List of governors of Nebraska

The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential elections. The governor may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. The current officeholder is Jim Pillen, a Republican, who was sworn in on January 5, 2023.

Governor of Nebraska
Seal of Nebraska
Incumbent Jim Pillen since January 5, 2023
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Nebraska Governor's Mansion
Term length	4 years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	David Butler
Formation	Constitution of Nebraska
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska
Salary	$105,000 USD (2022)[1]
Website	governor.nebraska.gov

Governors of Nebraska must be at least 30 years old and have been citizens and residents of the state for five years before being elected. Before 1966, the governor was elected to a two-year term. In 1962, a constitutional amendment extended the gubernatorial term to four years, effective with the 1966 election. In 1966, another amendment imposed a term limit of two consecutive terms. The lieutenant governor is subject to the same limitations and runs on a combined ticket with the governor. Charles W. Bryan is the only Governor of Nebraska to serve non-consecutive terms. Dave Heineman holds the record as Nebraska's longest-serving governor with 10 years.

The governor's term, along with all other elected statewide officers, begins on the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in the month of January after an election.^[2] If the governor becomes incapacitated or is out of the state, the lieutenant governor acts as governor; if there is a vacancy or permanent incapacitation, the lieutenant governor becomes governor and serves the balance of the term. However, if both offices become vacant, the next person in the line of succession is the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, who is then followed by the chairs of various committees in the legislature.

List of governors

Nebraska Territory

Nebraska Territory was organized on May 30, 1854.^[3] It had five governors appointed by the president of the United States.

On July 26, 1853, William Walker was elected provisional governor of Nebraska Territory; this spurred the federal government into action to organize the territory.

Governors of the Territory of Nebraska

No.	Governor		Term in office[a]	Appointed by
1		Francis Burt (1807–1854) [4]	August 2, 1854[b] – October 18, 1854 (died in office)[c]	Franklin Pierce
2		Mark W. Izard (1799–1866) [9]	December 20, 1854[d] – October 25, 1857 (resigned)[e]	Franklin Pierce
3		William Alexander Richardson (1811–1875) [11]	December 10, 1857[f] – December 5, 1858 (resigned)[g]	James Buchanan
4		Samuel W. Black (1816–1862) [13]	February 8, 1859[h] – February 24, 1861 (resigned)[i]	James Buchanan
5		Alvin Saunders (1817–1899) [17]	March 27, 1861[j] – March 27, 1867 (statehood)	Abraham Lincoln
				Andrew Johnson

State of Nebraska

Nebraska was admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867.^[20]

Governors of the State of Nebraska

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[k][l]
1			David Butler (1829–1891) [21][22]	March 27, 1867[23] – June 2, 1871 (impeached and removed)[m]	Republican[24]	1866	Office did not exist
						1868
						1870
–			William H. James (1831–1920) [25][26]	June 2, 1871[27] – January 13, 1873 (successor took office)	Republican[24]	Secretary of state acting
2			Robert Wilkinson Furnas (1824–1905) [28][29]	January 13, 1873[30] – January 12, 1875 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1872
3			Silas Garber (1833–1905) [31][32]	January 12, 1875[33] – January 9, 1879 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1874
						1876		Othman A. Abbott
4			Albinus Nance (1848–1911) [34][35]	January 9, 1879[36] – January 4, 1883 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1878		Edmund C. Carns
						1880
5			James W. Dawes (1845–1918) [37][38]	January 4, 1883[39] – January 6, 1887 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1882		Alfred W. Agee
						1884		Hibbard H. Shedd
6			John Milton Thayer (1820–1906) [40][41]	January 6, 1887[42] – January 15, 1891 (did not run)[n]	Republican[24]	1886
						1888		George de Rue Meiklejohn
								Thomas Jefferson Majors[o]
7			James E. Boyd (1834–1906) [43][44]	January 15, 1891[45] – May 5, 1891 (removed)[n]	Democratic[24]	1890
6			John Milton Thayer (1820–1906) [40][41]	May 5, 1891[46] – February 8, 1892 (removed)[n]	Republican[24]
7			James E. Boyd (1834–1906) [43][44]	February 8, 1892[47] – January 13, 1893 (did not run)	Democratic[24]
8			Lorenzo Crounse (1834–1909) [48][49]	January 13, 1893[50] – January 3, 1895 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1892
9			Silas A. Holcomb (1858–1920) [51][52]	January 3, 1895[53] – January 5, 1899 (did not run)[51]	Fusion[p]	1894		Robert E. Moore[o]
						1896		James E. Harris
10			William A. Poynter (1848–1909) [54][55]	January 5, 1899[56] – January 3, 1901 (lost election)	Fusion[q]	1898		Edward A. Gilbert
11			Charles Henry Dietrich (1853–1924) [57][58]	January 3, 1901[59] – May 1, 1901 (resigned)[r]	Republican[24]	1900		Ezra P. Savage
12			Ezra P. Savage (1842–1920) [60][61]	May 1, 1901[62] – January 8, 1903 (did not run)[60]	Republican[24]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Calvin F. Steele (acting)
13			John H. Mickey (1845–1910) [63][64]	January 8, 1903[65] – January 3, 1907 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1902		Edmund G. McGilton
						1904
14			George L. Sheldon (1870–1960) [66][67]	January 3, 1907[68] – January 7, 1909 (lost election)	Republican[24]	1906		Melville R. Hopewell[o] (died May 2, 1911)
15			Ashton C. Shallenberger (1862–1938) [69][70]	January 7, 1909[71] – January 5, 1911 (lost nomination)[s]	Democratic[24]	1908
16			Chester Hardy Aldrich (1863–1924) [72][73]	January 5, 1911[74] – January 9, 1913 (lost election)	Republican[24]	1910
								John H. Morehead[t] (acting)
17			John H. Morehead (1861–1942) [75][76]	January 9, 1913[77] – January 4, 1917 (did not run)	Democratic[24]	1912		Samuel Roy McKelvie[o]
						1914		James Pearson
18			Keith Neville (1884–1959) [78][79]	January 4, 1917[80] – January 9, 1919 (lost election)	Democratic[24]	1916		Edgar Howard
19			Samuel Roy McKelvie (1881–1956) [81][82]	January 9, 1919[83] – January 4, 1923 (did not run)[81]	Republican[24]	1918		Pelham A. Barrows
						1920
20			Charles W. Bryan (1867–1945) [84][85]	January 4, 1923[86] – January 8, 1925 (did not run)[u]	Democratic[24]	1922		Fred Gustus Johnson[o]
21			Adam McMullen (1872–1959) [87][88]	January 8, 1925[89] – January 3, 1929 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1924		George A. Williams
						1926
22			Arthur J. Weaver (1873–1945) [90][91]	January 3, 1929[92] – January 8, 1931 (lost election)	Republican[24]	1928
23			Charles W. Bryan (1867–1945) [84][85]	January 8, 1931[93] – January 3, 1935 (did not run)[v]	Democratic[24]	1930		Theodore W. Metcalfe[o]
						1932		Walter H. Jurgensen (removed June 26, 1938)
24			Robert Leroy Cochran (1886–1963) [94][95]	January 3, 1935[96] – January 9, 1941 (did not run)[w]	Democratic[24]	1934
						1936
							Vacant
								Nate M. Parsons (elected November 8, 1938)
						1938		William E. Johnson[o]
25			Dwight Griswold (1893–1954) [97][98]	January 9, 1941[99] – January 9, 1947 (did not run)	Republican[24]	1940
						1942		Roy W. Johnson
						1944
26			Val Peterson (1903–1983) [100][101]	January 9, 1947[102] – January 8, 1953 (did not run)[x]	Republican[24]	1946		Robert B. Crosby
						1948		Charles J. Warner (died September 24, 1955)
						1950
27			Robert B. Crosby (1911–2000) [103][104]	January 8, 1953[105] – January 6, 1955 (did not run)[y]	Republican[24]	1952
28			Victor Emanuel Anderson (1902–1962) [106][107]	January 6, 1955[108] – January 8, 1959 (lost election)	Republican[24]	1954
							Vacant
						1956		Dwight W. Burney[o]
29			Ralph G. Brooks (1898–1960) [109][110]	January 8, 1959[111] – September 9, 1960 (died in office)	Democratic[24]	1958
30			Dwight W. Burney (1892–1987) [112][113]	September 9, 1960[114] – January 5, 1961 (did not run)	Republican[24]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
31			Frank B. Morrison (1905–2004) [115][116]	January 5, 1961[117] – January 5, 1967 (did not run)[z]	Democratic[24]	1960		Dwight W. Burney
						1962
						1964		Philip C. Sorensen
32			Norbert Tiemann (1924–2012) [118][119]	January 5, 1967[120] – January 7, 1971 (lost election)	Republican[24]	1966		John E. Everroad
33			J. James Exon (1921–2005) [121][122]	January 7, 1971[123] – January 4, 1979 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[24]	1970		Frank Marsh[o]
						1974		Gerald T. Whelan
34			Charles Thone (1924–2018) [125]	January 4, 1979[126] – January 6, 1983 (lost election)	Republican[125]	1978		Roland A. Luedtke
35			Bob Kerrey (b. 1943) [127]	January 6, 1983[128] – January 8, 1987 (did not run)	Democratic[127]	1982		Donald McGinley
36			Kay A. Orr (b. 1939) [129]	January 8, 1987[130] – January 10, 1991 (lost election)	Republican[129]	1986		William E. Nichol
37			Ben Nelson (b. 1941) [131]	January 10, 1991[132] – January 7, 1999 (term-limited)[aa]	Democratic[131]	1990		Maxine Moul (resigned October 6, 1993)
								Kim M. Robak (appointed October 6, 1993)
						1994
38			Mike Johanns (b. 1950) [133]	January 7, 1999[134] – January 20, 2005 (resigned)[ab]	Republican[133]	1998		David Maurstad (resigned October 1, 2001)
								Dave Heineman (appointed October 1, 2001)
						2002
39			Dave Heineman (b. 1948) [135]	January 20, 2005[136] – January 8, 2015 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[135]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Rick Sheehy (appointed January 24, 2005) (resigned February 2, 2013)
						2006
						2010
							Vacant
								Lavon Heidemann (appointed February 13, 2013) (resigned September 9, 2014)
							Vacant
								John E. Nelson (appointed September 29, 2014)
40			Pete Ricketts (b. 1964) [137]	January 8, 2015[138] – January 5, 2023 (term-limited)[aa]	Republican[137]	2014		Mike Foley
						2018
41			Jim Pillen (b. 1955) [139]	January 5, 2023[140] – Incumbent[ac]	Republican[139]	2022		Joe Kelly

Timeline

See also

• United States congressional delegations from Nebraska
• Political party strength in Nebraska
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Nebraska
• List of Nebraska 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 left office.
2. William Orlando Butler was nominated on June 22, 1854,^[5] and confirmed by the Senate on June 29,^[6] but declined the nomination.^[7] Burt was then nominated^[7] and confirmed by the Senate on August 2,^[8] and was sworn in on October 16.^[4]
3. Burt died two days after being sworn in; Territorial Secretary Thomas B. Cuming acted as governor until Burt's successor arrived in the territory.^[4]
4. Izard was nominated, and confirmed by the Senate, on December 20, 1854,^[10] and arrived in the territory on February 20, 1855.^[9]
5. Izard resigned due to political pressure from the president; Territorial Secretary Thomas B. Cuming acted as governor until Izard's successor arrived in the territory.^[9]
6. Richardson was nominated, and confirmed by the Senate, on December 10, 1857,^[12] and arrived in the territory on January 12, 1858.^[11]
7. Richardson resigned due to political issues between him and President James Buchanan; Territorial Secretary Julius Sterling Morton acted as governor until Richardson's successor arrived in the territory.^[11]
8. Black was nominated on February 3, 1859,^[14] and confirmed by the Senate on February 8;^[15] he was already residing in the territory when appointed.^[13]
9. Black resigned, anticipating removal by the newly-elected president Abraham Lincoln;^[13] Lincoln's nomination of his successor specifies "vice Samuel L. Black, removed".^[16] Territorial Secretary Julius Sterling Morton and later Territorial Secretary Algernon S. Paddock acted as governor until Black's successor arrived in the territory.^[13]
10. Saunders was nominated on March 26, 1861;^[16] confirmed by the Senate on March 27;^[18] and arrived in the territory on May 18.^[17] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on January 9, 1866.^[19]
11. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1875.
12. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
13. Butler was impeached and removed for misappropriating state funds; the impeachment was expunged six years later.^[21]
14. Thayer was not a candidate in the 1890 election, which Boyd won, and was due to be sworn in on January 8, 1891. However, Thayer challenged Boyd's citizenship, and thus eligibility to be governor, which delayed his inauguration until January 15. The Supreme Court of Nebraska then ruled that Boyd was ineligible, and Thayer took office again on May 5; however, the Supreme Court of the United States later ruled that Boyd was eligible, and he took office on February 8, 1892.^[40][43]
15. Represented the Republican Party
16. Holcomb represented a fusion of the Democratic and Populist parties.^[51]
17. Poynter represented a fusion of the Democratic, Populist, and Silver Republican parties.^[54]
18. Dietrich resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[57]
19. Shallenberger lost the Democratic nomination to James Dahlman.^[69]
20. Represented the Democratic Party
21. Bryan was renominated for governor, but withdrew to run unsuccessfully for Vice President of the United States.^[84]
22. Bryan instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate.^[84]
23. Cochran instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.^[94]
24. Peterson instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the United States Senate.^[100]
25. Crosby instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the United States Senate.^[103]
26. Morrison instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate;^[115] it is not known if the new gubernatorial term limit would have applied to him.
27. Under a 1966 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible for four years after the expiration of two consecutive elected terms.^[124]
28. Johanns resigned, having been confirmed as United States Secretary of Agriculture.^[133]
29. Pillen's term will expire on January 7, 2027.