List of governors of Kentucky

The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky,^[1] and serves as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws;^[3] the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kentucky General Assembly;^[4] the power to convene the legislature;^[5] and the power to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.^[6] The governor is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size. Historically, the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States.^[7]

Fifty-nine individuals have held the office of governor. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, the governor was prohibited from succeeding himself or herself in office, though four men (Isaac Shelby, John L. Helm, James B. McCreary and Happy Chandler) served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul E. Patton, the first Kentucky governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment, won his reelection bid in 1999. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, before the constitutional provision existed. Garrard is also the longest serving governor, serving for a total period of eight years and 90 days. In 2023 Democrat Andy Beshear became the 3rd incumbent governor in Kentucky history to be reelected to a second consecutive term.

William Goebel, who was elected to the office in the disputed election of 1899, remains the only governor of any U.S. state to die from assassination while in office.^[8] Goebel is also the shortest serving governor, serving for a period of only three days. Martha Layne Collins, who held the office from 1983 to 1987, was the first woman to serve as governor and was only the third woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state who was not the wife or widow of a previous governor.^[7] The 63rd and current Kentucky governor is Democrat Andy Beshear, who took office on December 10, 2019.

Governors

Kentucky County, Virginia was admitted to the Union as Kentucky on June 1, 1792. There have been 59 governors, serving 63 distinct terms.

An unelected group proclaimed Kentucky's secession from the Union on November 20, 1861, and it was annexed by the Confederate States of America on December 10, 1861. The Confederate government elected two governors, but it never held much control over the state.

The original 1792 Kentucky Constitution had the governor chosen by an electoral college for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of June.^[9] The second constitution in 1799 changed this to a popular vote, prevented governors from succeeding themselves within seven years of their terms, and moved the start date to the fourth Tuesday after the election.^[10] The third constitution in 1850 reduced the succession limitation to four years, and moved the start date of the term to the fifth Tuesday after the election.^[11] A 1992 amendment allowed governors to have a second term before being prevented from succeeding themselves for four years.^[12] Originally, should the office of governor be vacant, the speaker of the Senate would exercise the powers of the office;^[13] in 1799, the office of lieutenant governor was created to fill this role,^[14] and, as of 1992, is elected on the same ticket as the governor.^[15]

Governors of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

No.[a]	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[b][c]
1			Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [18][19]	June 4, 1792[20] – June 1, 1796 (did not run)[18]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1792	Office did not exist
2			James Garrard (1749–1822) [22][23]	June 1, 1796[24] – September 5, 1804 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1796
						1800		Alexander Scott Bullitt
3			Christopher Greenup (1750–1818) [26][27]	September 5, 1804[21] – August 23, 1808 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1804		John Caldwell (died November 19, 1804)
							Vacant
								Thomas Posey (acting, elected Speaker in 1805)
4			Charles Scott (1739–1813) [28][29]	August 23, 1808[21] – August 24, 1812 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1808		Gabriel Slaughter
5			Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [18][19]	August 24, 1812[21] – September 5, 1816 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1812		Richard Hickman
6			George Madison (1763–1816) [30][31]	September 5, 1816[e] – October 14, 1816 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican[21]	1816		Gabriel Slaughter
7			Gabriel Slaughter (1767–1830) [33][34]	October 14, 1816[35] – September 7, 1820 (did not run)	Democratic- Republican[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
8			John Adair (1757–1840) [36][37]	September 7, 1820[f] – August 24, 1824 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1820		William T. Barry
9			Joseph Desha (1768–1842) [40][41]	August 24, 1824[42] – August 26, 1828 (term-limited)[d]	Democratic- Republican[21]	1824		Robert B. McAfee
10			Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) [43][44]	August 26, 1828[45] – August 28, 1832 (term-limited)[d]	National Republican[g]	1828		John Breathitt[h]
11			John Breathitt (1786–1834) [50][51]	August 28, 1832[21] – February 21, 1834 (died in office)	Democratic[52]	1832		James Turner Morehead[i]
12			James Turner Morehead (1797–1854) [53][54]	February 21, 1834[55] – August 30, 1836 (did not run)[53]	National Republican[j]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
13			James Clark (1779–1839) [57][58]	August 30, 1836[59] – August 27, 1839 (died in office)	Whig[60]	1836		Charles A. Wickliffe
14			Charles A. Wickliffe (1788–1869) [61][62]	August 27, 1839[63] – September 2, 1840 (did not run)	Whig[61]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
15			Robert P. Letcher (1788–1861) [64][65]	September 2, 1840[66] – September 4, 1844 (term-limited)[d]	Whig[67]	1840		Manlius Valerius Thomson
16			William Owsley (1782–1862) [68][69]	September 4, 1844[70] – September 6, 1848 (term-limited)[d]	Whig[71]	1844		Archibald Dixon
17			John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) [72][73]	September 6, 1848[74] – July 30, 1850 (resigned)[k]	Whig[75]	1848[l]		John L. Helm
18			John L. Helm (1802–1867) [76][77]	July 30, 1850[m] – September 2, 1851 (did not run)	Whig[76]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
19			Lazarus W. Powell (1812–1867) [79][80]	September 2, 1851[81] – September 4, 1855 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[75]	1851		John Burton Thompson[o]
20			Charles S. Morehead (1802–1868) [83][84]	September 4, 1855[85] – August 30, 1859 (term-limited)[n]	American[86]	1855		James Greene Hardy
21			Beriah Magoffin (1815–1885) [87][88]	August 30, 1859[89] – August 18, 1862 (resigned)[p]	Democratic[90]	1859		Linn Boyd (died December 17, 1859)
							Vacant
22			James Fisher Robinson (1800–1882) [91][92]	August 18, 1862[93] – September 1, 1863 (did not run)	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from president of the Senate
23			Thomas E. Bramlette (1817–1875) [94][95]	September 1, 1863[96] – September 3, 1867 (term-limited)[n]	Union Democratic[94]	1863		Richard Taylor Jacob
24			John L. Helm (1802–1867) [76][77]	September 3, 1867[97] – September 8, 1867 (died in office)	Democratic[21]	1867		John W. Stevenson
25			John W. Stevenson (1812–1886) [98][99]	September 8, 1867[100] – February 13, 1871 (resigned)[q]	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1868 (special)
26			Preston Leslie (1819–1907) [101][102]	February 13, 1871[103] – August 31, 1875 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from president of the Senate
						1871		John G. Carlisle
27			James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [104][105]	August 31, 1875[106] – September 2, 1879 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1875		John C. Underwood
28			Luke P. Blackburn (1816–1887) [107][108]	September 2, 1879[109] – September 4, 1883 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1879		James E. Cantrill
29			J. Proctor Knott (1830–1911) [110][111]	September 4, 1883[112] – August 30, 1887 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1883		James R. Hindman
30			Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823–1914) [113][114]	August 30, 1887[115] – September 1, 1891 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1887		James William Bryan
31			John Y. Brown (1835–1904) [116][117]	September 1, 1891[118] – December 10, 1895 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1891		Mitchell Cary Alford
32			William O'Connell Bradley (1847–1914) [119][120]	December 10, 1895[121] – December 12, 1899 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1895		William Jackson Worthington
33			William S. Taylor (1853–1928) [122][123]	December 12, 1899[124] – January 31, 1900 (removed from office)[r]	Republican[21]	1899[r]		John Marshall
34			William Goebel (1856–1900) [125][126]	January 31, 1900[127] – February 3, 1900 (died in office)[r]	Democratic[21]			J. C. W. Beckham
35			J. C. W. Beckham (1869–1940) [128][129]	February 3, 1900[130] – December 10, 1907 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor[r]	Vacant
						1900 (special)
						1903		William P. Thorne
36			Augustus E. Willson (1846–1931) [131][132]	December 10, 1907[133] – December 12, 1911 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1907		William Hopkinson Cox
37			James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [104][105]	December 12, 1911[134] – December 7, 1915 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1911		Edward J. McDermott
38			Augustus Owsley Stanley (1867–1958) [135][136]	December 7, 1915[137] – May 19, 1919 (resigned)[s]	Democratic[21]	1915		James D. Black
39			James D. Black (1849–1938) [138][139]	May 19, 1919[140] – December 9, 1919 (lost election)	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
40			Edwin P. Morrow (1877–1935) [141][142]	December 9, 1919[143] – December 11, 1923 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1919		S. Thruston Ballard
41			William J. Fields (1874–1954) [144][145]	December 11, 1923[146] – December 13, 1927 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1923		Henry Denhardt
42			Flem D. Sampson (1875–1967) [147][148]	December 13, 1927[149] – December 8, 1931 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1927		James Breathitt Jr.[h]
43			Ruby Laffoon (1869–1941) [150][151]	December 8, 1931[152] – December 10, 1935 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1931		Happy Chandler
44			Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [153][154]	December 10, 1935[155] – October 9, 1939 (resigned)[t]	Democratic[21]	1935		Keen Johnson
45			Keen Johnson (1896–1970) [156][157]	October 9, 1939[158] – December 7, 1943 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1939		Rodes K. Myers
46			Simeon Willis (1879–1965) [159][160]	December 7, 1943[161] – December 9, 1947 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1943		Kenneth H. Tuggle
47			Earle Clements (1896–1985) [162][163]	December 9, 1947[164] – November 27, 1950 (resigned)[u]	Democratic[21]	1947		Lawrence Wetherby
48			Lawrence Wetherby (1908–1994) [165][166]	November 27, 1950[167] – December 13, 1955 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1951		Emerson Beauchamp
49			Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [153][154]	December 13, 1955[168] – December 8, 1959 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1955		Harry Lee Waterfield
50			Bert Combs (1911–1991) [169][170]	December 8, 1959[171] – December 10, 1963 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1959		Wilson W. Wyatt
51			Ned Breathitt (1924–2003) [172][173]	December 10, 1963[174] – December 12, 1967 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	1963		Harry Lee Waterfield
52			Louie Nunn (1924–2004) [175][176]	December 12, 1967[177] – December 7, 1971 (term-limited)[n]	Republican[21]	1967		Wendell Ford[h]
53			Wendell Ford (1924–2015) [178][179]	December 7, 1971[180] – December 28, 1974 (resigned)[v]	Democratic[21]	1971		Julian Carroll
54			Julian Carroll (1931–2023) [181][182]	December 28, 1974[183] – December 11, 1979 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[21]	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)[n]	Democratic[184]	1979		Martha Layne Collins
56			Martha Layne Collins (b. 1936) [186]	December 13, 1983[187] – December 8, 1987 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[186]	1983		Steve Beshear
57			Wallace Wilkinson (1941–2002) [188]	December 8, 1987[189] – December 10, 1991 (term-limited)[n]	Democratic[188]	1987		Brereton C. Jones
58			Brereton C. Jones (1939–2023) [190]	December 10, 1991[191] – December 12, 1995 (term-limited)[w]	Democratic[190]	1991		Paul E. Patton
59			Paul E. Patton (b. 1937) [193]	December 12, 1995[194] – December 9, 2003 (term-limited)[w]	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)[w]	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[x]	Democratic[201]	2019		Jacqueline Coleman
						2023

Confederate governors

George W. Johnson, 1st Confederate Governor of Kentucky

Richard Hawes, 2nd Confederate Governor of Kentucky

During the Civil War, a group of secessionists met at Russellville to form a Confederate government for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This government never successfully displaced the government in Frankfort, and Kentucky remained in the Union through the entire war. Two men were elected governor of the Confederate government: George W. Johnson, who served from November 20, 1861, to his death on April 8, 1862, at the Battle of Shiloh, and, on Johnson's death, Richard Hawes, who served until the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865. The Confederate government disbanded shortly after the end of the war in 1865.^[204]

See also

• Timeline of Kentucky history
• List of Kentucky General Assemblies

Notes

1. The state labels Matt Bevin as the 62nd governor;^[16] based on this, subsequent terms of repeat governors are numbered.
2. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1799.^[17]
3. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
4. Under the 1799 constitution, governors were ineligible for seven years after the end of their term.^[25]
5. The constitutional start date would have been August 27;^[21] however, contemporary news indicates Madison succeeded Shelby on September 5.^[32]
6. The constitutional start date would have been August 29;^[21] however, what little contemporary reporting that has been found says he was inaugurated on September 7.^[38][39]
7. Kallenbach labels Metcalfe both as a Whig^[46] and a National Republican;^[47] Glashan labels him a National Republican;^[48] and Dubin^[49] and Sobel^[43] describe him as a pro-Adams Administration candidate.
8. Represented the Democratic Party
9. Represented the National Republican Party.
10. Glashan labels Morehead a National Republican,^[56] and Sobel notes he succeeded to governor as a Whig,^[53] as the National Republicans had transitioned into the Whig Party in 1834.
11. Crittenden resigned, having been confirmed as Attorney General of the United States.^[72]
12. The 1850 constitution shifted the election schedule forward, shortening this term by a year.
13. Helm was sworn in on July 31, but contemporary sources say Crittenden resigned on July 30.^[78]
14. Under the 1850 constitution, governors were ineligible for four years after the end of their term.^[82]
15. Represented the Whig Party.
16. Magoffin resigned due to disagreement with the state legislature over neutrality in the American Civil War.^[87]
17. Stevenson resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[98]
18. Taylor won the 1899 election and was sworn into office. However, the legislature challenged the validity of his win, claiming ballot fraud. His challenger, Goebel, was shot on January 30, 1900, but was named governor by the legislature and sworn in the next day; he died three days later. Since Lieutenant Governor Marshall's win had also been invalidated, Beckham, having been named lieutenant governor, succeeded Goebel.^[122][125]
19. Stanley resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[135]
20. Chandler resigned so that his successor would appoint him to the United States Senate.^[153]
21. Clements resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[162]
22. Ford resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[178]
23. Under a 1992 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible for four years after the end of their second consecutive elected term.^[192]
24. Beshear's second term began on December 12, 2023,^[203] and will expire on December 7, 2027; he will be term-limited.