List of governors of Iowa

The Governor of Iowa is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Iowa. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the state government[2] and is charged with enforcing state laws.[3] The officeholder has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Iowa General Assembly,[4] to convene the legislature,[5] as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[6] The Governor of Iowa is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[7]

Governor of Iowa
Incumbent
Kim Reynolds
since May 24, 2017
StyleThe Honorable
ResidenceTerrace Hill
Term lengthFour years, no term limits
PrecursorGovernor of Iowa Territory
Inaugural holderAnsel Briggs
FormationDecember 3, 1846 (1846-12-03)
Salary$130,000 (2013)[1]
Websitegovernor.iowa.gov

There have been 41 individuals who held the position of Iowa Governor, with two of those serving multiple distinct terms, Samuel J. Kirkwood and Terry Branstad. The current governor, Kim Reynolds, is the first woman to hold the position and was sworn in on May 24, 2017. The longest-serving is Terry Branstad, who served from 1983 to 1999 and then again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 21 years set by George Clinton of New York. The shortest-serving was Robert D. Fulton, who served 16 days.

Governors of the Territory of Iowa

Iowa Territory was formed on July 4, 1838, from Wisconsin Territory. It had three governors appointed by the President of the United States. The first governor did not arrive for six weeks after the territory had been created; in the interim, territorial secretary William B. Conway acted as governor.[8]

Governors of the Territory of Iowa
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 Robert Lucas August 15, 1838
–
May 13, 1841[lower-alpha 1]		 Martin Van Buren
2 John Chambers May 13, 1841[lower-alpha 1]
–
November 18, 1845[lower-alpha 2]		 John Tyler
3 James Clarke November 18, 1845[lower-alpha 2]
–
December 3, 1846[lower-alpha 3]		 James K. Polk

Governors of the State of Iowa

The southeast portion of Iowa Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa on December 28, 1846. The first Constitution of Iowa, adopted in 1846, created the office of governor with a four-year term,[11] with no specific start date. The 1857 constitution reduced this term to two years,[12] but an amendment in 1972 increased this back to four years.[13] The 1857 constitution also set the start of the term to the second Monday in the January following the election,[14] which was moved one day later by a 1988 amendment.[15]

The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1857 constitution, elected for the same term as the governor.[16] An amendment in 1988 specified that the lieutenant governor would be elected on the same ticket as the governor.[17] If the office becomes vacant, it devolves upon the lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term or vacancy.[18] Prior to 1857, if the office became vacant, the Secretary of State of Iowa would act as governor.[19] There is no term limit on the number of terms a governor may serve.

Governors of the State of Iowa
No.[lower-alpha 4] Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 5][lower-alpha 6]
1   Ansel Briggs December 3, 1846[lower-alpha 3]
–
December 4, 1850
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1846 Office did not exist
2 Stephen P. Hempstead December 4, 1850
–
December 9, 1854
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1850
3 James W. Grimes December 9, 1854
–
January 13, 1858
(not candidate for election)		 Whig 1854[lower-alpha 7]
4 Ralph P. Lowe January 13, 1858
–
January 11, 1860
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1857[lower-alpha 8]   Oran Faville
5 Samuel J. Kirkwood January 11, 1860
–
January 14, 1864
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1859 Nicholas J. Rusch
1861 John R. Needham
6 William M. Stone January 14, 1864
–
January 16, 1868
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1863 Enoch W. Eastman
1865 Benjamin F. Gue
7 Samuel Merrill January 16, 1868
–
January 11, 1872
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1867 John Scott
1869 Madison Miner Walden
(resigned 1871)[lower-alpha 9]
Vacant
Henry C. Bulis
(appointed September 13, 1871)
8 Cyrus C. Carpenter January 11, 1872
–
January 13, 1876
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1871
1873 Joseph Dysart
9 Samuel J. Kirkwood January 13, 1876
–
February 1, 1877
(resigned)[lower-alpha 10]		 Republican 1875 Joshua G. Newbold
10 Joshua G. Newbold February 1, 1877
–
January 17, 1878
(not candidate for election)		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
11 John H. Gear January 17, 1878
–
January 12, 1882
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1877 Frank T. Campbell
1879
12 Buren R. Sherman January 12, 1882
–
January 14, 1886
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1881 Orlando H. Manning
1883
13 William Larrabee January 14, 1886
–
February 27, 1890[lower-alpha 11]
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1885 John A. T. Hull
1887
14 Horace Boies February 27, 1890[lower-alpha 11]
–
January 11, 1894
(lost election)		 Democratic 1889 Alfred N. Poyneer[lower-alpha 12]
1891 Samuel L. Bestow
15 Frank D. Jackson January 11, 1894
–
January 16, 1896
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1893 Warren S. Dungan
16 Francis M. Drake January 16, 1896
–
January 13, 1898
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1895 Matt Parrott
17 L. M. Shaw January 13, 1898
–
January 16, 1902
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1897 James C. Milliman
1899
18 Albert B. Cummins January 16, 1902
–
November 24, 1908
(resigned)[lower-alpha 13]		 Republican 1901 John Herriott
1903[lower-alpha 14]
1906 Warren Garst
19 Warren Garst November 24, 1908
–
January 14, 1909
(successor took office)		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
20 Beryl F. Carroll January 14, 1909
–
January 16, 1913
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1908 George W. Clarke
1910
21 George W. Clarke January 16, 1913
–
January 11, 1917
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1912 William L. Harding
1914
22 William L. Harding January 11, 1917
–
January 13, 1921
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1916 Ernest Robert Moore
1918
23 Nathan E. Kendall January 13, 1921
–
January 15, 1925
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1920 John Hammill
1922
24 John Hammill January 15, 1925
–
January 15, 1931
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1924 Clem F. Kimball
(died September 10, 1928)
1926
Vacant
Arch W. McFarlane
(appointed November 15, 1928)
1928
25 Dan W. Turner January 15, 1931
–
January 12, 1933
(lost election)		 Republican 1930
26 Clyde L. Herring January 12, 1933
–
January 14, 1937
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1932 Nelson G. Kraschel
1934
27 Nelson G. Kraschel January 14, 1937
–
January 12, 1939
(lost election)		 Democratic 1936 John K. Valentine
28 George A. Wilson January 12, 1939
–
January 14, 1943
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1938 Bourke B. Hickenlooper
1940
29 Bourke B. Hickenlooper January 14, 1943
–
January 11, 1945
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1942 Robert D. Blue
30 Robert D. Blue January 11, 1945
–
January 13, 1949
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1944 Kenneth A. Evans
1946
31 William S. Beardsley January 13, 1949
–
November 21, 1954
(died in office)		 Republican 1948
1950 William H. Nicholas
1952 Leo Elthon
32 Leo Elthon November 21, 1954
–
January 13, 1955
(successor took office)		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
33 Leo Hoegh January 13, 1955
–
January 17, 1957
(lost election)		 Republican 1954 Leo Elthon
34 Herschel C. Loveless January 17, 1957
–
January 12, 1961
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1956 William H. Nicholas[lower-alpha 12]
1958 Edward Joseph McManus
35 Norman A. Erbe January 12, 1961
–
January 17, 1963
(lost election)		 Republican 1960 W. L. Mooty[lower-alpha 15]
36 Harold Hughes January 17, 1963
–
January 1, 1969
(resigned)[lower-alpha 16]		 Democratic 1962
1964 Robert D. Fulton
1966
37 Robert D. Fulton January 1, 1969
–
January 16, 1969
(successor took office)		 Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
38 Robert D. Ray January 16, 1969
–
January 14, 1983
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1968 Roger Jepsen
1970
1972 Arthur Neu
1974[lower-alpha 17]
1978 Terry Branstad
39 Terry Branstad January 14, 1983
–
January 15, 1999
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1982 Robert T. Anderson[lower-alpha 15]
1986 Jo Ann Zimmerman[lower-alpha 15]
1990 Joy Corning
1994
40 Tom Vilsack January 15, 1999
–
January 12, 2007
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1998 Sally Pederson
2002
41 Chet Culver January 12, 2007
–
January 14, 2011
(lost election)		 Democratic 2006 Patty Judge
42 Terry Branstad January 14, 2011
–
May 24, 2017
(resigned)[lower-alpha 18]		 Republican 2010 Kim Reynolds
2014
43 Kim Reynolds May 24, 2017
–
present[lower-alpha 19]		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
Adam Gregg
(appointed May 25, 2017)[lower-alpha 20]
2018

Succession
Main article: Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Iowa

Notes
  1. Chambers was appointed on March 25 to the position of territorial governor, to take office when sworn in. He arrived in the state on May 12 and took office the next day. Lucas was out of the capital at the time and did not formally resign his commission until June 17, per a letter written to U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster.[9]
  2. Clark was appointed on November 18;[10] it is unknown what specific date he assumed office.
  3. Briggs was sworn into office 25 days before the state was formally admitted.[21]
  4. There is no official numbering, and different governors have interpreted it differently, depending on if they give a new number when a governor has multiple distinct terms in office.[20] This article includes numbering for every distinct term in office.
  5. The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1857 constitution.[16]
  6. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  7. The election schedule changed with this term, switching to odd-numbered years and shortening the term by nearly a year.
  8. First term under the 1857 constitution, which shortened terms to two years.[12]
  9. No source appears to know which date Walden resigned, just that it was to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives for a term beginning March 4.
  10. Kirkwood resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[22]
  11. All sources state Boies was sworn in on February 27, 1890, with no explanation given for the delay; it appears from primary sources that the state legislature was deadlocked, performing over one hundred votes to name the speaker, and the certification of election results was delayed,[23] with Larrabee remaining in office until his successor was certified.
  12. Represented the Republican Party
  13. Cummins resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  14. The election schedule changed with this term, switching to odd-numbered years and lengthening the term by nearly a year.
  15. Represented the Democratic Party
  16. Hughes resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[24]
  17. First term under a 1972 constitutional amendment which lengthened terms to four years.[13]
  18. Branstad resigned to become United States Ambassador to China.[25]
  19. Reynolds' first full term began January 18, 2019, and will expire January 10, 2023.
  20. Gregg was appointed acting lieutenant governor by Reynolds but, while he had the full powers and salary of the office, he was not in the line of succession; he later won election to the post in the 2018 election.

References
General
  • "Former Iowa Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
Constitutions
Specific
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. IA Const. art. IV, § 1.
  3. IA Const. art. IV, § 9.
  4. IA Const. art III, § 16
  5. IA Const. art. IV, § 11.
  6. IA Const., art. IV, § 16.
  7. IA Const. art. IV, § 7.
  8. Shambaugh, Benjamin F., ed. (1903). The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of Iowa. 1. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa. p. 208 https://books.google.com/books?id=QoE0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA208. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. Executive Journal of Iowa 1838–1841, Governor Robert Lucas. State Historical Society of Iowa. 1906. pp. 277–279.
  10. Benjamin F. Gue (1903). Iowa biography. Century History Company. p. 52.
  11. 1846 Const. article V, § 2
  12. IA Const. art. IV, § 2
  13. IA Const. amendment 32
  14. IA Const. art. IV, § 15
  15. IA Const. amendment 42
  16. IA Const. art. IV, § 3
  17. IA Const. amendment 41
  18. IA Const. art. IV, § 17
  19. 1846 Const. art V, § 18
  20. "No 41st Governor for Iowa?". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids). November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  21. Secretary Of State, Iowa (1951). Iowa Official Register – 1951–1952. p. 97.
  22. "Samuel Jordan Kirkwood". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  23. Journal of the House of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa. 1890. pp. 1–95. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  24. "Harold Everett Hughes". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  25. Pfannenstiel, Brianne (May 24, 2017). "Branstad resigns governorship, takes office as U.S. Ambassador to China". Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
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