratic[61] | 1915 | |||
49 | ![]() |
Albert Ritchie (1876–1936) [210][211][212] |
January 14, 1920[213] – January 9, 1935 (lost election) |
Democratic[61] | 1919 | |||
1923 | ||||||||
1926 | ||||||||
1930 | ||||||||
50 | ![]() |
Harry Nice (1877–1941) [214][215][216] |
January 9, 1935[217] – January 11, 1939 (lost election) |
Republican[61] | 1934 | |||
51 | ![]() |
Herbert O'Conor (1896–1960) [218][219][220] |
January 11, 1939[221] – January 3, 1947 (resigned)[lower-alpha 10] |
Democratic[61] | 1938 | |||
1942 | ||||||||
52 | ![]() |
William Preston Lane Jr. (1892–1967) [223][224][225] |
January 3, 1947[lower-alpha 10] – January 10, 1951 (lost election) |
Democratic[61] | Elected by legislature[lower-alpha 10] | |||
1946 | ||||||||
53 | ![]() |
Theodore McKeldin (1900–1974) [226][227][228] |
January 10, 1951[229] – January 14, 1959 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Republican[61] | 1950 | |||
1954 | ||||||||
54 | ![]() |
J. Millard Tawes (1894–1979) [231][232][233] |
January 14, 1959[234] – January 25, 1967 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[61] | 1958 | |||
1962 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() |
Spiro Agnew (1918–1996) [235][236][237] |
January 25, 1967[238] – January 7, 1969 (resigned)[lower-alpha 12] |
Republican[61] | 1966 | |||
56 | ![]() |
Marvin Mandel (1920–2015) [239][240][241] |
January 7, 1969[242] – January 17, 1979 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[61] | 1969 (special)[lower-alpha 13] |
Blair Lee III | ||
1970 | ||||||||
1974 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
Blair Lee III (1916–1985) [243][244][245] |
June 4, 1977[lower-alpha 14] – January 15, 1979 (did not run) |
Democratic[244] | Lieutenant governor acting[lower-alpha 14] |
Acting as governor | ||
57 | ![]() |
Harry Hughes (1926–2019) [247][248] |
January 17, 1979[249] – January 21, 1987 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[247] | 1978 | Samuel Bogley | ||
1982 | J. Joseph Curran Jr. | |||||||
58 | ![]() |
William Donald Schaefer (1921–2011) [250][251] |
January 21, 1987[252] – January 18, 1995 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[250] | 1986 | Melvin Steinberg | ||
1990 | ||||||||
59 | ![]() |
Parris Glendening (b. 1942) [253][254] |
January 18, 1995[255] – January 15, 2003 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[253] | 1994 | Kathleen Kennedy Townsend | ||
1998 | ||||||||
60 | ![]() |
Bob Ehrlich (b. 1957) [256][257] |
January 15, 2003[258] – January 17, 2007 (lost election) |
Republican[256] | 2002 | Michael Steele | ||
61 | ![]() |
Martin O'Malley (b. 1963) [259][260] |
January 17, 2007[261] – January 21, 2015 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Democratic[259] | 2006 | Anthony Brown | ||
2010 | ||||||||
62 | ![]() |
Larry Hogan (b. 1956) [262][263] |
January 21, 2015[264] – January 18, 2023 (term-limited)[lower-alpha 11] |
Republican[262] | 2014 | Boyd Rutherford | ||
2018 | ||||||||
63 | ![]() |
Wes Moore (b. 1978) [265][266] |
January 18, 2023[267] – Incumbent[lower-alpha 15] |
Democratic[265] | 2022 | Aruna Miller |
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