List of governors of Ohio

Main article: Governor of Ohio

The governor of Ohio is the head of government of Ohio^[1] and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state's military forces.^[2] The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Ohio General Assembly,^[3] the power to convene the legislature^[4] and the power to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.^[5]

Mike DeWine has been governor since January 14, 2019.

There have been 64 governors of Ohio, serving 70 distinct terms. The longest term was held by Jim Rhodes, who was elected four times and served just under sixteen years in two non-consecutive periods of two terms each (1963–1971 and 1975–1983). The shortest terms were held by John William Brown and Nancy Hollister, who each served for only 11 days after the governors preceding them resigned in order to begin the terms to which they had been elected in the United States Senate; the shortest-serving elected governor was John M. Pattison, who died in office five months into his term.

The current governor is Republican Mike DeWine (R), who took office on January 14, 2019, and was re-elected in 2022. After eight years the incumbent is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third consecutive term in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.

List of governors

Northwest Territory

The Territory Northwest of the Ohio River, commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was organized on July 13, 1787.^[6] Many territories and states were split from Northwest Territory over the years, with the last portion being split between Indiana Territory and the newly admitted state of Ohio on March 1, 1803.^[7][8]

Throughout its 15-year history, Northwest Territory had only one governor appointed by the federal government, Arthur St. Clair. He was removed from office by President Thomas Jefferson on November 22, 1802, and no successor was named; Secretary of the Territory Charles Willing Byrd acted as governor until statehood.^[9]

Governor of the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio

Governor		Term in office[a]	Appointed by
	Arthur St. Clair (1737–1818) [10]	October 5, 1787[b] – November 22, 1802 (removed)[c]	Continental Congress
			George Washington
			John Adams

State of Ohio

Ohio was admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803. Since then, it has had 64 governors, six of whom (Allen Trimble, Wilson Shannon, Rutherford B. Hayes, James M. Cox, Frank Lausche, and Jim Rhodes) served non-consecutive terms.

The first constitution of 1803 allowed governors to serve for two-year terms, limited to six of any eight years, commencing on the first Monday in the December following an election.^[16] The current constitution of 1851 removed the term limit, and shifted the start of the term to the second Monday in January following an election.^[17] In 1908, Ohio switched from holding elections in odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, with the preceding governor (from the 1905 election) serving an extra year.^[18] A 1957 amendment^[17] lengthened the term to four years and allowed governors to only succeed themselves once, having to wait four years after their second term in a row before being allowed to run again.^[19] An Ohio Supreme Court ruling in 1973 clarified this to mean governors could theoretically serve unlimited terms, as long as they waited four years after every second term.^[17]

Governors of the State of Ohio

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[d][e]
1			Edward Tiffin (1766–1829) [20][21]	March 3, 1803[22] – March 4, 1807 (resigned)[f]	Democratic- Republican[23]	1803	Office did not exist
						1805
2			Thomas Kirker (1760–1837) [24][25]	March 4, 1807[22] – December 12, 1808 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican[23]	Speaker of the Senate acting
						1807[g]
3			Samuel Huntington (1765–1817) [26][27]	December 12, 1808[22] – December 8, 1810 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican[23]	1808
4			Return J. Meigs Jr. (1764–1825) [28][29]	December 8, 1810[22] – March 25, 1814 (resigned)[h]	Democratic- Republican[23]	1810
						1812
5			Othniel Looker (1757–1845) [30][31]	March 25, 1814[i] – December 8, 1814 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican[23]	Speaker of the Senate acting
6			Thomas Worthington (1773–1827) [32][33]	December 8, 1814[22] – December 14, 1818 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican[23]	1814
						1816
7			Ethan Allen Brown (1776–1852) [34][35]	December 14, 1818[22] – January 4, 1822 (resigned)[j]	Democratic- Republican[23]	1818
						1820
8			Allen Trimble (1783–1870) [36][37]	January 4, 1822[22] – December 28, 1822 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican[23]	Speaker of the Senate acting
9			Jeremiah Morrow (1771–1852) [38][39]	December 28, 1822[22] – December 19, 1826 (did not run)[38]	Democratic- Republican[23]	1822
						1824
10			Allen Trimble (1783–1870) [36][37]	December 19, 1826[22] – December 18, 1830 (did not run)	National Republican[23]	1826
						1828
11			Duncan McArthur (1772–1839) [40][41]	December 18, 1830[22] – December 7, 1832 (did not run)[k]	National Republican[23]	1830
12			Robert Lucas (1781–1853) [42][43]	December 7, 1832[44] – December 13, 1836 (did not run)	Democratic[45]	1832
						1834
13			Joseph Vance (1786–1852) [46][47]	December 13, 1836[48] – December 13, 1838 (lost election)	Whig[45]	1836
14			Wilson Shannon (1802–1877) [49][50]	December 13, 1838[51] – December 16, 1840 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1838
15			Thomas Corwin (1794–1865) [52][53]	December 16, 1840[54] – December 14, 1842 (lost election)	Whig[45]	1840
16			Wilson Shannon (1802–1877) [49][50]	December 14, 1842[55] – April 15, 1844 (resigned)[l]	Democratic[45]	1842
17			Thomas W. Bartley (1812–1885) [56][57]	April 15, 1844[m] – December 3, 1844 (lost nomination)[n]	Democratic[45]	Speaker of the Senate acting
18			Mordecai Bartley (1783–1870) [59][60]	December 3, 1844[61] – December 12, 1846 (did not run)[59]	Whig[45]	1844
19			William Bebb (1802–1873) [62][63]	December 12, 1846[64] – January 22, 1849 (did not run)[62]	Whig[45]	1846
20			Seabury Ford (1801–1855) [65][66]	January 22, 1849[67] – December 12, 1850 (did not run)	Whig[45]	1848[o]
21			Reuben Wood (d. 1864) [68][69]	December 12, 1850[70] – July 13, 1853 (resigned)[p]	Democratic[45]	1850
						1851		William Medill
22			William Medill (1802–1865) [71][72]	July 13, 1853[73] – January 14, 1856 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1853		James Myers
23			Salmon P. Chase (1808–1873) [74][75]	January 14, 1856[76] – January 9, 1860 (did not run)[q]	Republican[45]	1855		Thomas H. Ford
						1857		Martin Welker
24			William Dennison Jr. (1815–1882) [77][78]	January 9, 1860[79] – January 13, 1862 (did not run)	Republican[45]	1859		Robert C. Kirk
25			David Tod (1805–1868) [80][81]	January 13, 1862[82] – January 11, 1864 (lost nomination)[r]	Union[80]	1861		Benjamin Stanton
26			John Brough (1811–1865) [83][84]	January 11, 1864[85] – August 29, 1865 (died in office)[83]	Union[45]	1863		Charles Anderson
27			Charles Anderson (1814–1895) [86][87]	August 29, 1865[88] – January 8, 1866 (did not run)[86]	Union[89]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
28			Jacob Dolson Cox (1828–1900) [90][91]	January 8, 1866[92] – January 13, 1868 (did not run)[90]	Republican[45]	1865		Andrew McBurney
29			Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–1893) [93][94]	January 13, 1868[95] – January 8, 1872 (did not run)	Republican[45]	1867		John C. Lee
						1869
30			Edward Follansbee Noyes (1832–1890) [96][97]	January 8, 1872[98] – January 12, 1874 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1871		Jacob Mueller
31			William Allen (1803–1879) [99][100]	January 12, 1874[101] – January 10, 1876 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1873		Alphonso Hart[s]
32			Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–1893) [93][94]	January 10, 1876[102] – March 2, 1877 (resigned)[t]	Republican[45]	1875		Thomas L. Young
33			Thomas L. Young (1832–1888) [103][104]	March 2, 1877[105] – January 14, 1878 (did not run)[103]	Republican[45]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		H. W. Curtiss (acting)
34			Richard M. Bishop (1812–1893) [106][107]	January 14, 1878[108] – January 12, 1880 (lost nomination)[u]	Democratic[45]	1877		Jabez W. Fitch
35			Charles Foster (1828–1904) [110][111]	January 12, 1880[112] – January 14, 1884 (did not run)	Republican[45]	1879		Andrew Hickenlooper
						1881		Rees G. Richards
36			George Hoadly (1826–1902) [113][114]	January 14, 1884[115] – January 11, 1886 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1883		John G. Warwick
37			Joseph B. Foraker (1846–1917) [116][117]	January 11, 1886[118] – January 13, 1890 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1885		Robert P. Kennedy (resigned March 3, 1887)
								Silas A. Conrad
						1887		William C. Lyon
38			James E. Campbell (1843–1924) [119][120]	January 13, 1890[121] – January 11, 1892 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1889		Elbert L. Lampson[s] (replaced January 31, 1890)
								William V. Marquis
39			William McKinley (1843–1901) [122][123]	January 11, 1892[124] – January 13, 1896 (did not run)	Republican[45]	1891		Andrew L. Harris
						1893
40			Asa S. Bushnell (1834–1904) [125][126]	January 13, 1896[127] – January 8, 1900 (did not run)[125]	Republican[45]	1895		Asa W. Jones
						1897
41			George K. Nash (1842–1904) [128][129]	January 8, 1900[130] – January 11, 1904 (did not run)[128]	Republican[45]	1899		John A. Caldwell
						1901		Carl L. Nippert (resigned May 1, 1902)
								Harry L. Gordon
42			Myron T. Herrick (1854–1929) [131][132]	January 11, 1904[133] – January 8, 1906 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1903		Warren G. Harding
43			John M. Pattison (1847–1906) [134][135]	January 8, 1906[136] – June 18, 1906 (died in office)	Democratic[45]	1905		Andrew L. Harris[s]
44			Andrew L. Harris (1835–1915) [137][138]	June 18, 1906[139] – January 11, 1909 (lost election)	Republican[45]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
45			Judson Harmon (1846–1927) [140][141]	January 11, 1909[142] – January 13, 1913 (did not run)[v]	Democratic[45]	1908		Francis W. Treadway[s]
						1910		Atlee Pomerene (resigned March 4, 1911)
								Hugh L. Nichols
46			James M. Cox (1870–1957) [143][144]	January 13, 1913[145] – January 11, 1915 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1912		W. A. Greenlund
47			Frank B. Willis (1871–1928) [146][147]	January 11, 1915[148] – January 8, 1917 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1914		John H. Arnold
48			James M. Cox (1870–1957) [143][144]	January 8, 1917[149] – January 10, 1921 (did not run)[w]	Democratic[45]	1916		Earl D. Bloom
						1918		Clarence J. Brown[s]
49			Harry L. Davis (1878–1950) [150][151]	January 10, 1921[152] – January 8, 1923 (did not run)[150]	Republican[45]	1920
50			A. Victor Donahey (1873–1946) [153][154]	January 8, 1923[155] – January 14, 1929 (did not run)	Democratic[45]	1922		Earl D. Bloom
						1924		Charles H. Lewis[s]
						1926		Earl D. Bloom (resigned April 1928)
								William G. Pickrel (term ended November 1928)
								George C. Braden[s]
51			Myers Y. Cooper (1873–1958) [156][157]	January 14, 1929[158] – January 12, 1931 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1928		John T. Brown
52			George White (1872–1953) [159][160]	January 12, 1931[161] – January 14, 1935 (did not run)	Democratic[45]	1930		William G. Pickrel
						1932		Charles W. Sawyer
53			Martin L. Davey (1884–1946) [162][163]	January 14, 1935[164] – January 9, 1939 (lost nomination)[x]	Democratic[45]	1934		Harold G. Mosier
						1936		Paul P. Yoder
54			John W. Bricker (1893–1986) [165][166]	January 9, 1939[167] – January 8, 1945 (did not run)[y]	Republican[45]	1938		Paul M. Herbert
						1940
						1942
55			Frank Lausche (1895–1990) [168][169]	January 8, 1945[170] – January 13, 1947 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1944		George D. Nye
56			Thomas J. Herbert (1894–1974) [171][172]	January 13, 1947[173] – January 10, 1949 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1946		Paul M. Herbert
57			Frank Lausche (1895–1990) [168][169]	January 10, 1949[174] – January 3, 1957 (resigned)[z]	Democratic[45]	1948		George D. Nye
						1950
						1952		John William Brown[s]
						1954
58			John William Brown (1913–1993) [175][176]	January 3, 1957[177] – January 14, 1957 (successor took office)	Republican[45]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
59			C. William O'Neill (1916–1978) [178][179]	January 14, 1957[180] – January 12, 1959 (lost election)	Republican[45]	1956		Paul M. Herbert
60			Michael DiSalle (1908–1981) [181][182]	January 12, 1959[183] – January 14, 1963 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1958		John W. Donahey
61			Jim Rhodes (1909–2001) [184][185]	January 14, 1963[186] – January 11, 1971 (term-limited)	Republican[45]	1962		John William Brown
						1966
62			John J. Gilligan (1921–2013) [187][188]	January 11, 1971[189] – January 13, 1975 (lost election)	Democratic[45]	1970
63			Jim Rhodes (1909–2001) [184][185]	January 13, 1975[190] – January 10, 1983 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[45]	1974		Dick Celeste[ab]
						1978		George Voinovich (resigned November 1979)
							Vacant
64			Dick Celeste (b. 1937) [192]	January 10, 1983[193] – January 14, 1991 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[192]	1982		Myrl Shoemaker (died July 30, 1985)
							Vacant
						1986		Paul Leonard
65			George Voinovich (1936–2016) [194]	January 14, 1991[195] – December 31, 1998 (resigned)[ac]	Republican[194]	1990		Mike DeWine (resigned November 12, 1994)
							Vacant
						1994		Nancy Hollister
66			Nancy Hollister (b. 1949) [196]	December 31, 1998[197] – January 11, 1999 (successor took office)	Republican[196]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
67			Bob Taft (b. 1942) [198]	January 11, 1999[199] – January 8, 2007 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[198]	1998		Maureen O'Connor (resigned December 31, 2002)
							Vacant
						2002		Jennette Bradley (resigned January 5, 2005)
								Bruce Johnson (resigned December 8, 2006)
							Vacant
68			Ted Strickland (b. 1941) [200]	January 8, 2007[201] – January 10, 2011 (lost election)	Democratic[200]	2006		Lee Fisher
69			John Kasich (b. 1952) [202]	January 10, 2011[203] – January 14, 2019 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[202]	2010		Mary Taylor
						2014
70			Mike DeWine (b. 1947) [204]	January 14, 2019[205] – Incumbent[ad]	Republican[204]	2018		Jon Husted (resigned January 21, 2025)
						2022
							Vacant
								Jim Tressel (appointed February 14, 2025)

See also

• List of Ohio 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. St. Clair was appointed on October 5, 1787, by the Continental Congress,^[11] and he established the territorial government on July 15, 1788.^[10] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on August 20, 1789;^[12] December 11, 1794;^[13] January 12, 1798;^[14] and February 3, 1801.^[15]
3. St. Clair was removed due to political disagreements with President Thomas Jefferson.^[10] Secretary of the Territory Charles Willing Byrd acted as governor until statehood.^[10]
4. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851, first being filled in 1852.
5. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
6. Tiffin resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[20]
7. Return J. Meigs Jr. won the 1807 election over Nathaniel Massie, but Massie contested, saying Meigs failed the residency requirement. The general assembly declared Meigs was ineligible and Massie had won, but Massie refused the office, and so Kirker remained in office until his term ended on December 12, 1808, having lost the 1808 election.^[24][22]
8. Meigs resigned, having been confirmed as United States Postmaster General.^[28]
9. Sources disagree on if Meigs resigned on March 24^[29] or March 25.^[30][22]
10. Brown resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[34]
11. McArthur instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives.^[40]
12. Shannon resigned, having been confirmed as United States Minister to Mexico.^[49]
13. No contemporary sources found so far specify the date Shannon resigned; a notice appeared in the Columbus Statesman on April 15, 1844, but it does not specify that the resignation took place on that day.^[58] Modern sources use April 15.^[56]
14. Bartley lost the Democratic nomination to David Tod.^[56]
15. Due to the large number of close elections that year, the general assembly was delayed in qualifying governor-elect Seabury Ford, and William Bebb remained in office for an extra few weeks.^[65]
16. Wood resigned to be consul in Valparaíso, Chile.^[68]
17. Chase was instead elected to the United States Senate.^[74]
18. Tod lost the Union nomination to John Brough.^[80]
19. Represented the Republican Party
20. Hayes resigned, having been elected President of the United States.^[93]
21. Bishop lost the Democratic nomination to Thomas Ewing Jr.^[109]
22. Harmon instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.^[140]
23. Cox instead ran unsuccessfully for President of the United States.^[143]
24. Davey lost the Democratic nomination to Charles W. Sawyer.^[162]
25. Bricker instead ran unsuccessfully for Vice President of the United States.^[165]
26. Lausche resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[168]
27. Under a 1957 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible to hold the office longer than two successive terms.^[191]
28. Represented the Democratic Party
29. Voinovich resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[194]
30. DeWine's second term began on January 8, 2023,^[206] and will expire on January 11, 2027; he will be term-limited.