List of governors of Wisconsin

The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of WisconsinWisconsin Constitution article V, § 1 and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces.Wisconsin Constitution article V, § 4 The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wisconsin Legislature,Wisconsin Constitution article V, § 10 to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.Wisconsin Constitution article V, § 6

Forty-four individuals have held the office of governor of Wisconsin since the state's admission to the Union in 1848, one of whom—Philip La Follette—served non-consecutive terms. Nelson Dewey, the first governor, took office on June 7, 1848. The longest-serving governor was Tommy Thompson, who took office on January 5, 1987, and resigned on February 1, 2001, a total of 14 years and 28 days. Arthur MacArthur Sr. had the shortest term: he was governor for a total of just 5 days—from March 21 to 25, 1856. The current governor is Tony Evers, a Democrat who took office on January 7, 2019.

List of governors

Initially after the American Revolution, parts of the area now known as Wisconsin were claimed by Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut; however, Virginia ceded its claim in 1784, Massachusetts in 1785 and Connecticut in 1786. On July 13, 1787, the Northwest Territory, including the area now called Wisconsin, was formed; Wisconsin remained part of the territory until 1800. The territorial governor during this period was Arthur St. Clair. As parts of the Northwest Territory were admitted to the Union as states, Wisconsin became part of first the Indiana Territory (1800–1809), then the Illinois Territory (1809–1818), and then the Michigan Territory (1818–1836); see the lists of governors of Indiana, of Illinois, and of Michigan for these periods.

Wisconsin Territory

Wisconsin Territory was formed on July 3, 1836. During the time of its existence, the Wisconsin Territory had three people appointed governor by the President of the United States, one of whom served non-consecutive terms.

When most of Wisconsin Territory was admitted as the state of Wisconsin, the remainder became unorganized territory. However, the citizens of the region maintained a territorial government, and even elected a delegate to the United States House of Representatives, essentially making it a de facto continuation of Wisconsin Territory. As the region no longer had an official governor, Territorial Secretary John Catlin acted as governor of the region.

+ Governors of the Territory of WisconsinGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1Henry DodgeApril 30, 1836–September 13, 18412James Duane DotySeptember 13, 1841–June 15, 18443Nathaniel P. TallmadgeJune 15, 1844–April 8, 18454Henry DodgeApril 8, 1845–June 23, 1848

State of Wisconsin

Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 45 governors, one of whom served non-consecutive terms.

Originally, governors of Wisconsin served for two-year terms, but in 1967 the state constitution was amended to change this to four. Jeremiah McLain Rusk served 1 3-year term in the 1880s as the constitution was amended during his first term to move elections from odd to even years, and all officers were allowed to serve an extra year, rather than have their terms cut a year short. Patrick Lucey, elected in the 1970 election, was the first governor to serve a 4-year term. Governors of Wisconsin are not term limited.

Lucius Fairchild, Jeremiah McLain Rusk, Robert M. La Follette, Emanuel L. Philipp, John J. Blaine, Walter J. Kohler Jr., Warren P. Knowles and Tommy Thompson are one of eight Wisconsin governors to have served three terms. Thompson is the only person to have won four terms having been elected in 1986 and reelected in 1990, 1994 and again in 1998 before resigning in February 2001.

The state constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor; originally, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on different tickets, and thus were not necessarily of the same party. Since the 1967 amendment, however, the two have been nominated, and voted on, together. Originally, if the office of the governor was vacant for any reason, "the powers and duties of the office . . . devolve[d] upon the lieutenant governor." In 1979, the constitution was amended to make this more specific: if the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor, but becomes acting governor if the governor is absent from the state, impeached, or unable to carry out of duties.Wisconsin Constitution article V, § 7 If any of these events occur while the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the secretary of state becomes either governor or acting governor.Wisconsin Constitution article V, § 8 Two Wisconsin governors have died while in office, one has died after being elected but before taking office, and four have resigned.

+ Governors of the State of WisconsinGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Nelson DeweyJune 7, 1848Wisconsin Legislature. Journal of the Assembly. 1st sess., 26, accessed July 22, 2023–January 5, 1852Democratic1848 18492Leonard J. FarwellJanuary 5, 1852–January 2, 1854Whig1851Vacant3William A. BarstowJanuary 2, 1854–March 21, 1856Democratic185318554Arthur MacArthur Sr.March 21, 1856–March 25, 1856 DemocraticActing as governor5Coles BashfordMarch 25, 1856–January 4, 1858Republican6Alexander RandallJanuary 4, 1858–January 6, 1862Republican185718597Louis P. HarveyJanuary 6, 1862–April 19, 1862Republican18618Edward SalomonApril 19, 1862–January 4, 1864RepublicanVacant9James T. LewisJanuary 4, 1864–January 1, 1866Republican186310Lucius FairchildJanuary 1, 1866–January 1, 1872Republican18651867186911Cadwallader C. WashburnJanuary 1, 1872–January 5, 1874Republican1871Vacant12William Robert TaylorJanuary 5, 1874–January 3, 1876Reform187313Harrison LudingtonJanuary 3, 1876–January 7, 1878Republican187514William E. SmithJanuary 7, 1878–January 2, 1882Republican1877187915Jeremiah McLain RuskJanuary 2, 1882–January 7, 1889Republican18811884188616William D. HoardJanuary 7, 1889–January 5, 1891Republican188817George Wilbur PeckJanuary 5, 1891–January 7, 1895Democratic18901892Vacant18William H. UphamJanuary 7, 1895–January 4, 1897Republican189419Edward ScofieldJanuary 4, 1897–January 7, 1901Republican1896189820Robert M. La FolletteJanuary 7, 1901–January 1, 1906Republican1900Vacant1902190421James O. DavidsonJanuary 1, 1906–January 2, 1911RepublicanVacant1906190822Francis E. McGovernJanuary 2, 1911–January 4, 1915Republican1910191223Emanuel L. PhilippJanuary 4, 1915–January 3, 1921Republican19141916191824John J. BlaineJanuary 3, 1921–January 3, 1927Republican19201922192425Fred R. ZimmermanJanuary 3, 1927–January 7, 1929Republican192626Walter J. Kohler Sr.January 7, 1929–January 5, 1931Republican192827Philip La FolletteJanuary 5, 1931–January 2, 1933Republican193028Albert G. SchmedemanJanuary 2, 1933–January 7, 1935Democratic193229Philip La FolletteJanuary 7, 1935–January 2, 1939Progressive1934Vacant1936Vacant30Julius P. HeilJanuary 2, 1939–January 4, 1943Republican19381940—Orland Steen LoomisDied beforetaking officeProgressive194231Walter Samuel GoodlandJanuary 4, 1943–March 12, 1947RepublicanVacant1944194632Oscar RennebohmMarch 12, 1947–January 1, 1951RepublicanVacant194833Walter J. Kohler Jr.January 1, 1951–January 7, 1957Republican19501952195434Vernon Wallace ThomsonJanuary 7, 1957–January 5, 1959Republican195635Gaylord NelsonJanuary 5, 1959–January 7, 1963Democratic1958196036John W. Reynolds Jr.January 7, 1963–January 4, 1965Democratic196237Warren P. KnowlesJanuary 4, 1965–January 4, 1971Republican19641966196838Patrick LuceyJanuary 4, 1971–July 6, 1977Democratic1970197439Martin J. SchreiberJuly 6, 1977–January 3, 1979DemocraticVacant40Lee S. DreyfusJanuary 3, 1979–January 3, 1983Republican197841Tony EarlJanuary 3, 1983–January 5, 1987Democratic198242Tommy ThompsonJanuary 5, 1987–February 1, 2001Republican198619901994199843Scott McCallumFebruary 1, 2001–January 6, 2003RepublicanVacant44Jim DoyleJanuary 6, 2003–January 3, 2011Democratic2002200645Scott WalkerJanuary 3, 2011–January 7, 2019Republican20102012201446Tony EversJanuary 7, 2019–IncumbentDemocratic20182022

See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Wisconsin List of Wisconsin state legislatures

Notes

References General

Specific

External links

Office of the Governor of Wisconsin