The governor of Ohio is the head of government of OhioOhio Constitution article III, § 5. and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.Ohio Constitution article III, § 10. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Ohio General Assembly,Ohio Constitution article II, § 16. the power to convene the legislatureOhio Constitution article III, § 8. and the power to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.Ohio Constitution article III § 11.

There have been 64 governors of Ohio, serving 70 distinct terms. The longest term was held by Jim Rhodes, who was elected four times and served just under sixteen years in two non-consecutive periods of two terms each (1963–1971 and 1975–1983). The shortest terms were held by John William Brown and Nancy Hollister, who each served for only 11 days after the governors preceding them resigned in order to begin the terms to which they had been elected in the United States Senate; the shortest-serving elected governor was John M. Pattison, who died in office five months into his term.

The current governor is Republican Mike DeWine (R), who took office on January 14, 2019, and was reelected in 2022. After eight years the incumbent is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third consecutive term in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.

List of governors Northwest Territory The Territory Northwest of the Ohio River, commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was organized on July 13, 1787.Northwest Ordinance , July 13, 1787; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M332, roll 9); Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 1774–1789, Record Group 360; National Archives. Many territories and states were split from Northwest Territory over the years, with the last portion being split between Indiana Territory and the newly admitted state of Ohio on March 1, 1803.

Throughout its 15-year history, Northwest Territory had only one governor appointed by the federal government, Arthur St. Clair. He was removed from office by President Thomas Jefferson on November 22, 1802, and no successor was named; Secretary of the Territory Charles Willing Byrd acted as governor until statehood.

+ Governor of the Territory Northwest of the River OhioGovernorTerm in officeAppointed byArthur St. ClairOctober 5, 1787–November 22, 1802Continental CongressGeorge WashingtonJohn Adams

State of Ohio Ohio was admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803. Since then, it has had 64 governors, six of whom (Allen Trimble, Wilson Shannon, Rutherford B. Hayes, James M. Cox, Frank Lausche, and Jim Rhodes) served non-consecutive terms.

The first constitution of 1803 allowed governors to serve for two-year terms, limited to six of any eight years, commencing on the first Monday in the December following an election.Ohio Constitution article II, § 3 The current constitution of 1851 removed the term limit, and shifted the start of the term to the second Monday in January following an election. In 1908, Ohio switched from holding elections in odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, with the preceding governor (from the 1905 election) serving an extra year.Article XVII (adopted November 1905) of Constitution, section 2: "And the General Assembly shall have power to so extend existing terms of office as to effect the purpose of section 1 of this article." and section 3 : "Every elective officer holding office when this amendment is adopted shall continue to hold such office for the full term for which he was elected and until his successor shall be elected and qualified as provided by law." source: A 1957 amendment lengthened the term to four years and allowed governors to only succeed themselves once, having to wait four years after their second term in a row before being allowed to run again.Ohio Constitution article III, § 2 An Ohio Supreme Court ruling in 1973 clarified this to mean governors could theoretically serve unlimited terms, as long as they waited four years after every second term.

+ Governors of the State of OhioGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Edward TiffinMarch 3, 1803–March 4, 1807Democratic-Republican1803Office did not exist1805 2Thomas KirkerMarch 4, 1807–December 12, 1808Democratic-Republican18073Samuel HuntingtonDecember 12, 1808–December 8, 1810Democratic-Republican18084Return J. Meigs Jr.December 8, 1810–March 25, 1814Democratic-Republican18101812 5Othniel LookerMarch 25, 1814–December 8, 1814Democratic-Republican6Thomas WorthingtonDecember 8, 1814–December 14, 1818Democratic-Republican181418167Ethan Allen BrownDecember 14, 1818–January 4, 1822Democratic-Republican18181820 8Allen TrimbleJanuary 4, 1822–December 28, 1822Democratic-Republican9Jeremiah MorrowDecember 28, 1822–December 19, 1826Democratic-Republican1822182410Allen TrimbleDecember 19, 1826–December 18, 1830NationalRepublican1826182811Duncan McArthurDecember 18, 1830–December 7, 1832NationalRepublican183012Robert LucasDecember 7, 1832–December 13, 1836Democratic1832183413Joseph VanceDecember 13, 1836–December 13, 1838Whig183614Wilson ShannonDecember 13, 1838–December 16, 1840Democratic183815Thomas CorwinDecember 16, 1840–December 14, 1842Whig184016Wilson ShannonDecember 14, 1842–April 15, 1844Democratic1842 17Thomas W. BartleyApril 15, 1844–December 3, 1844Democratic18Mordecai BartleyDecember 3, 1844–December 12, 1846Whig184419William BebbDecember 12, 1846–January 22, 1849Whig184620Seabury FordJanuary 22, 1849–December 12, 1850Whig184821Reuben WoodDecember 12, 1850–July 13, 1853Democratic18501851  22William MedillJuly 13, 1853–January 14, 1856DemocraticVacant185323Salmon P. ChaseJanuary 14, 1856–January 9, 1860Republican1855185724William Dennison Jr.January 9, 1860–January 13, 1862Republican185925David TodJanuary 13, 1862–January 11, 1864Union186126John BroughJanuary 11, 1864–August 29, 1865Union186327Charles AndersonAugust 29, 1865–January 8, 1866UnionVacant28Jacob Dolson CoxJanuary 8, 1866–January 13, 1868Republican186529Rutherford B. HayesJanuary 13, 1868–January 8, 1872Republican1867186930Edward Follansbee NoyesJanuary 8, 1872–January 12, 1874Republican187131William AllenJanuary 12, 1874–January 10, 1876Democratic187332Rutherford B. HayesJanuary 10, 1876–March 2, 1877Republican187533Thomas L. YoungMarch 2, 1877–January 14, 1878Republican34Richard M. BishopJanuary 14, 1878–January 12, 1880Democratic187735Charles FosterJanuary 12, 1880–January 14, 1884Republican1879188136George HoadlyJanuary 14, 1884–January 11, 1886Democratic188337Joseph B. ForakerJanuary 11, 1886–January 13, 1890Republican1885188738James E. CampbellJanuary 13, 1890–January 11, 1892Democratic188939William McKinleyJanuary 11, 1892–January 13, 1896Republican1891189340Asa S. BushnellJanuary 13, 1896–January 8, 1900Republican1895189741George K. NashJanuary 8, 1900–January 11, 1904Republican1899190142Myron T. HerrickJanuary 11, 1904–January 8, 1906Republican190343John M. PattisonJanuary 8, 1906–June 18, 1906Democratic190544Andrew L. HarrisJune 18, 1906–January 11, 1909RepublicanVacant45Judson HarmonJanuary 11, 1909–January 13, 1913Democratic1908191046James M. CoxJanuary 13, 1913–January 11, 1915Democratic191247Frank B. WillisJanuary 11, 1915–January 8, 1917Republican191448James M. CoxJanuary 8, 1917–January 10, 1921Democratic1916191849Harry L. DavisJanuary 10, 1921–January 8, 1923Republican192050A. Victor DonaheyJanuary 8, 1923–January 14, 1929Democratic19221924192651Myers Y. CooperJanuary 14, 1929–January 12, 1931Republican192852George WhiteJanuary 12, 1931–January 14, 1935Democratic1930193253Martin L. DaveyJanuary 14, 1935–January 9, 1939Democratic1934193654John W. BrickerJanuary 9, 1939–January 8, 1945Republican19381940194255Frank LauscheJanuary 8, 1945–January 13, 1947Democratic194456Thomas J. HerbertJanuary 13, 1947–January 10, 1949Republican194657Frank LauscheJanuary 10, 1949–January 3, 1957Democratic1948195019521954 58John William BrownJanuary 3, 1957–January 14, 1957RepublicanVacant59C. William O'NeillJanuary 14, 1957–January 12, 1959Republican195660Michael DiSalleJanuary 12, 1959–January 14, 1963Democratic195861Jim RhodesJanuary 14, 1963–January 11, 1971Republican1962196662John J. GilliganJanuary 11, 1971–January 13, 1975Democratic197063Jim RhodesJanuary 13, 1975–January 10, 1983Republican19741978Vacant64Dick CelesteJanuary 10, 1983–January 14, 1991Democratic1982Vacant198665George VoinovichJanuary 14, 1991–December 31, 1998Republican1990Vacant1994 66 Nancy HollisterDecember 31, 1998–January 11, 1999RepublicanVacant67Bob TaftJanuary 11, 1999–January 8, 2007Republican1998Vacant2002Vacant68Ted StricklandJanuary 8, 2007–January 10, 2011Democratic200669John KasichJanuary 10, 2011–January 14, 2019Republican2010201470Mike DeWineJanuary 14, 2019–IncumbentRepublican20182022Vacant

See also List of Ohio state legislatures

Notes

References General

Specific

External links

Office of the Governor of Ohio