List of governors of North Carolina

The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have been 70 governors of North Carolina, with six serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 76 terms. The current governor is Democrat Josh Stein, who took office on January 1, 2025.

Governors

Presidents of the Council

Prior to declaring its independence, North Carolina was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The 13-member Provincial Council, renamed the Council of Safety in April 1776, was essentially the executive authority during the second year of the revolution, and was appointed by the Provincial Congress. The Presidency of the Council and the Presidency of the Congress could each be considered the highest offices in the state during this time, but the council was supreme when the congress was not in session.

Cornelius Harnett served as the first president from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. Samuel Ashe then served until September 27, 1776, and Willie Jones until October 25, 1776, at which time a state government had been formed.^[1]

State governors

For the period before independence, see List of colonial governors of North Carolina and List of governors of the Province of North Carolina.

North Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies, and was admitted as a state on November 21, 1789.^[2] It seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861,^[3] and joined the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861.^[4] Following the end of the American Civil War, North Carolina during Reconstruction was part of the Second Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. North Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 4, 1868.^[5]

The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be chosen by the legislature annually, and whom may only serve up to three out of every six years.^[6] An amendment in 1835 changed this to popular election for a term of two years,^[7] allowing them to succeed themselves once.^[1] The 1868 constitution lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the first day of January after the election,^[8] but they could not succeed themselves,^[9] a limit that was changed in 1977 to allow them to succeed themselves once.^[10]

The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, to act as governor when that office is vacant;^[11] in 1971 this was changed so that the lieutenant governor becomes governor.^[12] Before the office was created, the speaker of the senate would act as governor should it be vacant.^[13] The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.

Governors of the State of North Carolina

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[a][b]
1			Richard Caswell (1729–1789) [14]	December 19, 1776[c] – April 21, 1780 (term-limited)[d]	None[15]	1776	Office did not exist
						1777
						1778
						1779
2			Abner Nash (1740–1786) [16]	April 21, 1780[17] – June 26, 1781 (did not run)	None[15]	1780
3			Thomas Burke[e] (1747–1783) [18]	June 26, 1781[19] – April 22, 1782 (did not run)	None[15]	1781
4			Alexander Martin (1740–1807) [20][21]	April 22, 1782[22] – May 13, 1785 (did not run)	None[15]	1782
						1783
5			Richard Caswell (1729–1789) [14]	May 13, 1785[23][24] – December 20, 1787 (did not run)	None[15]	1784
						1785
						1786
6			Samuel Johnston (1733–1816) [25]	December 20, 1787[1] – December 17, 1789 (resigned)[f]	Federalist[26]	1787
						1788
						1789
7			Alexander Martin (1740–1807) [20][21]	December 17, 1789[1] – December 14, 1792 (term-limited)[d]	Federalist[26]	1789 (special)
						1790
						1791
8			Richard Dobbs Spaight (1758–1802) [27][28]	December 14, 1792[1] – November 19, 1795 (term-limited)[d]	Federalist[g]	1792
						1793
						1794
9			Samuel Ashe (1725–1813) [29][30]	November 19, 1795[1] – December 7, 1798 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[h]	1795
						1796
						1797
10			William Richardson Davie (1756–1820) [31][32]	December 7, 1798[1] – November 23, 1799 (did not run)[i]	Federalist[26]	1798
11			Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) [33][34]	November 23, 1799[35] – December 6, 1802 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1799
						1800
						1801
—			John Baptista Ashe (1748–1802)	Died before taking office[1][36]	Democratic- Republican[15]	1802
12			James Turner (1766–1824) [36][37]	December 6, 1802[38] – December 10, 1805 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1802 (special)
						1803
						1804
13			Nathaniel Alexander (1756–1808) [39][40]	December 10, 1805[41] – December 1, 1807 (did not run)[39]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1805
						1806
14			Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) [33][34]	December 1, 1807[42] – December 12, 1808 (did not run)	Federalist[j]	1807
15			David Stone (1770–1818) [43][44]	December 12, 1808[45] – December 5, 1810 (lost election)[46]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1808
						1809
16			Benjamin Smith (1756–1826) [47][48]	December 5, 1810[49] – December 9, 1811 (did not run)[k]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1810
17			William Hawkins (1777–1819) [50][51]	December 9, 1811[52] – December 7, 1814 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1811
						1812
						1813
18			William Miller (1783–1825) [53][54]	December 7, 1814[55] – December 6, 1817 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1814
						1815
						1816
19			John Branch (1782–1863) [56][57]	December 6, 1817[58] – December 7, 1820 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1817
						1818
						1819
20			Jesse Franklin (1760–1823) [59][60]	December 7, 1820[61] – December 7, 1821 (did not run)[59]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1820
21			Gabriel Holmes (1769–1829) [62][63]	December 7, 1821[64] – December 7, 1824 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1821
						1822
						1823
22			Hutchins Gordon Burton (1774–1836) [65][66]	December 7, 1824[67] – December 8, 1827 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[l]	1824
						1825
						1826
23			James Iredell Jr. (1788–1853) [68][69]	December 8, 1827[70] – December 12, 1828 (did not run)[m]	Democratic- Republican[26]	1827
24			John Owen (1787–1841) [71][72]	December 12, 1828[73] – December 18, 1830 (did not run)[n]	Democratic- Republican[o]	1828
						1829
25			Montfort Stokes (1762–1842) [74][75]	December 18, 1830[76] – December 6, 1832 (did not run)[p]	Democratic- Republican[q]	1830
						1831
26			David Lowry Swain (1801–1868) [77][78]	December 6, 1832[79] – December 10, 1835 (term-limited)[d]	National Republican[r]	1832
						1833
						1834
27			Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr. (1796–1850) [80][81]	December 10, 1835[82] – December 31, 1836 (lost election)	Democratic[26]	1835
28			Edward Bishop Dudley (1789–1855) [83][84]	December 31, 1836[85] – January 1, 1841 (term-limited)[s]	Whig[26]	1836
						1838
29			John Motley Morehead (1796–1866) [86][87]	January 1, 1841[88] – January 1, 1845 (term-limited)[s]	Whig[26]	1840
						1842
30			William Alexander Graham (1804–1875) [89][90]	January 1, 1845[91] – January 1, 1849 (term-limited)[s]	Whig[26]	1844
						1846
31			Charles Manly (1795–1871) [92][93]	January 1, 1849[94] – January 1, 1851 (lost election)	Whig[26]	1848
32			David Settle Reid (1813–1891) [95][96]	January 1, 1851[97] – December 6, 1854 (resigned)[t]	Democratic[26]	1850
						1852
33			Warren Winslow (1810–1862) [98][99]	December 6, 1854[100] – January 1, 1855 (successor took office)	Democratic[26]	Speaker of the Senate acting
34			Thomas Bragg (1810–1872) [101][102]	January 1, 1855[103] – January 1, 1859 (term-limited)[s]	Democratic[26]	1854
						1856
35			John Willis Ellis (1820–1861) [104][105]	January 1, 1859[106] – July 7, 1861 (died in office)	Democratic[26]	1858
						1860
36			Henry Toole Clark (1808–1874) [107][108]	July 7, 1861[109] – September 8, 1862 (successor took office)	Democratic[26]	Speaker of the Senate acting
37			Zebulon Baird Vance[u] (1830–1894) [110][111]	September 8, 1862[112] – May 13, 1865 (arrested and removed)[v]	Conservative[26]	1862
						1864
—	Vacant			May 13, 1865 – May 29, 1865	Office vacated after civil war
38			William Woods Holden (1818–1892) [113][114]	May 29, 1865[115] – December 15, 1865 (lost election)	Provisional governor appointed by President[w]
39			Johnathan Worth (1802–1869) [116][117]	December 15, 1865[118] – July 1, 1868 (did not run)[116]	Conservative[26]	1865
						1866
40			William Woods Holden (1818–1892) [113][114]	July 1, 1868[119] – March 22, 1871 (impeached and removed)[x]	Republican[26]	1868		Tod Robinson Caldwell
41			Tod Robinson Caldwell (1818–1874) [120][121]	March 22, 1871[y] – July 11, 1874 (died in office)	Republican[26]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1872		Curtis Hooks Brogden
42			Curtis Hooks Brogden (1816–1901) [122][123]	July 11, 1874[124] – January 1, 1877 (successor took office)	Republican[26]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
43			Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894) [110][111]	January 1, 1877[125] – February 5, 1879 (resigned)[z]	Democratic[26]	1876		Thomas Jordan Jarvis
44			Thomas Jordan Jarvis (1836–1915) [126][127]	February 5, 1879[128] – January 21, 1885 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1880		James L. Robinson[ab]
45			Alfred Moore Scales (1827–1892) [129][130]	January 21, 1885[131] – January 17, 1889 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1884		Charles Manly Stedman
46			Daniel Gould Fowle (1831–1891) [132][133]	January 17, 1889[134] – April 7, 1891 (died in office)	Democratic[26]	1888		Thomas Michael Holt
47			Thomas Michael Holt (1831–1896) [135][136]	April 7, 1891[137] – January 18, 1893 (lost nomination)[135]	Democratic[26]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
48			Elias Carr (1839–1900) [138][139]	January 18, 1893[140] – January 12, 1897 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1892		Rufus A. Doughton
49			Daniel Lindsay Russell (1845–1908) [141][142]	January 12, 1897[143] – January 15, 1901 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[26]	1896		Charles A. Reynolds
50			Charles Brantley Aycock (1859–1912) [144][145]	January 15, 1901[146] – January 11, 1905 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1900		Wilfred D. Turner
51			Robert Broadnax Glenn (1854–1920) [147][148]	January 11, 1905[149] – January 12, 1909 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1904		Francis D. Winston
52			William Walton Kitchin (1866–1924) [150][151]	January 12, 1909[152] – January 15, 1913 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1908		William C. Newland
53			Locke Craig (1860–1924) [153][154]	January 15, 1913[155] – January 11, 1917 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1912		Elijah L. Daughtridge
54			Thomas Walter Bickett (1869–1921) [156][157]	January 11, 1917[158] – January 12, 1921 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1916		Oliver Max Gardner
55			Cameron A. Morrison (1869–1953) [159][160]	January 12, 1921[161] – January 14, 1925 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1920		William B. Cooper
56			Angus Wilton McLean (1870–1935) [162][163]	January 14, 1925[164] – January 11, 1929 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1924		J. Elmer Long
57			Oliver Max Gardner (1882–1947) [165][166]	January 11, 1929[167] – January 5, 1933 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1928		Richard T. Fountain
58			John C. B. Ehringhaus (1882–1949) [168][169]	January 5, 1933[170] – January 7, 1937 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1932		Alexander H. Graham
59			Clyde R. Hoey (1877–1954) [171][172]	January 7, 1937[173] – January 9, 1941 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1936		Wilkins P. Horton
60			J. Melville Broughton (1888–1949) [174][175]	January 9, 1941[176] – January 4, 1945 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1940		Reginald L. Harris
61			R. Gregg Cherry (1891–1957) [177][178]	January 4, 1945[179] – January 6, 1949 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1944		Lynton Y. Ballentine
62			W. Kerr Scott (1896–1958) [180][181]	January 6, 1949[182] – January 8, 1953 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	1948		Hoyt Patrick Taylor
63			William B. Umstead (1895–1954) [183][184]	January 8, 1953[185] – November 7, 1954 (died in office)	Democratic[26]	1952		Luther H. Hodges
64			Luther H. Hodges (1898–1974) [186][187]	November 7, 1954[188] – January 5, 1961 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[26]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1956		Luther E. Barnhardt
65			Terry Sanford (1917–1998) [189][190]	January 5, 1961[191] – January 8, 1965 (term-limited)[ac]	Democratic[26]	1960		Harvey Cloyd Philpott
							Vacant
66			Dan K. Moore (1906–1986) [192][193]	January 8, 1965[194] – January 3, 1969 (term-limited)[ac]	Democratic[26]	1964		Robert W. Scott
67			Robert W. Scott (1929–2009) [195][196]	January 3, 1969[197] – January 5, 1973 (term-limited)[ad]	Democratic[26]	1968		Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr.
68			James Holshouser (1934–2013) [198][199]	January 5, 1973[200] – January 8, 1977 (term-limited)[ad]	Republican[26]	1972		Jim Hunt[ae]
69			Jim Hunt (b. 1937) [201][202]	January 8, 1977[203] – January 5, 1985 (term-limited)[af]	Democratic[202]	1976		James C. Green
						1980
70			James G. Martin (b. 1935) [204]	January 5, 1985[205] – January 9, 1993 (term-limited)[af]	Republican[204]	1984		Robert B. Jordan[ae]
						1988		Jim Gardner
71			Jim Hunt (b. 1937) [201][202]	January 9, 1993[206] – January 6, 2001 (term-limited)[af]	Democratic[202]	1992		Dennis A. Wicker
						1996
72			Mike Easley (b. 1950) [207]	January 6, 2001[208] – January 10, 2009 (term-limited)[af]	Democratic[207]	2000		Bev Perdue
						2004
73			Bev Perdue (b. 1947) [209]	January 10, 2009[210] – January 5, 2013 (did not run)	Democratic[209]	2008		Walter H. Dalton
74			Pat McCrory (b. 1956) [211]	January 5, 2013[212] – January 1, 2017 (lost election)	Republican[211]	2012		Dan Forest[ag]
75			Roy Cooper (b. 1957) [213]	January 1, 2017[214] – January 1, 2025 (term-limited)[af]	Democratic[213]	2016
						2020		Mark Robinson[ag]
76			Josh Stein (b. 1966) [215]	January 1, 2025[216] – Incumbent[ah]	Democratic[215]	2024		Rachel Hunt

See also

• List of first ladies and gentlemen of North Carolina
• List of North Carolina state legislatures

Notes

1. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000020-QINU`"'
2. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
3. Sources disagree on when Caswell took office; the 1913 state manual says December 19,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000025-QINU`"' the 1981 state manual says December 21,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000026-QINU`"' while a biography from 1905 says it was December 24.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000027-QINU`"'
4. Under the 1776 constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than three years in six successive years.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000029-QINU`"'
5. Burke was captured by Loyalists led by David Fanning on September 13, 1781, and escaped on January 16, 1782;'"`UNIQ--ref-0000002F-QINU`"' during this time, Speaker of the Senate Alexander Martin acted as governor.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000030-QINU`"'
6. Johnston resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000040-QINU`"'
7. Spaight is labeled a Federalist by Kallenbach,'"`UNIQ--ref-0000004A-QINU`"' and a Democratic-Republican by Glashan.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000004B-QINU`"'
8. Ashe is labeled an Anti-Federalist by Kallenbach,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000051-QINU`"' and a Democratic-Republican by Dubin'"`UNIQ--ref-00000052-QINU`"' and Glashan.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000053-QINU`"'
9. Some sources say Davie resigned on September 10, 1799, to be a peace envoy to France;'"`UNIQ--ref-00000058-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--ref-00000059-QINU`"' however, the state manual does not mention a resignation,'"`UNIQ--ref-0000005A-QINU`"' and other sources say that, while he left the state, he arranged to formally remain governor.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000005B-QINU`"'
10. Kallenbach labels Williams a Democratic-Republican,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000078-QINU`"' but Glashan'"`UNIQ--ref-00000079-QINU`"' and Tufts'"`UNIQ--ref-0000007A-QINU`"' label him a Federalist.
11. Smith was nominated and received votes in the first round of balloting, but he had not authorized this and was not interested, so his name was withdrawn.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000087-QINU`"'
12. Glashan'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B5-QINU`"' and Kallenbach'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B6-QINU`"' label Burton a Democratic-Republican, but Sobel labels him a Federalist.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B7-QINU`"'
13. Iredell was instead elected to the United States Senate on December 1; while Sobel says he resigned to take his new office,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000BC-QINU`"' contemporary sources mention no such resignation.
14. Sobel says Owen had been nominated and withdrew,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000C4-QINU`"' but contemporary sources say only that he requested not to be nominated.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000C5-QINU`"'
15. Glashan'"`UNIQ--ref-000000C9-QINU`"' and Kallenbach'"`UNIQ--ref-000000CA-QINU`"' label Owen a Democratic-Republican, while Sobel says he was a "National Republican with Federalist sympathies."'"`UNIQ--ref-000000CB-QINU`"'
16. Stokes was appointed to be a commissioner to treat with Indians, and sent a farewell message to the general assembly on November 19.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D0-QINU`"' Some sources, both modern and older, interpret this as him resigning;'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D1-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--ref-000000D2-QINU`"' however, the 1927 manual says he left office normally on December 6,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D3-QINU`"' and contemporary news does not use any term of resignation.
17. Glashan'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D7-QINU`"' and Kallenbach'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D8-QINU`"' label Stokes a Democratic-Republican, while Dubin labels him a Democrat.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000D9-QINU`"'
18. Swain is labeled a Democrat by Dubin,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000E1-QINU`"' a National Republican by Glashan,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000E2-QINU`"' a Democratic-Republican by Kallenbach,'"`UNIQ--ref-000000E3-QINU`"' and a Whig by Sobel.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000E4-QINU`"'
19. Under an 1835 amendment to the constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than four years in six successive years.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000EF-QINU`"'
20. Reid resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000010B-QINU`"'
21. After the Union victory in the Battle of New Bern, Abraham Lincoln appointed General Edward Stanly as military governor of the Union-held regions of North Carolina, and he served in that capacity from May 26, 1862, until early 1863, when he resigned over the Emancipation Proclamation.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000129-QINU`"'
22. Vance left Raleigh on April 12 to negotiate a surrender,'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012E-QINU`"' surrendered to General John Schofield on May 2, and was arrested in Statesville on May 13. He was released a few weeks later, and would be pardoned by Andrew Johnson in 1867.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012F-QINU`"'
23. Holden was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000139-QINU`"'
24. Holden was impeached over crimes committed during the Kirk–Holden war against the Ku Klux Klan.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000143-QINU`"'
25. Holden was impeached on December 19, 1870;'"`UNIQ--ref-0000014B-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--ref-0000014C-QINU`"' per the constitution, Caldwell became acting governor, and served in that capacity until and after Holden was convicted and removed on March 22, 1871.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000014D-QINU`"'
26. Vance resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000157-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--ref-00000158-QINU`"'
27. Under the 1868 constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than four years in eight successive years.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000160-QINU`"'
28. Robinson acted as governor from September 1 to September 28, 1883, while Jarvis was out of state.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000165-QINU`"'
29. Under a 1962 amendment to the constitution, governors were ineligible to succeed themselves.'"`UNIQ--ref-000001F4-QINU`"'
30. Under the 1971 constitution, governors were ineligible to succeed themselves.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000203-QINU`"'
31. Represented the Democratic Party
32. Under a 1977 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible for election to more than two consecutive terms.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000214-QINU`"'
33. Represented the Republican Party
34. Stein's term will expire in January 2029.