The governor of Kansas is the head of state of KansasKS Const. art. I, § 3. and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.KS Const. art. VIII, § 4. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Kansas Legislature,KS Const. art. II, § 14. to convene the legislature at any time,KS Const. art. I, § 5. and to grant pardons.KS Const. art. I, § 7.

Since becoming a state, Kansas has had 48 governors. The state's longest-serving governors were Robert Docking, John W. Carlin, and Bill Graves, each of whom served 8 years (Docking served four two-year terms; Carlin and Graves each served 2 4-year terms). The shortest-serving governor was John McCuish, who served only 11 days after the resignation of Fred Hall.

The current governor is Democrat Laura Kelly, who took office on January 14, 2019.

List of governors

Kansas Territory Kansas Territory was organized on May 30, 1854, from land that had previously been part of Missouri Territory. Despite existing only for six years, it had six governors appointed by the president of the United States.

+ Governors of the Territory of KansasGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1Andrew Horatio ReederJune 29, 1854–July 31, 18552Wilson ShannonAugust 10, 1855–July 31, 18563John W. GearyJuly 31, 1856–March 4, 18574Robert J. WalkerMarch 30, 1857–December 17, 18575James W. DenverFebruary 24, 1858–November 8, 18586Samuel MedaryNovember 23, 1858–December 20, 1860

State of Kansas

The eastern bulk of Kansas Territory was admitted to the Union as Kansas on January 29, 1861. The Kansas Constitution provided that a governor and lieutenant governor be elected every 2 years, for a term commencing on the second Monday in the January after the election.1861 Const. art. I, § 1 An amendment in 1972 increased terms to four years, with a limit that a governor could not serve more than two terms in a row, and provided that the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket.KS Const. art. 1, § 1 In the original constitution, should the office of governor be vacant, the powers would devolve upon the lieutenant governor, who nonetheless would remain in that office;1861 Const. art I, § 11 the 1972 amendment changed it so that, in such an event, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.KS Const. art I, § 11

Until 2018, there was no age or residency requirement to run for the office; in 2017, three teenagers were doing so. In 2018, a law was passed establishing the age to run for governor and lieutenant governor at 25.

+ Governors of the State of KansasGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Charles L. RobinsonFebruary 9, 1861–January 12, 1863Republican1859 2Thomas CarneyJanuary 12, 1863–January 9, 1865Republican18623Samuel J. CrawfordJanuary 9, 1865–November 4, 1868Republican186418664Nehemiah GreenNovember 4, 1868–January 11, 1869RepublicanVacant5James M. HarveyJanuary 11, 1869–January 13, 1873Republican186818706Thomas A. OsbornJanuary 13, 1873–January 8, 1877Republican187218747George T. AnthonyJanuary 8, 1877–January 13, 1879Republican18768John St. JohnJanuary 13, 1879–January 8, 1883Republican187818809George Washington GlickJanuary 8, 1883–January 12, 1885Democratic188210John MartinJanuary 12, 1885–January 14, 1889Republican1884188611Lyman U. HumphreyJanuary 14, 1889–January 9, 1893Republican1888189012Lorenzo D. LewellingJanuary 9, 1893–January 14, 1895Populist189213Edmund Needham MorrillJanuary 14, 1895–January 11, 1897Republican189414John W. LeedyJanuary 11, 1897–January 9, 1899Populist189615William Eugene StanleyJanuary 9, 1899–January 12, 1903Republican1898190016Willis J. BaileyJanuary 12, 1903–January 9, 1905Republican190217Edward W. HochJanuary 9, 1905–January 11, 1909Republican1904190618Walter R. StubbsJanuary 11, 1909–January 13, 1913Republican1908191019George H. HodgesJanuary 13, 1913–January 11, 1915Democratic191220Arthur CapperJanuary 11, 1915–January 13, 1919Republican1914191621Henry Justin AllenJanuary 13, 1919–January 8, 1923Republican1918192022Jonathan M. DavisJanuary 8, 1923–January 12, 1925Democratic192223Benjamin S. PaulenJanuary 12, 1925–January 14, 1929Republican1924192624Clyde M. ReedJanuary 14, 1929–January 12, 1931Republican192825Harry Hines WoodringJanuary 12, 1931–January 9, 1933Democratic193026Alf LandonJanuary 9, 1933–January 11, 1937Republican1932193427Walter A. HuxmanJanuary 11, 1937–January 9, 1939Democratic193628Payne RatnerJanuary 9, 1939–January 11, 1943Republican1938194029Andrew Frank SchoeppelJanuary 11, 1943–January 13, 1947Republican1942194430Frank CarlsonJanuary 13, 1947–November 28, 1950Republican1946194831Frank L. HagamanNovember 28, 1950–January 8, 1951RepublicanVacant32Edward F. ArnJanuary 8, 1951–January 10, 1955Republican1950195233Fred HallJanuary 10, 1955–January 3, 1957Republican195434John McCuishJanuary 3, 1957–January 14, 1957RepublicanVacant35George DockingJanuary 14, 1957–January 9, 1961Democratic1956195836John Anderson Jr.January 9, 1961–January 11, 1965Republican1960196237William H. AveryJanuary 11, 1965–January 9, 1967Republican196438Robert DockingJanuary 9, 1967–January 13, 1975Democratic196619681970197239Robert Frederick BennettJanuary 13, 1975–January 8, 1979Republican197440John W. CarlinJanuary 8, 1979–January 12, 1987Democratic1978198241Mike HaydenJanuary 12, 1987–January 14, 1991Republican198642Joan FinneyJanuary 14, 1991–January 9, 1995Democratic199043Bill GravesJanuary 9, 1995–January 13, 2003Republican1994Vacant199844Kathleen SebeliusJanuary 13, 2003–April 28, 2009Democratic2002200645Mark ParkinsonApril 28, 2009–January 10, 2011DemocraticVacant46Sam BrownbackJanuary 10, 2011–January 31, 2018Republican2010201447Jeff ColyerJanuary 31, 2018–January 14, 2019RepublicanVacant48Laura KellyJanuary 14, 2019–IncumbentDemocratic20182022

Timeline Timeline of Kansas governors

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

Notes

References General

Constitutions

Constitution of the State of Kansas (1859), as amended. Retrieved February 28, 2023. Constitution of the State of Kansas (1859), original. Retrieved February 28, 2023.

Specific

External links

Office of the Governor of Kansas