The governor of Massachusetts is the head of government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces.
Since 1780, 65 people have been elected governor, six to non-consecutive terms (John Hancock, Caleb Strong, Marcus Morton, John Davis, John Volpe, and Michael Dukakis), and seven lieutenant governors have acted as governor without subsequently being elected governor. Thomas Talbot served a stint as acting governor, but was elected governor several years later. Prior to 1918 constitutional reforms, both the governor's office and that of lieutenant governor were vacant on one occasion, when the state was governed by the Governor's Council.
List of governors
Colonial Massachusetts
The colonial history of Massachusetts begins with the founding first of the Plymouth Colony in 1620, and then the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1628. The Dominion of New England combined these and other New England colonies into a single unit in 1686, but collapsed in 1689. In 1692 the Province of Massachusetts Bay was established, merging Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, which then included the territory of present-day Maine.
Colonial governors of Plymouth and the Massachusetts Bay Colony were elected annually by a limited subset of the male population (known as freemen), while Dominion officials and those of the 1692 province were appointed by the British crown. In 1774 General Thomas Gage became the last royally appointed governor of Massachusetts. He was recalled to England after the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, by which time the Massachusetts Provincial Congress exercised de facto control of Massachusetts territory outside British-occupied Boston. Between 1775 and the establishment of the Massachusetts State Constitution in 1780 the state was governed by the provincial congress and an executive council.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts: 1780–present
The constitution of Massachusetts created the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, to be elected annually. Terms were lengthened to two years in 1918, to last until their successor was inaugurated, which would be at least the first Wednesday in the January after their election. This was changed to the Thursday following the first Wednesday in the January after the election in 1950, and terms were lengthened to four years in 1966.
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Hancock (1737–1793) | October 25, 1780 – February 18, 1785 (resigned) | None | 1780 | Thomas Cushing | |||
| 1781 | ||||||||
| 1782 | ||||||||
| 1783 | ||||||||
| 1784 | ||||||||
| — | Thomas Cushing (1725–1788) | February 18, 1785 – May 27, 1785 (lost election) | None | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 2 | James Bowdoin (1726–1790) | May 27, 1785 – June 1, 1787 (lost election) | None | 1785 | Thomas Cushing | |||
| 1786 | ||||||||
| 3 | John Hancock (1737–1793) | June 1, 1787 – October 8, 1793 (died in office) | None | 1787 | ||||
| 1788 | Benjamin Lincoln | |||||||
| 1789 | Samuel Adams | |||||||
| 1790 | ||||||||
| 1791 | ||||||||
| 1792 | ||||||||
| 1793 | ||||||||
| 4 | Samuel Adams (1722–1803) | October 8, 1793 – June 2, 1797 (did not run) | None | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| Democratic- Republican | 1794 | Moses Gill | ||||||
| 1795 | ||||||||
| 1796 | ||||||||
| 5 | Increase Sumner (1746–1799) | June 2, 1797 – June 7, 1799 (died in office) | Federalist | 1797 | ||||
| 1798 | ||||||||
| 1799 | ||||||||
| — | Moses Gill (1733–1800) | June 7, 1799 – May 20, 1800 (died in office) | Federalist | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| — | Governor's Council chaired by Thomas Dawes | May 20, 1800 – May 30, 1800 | — | Governor's Council acting | Vacant | |||
| 6 | Caleb Strong (1745–1819) | May 30, 1800 – May 29, 1807 (lost election) | Federalist | 1800 | ||||
| 1801 | Samuel Phillips Jr. | |||||||
| 1802 | Edward Robbins | |||||||
| 1803 | ||||||||
| 1804 | ||||||||
| 1805 | ||||||||
| 1806 | ||||||||
| 7 | James Sullivan (1744–1808) | May 29, 1807 – December 10, 1808 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican | 1807 | Levi Lincoln Sr. | |||
| 1808 | ||||||||
| — | Levi Lincoln Sr. (1749–1820) | December 10, 1808 – June 3, 1809 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 8 | Christopher Gore (1758–1827) | June 3, 1809 – June 2, 1810 (lost election) | Federalist | 1809 | David Cobb | |||
| 9 | Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814) | June 2, 1810 – May 30, 1812 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | 1810 | William Gray | |||
| 1811 | ||||||||
| 10 | Caleb Strong (1745–1819) | May 30, 1812 – June 1, 1816 (did not run) | Federalist | 1812 | William Phillips Jr. | |||
| 1813 | ||||||||
| 1814 | ||||||||
| 1815 | ||||||||
| 11 | John Brooks (1752–1825) | June 1, 1816 – May 30, 1823 (did not run) | Federalist | 1816 | ||||
| 1817 | ||||||||
| 1818 | ||||||||
| 1819 | ||||||||
| 1820 | ||||||||
| 1821 | ||||||||
| 1822 | ||||||||
| 12 | William Eustis (1753–1825) | May 30, 1823 – February 6, 1825 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican | 1823 | Marcus Morton | |||
| 1824 | ||||||||
| — | Marcus Morton (1784–1864) | February 6, 1825 – May 27, 1825 (successor took office) | Democratic- Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 13 | Levi Lincoln Jr. (1782–1868) | May 27, 1825 – January 21, 1834 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1825 | Thomas L. Winthrop | |||
| 1826 | ||||||||
| 1827 | ||||||||
| 1828 | ||||||||
| National Republican | 1829 | |||||||
| 1830 | ||||||||
| Apr. 1831 | ||||||||
| Nov. 1831 | ||||||||
| 1832 | ||||||||
| 14 | John Davis (1787–1854) | January 21, 1834 – March 3, 1835 (resigned) | National Republican | 1833 | Samuel Turell Armstrong | |||
| Whig | 1834 | |||||||
| — | Samuel Turell Armstrong (1784–1850) | March 3, 1835 – January 13, 1836 (lost election) | Whig | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 15 | Edward Everett (1794–1865) | January 13, 1836 – January 18, 1840 (lost election) | Whig | 1835 | George Hull | |||
| 1836 | ||||||||
| 1837 | ||||||||
| 1838 | ||||||||
| 16 | Marcus Morton (1784–1864) | January 18, 1840 – January 9, 1841 (lost election) | Democratic | 1839 | ||||
| 17 | John Davis (1787–1854) | January 9, 1841 – January 18, 1843 (lost election) | Whig | 1840 | ||||
| 1841 | ||||||||
| 18 | Marcus Morton (1784–1864) | January 18, 1843 – January 9, 1844 (lost election) | Democratic | 1842 | Henry H. Childs | |||
| 19 | George N. Briggs (1796–1861) | January 9, 1844 – January 13, 1851 (lost election) | Whig | 1843 | Henry W. Cushman | |||
| 1844 | ||||||||
| 1845 | ||||||||
| 1846 | ||||||||
| 1847 | ||||||||
| 1848 | ||||||||
| 1849 | ||||||||
| 20 | George S. Boutwell (1818–1905) | January 13, 1851 – January 14, 1853 (did not run) | Democratic | 1850 | ||||
| 1851 | ||||||||
| 21 | John H. Clifford (1809–1876) | January 14, 1853 – January 12, 1854 (did not run) | Whig | 1852 | William C. Plunkett | |||
| 22 | Emory Washburn (1800–1877) | January 12, 1854 – January 9, 1855 (lost election) | Whig | 1853 | ||||
| 23 | Henry Gardner (1819–1892) | January 9, 1855 – January 2, 1858 (lost election) | Know Nothing | 1854 | Simon Brown | |||
| 1855 | Henry Wetherby Benchley | |||||||
| 1856 | ||||||||
| 24 | Nathaniel P. Banks (1816–1894) | January 2, 1858 – January 2, 1861 (did not run) | Republican | 1857 | Eliphalet Trask | |||
| 1858 | ||||||||
| 1859 | ||||||||
| 25 | John Albion Andrew (1818–1867) | January 2, 1861 – January 6, 1866 (did not run) | Republican | 1860 | John Z. Goodrich | |||
| 1861 | John Nesmith | |||||||
| 1862 | Joel Hayden | |||||||
| 1863 | ||||||||
| 1864 | ||||||||
| 26 | Alexander Bullock (1816–1882) | January 6, 1866 – January 9, 1869 (did not run) | Republican | 1865 | William Claflin | |||
| 1866 | ||||||||
| 1867 | ||||||||
| 27 | William Claflin (1818–1905) | January 9, 1869 – January 5, 1872 (did not run) | Republican | 1868 | Joseph Tucker | |||
| 1869 | ||||||||
| 1870 | ||||||||
| 28 | William B. Washburn (1820–1887) | January 5, 1872 – April 30, 1874 (resigned) | Republican | 1871 | ||||
| 1872 | Thomas Talbot | |||||||
| 1873 | ||||||||
| — | Thomas Talbot (1818–1885) | April 30, 1874 – January 7, 1875 (lost election) | Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 29 | William Gaston (1820–1894) | January 7, 1875 – January 6, 1876 (lost election) | Democratic | 1874 | Horatio G. Knight | |||
| 30 | Alexander H. Rice (1818–1895) | January 6, 1876 – January 2, 1879 (did not run) | Republican | 1875 | ||||
| 1876 | ||||||||
| 1877 | ||||||||
| 31 | Thomas Talbot (1818–1885) | January 2, 1879 – January 8, 1880 (did not run) | Republican | 1878 | John Davis Long | |||
| 32 | John Davis Long (1838–1915) | January 8, 1880 – January 4, 1883 (did not run) | Republican | 1879 | Byron Weston | |||
| 1880 | ||||||||
| 1881 | ||||||||
| 33 | Benjamin Butler (1818–1893) | January 4, 1883 – January 3, 1884 (lost election) | Democratic | 1882 | Oliver Ames | |||
| 34 | George D. Robinson (1834–1896) | January 3, 1884 – January 6, 1887 (did not run) | Republican | 1883 | ||||
| 1884 | ||||||||
| 1885 | ||||||||
| 35 | Oliver Ames (1831–1895) | January 6, 1887 – January 2, 1890 (did not run) | Republican | 1886 | John Q. A. Brackett | |||
| 1887 | ||||||||
| 1888 | ||||||||
| 36 | John Q. A. Brackett (1842–1918) | January 2, 1890 – January 8, 1891 (lost election) | Republican | 1889 | William H. Haile | |||
| 37 | William E. Russell (1857–1896) | January 8, 1891 – January 4, 1894 (did not run) | Democratic | 1890 | ||||
| 1891 | ||||||||
| 1892 | Roger Wolcott | |||||||
| 38 | Frederic T. Greenhalge (1842–1896) | January 4, 1894 – March 5, 1896 (died in office) | Republican | 1893 | ||||
| 1894 | ||||||||
| 1895 | ||||||||
| 39 | Roger Wolcott (1847–1900) | March 5, 1896 – January 4, 1900 (did not run) | Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 1896 | Winthrop M. Crane | |||||||
| 1897 | ||||||||
| 1898 | ||||||||
| 40 | Winthrop M. Crane (1853–1920) | January 4, 1900 – January 8, 1903 (did not run) | Republican | 1899 | John L. Bates | |||
| 1900 | ||||||||
| 1901 | ||||||||
| 41 | John L. Bates (1859–1946) | January 8, 1903 – January 5, 1905 (lost election) | Republican | 1902 | Curtis Guild Jr. | |||
| 1903 | ||||||||
| 42 | William Lewis Douglas (1845–1924) | January 5, 1905 – January 4, 1906 (did not run) | Democratic | 1904 | ||||
| 43 | Curtis Guild Jr. (1860–1915) | January 4, 1906 – January 7, 1909 (did not run) | Republican | 1905 | Eben Sumner Draper | |||
| 1906 | ||||||||
| 1907 | ||||||||
| 44 | Eben Sumner Draper (1858–1914) | January 7, 1909 – January 5, 1911 (lost election) | Republican | 1908 | Louis A. Frothingham | |||
| 1909 | ||||||||
| 45 | Eugene Foss (1858–1939) | January 5, 1911 – January 8, 1914 (lost election) | Democratic | 1910 | ||||
| 1911 | Robert Luce | |||||||
| 1912 | David I. Walsh | |||||||
| 46 | David I. Walsh (1872–1947) | January 8, 1914 – January 6, 1916 (lost election) | Democratic | 1913 | Edward P. Barry | |||
| 1914 | Grafton D. Cushing | |||||||
| 47 | Samuel W. McCall (1851–1923) | January 6, 1916 – January 2, 1919 (did not run) | Republican | 1915 | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| 1916 | ||||||||
| 1917 | ||||||||
| 48 | Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) | January 2, 1919 – January 6, 1921 (did not run) | Republican | 1918 | Channing H. Cox | |||
| 1919 | ||||||||
| 49 | Channing H. Cox (1879–1968) | January 6, 1921 – January 8, 1925 (did not run) | Republican | 1920 | Alvan T. Fuller | |||
| 1922 | ||||||||
| 50 | Alvan T. Fuller (1878–1958) | January 8, 1925 – January 3, 1929 (did not run) | Republican | 1924 | Frank G. Allen | |||
| 1926 | ||||||||
| 51 | Frank G. Allen (1874–1950) | January 3, 1929 – January 8, 1931 (lost election) | Republican | 1928 | William S. Youngman | |||
| 52 | Joseph B. Ely (1881–1956) | January 8, 1931 – January 3, 1935 (did not run) | Democratic | 1930 | ||||
| 1932 | Gaspar G. Bacon | |||||||
| 53 | James Michael Curley (1874–1958) | January 3, 1935 – January 7, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1934 | Joseph L. Hurley | |||
| 54 | Charles F. Hurley (1893–1946) | January 7, 1937 – January 5, 1939 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1936 | Francis E. Kelly | |||
| 55 | Leverett Saltonstall (1892–1979) | January 5, 1939 – January 4, 1945 (did not run) | Republican | 1938 | Horace T. Cahill | |||
| 1940 | ||||||||
| 1942 | ||||||||
| 56 | Maurice J. Tobin (1901–1953) | January 4, 1945 – January 2, 1947 (lost election) | Democratic | 1944 | Robert F. Bradford | |||
| 57 | Robert F. Bradford (1902–1983) | January 2, 1947 – January 6, 1949 (lost election) | Republican | 1946 | Arthur W. Coolidge | |||
| 58 | Paul A. Dever (1903–1958) | January 6, 1949 – January 8, 1953 (lost election) | Democratic | 1948 | Charles F. Sullivan | |||
| 1950 | ||||||||
| 59 | Christian Herter (1895–1966) | January 8, 1953 – January 3, 1957 (did not run) | Republican | 1952 | Sumner G. Whittier | |||
| 1954 | ||||||||
| 60 | Foster Furcolo (1911–1995) | January 3, 1957 – January 5, 1961 (did not run) | Democratic | 1956 | Robert F. Murphy | |||
| 1958 | ||||||||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 61 | John A. Volpe (1908–1994) | January 5, 1961 – January 3, 1963 (lost election) | Republican | 1960 | Edward F. McLaughlin Jr. | |||
| 62 | Endicott Peabody (1920–1997) | January 3, 1963 – January 7, 1965 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1962 | Francis Bellotti | |||
| 63 | John A. Volpe (1908–1994) | January 7, 1965 – January 22, 1969 (resigned) | Republican | 1964 | Elliot Richardson | |||
| 1966 | Francis Sargent | |||||||
| 64 | Francis Sargent (1915–1998) | January 22, 1969 – January 2, 1975 (lost election) | Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 1970 | Donald Dwight | |||||||
| 65 | Michael Dukakis (b. 1933) | January 2, 1975 – January 4, 1979 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1974 | Thomas P. O'Neill III | |||
| 66 | Edward J. King (1925–2006) | January 4, 1979 – January 6, 1983 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1978 | ||||
| 67 | Michael Dukakis (b. 1933) | January 6, 1983 – January 3, 1991 (did not run) | Democratic | 1982 | John Kerry | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 1986 | Evelyn Murphy | |||||||
| 68 | Bill Weld (b. 1945) | January 3, 1991 – July 29, 1997 (resigned) | Republican | 1990 | Paul Cellucci | |||
| 1994 | ||||||||
| 69 | Paul Cellucci (1948–2013) | July 29, 1997 – April 10, 2001 (resigned) | Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 1998 | Jane Swift | |||||||
| — | Jane Swift (b. 1965) | April 10, 2001 – January 2, 2003 (did not run) | Republican | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | |||
| 70 | Mitt Romney (b. 1947) | January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007 (did not run) | Republican | 2002 | Kerry Healey | |||
| 71 | Deval Patrick (b. 1956) | January 4, 2007 – January 8, 2015 (did not run) | Democratic | 2006 | Tim Murray | |||
| 2010 | ||||||||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 72 | Charlie Baker (b. 1956) | January 8, 2015 – January 5, 2023 (did not run) | Republican | 2014 | Karyn Polito | |||
| 2018 | ||||||||
| 73 | Maura Healey (b. 1971) | January 5, 2023 – Incumbent | Democratic | 2022 | Kim Driscoll | |||
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