Governor of Kansas | |
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![]() Standard of the governor | |
Government of Kansas | |
Residence | Cedar Crest |
Term length | Four years, renewable once consecutively |
Inaugural holder | Charles L. Robinson |
Formation | February 9, 1861 |
Salary | $99,636 (2017) [1] |
Website | governor |
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]
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.
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.
No. | Governor | Term in office [lower-alpha 1] | Appointed by | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Andrew Horatio Reeder (1807–1864) [8] | June 29, 1854 [lower-alpha 2] – July 31, 1855 (removed) [lower-alpha 3] | Franklin Pierce |
2 | ![]() | Wilson Shannon (1802–1877) [11] | August 10, 1855 [lower-alpha 4] – August 18, 1856 (resigned) [lower-alpha 5] | Franklin Pierce |
3 | ![]() | John W. Geary (1819–1873) [14] | July 31, 1856 [lower-alpha 6] – March 4, 1857 (resigned) [lower-alpha 7] | Franklin Pierce |
4 | ![]() | Robert J. Walker (1801–1869) [17] | March 30, 1857 [lower-alpha 8] – December 17, 1857 (resigned) [lower-alpha 9] | James Buchanan |
5 | ![]() | James W. Denver (1817–1892) [18] | February 24, 1858 [lower-alpha 10] – November 8, 1858 (resigned) [lower-alpha 11] | James Buchanan |
6 | ![]() | Samuel Medary (1801–1864) [21] | November 23, 1858 [lower-alpha 12] – December 20, 1860 (resigned) [lower-alpha 13] | James Buchanan |
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]
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor [lower-alpha 14] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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) [lower-alpha 15] | 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 [lower-alpha 16] | |||||||
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) [lower-alpha 17] | 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) [lower-alpha 18] | 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 [lower-alpha 16] | ||
20 | ![]() | Arthur Capper (1865–1951) [107] [108] [109] | January 11, 1915 [110] – January 13, 1919 (did not run) [lower-alpha 19] | 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 [lower-alpha 16] | ||
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) [lower-alpha 20] | Republican [35] | 1928 | Jacob W. Graybill [lower-alpha 16] | ||
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) [lower-alpha 21] | 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) [lower-alpha 22] | 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) [lower-alpha 23] | 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) [lower-alpha 24] | 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 [lower-alpha 16] | ||
38 | ![]() | Robert Docking (1925–1983) [177] [178] [179] | January 9, 1967 [180] – January 13, 1975 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 25] | Democratic [35] | 1966 | |||
1968 | James H. DeCoursey Jr. | |||||||
1970 | Reynolds Shultz [lower-alpha 16] | |||||||
1972 | Dave Owen [lower-alpha 16] | |||||||
39 | ![]() | Robert Frederick Bennett (1927–2000) [182] [183] [184] | January 13, 1975 [185] – January 8, 1979 (lost election) | Republican [35] | 1974 [lower-alpha 26] | Shelby Smith | ||
40 | ![]() | John W. Carlin (b. 1940) [186] [187] | January 8, 1979 [188] – January 12, 1987 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 25] | 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) [lower-alpha 25] | 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) [lower-alpha 27] | 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) [lower-alpha 28] | Republican [204] | 2010 | Jeff Colyer | ||
2014 | ||||||||
47 | ![]() | Jeff Colyer (b. 1960) [207] [208] | January 31, 2018 [209] – January 14, 2019 (lost nomination) [lower-alpha 29] | 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 [lower-alpha 30] | Democratic [210] | 2018 | Lynn Rogers (resigned January 2, 2021) | ||
David Toland (appointed January 2, 2021) | ||||||||
2022 |
The governor of Colorado is the head of government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.