List of governors of the Northern Mariana Islands

Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
Commonwealth seal
Incumbent David M. Apatang since July 23, 2025
Residence	Juan A. Sablan Memorial Bldg.
Term length	4 years single term, eligible for second.
Inaugural holder	Carlos S. Camacho
Formation	January 9, 1978
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
Website	Office of the Governor

The following is a list of persons who served as governor of Northern Mariana Islands. The term of office is 4 years. The longest-serving governors in CNMI history are Pedro Tenorio, who served 12 years in office from 1982 to 1990 and from 1998 to 2002, and Benigno Fitial, who served 7 years, one month, and 11 days from 2006 to 2013. The Northern Mariana Islands is one of the few U.S. states or territories that currently does not have a governor's mansion or other official residence.

The current governor is David M. Apatang, since July 23, 2025.

List

Parties

   Democratic (2)   Republican (7)   Covenant (1)  Independent (2)

Resident Commissioners

No.	Portrait	Officeholder (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Party
1		Erwin Canham (1904–1982)	July 19, 1975	January 9, 1978		Republican

Governors

No.	Portrait	Officeholder (Birth–Death)	Elected	Took office	Left office	Party
1		Carlos S. Camacho (born 1937)	1977	January 9, 1978	January 11, 1982		Democratic
2		Pedro Tenorio (1934–2018)	1981 1985	January 11, 1982	January 8, 1990		Republican
3		Lorenzo I. De Leon Guerrero (1935–2006)	1989	January 8, 1990	January 10, 1994		Republican
4		Froilan Tenorio (1939–2020)	1993	January 10, 1994	January 12, 1998		Democratic
5		Pedro Tenorio (1934–2018)	1997	January 12, 1998	January 14, 2002		Republican
6		Juan Babauta (born 1953)	2001	January 14, 2002	January 9, 2006		Republican
7		Benigno Fitial (born 1945)	2005 2009 [a]	January 9, 2006	February 20, 2013 [b]		Covenant (2006–2011) [c]
							Republican (2011–2013)
8		Eloy Inos (1949–2015)	– 2014	February 20, 2013 [d]	December 29, 2015 [e]		Covenant (2013)
							Republican (2013–2015) [f]
9		Ralph Torres (born 1979)	– 2018	December 29, 2015 [g]	January 9, 2023		Republican
10		Arnold Palacios (1955–2025)	2022	January 9, 2023	July 23, 2025 [h]		Independent (2023–2024)
							Republican (2024–2025) [i]
11		David M. Apatang (born 1948)	–	July 23, 2025 [j]	Incumbent		Independent

Succession

Main article: Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Northern Mariana Islands

See also

• List of governors of the Spanish Mariana Islands
• List of governors of Guam
• High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
• Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands

Footnotes

1. To shift governor elections to even-numbered years, the 2009 gubernatorial election was for a five-year term. ^[1]
2. Fitial resigned following impeachment by the House of Representatives and prior to likely conviction in an impeachment trial by the Senate. ^{[2] [3]}
3. Fitial switched his party affiliation from the Covenant Party to the Republican Party on January 5, 2011, while in office. ^[4]
4. As lieutenant governor, Inos became governor following the resignation of Benigno Fitial. ^{[2] [3]}
5. Inos died on December 29, 2015, while in office. ^{[5] [6]}
6. Inos switched his party affiliation from the Covenant Party to the Republican Party in September 2013, while in office. ^[7]
7. As lieutenant governor, Torres became governor following the death of Eloy Inos. ^{[5] [6]}
8. Palacios died on July 23, 2025, while in office. ^[8]
9. Palacios switched his party affiliation from Independent to the Republican Party in December 2024, while in office. ^[9]
10. As lieutenant governor, Apatang became governor following the death of Arnold Palacios. ^[8]

References

1. Casas, Gemma (November 17, 2009). "Northern Marianas' election race heats up". Radio Australia . Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
2. Erediano, Emmanuel (February 21, 2013). "New Governor, Lt. Governor". Marianas Variety . Archived from the original on February 24, 2013.
3. Eugenio, Haidee (March 2013). "Gov Benigno Fitial Steps Down, Eloy Inos Steps In: Dawn of a New Era for CNMI?". Islands Business . Archived from the original on April 5, 2014.
4. Eugenio, Haidee (January 8, 2011). "Fitial Now Back to Republican Party, Governor's End Goal to Merge Covenant with GOP". Saipan Tribune . Archived from the original on September 21, 2013.
5. Chan, Dennis B. (December 30, 2015). "CNMI Mourns Inos' Death". Saipan Tribune . Archived from the original on December 29, 2015.
6. Chan, Dennis B. (December 30, 2015). "Torres Becomes Governor; Hocog Is Lt. Gov". Saipan Tribune . Archived from the original on December 29, 2015.
7. Eugenio, Haidee (September 19, 2013). "Inos, Covenant Party Members Rejoining GOP". Saipan Tribune . Archived from the original on April 8, 2014.
8. Erediano, Emmanuel T. (July 24, 2025). "Gov. Palacios passes away; Apatang assumes office". Marianas Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
9. "Republican National Committee welcomes Governor-elect Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Governor Arnold Palacios to the Republican Party". KUAM Radio. Retrieved July 23, 2025.

External links

• Former CNMI Governor Guerrero Passes Away