List of governors of Minnesota

The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Minnesota's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws.

There have been 41 governors of the state; one, Rudy Perpich, served non-consecutive terms. Minnesota Territory had three governors appointed by the president of the United States; the first, Alexander Ramsey, would later be state governor.

A total of five political parties have had governors as members. The Minnesota Democratic Party, the Republican Party of Minnesota, the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, and the Independence Party of Minnesota. There have been twenty-six Republicans, six DFLers, four Democrats, three Farmer-Laborites, and one Independence Party member. One Democrat, John Lind, was elected on a fusion ticket with the Populist Party.

The current governor is Tim Walz, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, who took office on January 7, 2019.

List of governors Minnesota Territory

Minnesota Territory was organized on March 3, 1849. The secretary of the territory would act as governor in the governor's absence; notably, secretary Charles L. Chase acted as governor from October 13, 1857 until the elected state officials took office on May 24, 1858.

+ Governors of the Territory of MinnesotaGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1Alexander RamseyJune 1, 1849–April 1, 18532Willis A. GormanApril 1, 1853–March 13, 18573Samuel MedaryMarch 13, 1857–May 24, 1858

State of Minnesota Minnesota was admitted to the Union on May 11, 1858.

The Minnesota Constitution of 1858 created the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, elected separately to two-year terms; these were lengthened to four years starting in 1963. As of 1974, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket.

+ Governors of the State of MinnesotaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Henry Hastings SibleyMay 24, 1858–January 2, 1860Democratic1857 2Alexander RamseyJanuary 2, 1860–July 10, 1863Republican185918613Henry Adoniram SwiftJuly 10, 1863–January 13, 1864RepublicanVacant4Stephen MillerJanuary 13, 1864–January 8, 1866Republican18635William Rainey MarshallJanuary 8, 1866–January 7, 1870Republican186518676Horace AustinJanuary 7, 1870–January 9, 1874Republican186918717Cushman K. DavisJanuary 9, 1874–January 7, 1876Republican18738John S. PillsburyJanuary 7, 1876–January 9, 1882Republican1875187718799Lucius Frederick HubbardJanuary 9, 1882–January 5, 1887Republican1881188310Andrew Ryan McGillJanuary 5, 1887–January 9, 1889Republican188611William Rush MerriamJanuary 9, 1889–January 4, 1893Republican1888189012Knute NelsonJanuary 4, 1893–January 31, 1895Republican1892189413David Marston CloughJanuary 31, 1895–January 2, 1899RepublicanVacant189614John LindJanuary 2, 1899–January 7, 1901Democratic189815Samuel Rinnah Van SantJanuary 7, 1901–January 4, 1905Republican1900190216John Albert JohnsonJanuary 4, 1905–September 21, 1909Democratic19041906190817Adolph Olson EberhartSeptember 21, 1909–January 6, 1915RepublicanVacant1910191218Winfield Scott HammondJanuary 6, 1915– December 30, 1915Democratic191419Joseph A. A. BurnquistDecember 30, 1915–January 5, 1921RepublicanVacant1916191820J. A. O. PreusJanuary 5, 1921–January 7, 1925Republican1920192221Theodore ChristiansonJanuary 7, 1925–January 7, 1931Republican19241926192822Floyd B. OlsonJanuary 7, 1931–August 22, 1936Farmer-Labor19301932193423Hjalmar PetersenAugust 22, 1936–January 4, 1937Farmer-LaborVacant24Elmer A. BensonJanuary 4, 1937–January 3, 1939Farmer-Labor193625Harold StassenJanuary 3, 1939–April 27, 1943Republican19381940194226Edward J. ThyeApril 27, 1943–January 8, 1947RepublicanVacant194427Luther YoungdahlJanuary 8, 1947–September 27, 1951Republican19461948195028C. Elmer AndersonSeptember 27, 1951–January 5, 1955RepublicanVacant195229Orville FreemanJanuary 5, 1955–January 4, 1961Democratic-Farmer-Labor19541956195830Elmer L. AndersenJanuary 4, 1961–March 25, 1963Republican196031Karl RolvaagMarch 25, 1963–January 2, 1967Democratic-Farmer-Labor196232Harold LeVanderJanuary 2, 1967–January 4, 1971Republican196633Wendell R. AndersonJanuary 4, 1971–December 29, 1976Democratic-Farmer-Labor1970197434Rudy PerpichDecember 29, 1976–January 1, 1979Democratic-Farmer-Labor35Al QuieJanuary 1, 1979–January 3, 1983Independent-Republican197836Rudy PerpichJanuary 3, 1983–January 7, 1991Democratic-Farmer-Labor1982198637Arne CarlsonJanuary 7, 1991–January 4, 1999Independent-Republican1990199438Jesse VenturaJanuary 4, 1999–January 6, 2003Reform/Independence199839Tim PawlentyJanuary 6, 2003–January 3, 2011Republican2002200640Mark DaytonJanuary 3, 2011–January 7, 2019Democratic-Farmer-Labor20102014Vacant41Tim WalzJanuary 7, 2019–IncumbentDemocratic-Farmer-Labor20182022

Elections

+ Gubernatorial elections of the State of MinnesotaElection dateIncumbentWinnerRunner-upTerm start dateTerm DefinitionsLengthLimitBeginning1857new officeMay 24, 1858Two yearsNoneNone1859January 2, 18601861January 9, 18621863January 13, 18641865January 8, 18661867January 10, 18681869January 7, 18701871January 4, 18721873January 9, 18741875January 7, 18761877January 11, 18781879January 10, 18801881January 9, 18821883January 7, 18841886January 5, 18871888January 9, 18891890January 5, 18911892January 4, 18931894January 9, 18951896January 6, 18971898January 2, 18991900January 7, 19011902January 7, 19031904January 4, 19051906January 9, 19071908January 6, 19091910January 4, 19111912January 8, 19131914January 6, 19151916January 3, 19171918January 8, 19191920January 5, 19211922January 3, 19231924January 7, 19251926January 5, 19271928January 9, 19291930January 7, 19311932January 4, 19331934January 9, 19351936January 4, 19371938January 3, 19391940January 8, 19411942January 5, 19431944January 3, 19451946January 8, 19471948January 6, 19491950January 3, 19511952January 7, 19531954January 5, 19551956January 9, 19571958January 7, 19591960January 4, 19611962March 25, 1963Four years1966January 2, 19671970January 4, 19711974January 8, 19751978January 1, 19791982January 3, 19831986January 5, 19871990January 7, 19911994January 3, 19951998January 4, 19992002January 6, 20032006January 2, 20072010January 3, 20112014January 5, 20152018January 7, 20192022January 2, 20232026Upcoming election; results to be determinedaround January 4, 2027

See also List of lieutenant governors of Minnesota First ladies of Minnesota List of Minnesota state legislatures

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links Office of the Governor of Minnesota