The governor of Georgia is the head of government of the U.S. state of Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. Republican Brian Kemp assumed office on January 14, 2019.
There have officially been 83 governors of the State of Georgia, including 11 who served more than one distinct term (John Houstoun, George Walton, Edward Telfair, George Mathews, Jared Irwin, David Brydie Mitchell, George Rockingham Gilmer, M. Hoke Smith, Joseph Mackey Brown, John M. Slaton and Eugene Talmadge, with Herman Talmadge serving two de facto distinct terms).
The longest-serving governors are George Busbee, Joe Frank Harris, Zell Miller, Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal, each of whom served two full four-year terms; Joseph E. Brown, governor during the Civil War, was elected four times, serving seven and a half years. The shortest term of the post-revolutionary period is that of Matthew Talbot, who served 13 days after succeeding his predecessor, who died in office. Eugene Talmadge died in December 1946 before taking office in his second distinct term, leading to a dispute in which three people claimed the office.
Governors
Georgia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on January 2, 1788. Before it declared its independence, Georgia was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It seceded from the Union on January 19, 1861, and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, Georgia during Reconstruction was part of the Third Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Georgia was readmitted to the Union on July 25, 1868; again expelled from Congress on March 3, 1869; and again readmitted on July 15, 1870.
The Rules and Regulations of the Colony, drafted in 1776, provided for a president to serve a term of 6 months. A formal constitution was drafted in 1777, providing for a governor to serve a term of one year, but no more than one year out of every three. The term was lengthened to two years in 1789, but with no term limit. The 1865 constitution required governors to take four years off after serving two terms, but that was quickly changed in the 1868 constitution, which allowed four-year terms with no limits. The term length was returned to the two-year term and limit of the 1865 constitution in 1877.
The 1945 constitution changed the length of terms to four years, with governors required to take four years off before running again, and it created the office of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, who would exercise the powers of the governor should the office become vacant. This was changed in 1983 so that the lieutenant governor fully becomes governor in that circumstance. Before the creation of the office of lieutenant governor, the president of the senate (or, before 1789, the president of the executive council) would exercise the powers of governor. The 1983 constitution also allows governors to succeed themselves once, before having to wait four years to run again. The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Archibald Bulloch (1730–1777) | January 22, 1776 – February 22, 1777 (died in office) | None | — | Office did not exist | |||
| 8 | Button Gwinnett (1735–1777) | March 4, 1777 – May 8, 1777 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| 9 | John A. Treutlen (1734–1782) | May 8, 1777 – January 10, 1778 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| 10 | John Houstoun (1744–1796) | January 10, 1778 – December 29, 1778 (fled from capture) | None | — | ||||
| — | Competing governments | December 29, 1778 – August 6, 1779 | Government in chaos after fall of Savannah | |||||
| 11 | John Wereat (d. 1799) | August 6, 1779 – November 1779 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| 12 | George Walton (d. 1804) | November 1779 – January 4, 1780 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| 13 | Richard Howly (1740–1784) | January 4, 1780 – February 5, 1780 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| — | George Wells (d. 1780) | February 5, 1780 – February 16, 1780 (died in office) | None | — | ||||
| 14 | Stephen Heard (1740–1815) | February 18, 1780 – August 18, 1781 (left office) | None | — | ||||
| 15 | Nathan Brownson (1742–1796) | August 18, 1781 – January 3, 1782 (term-limited) | None | 1781 | ||||
| 16 | John Martin (d. 1786) | January 3, 1782 – January 8, 1783 (term-limited) | None | 1782 | ||||
| 17 | Lyman Hall (1724–1790) | January 8, 1783 – January 9, 1784 (term-limited) | None | 1783 | ||||
| 10 | John Houstoun (1744–1796) | January 9, 1784 – January 6, 1785 (term-limited) | None | 1784 | ||||
| 18 | Samuel Elbert (1740–1788) | January 6, 1785 – January 9, 1786 (term-limited) | None | 1785 | ||||
| 19 | Edward Telfair (1735–1807) | January 9, 1786 – January 9, 1787 (term-limited) | None | 1786 | ||||
| 20 | George Mathews (1739–1812) | January 9, 1787 – January 26, 1788 (term-limited) | None | 1787 | ||||
| 21 | George Handley (1752–1793) | January 26, 1788 – January 7, 1789 (term-limited) | None | 1788 | ||||
| 12 | George Walton (d. 1804) | January 7, 1789 – November 9, 1789 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | Jan. 1789 | ||||
| 19 | Edward Telfair (1735–1807) | November 9, 1789 – November 7, 1793 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | Nov. 1789 | ||||
| 1791 | ||||||||
| 20 | George Mathews (1739–1812) | November 7, 1793 – January 15, 1796 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1793 | ||||
| 22 | Jared Irwin (1750–1818) | January 15, 1796 – January 12, 1798 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1795 | ||||
| 23 | James Jackson (1757–1806) | January 12, 1798 – March 3, 1801 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1797 | ||||
| 1799 | ||||||||
| 24 | David Emanuel (1744–1808) | March 3, 1801 – November 7, 1801 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
| 25 | Josiah Tattnall (d. 1803) | November 7, 1801 – November 4, 1802 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1801 | ||||
| 26 | John Milledge (1757–1818) | November 4, 1802 – September 23, 1806 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1802 (special) | ||||
| 1803 | ||||||||
| 1805 | ||||||||
| 22 | Jared Irwin (1750–1818) | September 23, 1806 – November 10, 1809 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
| 1807 | ||||||||
| 27 | David Brydie Mitchell (1766–1837) | November 10, 1809 – November 5, 1813 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1809 | ||||
| 1811 | ||||||||
| 28 | Peter Early (1773–1817) | November 5, 1813 – November 10, 1815 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | 1813 | ||||
| 27 | David Brydie Mitchell (1766–1837) | November 10, 1815 – March 4, 1817 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1815 | ||||
| 29 | William Rabun (1771–1819) | March 4, 1817 – October 24, 1819 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
| 1817 | ||||||||
| 30 | Matthew Talbot (1767–1827) | October 24, 1819 – November 5, 1819 (successor took office) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
| 31 | John Clark (1766–1832) | November 5, 1819 – November 7, 1823 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1819 | ||||
| 1821 | ||||||||
| 32 | George Troup (1780–1856) | November 7, 1823 – November 7, 1827 (did not run) | Troup Democratic- Republican | 1823 | ||||
| 1825 | ||||||||
| 33 | John Forsyth (1780–1841) | November 7, 1827 – November 4, 1829 (did not run) | Troup Democratic- Republican | 1827 | ||||
| 34 | George Rockingham Gilmer (1790–1859) | November 4, 1829 – November 9, 1831 (lost election) | Troup Democratic- Republican | 1829 | ||||
| 35 | Wilson Lumpkin (1783–1870) | November 9, 1831 – November 4, 1835 (did not run) | Union (Democratic) | 1831 | ||||
| 1833 | ||||||||
| 36 | William Schley (1786–1858) | November 4, 1835 – November 8, 1837 (lost election) | Union (Democratic) | 1835 | ||||
| 34 | George Rockingham Gilmer (1790–1859) | November 8, 1837 – November 6, 1839 (did not run) | State Rights (Whig) | 1837 | ||||
| 37 | Charles James McDonald (1793–1860) | November 6, 1839 – November 8, 1843 (did not run) | Union (Democratic) | 1839 | ||||
| 1841 | ||||||||
| 38 | George W. Crawford (1798–1872) | November 8, 1843 – November 3, 1847 (did not run) | Whig | 1843 | ||||
| 1845 | ||||||||
| 39 | George W. Towns (1801–1854) | November 3, 1847 – November 5, 1851 (did not run) | Democratic | 1847 | ||||
| 1849 | ||||||||
| 40 | Howell Cobb (1815–1868) | November 5, 1851 – November 9, 1853 (did not run) | Constitutional Union | 1851 | ||||
| 41 | Herschel V. Johnson (1812–1880) | November 9, 1853 – November 6, 1857 (did not run) | Democratic | 1853 | ||||
| 1855 | ||||||||
| 42 | Joseph E. Brown (1821–1894) | November 6, 1857 – June 17, 1865 (resigned) | Democratic | 1857 | ||||
| 1859 | ||||||||
| 1861 | ||||||||
| 1863 | ||||||||
| 43 | James Johnson (1811–1891) | June 17, 1865 – December 19, 1865 (provisional term ended) | Provisional governor appointed by President | |||||
| 44 | Charles J. Jenkins (1805–1883) | December 14, 1865 – January 13, 1868 (removed from office) | Democratic | 1865 | ||||
| 45 | Thomas H. Ruger (1833–1907) | January 13, 1868 – July 4, 1868 (state readmitted) | Military occupation | |||||
| 46 | Rufus Bullock (1834–1907) | July 4, 1868 – October 30, 1871 (resigned) | Republican | 1868 | ||||
| 47 | Benjamin F. Conley (1815–1886) | October 30, 1871 – January 12, 1872 (successor took office) | Republican | President of the Senate acting | ||||
| 48 | James Milton Smith (1823–1890) | January 12, 1872 – January 12, 1877 (did not run) | Democratic | 1871 (special) | ||||
| 1872 | ||||||||
| 49 | Alfred H. Colquitt (1824–1894) | January 12, 1877 – November 4, 1882 (did not run) | Democratic | 1876 | ||||
| 1880 | ||||||||
| 50 | Alexander H. Stephens (1812–1883) | November 4, 1882 – March 4, 1883 (died in office) | Democratic | 1882 | ||||
| 51 | James S. Boynton (1833–1902) | March 4, 1883 – May 10, 1883 (successor took office) | Democratic | President of the Senate acting | ||||
| 52 | Henry Dickerson McDaniel (1836–1926) | May 10, 1883 – November 9, 1886 (did not run) | Democratic | 1883 (special) | ||||
| 1884 | ||||||||
| 53 | John B. Gordon (1832–1904) | November 9, 1886 – November 8, 1890 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1886 | ||||
| 1888 | ||||||||
| 54 | William J. Northen (1835–1913) | November 8, 1890 – October 27, 1894 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1890 | ||||
| 1892 | ||||||||
| 55 | William Yates Atkinson (1854–1899) | October 27, 1894 – October 29, 1898 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1894 | ||||
| 1896 | ||||||||
| 56 | Allen D. Candler (1834–1910) | October 29, 1898 – October 25, 1902 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1898 | ||||
| 1900 | ||||||||
| 57 | Joseph M. Terrell (1861–1912) | October 25, 1902 – June 29, 1907 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1902 | ||||
| 1904 | ||||||||
| 58 | M. Hoke Smith (1855–1931) | June 29, 1907 – June 26, 1909 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1906 | ||||
| 59 | Joseph Mackey Brown (1851–1932) | June 26, 1909 – July 1, 1911 (lost election) | Democratic | 1908 | ||||
| 58 | M. Hoke Smith (1855–1931) | July 1, 1911 – November 15, 1911 (resigned) | Democratic | 1910 | ||||
| 60 | John M. Slaton (1866–1955) | November 15, 1911 – January 25, 1912 (successor took office) | Democratic | President of the Senate acting | ||||
| 59 | Joseph Mackey Brown (1851–1932) | January 25, 1912 – June 28, 1913 (did not run) | Democratic | 1912 (special) | ||||
| 60 | John M. Slaton (1866–1955) | June 28, 1913 – June 26, 1915 (did not run) | Democratic | 1912 | ||||
| 61 | Nathaniel Edwin Harris (1846–1929) | June 26, 1915 – June 30, 1917 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1914 | ||||
| 62 | Hugh Dorsey (1871–1948) | June 30, 1917 – June 25, 1921 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1916 | ||||
| 1918 | ||||||||
| 63 | Thomas W. Hardwick (1872–1944) | June 25, 1921 – June 30, 1923 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1920 | ||||
| 64 | Clifford Walker (1877–1954) | June 30, 1923 – June 25, 1927 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1922 | ||||
| 1924 | ||||||||
| 65 | Lamartine Griffin Hardman (1856–1937) | June 25, 1927 – June 27, 1931 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1926 | ||||
| 1928 | ||||||||
| 66 | Richard B. Russell Jr. (1897–1971) | June 27, 1931 – January 10, 1933 (did not run) | Democratic | 1930 | ||||
| 67 | Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) | January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1932 | ||||
| 1934 | ||||||||
| 68 | Eurith D. Rivers (1895–1967) | January 12, 1937 – January 14, 1941 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1936 | ||||
| 1938 | ||||||||
| 67 | Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) | January 14, 1941 – January 12, 1943 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1940 | ||||
| 69 | Ellis Arnall (1907–1992) | January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1942 | ||||
| — | Eugene Talmadge (1884–1946) | Died before taking office | Democratic | 1946 | Melvin E. Thompson | |||
| — | Herman Talmadge (1913–2002) | January 14, 1947 – March 19, 1947 (removed from office) | Democratic | |||||
| 70 | Melvin E. Thompson (1903–1980) | March 19, 1947 – November 17, 1948 (lost nomination) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
| 71 | Herman Talmadge (1913–2002) | November 17, 1948 – January 11, 1955 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1948 (special) | Marvin Griffin | |||
| 1950 | ||||||||
| 72 | Marvin Griffin (1907–1982) | January 11, 1955 – January 13, 1959 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1954 | Ernest Vandiver | |||
| 73 | Ernest Vandiver (1918–2005) | January 13, 1959 – January 15, 1963 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1958 | Garland T. Byrd | |||
| 74 | Carl Sanders (1925–2014) | January 15, 1963 – January 11, 1967 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1962 | Peter Zack Geer | |||
| 75 | Lester Maddox (1915–2003) | January 11, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1966 | George T. Smith | |||
| 76 | Jimmy Carter (1924–2024) | January 12, 1971 – January 14, 1975 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1970 | Lester Maddox | |||
| 77 | George Busbee (1927–2004) | January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1974 | Zell Miller | |||
| 1978 | ||||||||
| 78 | Joe Frank Harris (b. 1936) | January 11, 1983 – January 14, 1991 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1982 | ||||
| 1986 | ||||||||
| 79 | Zell Miller (1932–2018) | January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1990 | Pierre Howard | |||
| 1994 | ||||||||
| 80 | Roy Barnes (b. 1948) | January 11, 1999 – January 13, 2003 (lost election) | Democratic | 1998 | Mark Taylor | |||
| 81 | Sonny Perdue (b. 1946) | January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011 (term-limited) | Republican | 2002 | ||||
| 2006 | Casey Cagle | |||||||
| 82 | Nathan Deal (b. 1942) | January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019 (term-limited) | Republican | 2010 | ||||
| 2014 | ||||||||
| 83 | Brian Kemp (b. 1963) | January 14, 2019 – Incumbent | Republican | 2018 | Geoff Duncan | |||
| 2022 | Burt Jones | |||||||
See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Georgia
- First ladies of Georgia
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