History of North Carolina |
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The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.
There have been 69 governors of North Carolina, with six serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 75 terms. The current governor is Democrat Roy Cooper, who took office on January 1, 2017.
Prior to declaring its independence, North Carolina was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The 13-member Provincial Council, renamed the Council of Safety in April 1776, was essentially the executive authority during the second year of the revolution, and was appointed by the Provincial Congress. The Presidency of the Council and the Presidency of the Congress could each be considered the highest offices in the state during this time, but the council was supreme when the congress was not in session.
Cornelius Harnett served as the first president from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. Samuel Ashe then served until September 27, 1776, and Willie Jones until October 25, 1776, at which time a state government had been formed. [1]
North Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies, and was admitted as a state on November 21, 1789. [2] It seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861, [3] and joined the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. [4] Following the end of the American Civil War, North Carolina during Reconstruction was part of the Second Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. North Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 4, 1868. [5]
The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be chosen by the legislature annually, and whom may only serve up to three out of every six years. [6] An amendment in 1835 changed this to popular election for a term of two years, [7] allowing them to succeed themselves once. [1] The 1868 constitution lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the first day of January after the election, [8] but they could not succeed themselves, [9] a limit that was changed in 1977 to allow them to succeed themselves once. [10]
The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, to act as governor when that office is vacant; [11] in 1971 this was changed so that the lieutenant governor becomes governor. [12] Before the office was created, the speaker of the senate would act as governor should it be vacant. [13] The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor [a] [b] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Richard Caswell (1729–1789) [15] | December 19, 1776 [c] – April 21, 1780 (term-limited) [d] | None [20] | 1776 | Office did not exist | |||
1777 | ||||||||
1778 | ||||||||
1779 | ||||||||
2 | Abner Nash (1740–1786) [21] | April 21, 1780 [17] – June 26, 1781 (did not run) | None [20] | 1780 | ||||
3 | Thomas Burke [e] (1747–1783) [24] | June 26, 1781 [25] – April 22, 1782 (did not run) | None [20] | 1781 | ||||
4 | Alexander Martin (1740–1807) [23] [26] | April 22, 1782 [27] – May 13, 1785 (did not run) | None [20] | 1782 | ||||
1783 | ||||||||
5 | Richard Caswell (1729–1789) [15] | May 13, 1785 [28] [29] – December 20, 1787 (did not run) | None [20] | 1784 | ||||
1785 | ||||||||
1786 | ||||||||
6 | Samuel Johnston (1733–1816) [30] | December 20, 1787 [1] – December 17, 1789 (resigned) [f] | Federalist [31] | 1787 | ||||
1788 | ||||||||
1789 | ||||||||
7 | Alexander Martin (1740–1807) [23] [26] | December 17, 1789 [1] – December 14, 1792 (term-limited) [d] | Federalist [31] | 1789 (special) | ||||
1790 | ||||||||
1791 | ||||||||
8 | Richard Dobbs Spaight (1758–1802) [32] [33] | December 14, 1792 [1] – November 19, 1795 (term-limited) [d] | Federalist [g] | 1792 | ||||
1793 | ||||||||
1794 | ||||||||
9 | Samuel Ashe (1725–1813) [34] [35] | November 19, 1795 [1] – December 7, 1798 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [h] | 1795 | ||||
1796 | ||||||||
1797 | ||||||||
10 | William Richardson Davie (1756–1820) [37] [38] | December 7, 1798 [1] – November 23, 1799 (did not run) [i] | Federalist [31] | 1798 | ||||
11 | Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) [41] [42] | November 23, 1799 [43] – December 6, 1802 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1799 | ||||
1800 | ||||||||
1801 | ||||||||
— | John Baptista Ashe (1748–1802) | Died before taking office [1] [44] | Democratic- Republican [20] | 1802 | ||||
12 | James Turner (1766–1824) [44] [45] | December 6, 1802 [46] – December 10, 1805 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1802 (special) | ||||
1803 | ||||||||
1804 | ||||||||
13 | Nathaniel Alexander (1756–1808) [47] [48] | December 10, 1805 [49] – December 1, 1807 (did not run) [47] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1805 | ||||
1806 | ||||||||
14 | Benjamin Williams (1751–1814) [41] [42] | December 1, 1807 [50] – December 12, 1808 (did not run) | Federalist [j] | 1807 | ||||
15 | David Stone (1770–1818) [52] [53] | December 12, 1808 [54] – December 5, 1810 (lost election) [55] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1808 | ||||
1809 | ||||||||
16 | Benjamin Smith (1756–1826) [56] [57] | December 5, 1810 [58] – December 9, 1811 (did not run) [k] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1810 | ||||
17 | William Hawkins (1777–1819) [60] [61] | December 9, 1811 [59] – December 7, 1814 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1811 | ||||
1812 | ||||||||
1813 | ||||||||
18 | William Miller (1783–1825) [62] [63] | December 7, 1814 [64] – December 6, 1817 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1814 | ||||
1815 | ||||||||
1816 | ||||||||
19 | John Branch (1782–1863) [65] [66] | December 6, 1817 [67] – December 7, 1820 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1817 | ||||
1818 | ||||||||
1819 | ||||||||
20 | Jesse Franklin (1760–1823) [68] [69] | December 7, 1820 [70] – December 7, 1821 (did not run) [68] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1820 | ||||
21 | Gabriel Holmes (1769–1829) [71] [72] | December 7, 1821 [73] – December 7, 1824 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1821 | ||||
1822 | ||||||||
1823 | ||||||||
22 | Hutchins Gordon Burton (1774–1836) [74] [75] | December 7, 1824 [76] – December 8, 1827 (term-limited) [d] | Democratic- Republican [l] | 1824 | ||||
1825 | ||||||||
1826 | ||||||||
23 | James Iredell Jr. (1788–1853) [77] [78] | December 8, 1827 [79] – December 12, 1828 (did not run) [m] | Democratic- Republican [31] | 1827 | ||||
24 | John Owen (1787–1841) [80] [81] | December 12, 1828 [82] – December 18, 1830 (did not run) [n] | Democratic- Republican [o] | 1828 | ||||
1829 | ||||||||
25 | Montfort Stokes (1762–1842) [84] [85] | December 18, 1830 [86] – December 6, 1832 (did not run) [p] | Democratic- Republican [q] | 1830 | ||||
1831 | ||||||||
26 | David Lowry Swain (1801–1868) [89] [90] | December 6, 1832 [91] – December 10, 1835 (term-limited) [d] | National Republican [r] | 1832 | ||||
1833 | ||||||||
1834 | ||||||||
27 | Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr. (1796–1850) [92] [93] | December 10, 1835 [94] – December 31, 1836 (lost election) | Democratic [31] | 1835 | ||||
28 | Edward Bishop Dudley (1789–1855) [95] [96] | December 31, 1836 [97] – January 1, 1841 (term-limited) [s] | Whig [31] | 1836 | ||||
1838 | ||||||||
29 | John Motley Morehead (1796–1866) [99] [100] | January 1, 1841 [101] – January 1, 1845 (term-limited) [s] | Whig [31] | 1840 | ||||
1842 | ||||||||
30 | William Alexander Graham (1804–1875) [102] [103] | January 1, 1845 [104] – January 1, 1849 (term-limited) [s] | Whig [31] | 1844 | ||||
1846 | ||||||||
31 | Charles Manly (1795–1871) [105] [106] | January 1, 1849 [107] – January 1, 1851 (lost election) | Whig [31] | 1848 | ||||
32 | David Settle Reid (1813–1891) [108] [109] | January 1, 1851 [110] – December 6, 1854 (resigned) [t] | Democratic [31] | 1850 | ||||
1852 | ||||||||
33 | Warren Winslow (1810–1862) [112] [113] | December 6, 1854 [114] – January 1, 1855 (successor took office) | Democratic [31] | Speaker of the Senate acting | ||||
34 | Thomas Bragg (1810–1872) [115] [116] | January 1, 1855 [117] – January 1, 1859 (term-limited) [s] | Democratic [31] | 1854 | ||||
1856 | ||||||||
35 | John Willis Ellis (1820–1861) [118] [119] | January 1, 1859 [120] – July 7, 1861 (died in office) | Democratic [31] | 1858 | ||||
1860 | ||||||||
36 | Henry Toole Clark (1808–1874) [121] [122] | July 7, 1861 [123] – September 8, 1862 (successor took office) | Democratic [31] | Speaker of the Senate acting | ||||
37 | Zebulon Baird Vance [u] (1830–1894) [125] [126] | September 8, 1862 [127] – May 13, 1865 (arrested and removed) [v] | Conservative [31] | 1862 | ||||
1864 | ||||||||
— | Vacant | May 13, 1865 – May 29, 1865 | Office vacated after civil war | |||||
38 | William Woods Holden (1818–1892) [130] [131] | May 29, 1865 [132] – December 15, 1865 (lost election) | Provisional governor appointed by President [w] | |||||
39 | Johnathan Worth (1802–1869) [133] [134] | December 15, 1865 [135] – July 1, 1868 (did not run) [133] | Conservative [31] | 1865 | ||||
1866 | ||||||||
40 | William Woods Holden (1818–1892) [130] [131] | July 1, 1868 [136] – March 22, 1871 (impeached and removed) [x] | Republican [31] | 1868 | Tod Robinson Caldwell | |||
41 | Tod Robinson Caldwell (1818–1874) [137] [138] | March 22, 1871 [y] – July 11, 1874 (died in office) | Republican [31] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
1872 | Curtis Hooks Brogden | |||||||
42 | Curtis Hooks Brogden (1816–1901) [142] [143] | July 11, 1874 [144] – January 1, 1877 (successor took office) | Republican [31] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
43 | Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894) [125] [126] | January 1, 1877 [145] – February 5, 1879 (resigned) [z] | Democratic [31] | 1876 | Thomas Jordan Jarvis | |||
44 | Thomas Jordan Jarvis (1836–1915) [147] [148] | February 5, 1879 [149] – January 21, 1885 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
1880 | James L. Robinson [ab] | |||||||
45 | Alfred Moore Scales (1827–1892) [152] [153] | January 21, 1885 [154] – January 17, 1889 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1884 | Charles Manly Stedman | |||
46 | Daniel Gould Fowle (1831–1891) [155] [156] | January 17, 1889 [157] – April 7, 1891 (died in office) | Democratic [31] | 1888 | Thomas Michael Holt | |||
47 | Thomas Michael Holt (1831–1896) [158] [159] | April 7, 1891 [160] – January 18, 1893 (lost nomination) [158] | Democratic [31] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
48 | Elias Carr (1839–1900) [161] [162] | January 18, 1893 [163] – January 12, 1897 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1892 | Rufus A. Doughton | |||
49 | Daniel Lindsay Russell (1845–1908) [164] [165] | January 12, 1897 [166] – January 15, 1901 (term-limited) [aa] | Republican [31] | 1896 | Charles A. Reynolds | |||
50 | Charles Brantley Aycock (1859–1912) [167] [168] | January 15, 1901 [169] – January 11, 1905 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1900 | Wilfred D. Turner | |||
51 | Robert Broadnax Glenn (1854–1920) [170] [171] | January 11, 1905 [172] – January 12, 1909 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1904 | Francis D. Winston | |||
52 | William Walton Kitchin (1866–1924) [173] [174] | January 12, 1909 [175] – January 15, 1913 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1908 | William C. Newland | |||
53 | Locke Craig (1860–1924) [176] [177] | January 15, 1913 [178] – January 11, 1917 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1912 | Elijah L. Daughtridge | |||
54 | Thomas Walter Bickett (1869–1921) [179] [180] | January 11, 1917 [181] – January 12, 1921 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1916 | Oliver Max Gardner | |||
55 | Cameron A. Morrison (1869–1953) [182] [183] | January 12, 1921 [184] – January 14, 1925 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1920 | William B. Cooper | |||
56 | Angus Wilton McLean (1870–1935) [185] [186] | January 14, 1925 [187] – January 11, 1929 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1924 | J. Elmer Long | |||
57 | Oliver Max Gardner (1882–1947) [188] [189] | January 11, 1929 [190] – January 5, 1933 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1928 | Richard T. Fountain | |||
58 | John C. B. Ehringhaus (1882–1949) [191] [192] | January 5, 1933 [193] – January 7, 1937 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1932 | Alexander H. Graham | |||
59 | Clyde R. Hoey (1877–1954) [194] [195] | January 7, 1937 [196] – January 9, 1941 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1936 | Wilkins P. Horton | |||
60 | J. Melville Broughton (1888–1949) [197] [198] | January 9, 1941 [199] – January 4, 1945 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1940 | Reginald L. Harris | |||
61 | R. Gregg Cherry (1891–1957) [200] [201] | January 4, 1945 [202] – January 6, 1949 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1944 | Lynton Y. Ballentine | |||
62 | W. Kerr Scott (1896–1958) [203] [204] | January 6, 1949 [205] – January 8, 1953 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | 1948 | Hoyt Patrick Taylor | |||
63 | William B. Umstead (1895–1954) [206] [207] | January 8, 1953 [208] – November 7, 1954 (died in office) | Democratic [31] | 1952 | Luther H. Hodges | |||
64 | Luther H. Hodges (1898–1974) [209] [210] | November 7, 1954 [211] – January 5, 1961 (term-limited) [aa] | Democratic [31] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
1956 | Luther E. Barnhardt | |||||||
65 | Terry Sanford (1917–1998) [212] [213] | January 5, 1961 [214] – January 8, 1965 (term-limited) [ac] | Democratic [31] | 1960 | Harvey Cloyd Philpott | |||
Vacant | ||||||||
66 | Dan K. Moore (1906–1986) [216] [217] | January 8, 1965 [218] – January 3, 1969 (term-limited) [ac] | Democratic [31] | 1964 | Robert W. Scott | |||
67 | Robert W. Scott (1929–2009) [219] [220] | January 3, 1969 [221] – January 5, 1973 (term-limited) [ad] | Democratic [31] | 1968 | Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr. | |||
68 | James Holshouser (1934–2013) [223] [224] | January 5, 1973 [225] – January 8, 1977 (term-limited) [ad] | Republican [31] | 1972 | Jim Hunt [ae] | |||
69 | Jim Hunt (b. 1937) [226] [227] | January 8, 1977 [228] – January 5, 1985 (term-limited) [af] | Democratic [227] | 1976 | James C. Green | |||
1980 | ||||||||
70 | James G. Martin (b. 1935) [230] | January 5, 1985 [231] – January 9, 1993 (term-limited) [af] | Republican [230] | 1984 | Robert B. Jordan [ae] | |||
1988 | Jim Gardner | |||||||
71 | Jim Hunt (b. 1937) [226] [227] | January 9, 1993 [232] – January 6, 2001 (term-limited) [af] | Democratic [227] | 1992 | Dennis A. Wicker | |||
1996 | ||||||||
72 | Mike Easley (b. 1950) [233] | January 6, 2001 [234] – January 10, 2009 (term-limited) [af] | Democratic [233] | 2000 | Bev Perdue | |||
2004 | ||||||||
73 | Bev Perdue (b. 1947) [235] | January 10, 2009 [236] – January 5, 2013 (did not run) | Democratic [235] | 2008 | Walter H. Dalton | |||
74 | Pat McCrory (b. 1956) [237] | January 5, 2013 [238] – January 1, 2017 (lost election) | Republican [237] | 2012 | Dan Forest [ag] | |||
75 | Roy Cooper (b. 1957) [239] | January 1, 2017 [240] – Incumbent [ah] | Democratic [239] | 2016 | ||||
2020 | Mark Robinson [ag] | |||||||
76 | Josh Stein (b. 1966) | Governor-elect takes office January 2025 | Democratic | 2024 | Rachel Hunt |
Governor Turner, this morning, met the two Houses in the Common's Hall, and took the usual oaths of office.
On Saturday, Wm. Hawkins, Esq. of Granville, was elected Governor of this state for the ensuing year; and on Monday, at 12 o'clock he took the usual oaths of office in the Common's Hall, in presence of the two Houses.
On Tuesday last, major Jesse Franklin, of Surry county, was elected by the legislature, governor of this state for the ensuing year. He yesterday took the usual oaths of office, in presence of the two houses.
On Tuesday last, Hutchins G. Burton, Esq. qualified as Governor of this State...
The duties of the office, as already stated, devolve upon Henry T. Clark, Esq...