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TheUnited States has 50states and 5territories that each elect agovernor to serve as chief executive of thestate or territorial government.[1] The solefederal district, theDistrict of Columbia, elects amayor to oversee its government in a similar manner.[2][3] In the event of a vacancy, the governor is succeeded by the second-highest-ranking state official; in 45 states and 4 territories, thelieutenant governor is the first in the line of succession.[4][5]
As of January 2026[update], there are 26 states withRepublican governors and 24 states withDemocratic governors.[6] The Democratic Party controls twoterritorial governorships, the Republican Party controls one, and one is anindependent.[citation needed]Jenniffer González-Colón ofPuerto Rico is a member of theNew Progressive Party, although she is also affiliated with the Republican Party.[7] The federal District of Columbia is governed by a Democratic mayor.[8]
The current gubernatorial term ends and new term begins in January for most states and territories, two months after their election; in Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Kentucky, the term begins in December.[9][10] Governors serve four-year terms in most states and all territories;New Hampshire andVermont have two-year terms for their governors. Most states and all but one territory also haveterm limits that generally allow for two consecutive terms to be served by a candidate. To run for governor, a candidate must generally be aU.S. citizen with prior state residence who meets the minimum age requirement—set at 30 years old in 35 states.[11]
All 55 governors are members of theNational Governors Association, a non-partisan organization which represents states and territories in discussions with the federal government.[12] Other organizations for governors include the partisanDemocratic Governors Association andRepublican Governors Association; and the three regional associations:Midwestern,Northeastern, andWestern.[13]
Thelongest-serving incumbent U.S. governor isGreg Abbott ofTexas, who took office on January 20, 2015. The most recently inaugurated governor isMikie Sherrill ofNew Jersey, who took office on January 20, 2026.[14] A total of 15 current governors previously served aslieutenant governor, while 13 previously served in theUnited States House of Representatives.[15] The governor's office hasterm limits in 37 states and 4 territories; these terms are four years except inNew Hampshire andVermont, where governors serve two-year terms.[11][16]
The average age of governors at the time of their inauguration was about 59 years old.Alabama governorKay Ivey (born 1944) is the oldest current governor, andArkansas governorSarah Huckabee Sanders (born 1982) is the youngest.[6] As of January 2026, there are 14female state governors serving. Of the 50 state governors, 47 arenon-Hispanic white, one isHispanic (Michelle Lujan Grisham ofNew Mexico), one isBlack (Wes Moore ofMaryland), and one isNative American (Kevin Stitt ofOklahoma).[6]
The notation "(term limits)" after the year indicates that the governor is ineligible to seek re-election in that year; the notation "(retiring)" indicates that the governor has announced their intention not to seek re-election at the end of the term nor to run for another office.
| State | Image | Governor[14] | Party[14] | Born | Prior public experience[15] | Term start[14] | Term end[14] | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (list) | Kay Ivey | Republican | (1944-10-15)October 15, 1944 (age 81) | Lieutenant Governor State Treasurer | April 10, 2017 | 2027 (term limits) | [17] | ||
| Alaska (list) | Mike Dunleavy | Republican | (1961-05-05)May 5, 1961 (age 64) | Alaska Senate | December 3, 2018 | 2026 (term limits) | [18] | ||
| Arizona (list) | Katie Hobbs | Democratic | (1969-12-28)December 28, 1969 (age 56) | Secretary of State Minority Leader of theArizona Senate Arizona House | January 2, 2023 | 2027 | [19] | ||
| Arkansas (list) | Sarah Huckabee Sanders | Republican | (1982-08-13)August 13, 1982 (age 43) | White House Press Secretary | January 10, 2023 | 2027 | [20] | ||
| California (list) | Gavin Newsom | Democratic | (1967-10-10)October 10, 1967 (age 58) | Lieutenant Governor Mayor of San Francisco San Francisco Board of Supervisors | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [21] | ||
| Colorado (list) | Jared Polis | Democratic | (1975-05-12)May 12, 1975 (age 50) | U.S. House Colorado State Board of Education | January 8, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [22] | ||
| Connecticut (list) | Ned Lamont | Democratic | (1954-01-03)January 3, 1954 (age 72) | Chair of the State Investment Advisory Council Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation GreenwichBoard of Selectmen | January 9, 2019 | 2027 | [23] | ||
| Delaware (list) | Matt Meyer | Democratic | (1971-09-29)September 29, 1971 (age 54) | Executive ofNew Castle County | January 21, 2025 | 2029 | [24] | ||
| Florida (list) | Ron DeSantis | Republican | (1978-09-14)September 14, 1978 (age 47) | U.S. House | January 8, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [25] | ||
| Georgia (list) | Brian Kemp | Republican | (1963-11-02)November 2, 1963 (age 62) | Secretary of State Georgia Senate | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [26] | ||
| Hawaii (list) | Josh Green | Democratic | (1970-02-11)February 11, 1970 (age 56) | Lieutenant Governor Hawaii Senate Hawaii House | December 5, 2022 | 2026 | [27] | ||
| Idaho (list) | Brad Little | Republican | (1954-02-15)February 15, 1954 (age 71) | Lieutenant Governor Idaho Senate | January 7, 2019 | 2027 | [28] | ||
| Illinois (list) | JB Pritzker | Democratic | (1965-01-19)January 19, 1965 (age 61) | Chair of theIllinois Human Rights Commission | January 14, 2019 | 2027 | [29][30] | ||
| Indiana (list) | Mike Braun | Republican | (1954-03-24)March 24, 1954 (age 71) | U.S. Senate Indiana House | January 13, 2025 | 2029 | [31] | ||
| Iowa (list) | Kim Reynolds | Republican | (1959-08-04)August 4, 1959 (age 66) | Lieutenant Governor Iowa Senate Clarke County Treasurer | May 24, 2017 | 2027 (retiring) | [32] | ||
| Kansas (list) | Laura Kelly | Democratic | (1950-01-24)January 24, 1950 (age 76) | Kansas Senate | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [33] | ||
| Kentucky (list) | Andy Beshear | Democratic | (1977-11-29)November 29, 1977 (age 48) | State Attorney General | December 10, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [34] | ||
| Louisiana (list) | Jeff Landry | Republican | (1970-12-23)December 23, 1970 (age 55) | State Attorney General U.S. House | January 8, 2024 | 2028 | [35] | ||
| Maine (list) | Janet Mills | Democratic | (1947-12-30)December 30, 1947 (age 78) | State Attorney General Maine House | January 2, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [36] | ||
| Maryland (list) | Wes Moore | Democratic | (1978-10-15)October 15, 1978 (age 47) | No prior public experience | January 18, 2023 | 2027 | [37] | ||
| Massachusetts (list) | Maura Healey | Democratic | (1971-02-08)February 8, 1971 (age 55) | State Attorney General | January 5, 2023 | 2027 | [38] | ||
| Michigan (list) | Gretchen Whitmer | Democratic | (1971-08-23)August 23, 1971 (age 54) | Minority Leader of theMichigan Senate Michigan House | January 1, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [39][40] | ||
| Minnesota (list) | Tim Walz | Democratic–Farmer–Labor[note 1] | (1964-04-06)April 6, 1964 (age 61) | U.S. House | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (retiring) | [42] | ||
| Mississippi (list) | Tate Reeves | Republican | (1974-06-05)June 5, 1974 (age 51) | Lieutenant Governor State Treasurer | January 14, 2020 | 2028 (term limits) | [43] | ||
| Missouri (list) | Mike Kehoe | Republican | (1962-01-17)January 17, 1962 (age 64) | Lieutenant Governor Majority Leader of theMissouri Senate | January 13, 2025 | 2029 | [44] | ||
| Montana (list) | Greg Gianforte | Republican | (1961-04-17)April 17, 1961 (age 64) | U.S. House | January 4, 2021 | 2029 (term limits) | [45] | ||
| Nebraska (list) | Jim Pillen | Republican | (1955-12-31)December 31, 1955 (age 70) | No prior public experience | January 5, 2023 | 2027 | [46] | ||
| Nevada (list) | Joe Lombardo | Republican | (1962-11-08)November 8, 1962 (age 63) | Clark County Sheriff | January 2, 2023 | 2027 | [47] | ||
| New Hampshire (list) | Kelly Ayotte | Republican | (1968-06-27)June 27, 1968 (age 57) | U.S. Senate Attorney General | January 9, 2025 | 2027 | [48] | ||
| New Jersey (list) | Mikie Sherrill | Democratic | (1972-01-19)January 19, 1972 (age 54) | U.S. House | January 20, 2026 | 2030 | [49] | ||
| New Mexico (list) | Michelle Lujan Grisham | Democratic | (1959-10-24)October 24, 1959 (age 66) | U.S. House Bernalillo CountyCommission State Secretary of Health | January 1, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [50][51] | ||
| New York (list) | Kathy Hochul | Democratic | (1958-08-27)August 27, 1958 (age 67) | Lieutenant Governor U.S. House Erie CountyClerk | August 24, 2021 | 2026[note 2] | [53] | ||
| North Carolina (list) | Josh Stein | Democratic | (1966-09-13)September 13, 1966 (age 59) | State Attorney General North Carolina Senate | January 1, 2025 | 2029 | [54] | ||
| North Dakota (list) | Kelly Armstrong | Republican | (1976-10-06)October 6, 1976 (age 49) | U.S. House Chair of theNorth Dakota Republican Party North Dakota Senate | December 15, 2024 | 2028 | [55] | ||
| Ohio (list) | Mike DeWine | Republican | (1947-01-05)January 5, 1947 (age 79) | State Attorney General U.S. Senate Lieutenant Governor U.S. House Ohio Senate Greene CountyProsecutor | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [56] | ||
| Oklahoma (list) | Kevin Stitt | Republican | (1972-12-28)December 28, 1972 (age 53) | No prior public experience | January 14, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [57] | ||
| Oregon (list) | Tina Kotek | Democratic | (1966-09-30)September 30, 1966 (age 59) | Speaker of the Oregon House | January 9, 2023 | 2027 | [58] | ||
| Pennsylvania (list) | Josh Shapiro | Democratic | (1973-06-20)June 20, 1973 (age 52) | State Attorney General Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Pennsylvania House | January 17, 2023 | 2027 | [59] | ||
| Rhode Island (list) | Dan McKee | Democratic | (1951-06-16)June 16, 1951 (age 74) | Lieutenant Governor | March 2, 2021 | 2027 | [60] | ||
| South Carolina (list) | Henry McMaster | Republican | (1947-05-27)May 27, 1947 (age 78) | Lieutenant Governor State Attorney General | January 24, 2017 | 2027 (term limits) | [61] | ||
| South Dakota (list) | Larry Rhoden | Republican | (1959-02-05)February 5, 1959 (age 67) | Lieutenant Governor Secretary of Agriculture South Dakota House South Dakota Senate | January 25, 2025 | 2027 | [62] | ||
| Tennessee (list) | Bill Lee | Republican | (1959-10-09)October 9, 1959 (age 66) | No prior public experience | January 19, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [63] | ||
| Texas (list) | Greg Abbott | Republican | (1957-11-13)November 13, 1957 (age 68) | State Attorney General Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court | January 20, 2015 | 2027 | [64] | ||
| Utah (list) | Spencer Cox | Republican | (1975-07-11)July 11, 1975 (age 50) | Lieutenant Governor Utah House Sanpete County Commission | January 4, 2021 | 2029 (retiring) | [65][66] | ||
| Vermont (list) | Phil Scott | Republican | (1958-08-04)August 4, 1958 (age 67) | Lieutenant Governor Vermont Senate | January 5, 2017 | 2027 | [67] | ||
| Virginia (list) | Abigail Spanberger | Democratic | (1979-08-07)August 7, 1979 (age 46) | U.S. House | January 17, 2026 | 2030 (term limits) | [68] | ||
| Washington (list) | Bob Ferguson | Democratic | (1965-02-23)February 23, 1965 (age 60) | State Attorney General Chair of theKing County Council | January 15, 2025 | 2029 | [69] | ||
| West Virginia (list) | Patrick Morrisey | Republican | (1967-12-21)December 21, 1967 (age 58) | State Attorney General | January 13, 2025 | 2029 | [70] | ||
| Wisconsin (list) | Tony Evers | Democratic | (1951-11-05)November 5, 1951 (age 74) | State Superintendent of Public Instruction | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (retiring) | [71] | ||
| Wyoming (list) | Mark Gordon | Republican | (1957-03-14)March 14, 1957 (age 68) | State Treasurer | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [72] | ||
| Territory | Image | Governor[14] | Party[14] | Born | Prior public experience | Term start[14] | Term end[14] | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa (list) | Pula Nikolao Pula | Republican | (1955-12-31)December 31, 1955 (age 70) | Director of theOffice of Insular Affairs | January 3, 2025 | 2029 | [73][74] | ||
| Guam (list) | Lou Leon Guerrero | Democratic | (1950-11-08)November 8, 1950 (age 75) | Guam Legislature | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [75][76] | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands (list) | David M. Apatang | Independent | (1948-07-10)July 10, 1948 (age 77) | Lieutenant Governor Mayor ofSaipan Northern Mariana Islands House | July 23, 2025 | 2027 | [77] | ||
| Puerto Rico (list) | Jenniffer González-Colón | Republican | (1976-08-05)August 5, 1976 (age 49) | Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico | January 2, 2025 | 2029 | [78] | ||
| U.S. Virgin Islands (list) | Albert Bryan | Democratic | (1968-02-21)February 21, 1968 (age 57) | Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor | January 7, 2019 | 2027 (term limits) | [79][80] | ||
TheDistrict of Columbia is afederal district that electsa mayor that has similar powers to those of a state or territorial governor.[2] The cities of Washington andGeorgetown within the district elected their own mayors until 1871, when their governments were consolidated into a reorganized District of Columbia by acongressional act.[81] The district's chief executive from 1871 to 1874 was a governor appointed by thepresident of the United States; the office was replaced by a board of commissioners with three members appointed by the president—two residents and a representative from theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers.[81][82] The Board of Commissioners was originally a temporary body but was made permanent in 1878 with one member selected to serve as the Board President, in effect the city's chief executive.[83] The system was replaced in 1967 by a single mayor–commissioner andhome rule in the District of Columbia was fully restored in 1975 under a reorganized government led by an elected mayor.[84]
| Federal district | Image | Mayor | Party | Born | Prior public experience | Term start | Term end | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (list) | Muriel Bowser | Democratic[85] | (1972-08-02)August 2, 1972 (age 53)[85] | D.C. Council Advisory Neighborhood Commission[85] | January 2, 2015[86] | 2027 (retiring) | ||