List of governors of Kansas

The governor of Kansas is the head of state of Kansas^[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,^[2] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kansas Legislature,^[4] to convene the legislature at any time,^[5] and to grant pardons.^[6]

Governor of Kansas
State seal
Standard of the governor
Incumbent Laura Kelly since January 14, 2019
Government of Kansas
Residence	Cedar Crest
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Charles L. Robinson
Formation	February 9, 1861
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Kansas
Salary	$99,636 (2017)[1]
Website	governor.kansas.gov

Since becoming a state, Kansas has had 48 governors. The state's longest-serving governors were Robert Docking, John W. Carlin, and Bill Graves, each of whom served 8 years (Docking served four two-year terms; Carlin and Graves each served 2 4-year terms). The shortest-serving governor was John McCuish, who served only 11 days after the resignation of Fred Hall.

The current governor is Democrat Laura Kelly, who took office on January 14, 2019.

List of governors

Kansas Territory

Kansas Territory was organized on May 30, 1854, from land that had previously been part of Missouri Territory.^[7] Despite existing only for six years, it had six governors appointed by the president of the United States.

Governors of Kansas Territory

No.	Governor		Term in office[a]	Appointed by
1		Andrew Horatio Reeder (1807–1864) [8]	June 29, 1854[b] – July 31, 1855 (removed)[c]	Franklin Pierce
2		Wilson Shannon (1802–1877) [11]	August 10, 1855[d] – August 18, 1856 (resigned)[e]	Franklin Pierce
3		John W. Geary (1819–1873) [14]	July 31, 1856[f] – March 4, 1857 (resigned)[g]	Franklin Pierce
4		Robert J. Walker (1801–1869) [17]	March 30, 1857[h] – December 17, 1857 (resigned)[i]	James Buchanan
5		James W. Denver (1817–1892) [18]	February 24, 1858[j] – November 8, 1858 (resigned)[k]	James Buchanan
6		Samuel Medary (1801–1864) [21]	November 23, 1858[l] – December 20, 1860 (resigned)[m]	James Buchanan

State of Kansas

Flag of the governor prior to 1961. It is unclear when the governor's flag was first created

The eastern bulk of Kansas Territory was admitted to the Union as Kansas on January 29, 1861.^[25] The Kansas Constitution provided that a governor and lieutenant governor be elected every 2 years, for a term commencing on the second Monday in the January after the election.^[26] An amendment in 1972 increased terms to four years, with a limit that a governor could not serve more than two terms in a row, and provided that the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket.^[27] In the original constitution, should the office of governor be vacant, the powers would devolve upon the lieutenant governor, who nonetheless would remain in that office;^[28] the 1972 amendment changed it so that, in such an event, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.^[29]

Until 2018, there was no age or residency requirement to run for the office; in 2017, three teenagers were doing so.^[30] In 2018, a law was passed establishing the age to run for governor and lieutenant governor at 25.^[31]

Governors of the State of Kansas

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[n]
1			Charles L. Robinson (1818–1894) [24][32][33]	February 9, 1861[34] – January 12, 1863 (lost nomination)[24]	Republican[35]	1859		Joseph Pomeroy Root
2			Thomas Carney (1824–1888) [36][37][38]	January 12, 1863[39] – January 9, 1865 (lost nomination)[36]	Republican[35]	1862		Thomas A. Osborn
3			Samuel J. Crawford (1835–1913) [40][41][42]	January 9, 1865[43] – November 4, 1868 (resigned)[o]	Republican[35]	1864		James McGrew
						1866		Nehemiah Green
4			Nehemiah Green (1837–1890) [44][45]	November 4, 1868[46] – January 11, 1869 (successor took office)	Republican[35]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
5			James M. Harvey (1833–1894) [47][48][49]	January 11, 1869[50] – January 13, 1873 (did not run)[47]	Republican[35]	1868		Charles Vernon Eskridge
						1870		Peter Percival Elder
6			Thomas A. Osborn (1836–1898) [51][52][53]	January 13, 1873[54] – January 8, 1877 (did not run)	Republican[35]	1872		Elias S. Stover
						1874		Melville J. Salter
7			George T. Anthony (1824–1896) [55][56][57]	January 8, 1877[58] – January 13, 1879 (lost nomination)[55]	Republican[35]	1876
								Lyman U. Humphrey
8			John St. John (1833–1916) [59][60][61]	January 13, 1879[62] – January 8, 1883 (lost election)	Republican[35]	1878
						1880		David Wesley Finney[p]
9			George Washington Glick (1827–1911) [63][64][65]	January 8, 1883[66] – January 12, 1885 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1882
10			John Martin (1839–1889) [67][68][69]	January 12, 1885[70] – January 14, 1889 (did not run)[67]	Republican[35]	1884		Alexander P. Riddle
						1886
11			Lyman U. Humphrey (1844–1915) [71][72][73]	January 14, 1889[74] – January 9, 1893 (did not run)[q]	Republican[35]	1888		Andrew Jackson Felt
						1890
12			Lorenzo D. Lewelling (1846–1900) [75][76][77]	January 9, 1893[78] – January 14, 1895 (lost election)	Populist[35]	1892		Percy Daniels
13			Edmund Needham Morrill (1834–1909) [79][80][81]	January 14, 1895[82] – January 11, 1897 (lost election)	Republican[35]	1894		James Armstrong Troutman
14			John W. Leedy (1849–1935) [83][84][85]	January 11, 1897[86] – January 9, 1899 (lost election)	Populist[35]	1896		Alexander Miller Harvey
15			William Eugene Stanley (1844–1910) [87][88][89]	January 9, 1899[90] – January 12, 1903 (did not run)[87]	Republican[35]	1898		Harry E. Richter
						1900
16			Willis J. Bailey (1854–1932) [91][92][93]	January 12, 1903[94] – January 9, 1905 (lost nomination)[91]	Republican[35]	1902		David John Hanna
17			Edward W. Hoch (1849–1925) [95][96][97]	January 9, 1905[98] – January 11, 1909 (did not run)[95]	Republican[35]	1904
						1906		William James Fitzgerald
18			Walter R. Stubbs (1858–1929) [99][100][101]	January 11, 1909[102] – January 13, 1913 (did not run)[r]	Republican[35]	1908
						1910		Richard Joseph Hopkins
19			George H. Hodges (1866–1947) [103][104][105]	January 13, 1913[106] – January 11, 1915 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1912		Sheffield Ingalls[p]
20			Arthur Capper (1865–1951) [107][108][109]	January 11, 1915[110] – January 13, 1919 (did not run)[s]	Republican[35]	1914		William Yoast Morgan
						1916
21			Henry Justin Allen (1868–1950) [111][112][113]	January 13, 1919[114] – January 8, 1923 (did not run)[111]	Republican[35]	1918		Charles Solomon Huffman
						1920
22			Jonathan M. Davis (1871–1943) [115][116][117]	January 8, 1923[118] – January 12, 1925 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1922		Benjamin S. Paulen[p]
23			Benjamin S. Paulen (1869–1961) [119][120][121]	January 12, 1925[122] – January 14, 1929 (did not run)[119]	Republican[35]	1924		De Lanson Alson Newton Chase
						1926
24			Clyde M. Reed (1871–1949) [123][124][125]	January 14, 1929[126] – January 12, 1931 (lost nomination)[t]	Republican[35]	1928		Jacob W. Graybill[p]
25			Harry Hines Woodring (1887–1967) [127][128][129]	January 12, 1931[130] – January 9, 1933 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1930
26			Alf Landon (1887–1987) [131][132][133]	January 9, 1933[134] – January 11, 1937 (did not run)[u]	Republican[35]	1932		Charles W. Thompson
						1934
27			Walter A. Huxman (1887–1972) [135][136][137]	January 11, 1937[138] – January 9, 1939 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1936		William M. Lindsay
28			Payne Ratner (1896–1974) [139][140][141]	January 9, 1939[142] – January 11, 1943 (did not run)	Republican[35]	1938		Carl E. Friend
						1940
29			Andrew Frank Schoeppel (1894–1962) [143][144][145]	January 11, 1943[146] – January 13, 1947 (did not run)[143]	Republican[35]	1942		Jess C. Denious
						1944
30			Frank Carlson (1893–1987) [147][148][149]	January 13, 1947[150] – November 28, 1950 (resigned)[v]	Republican[35]	1946		Frank L. Hagaman
						1948
31			Frank L. Hagaman (1894–1966) [151][152]	November 28, 1950[153] – January 8, 1951 (successor took office)[w]	Republican[35]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
32			Edward F. Arn (1906–1998) [154][155][156]	January 8, 1951[157] – January 10, 1955 (did not run)[154]	Republican[35]	1950		Fred Hall
						1952
33			Fred Hall (1916–1970) [158][159][160]	January 10, 1955[161] – January 3, 1957 (resigned)[x]	Republican[35]	1954		John McCuish
34			John McCuish (1906–1962) [162][163]	January 3, 1957[164] – January 14, 1957 (successor took office)	Republican[35]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
35			George Docking (1904–1964) [165][166][167]	January 14, 1957[168] – January 9, 1961 (lost election)	Democratic[35]	1956		Joseph W. Henkle Sr.
						1958
36			John Anderson Jr. (1917–2014) [169][170][171]	January 9, 1961[172] – January 11, 1965 (did not run)[169]	Republican[35]	1960		Harold H. Chase
						1962
37			William H. Avery (1911–2009) [173][174][175]	January 11, 1965[176] – January 9, 1967 (lost election)	Republican[35]	1964		John Crutcher[p]
38			Robert Docking (1925–1983) [177][178][179]	January 9, 1967[180] – January 13, 1975 (term-limited)[y]	Democratic[35]	1966
						1968		James H. DeCoursey Jr.
						1970		Reynolds Shultz[p]
						1972		Dave Owen[p]
39			Robert Frederick Bennett (1927–2000) [182][183][184]	January 13, 1975[185] – January 8, 1979 (lost election)	Republican[35]	1974[z]		Shelby Smith
40			John W. Carlin (b. 1940) [186][187]	January 8, 1979[188] – January 12, 1987 (term-limited)[y]	Democratic[186]	1978		Paul Dugan
						1982		Thomas Docking
41			Mike Hayden (b. 1944) [189][190]	January 12, 1987[191] – January 14, 1991 (lost election)	Republican[189]	1986		Jack D. Walker
42			Joan Finney (1925–2001) [192][193]	January 14, 1991[194] – January 9, 1995 (did not run)	Democratic[192]	1990		Jim Francisco
43			Bill Graves (b. 1953) [195][196]	January 9, 1995[197] – January 13, 2003 (term-limited)[y]	Republican[195]	1994		Sheila Frahm (resigned June 11, 1996)
							Vacant
								Gary Sherrer (appointed July 18, 1996)
						1998
44			Kathleen Sebelius (b. 1948) [198][199]	January 13, 2003[200] – April 28, 2009 (resigned)[aa]	Democratic[198]	2002		John E. Moore
						2006		Mark Parkinson
45			Mark Parkinson (b. 1957) [201][202]	April 28, 2009[203] – January 10, 2011 (did not run)	Democratic[201]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Troy Findley (appointed May 15, 2009)
46			Sam Brownback (b. 1956) [204][205]	January 10, 2011[206] – January 31, 2018 (resigned)[ab]	Republican[204]	2010		Jeff Colyer
						2014
47			Jeff Colyer (b. 1960) [207][208]	January 31, 2018[209] – January 14, 2019 (lost nomination)[ac]	Republican[207]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Tracey Mann (appointed February 14, 2018)
48			Laura Kelly (b. 1950) [210][211]	January 14, 2019[212] – Incumbent[ad]	Democratic[210]	2018		Lynn Rogers (resigned January 2, 2021)
								David Toland (appointed January 2, 2021)
						2022

Timeline

Timeline of Kansas governors

See also

• List of Kansas state legislatures
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Kansas

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 left office.
2. Reeder was nominated on June 22, 1854,^[9] confirmed by the Senate on June 29,^[10] and took office on October 7.^[8]
3. Reeder was dismissed by President Franklin Pierce, "on the tenuous grounds of illegal land speculation" when he refused another appointment.^[8]
4. Shannon was appointed on August 10, 1855,^[11] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 7, 1855,^[12] and confirmed by the Senate on February 19, 1856.^[13] He took office on September 1, 1855.^[11]
5. Shannon resigned, frustrated at how ungovernable he found the territory.^[11]
6. Geary was nominated on July 28, 1856,^[15] confirmed by the Senate on July 31,^[16] and took office on September 9.^[14]
7. Geary resigned, "discouraged and feeling betrayed" due to the violence he had experienced.^[14]
8. Walker was appointed on March 30, 1857, during a Senate recess; he was never confirmed by the Senate. He gave his inaugural address on May 27.^[17]
9. Walker resigned following constant attack by pro-slavery forces and lack of support from the federal administration.^[17]
10. Denver was nominated on January 12, 1858,^[19] and confirmed by the Senate on February 24.^[20]
11. Denver resigned, tired of the constant strife and lack of support from the federal administration. He submitted his resignation on October 10, 1858, to take effect upon the arrival of his successor, but he left the territory on November 8.^[18]
12. Medary was appointed on November 23, 1858,^[21] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 21;^[22] and confirmed by the Senate on December 22.^[23] He took office on December 18.^[21]
13. Medary resigned following the election of Abraham Lincoln to president;^[21] he had already lost the election to be the first state governor.^[24]
14. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
15. Crawford resigned to take command of the 19th Kansas Infantry.^[40]
16. Represented the Republican Party
17. Humphrey instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives.^[71]
18. Stubbs instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.^[99]
19. Capper was instead elected to the United States Senate.^[107]
20. Reed lost the Republican nomination to Frank Haucke.^[123]
21. Landon instead ran unsuccessfully for President of the United States.^[131]
22. Carlson resigned; he had been elected to the United States Senate to replace Harry Darby, and Darby resigned early so that Carlson could be appointed to the seat early by his replacement as governor, Frank L. Hagaman.^[147]
23. Hagaman had already lost the Republican nomination to Edward F. Arn.^[151]
24. Hall resigned so that his successor would appoint him to the Kansas Supreme Court; he had already lost the Republican nomination to Warren W. Shaw.^[158]
25. Under a 1972 amendment to the constitution, governors may not be elected to more than two successive terms.^[181]
26. First term under a 1972 constitutional amendment which lengthened terms to four years.
27. Sebelius resigned, having been confirmed as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.
28. Brownback resigned, having been confirmed as United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
29. Colyer lost the Republican nomination to Kris Kobach.
30. Kelly's second term began on January 9, 2023,^[213] and will expire on January 11, 2027; she will be term-limited.