The governor of Maine is the head of government of Maine [1] and the commander-in-chief of its military forces. [2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, [3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Maine Legislature, [4] to convene the legislature at any time, [5] and, except in cases of impeachment, to grant pardons. [6]
There have been 71 governors of Maine since statehood, serving 75 distinct terms. Four governors served multiple non-consecutive terms (Edward Kent, John Fairfield, John W. Dana, and Burton M. Cross). [7] The longest-serving governor was Joseph E. Brennan, who served two terms from 1979 to 1987. The shortest-serving governors were Nathaniel M. Haskell and Richard H. Vose, who each served only one day. John W. Dana also served for one day in 1844, after the incumbent governor resigned, but was later elected to the governorship. The current governor is Democrat Janet Mills, who took office on January 2, 2019.
The District of Maine of Massachusetts was admitted to the Union on March 15, 1820, as the State of Maine. [8] The Maine Constitution of 1820 originally established a gubernatorial term of one year, [9] to begin on the first Wednesday of January; constitutional amendments expanded this to two years in 1879 [10] and to four years in 1957. [11] The 1957 amendment also prohibited governors from succeeding themselves after serving two terms. [11] The constitution does not establish an office of lieutenant governor; a vacancy in the office of governor is filled by the president of the Maine Senate. [12] Prior to an amendment in 1964, the president of the senate only acted as governor. [13] [14]
No. [lower-alpha 1] | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William King (1768–1852) [15] [16] | May 31, 1820 [17] – May 28, 1821 (resigned) [lower-alpha 2] | Democratic– Republican [18] | 1820 | ||
2 | William D. Williamson (1779–1846) [19] [20] | May 28, 1821 [21] – December 25, 1821 (resigned) [lower-alpha 3] | Democratic– Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
3 | Benjamin Ames (1778–1835) [19] [23] | December 25, 1821 [22] – January 2, 1822 (resigned) [lower-alpha 4] | Democratic– Republican [22] | Speaker of the House acting | ||
4 | Daniel Rose (1772–1833) [25] [26] | January 2, 1822 [24] – January 4, 1822 (successor took office) | Democratic– Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
5 | Albion Parris (1788–1857) [25] [27] | January 4, 1822 [28] – January 3, 1827 (did not run) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic– Republican [30] | 1821 | ||
1822 | ||||||
1823 | ||||||
1824 | ||||||
1825 | ||||||
6 | Enoch Lincoln (1788–1829) [31] [32] | January 3, 1827 [33] – October 8, 1829 (died in office) | Democratic– Republican [34] | 1826 | ||
1827 | ||||||
1828 | ||||||
7 | Nathan Cutler (1775–1861) [35] [36] | October 8, 1829 [37] – February 5, 1830 (presidency expired) [lower-alpha 6] | Democratic– Republican [lower-alpha 7] | President of the Senate acting | ||
8 | Joshua Hall (1768–1862) [38] [40] | February 5, 1830 [22] – February 10, 1830 (successor took office) | Democratic– Republican [39] | Speaker of the House acting | ||
9 | Jonathan G. Hunton (1781–1851) [38] [41] | February 10, 1830 [42] – January 8, 1831 (lost election) | National Republican [34] | 1829 | ||
10 | Samuel E. Smith (1788–1860) [43] [44] | January 8, 1831 [45] – January 2, 1834 (did not run) | Democratic [lower-alpha 8] | 1830 | ||
1831 | ||||||
1832 | ||||||
11 | Robert P. Dunlap (1794–1859) [48] [49] | January 2, 1834 [50] – January 3, 1838 (did not run) | Democratic [51] | 1833 | ||
1834 | ||||||
1835 | ||||||
1836 | ||||||
12 | Edward Kent (1802–1877) [52] [53] | January 19, 1838 [lower-alpha 9] – January 2, 1839 (lost election) | Whig [55] | 1837 | ||
13 | John Fairfield (1797–1847) [56] [57] | January 2, 1839 [22] – January 12, 1841 (lost election) [lower-alpha 10] | Democratic [55] | 1838 | ||
1839 | ||||||
14 | Richard H. Vose (1803–1864) [60] [61] | January 12, 1841 [lower-alpha 10] – January 13, 1841 (successor took office) | Whig [39] | President of the Senate acting | ||
15 | Edward Kent (1802–1877) [52] [53] | January 13, 1841 [62] – January 5, 1842 (lost election) | Whig [63] | 1840 | ||
16 | John Fairfield (1797–1847) [56] [57] | January 5, 1842 [64] – March 7, 1843 (resigned) [lower-alpha 11] | Democratic [63] | 1841 | ||
1842 | ||||||
17 | Edward Kavanagh (1795–1844) [65] [66] | March 7, 1843 [67] – January 1, 1844 (resigned) [lower-alpha 12] | Democratic [39] | President of the Senate acting | ||
18 | David Dunn (1811–1894) [69] [70] | January 1, 1844 [71] – January 3, 1844 (resigned) [lower-alpha 13] | Democratic [39] | Speaker of the House acting | ||
19 | John W. Dana (1808–1867) [73] [74] | January 3, 1844 [22] – January 5, 1844 (successor took office) | Democratic [39] | President of the Senate acting | ||
20 | Hugh J. Anderson (1801–1881) [75] [76] | January 5, 1844 [77] – May 18, 1847 (did not run) | Democratic [78] | 1843 | ||
1844 | ||||||
1845 | ||||||
21 | John W. Dana (1808–1867) [73] [74] | May 18, 1847 [79] – May 13, 1850 (did not run) | Democratic [80] | 1846 | ||
1847 | ||||||
1848 | ||||||
22 | John Hubbard (1794–1869) [81] [82] | May 13, 1850 [83] – January 18, 1853 (lost election) | Democratic [80] | 1849 | ||
1850 | ||||||
23 | William G. Crosby (1805–1881) [84] [85] | January 18, 1853 [86] – January 6, 1855 (did not run) | Whig [87] | 1852 | ||
1853 | ||||||
24 | Anson Morrill (1803–1887) [88] [89] | January 6, 1855 [90] – January 4, 1856 (lost election) | Republican [lower-alpha 14] | 1854 | ||
25 | Samuel Wells (1801–1868) [91] [92] | January 4, 1856 [93] – January 8, 1857 (lost election) | Democratic [94] | 1855 | ||
26 | Hannibal Hamlin (1809–1891) [95] [96] | January 8, 1857 [97] – February 26, 1857 (resigned) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [94] | 1856 | ||
27 | Joseph H. Williams (1814–1896) [99] [100] | February 26, 1857 [101] – January 8, 1858 (successor took office) | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
28 | Lot M. Morrill (1813–1883) [102] [103] | January 8, 1858 [104] – January 3, 1861 (did not run) | Republican [105] | 1857 | ||
1858 | ||||||
1859 | ||||||
29 | Israel Washburn Jr. (1813–1883) [106] [107] | January 3, 1861 [108] – January 8, 1863 (did not run) [106] | Republican [105] | 1860 | ||
1861 | ||||||
30 | Abner Coburn (1803–1885) [109] [110] | January 8, 1863 [111] – January 7, 1864 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1862 | ||
31 | Samuel Cony (1811–1870) [112] [113] | January 7, 1864 [114] – January 3, 1867 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1863 | ||
1864 | ||||||
1865 | ||||||
32 | Joshua Chamberlain (1828–1914) [115] [116] | January 3, 1867 [117] – January 5, 1871 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1866 | ||
1867 | ||||||
1868 | ||||||
1869 | ||||||
33 | Sidney Perham (1819–1907) [118] [119] | January 5, 1871 [120] – January 8, 1874 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1870 | ||
1871 | ||||||
1872 | ||||||
34 | Nelson Dingley Jr. (1832–1899) [121] [122] | January 8, 1874 [123] – January 6, 1876 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1873 | ||
1874 | ||||||
35 | Seldon Connor (1839–1917) [124] [125] | January 6, 1876 [126] – January 8, 1879 (lost election) | Republican [22] | 1875 | ||
1876 | ||||||
1877 | ||||||
36 | Alonzo Garcelon (1813–1906) [127] [128] | January 8, 1879 [129] – January 17, 1880 (did not run) | Democratic [22] | 1878 | ||
37 | Daniel F. Davis (1843–1897) [130] [131] | January 17, 1880 [lower-alpha 16] – January 13, 1881 (lost election) | Republican [22] | 1879 | ||
38 | Harris M. Plaisted (1828–1898) [134] [135] | January 13, 1881 [136] – January 4, 1883 (lost election) | Greenback/ Democratic [lower-alpha 17] | 1880 | ||
39 | Frederick Robie (1822–1912) [139] [140] | January 4, 1883 [141] – January 6, 1887 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1882 | ||
1884 | ||||||
40 | Joseph R. Bodwell (1818–1887) [142] [143] | January 6, 1887 [144] – December 15, 1887 (died in office) | Republican [22] | 1886 | ||
41 | Sebastian Streeter Marble (1817–1902) [145] [146] | December 15, 1887 [147] – January 3, 1889 (lost nomination) [145] | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
42 | Edwin C. Burleigh (1843–1916) [148] [149] | January 3, 1889 [150] – January 5, 1893 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1888 | ||
1890 | ||||||
43 | Henry B. Cleaves (1840–1912) [151] [152] | January 5, 1893 [153] – January 7, 1897 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1892 | ||
1894 | ||||||
44 | Llewellyn Powers (1836–1908) [154] [155] | January 7, 1897 [156] – January 3, 1901 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1896 | ||
1898 | ||||||
45 | John Fremont Hill (1855–1912) [157] [158] | January 3, 1901 [159] – January 5, 1905 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1900 | ||
1902 | ||||||
46 | William T. Cobb (1857–1937) [160] [161] | January 5, 1905 [162] – January 7, 1909 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1904 | ||
1906 | ||||||
47 | Bert M. Fernald (1858–1926) [163] [164] | January 7, 1909 [165] – January 5, 1911 (lost election) | Republican [22] | 1908 | ||
48 | Frederick W. Plaisted (1865–1943) [166] [167] | January 5, 1911 [168] – January 2, 1913 (lost election) | Democratic [22] | 1910 | ||
49 | William T. Haines (1854–1919) [169] [170] | January 2, 1913 [171] – January 7, 1915 (lost election) | Republican [22] | 1912 | ||
50 | Oakley C. Curtis (1865–1924) [172] [173] | January 7, 1915 [174] – January 4, 1917 (lost election) | Democratic [22] | 1914 | ||
51 | Carl Milliken (1877–1961) [175] [176] | January 4, 1917 [177] – January 6, 1921 (lost nomination) [178] | Republican [22] | 1916 | ||
1918 | ||||||
52 | Frederic Hale Parkhurst (1864–1921) [179] [180] | January 6, 1921 [181] – January 31, 1921 (died in office) | Republican [22] | 1920 | ||
53 | Percival P. Baxter (1876–1969) [182] [183] | January 31, 1921 [184] – January 8, 1925 (did not run) [182] | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
1922 | ||||||
54 | Ralph Owen Brewster (1888–1961) [185] [186] | January 8, 1925 [187] – January 3, 1929 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1924 | ||
1926 | ||||||
55 | William Tudor Gardiner (1892–1953) [188] [189] | January 3, 1929 [190] – January 5, 1933 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1928 | ||
1930 | ||||||
56 | Louis J. Brann (1876–1948) [191] [192] | January 5, 1933 [193] – January 7, 1937 (did not run) [lower-alpha 18] | Democratic [22] | 1932 | ||
1934 | ||||||
57 | Lewis O. Barrows (1893–1967) [194] [195] | January 7, 1937 [196] – January 2, 1941 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1936 | ||
1938 | ||||||
58 | Sumner Sewall (1897–1965) [197] [198] | January 2, 1941 [199] – January 4, 1945 (did not run) | Republican [22] | 1940 | ||
1942 | ||||||
59 | Horace Hildreth (1902–1988) [200] [201] | January 4, 1945 [202] – January 6, 1949 (did not run) [lower-alpha 19] | Republican [22] | 1944 | ||
1946 | ||||||
60 | Frederick G. Payne (1904–1978) [203] [204] | January 6, 1949 [205] – December 25, 1952 (resigned) [lower-alpha 20] | Republican [22] | 1948 | ||
1950 | ||||||
— | Burton M. Cross (1902–1998) [206] [207] | December 26, 1952 [lower-alpha 21] – January 7, 1953 (presidency expired) [lower-alpha 21] | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
— | Nathaniel M. Haskell (1912–1983) | January 7, 1953 [lower-alpha 21] – January 8, 1953 (successor took office) [lower-alpha 21] | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
61 | Burton M. Cross (1902–1998) [206] [207] | January 8, 1953 [210] – January 6, 1955 (lost election) | Republican [22] | 1952 | ||
62 | Edmund Muskie (1914–1996) [211] [212] | January 6, 1955 [213] – January 2, 1959 (resigned) [lower-alpha 22] | Democratic [22] | 1954 | ||
1956 | ||||||
63 | Robert Haskell (1903–1987) [214] [215] | January 3, 1959 [216] – January 8, 1959 (successor took office) | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
64 | Clinton Clauson (1895–1959) [217] [218] | January 8, 1959 [219] – December 30, 1959 (died in office) | Democratic [22] | 1958 | ||
65 | John H. Reed (1921–2012) [220] [221] | December 30, 1959 [222] – January 5, 1967 (lost election) | Republican [22] | President of the Senate acting | ||
1960 (special) | ||||||
1962 | ||||||
66 | Kenneth M. Curtis (b. 1931) [223] [224] | January 5, 1967 [225] – January 2, 1975 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [22] | 1966 | ||
1970 | ||||||
67 | James B. Longley (1924–1980) [227] [228] | January 2, 1975 [229] – January 3, 1979 (did not run) | Independent [22] | 1974 | ||
68 | Joseph E. Brennan (1934–2024) [230] | January 4, 1979 [231] – January 8, 1987 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [230] | 1978 | ||
1982 | ||||||
70 [lower-alpha 1] | John R. McKernan Jr. (b. 1948) [233] | January 8, 1987 [234] – January 5, 1995 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Republican [233] | 1986 | ||
1990 | ||||||
71 | Angus King (b. 1944) [235] | January 5, 1995 [236] – January 8, 2003 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Independent [235] | 1994 | ||
1998 | ||||||
72 | John Baldacci (b. 1955) [237] | January 8, 2003 [238] – January 5, 2011 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [237] | 2002 | ||
2006 | ||||||
73 | Paul LePage (b. 1948) [239] | January 5, 2011 [240] – January 2, 2019 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Republican [239] | 2010 | ||
2014 | ||||||
74 | Janet Mills (b. 1947) [241] | January 2, 2019 [242] – Incumbent [lower-alpha 24] | Democratic [241] | 2018 | ||
2022 |
The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the chief executive officer of the government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces.
The Hon. William D. Williamson President of the Senate upon whom the duties of Governour devolve by the constitution...