List of governors of Minnesota

The following is a list of governors of the state of Minnesota and Minnesota Territory, United States. The officeholder, who serves as head of government of Minnesota, and is charged with ensuring the faithful execution of the state's laws,^[a] is empowered to name state commissioners and department heads and to approve or veto bills passed by the Minnesota Legislature.^[b] The Governor of Minnesota also serves as commander-in-chief of the Minnesota National Guard.

Henry H. Sibley was elected the first governor in a statewide election held on October 13, 1857, and took office following Minnesota's entry into the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858.^[c] At the time, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on separate ballots to terms lasting two years. Prior to 1886, statewide elections were held on odd years. Because of this change (the result of an 1883 state constitutional amendment), Lucius F. Hubbard's second term as governor lasted three years. With the passage of a 1958 state constitutional amendment, the terms of governor and lieutenant governor increased to four-years in 1963.^[b] A 1972 state constitutional amendment provided for the joint election of the governor and lieutenant governor starting in 1974.

The numerals indicate the consecutive time in office served by a single person. For example, William R. Marshall served two consecutive terms and is counted as the fifth state governor (not the fifth and sixth). Henry A. Swift assumed the governorship after the resignation of Alexander Ramsey, serving out the remainder of what would have been Ramsey's second term. The fact that Swift was not voted into office does not affect the numbering, which makes him the 3rd governor. Rudy Perpich served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the 34th and the 36th governor. Because of this, the list below contains 42 governorships, but only 40 people.

Prior to its organization as a territory, portions of Minnesota were part of the Northwest Territory, Indiana Territory, Louisiana Territory (later renamed Missouri Territory), Illinois Territory, Michigan Territory, Wisconsin Territory, and Iowa Territory; see the lists of governors of Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa for this period.

Four governors were born outside the United States: Knute Nelson was born in Norway, John Lind and Adolph Olson Eberhart were both born in Sweden, and Hjalmar Petersen was born in Denmark. 16 of the 41 governors to date were actually born in Minnesota. Five governors have resigned from office, and three have died in office.

Territorial governors

Territorial governors of Minnesota
No.		Term of office	Party	Place of birth	Appointed by
1	Alexander Ramsey	June 1, 1849 – May 15, 1853	Whig	Pennsylvania	Zachary Taylor
2	Willis A. Gorman	May 15, 1853 – April 23, 1857	Democratic	Kentucky	Franklin Pierce
3	Samuel Medary	April 23, 1857 – May 24, 1858	Democratic	Pennsylvania	James Buchanan

State governors

Democratic (4) Farmer-Labor (3) Republican (26) Democratic-Farmer-Labor (7) Reform/Independence (1) [1]
Governor		Served	Party	Elected	Birthplace	Lieutenant Governor
1	Henry H. Sibley February 20, 1811 – February 18, 1891 (aged 74)	May 24, 1858 – January 2, 1860	Democratic	1857	Michigan Territory		William Holcombe
2	Alexander Ramsey September 8, 1815 – April 22, 1903 (aged 87)	January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863[2]	Republican	1859	Pennsylvania		Ignatius L. Donnelly
2		January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863[2]	Republican	1861	Pennsylvania		Henry A. Swift[3]
3	Henry A. Swift March 23, 1823 – February 25, 1869 (aged 45)	July 10, 1863[3] – January 11, 1864	Republican	1861	Ohio	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor
4	Stephen Miller January 7, 1816 – August 18, 1881 (aged 65)	January 11, 1864 – January 8, 1866	Republican	1863	Pennsylvania		Charles D. Sherwood
5	William R. Marshall October 17, 1825 – January 8, 1896 (aged 70)	January 8, 1866 – January 9, 1870	Republican	1865	Missouri		Thomas H. Armstrong
5		January 8, 1866 – January 9, 1870	Republican	1867	Missouri		Thomas H. Armstrong
6	Horace Austin October 13, 1831 – November 2, 1905 (aged 74)	January 9, 1870 – January 7, 1874	Republican	1869	Connecticut		William H. Yale
6		January 9, 1870 – January 7, 1874	Republican	1871	Connecticut		William H. Yale
7	Cushman K. Davis June 16, 1838 – November 27, 1900 (aged 62)	January 7, 1874 – January 7, 1876	Republican	1873	New York		Alphonso Barto
8	John S. Pillsbury July 29, 1827 – October 18, 1901 (aged 74)	January 7, 1876 – January 10, 1882	Republican	1875	New Hampshire		James Wakefield
				1877			James Wakefield
				1879			Charles A. Gilman
9	Lucius F. Hubbard January 26, 1836 – February 5, 1913 (aged 74)	January 10, 1882 – January 5, 1887[4]	Republican	1881	New York
9		January 10, 1882 – January 5, 1887[4]	Republican	1883	New York
10	Andrew R. McGill February 19, 1840 – October 31, 1905 (aged 65)	January 5, 1887 – January 9, 1889	Republican	1886	Pennsylvania		Albert E. Rice
11	William R. Merriam July 26, 1849 – February 18, 1931 (aged 81)	January 9, 1889 – January 4, 1893	Republican	1888	New York		Albert E. Rice
11		January 9, 1889 – January 4, 1893	Republican	1890	New York		Gideon S. Ives
12	Knute Nelson February 2, 1843 – April 28, 1923 (aged 80)	January 9, 1893 – January 31, 1895[2]	Republican	1892	Norway		David M. Clough
12		January 9, 1893 – January 31, 1895[2]	Republican	1894	Norway		David M. Clough
13	David M. Clough December 27, 1846 – August 28, 1924 (aged 77)	January 31, 1895[3] – January 2, 1899	Republican	1896	New Hampshire		Frank A. Day
13		January 31, 1895[3] – January 2, 1899	Republican	1898	New Hampshire		John L. Gibbs
14	John Lind March 25, 1854 – September 18, 1930 (aged 77)	January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901	Democratic[5]	1898	Sweden		Lyndon A. Smith
15	Samuel R. Van Sant May 11, 1844 – October 3, 1936 (aged 92)	January 7, 1901 – January 4, 1905	Republican	1900	Illinois		Lyndon A. Smith
15		January 7, 1901 – January 4, 1905	Republican	1902	Illinois		Ray W. Jones
16	John A. Johnson July 28, 1861 – September 21, 1909 (aged 48)	January 4, 1905 – September 21, 1909[6]	Democratic	1904	Minnesota		Ray W. Jones
16		January 4, 1905 – September 21, 1909[6]	Democratic	1906	Minnesota		Adolph O. Eberhart
17	Adolph Olson Eberhart June 30, 1870 – December 6, 1944 (aged 74)	September 21, 1909[3] – January 5, 1915	Republican	1908	Sweden		Edward E. Smith[3]
				1910			Samuel Y. Gordon
				1912			J. A. A. Burnquist
18	Winfield S. Hammond November 17, 1863 – December 30, 1915 (aged 52)	January 5, 1915 – December 30, 1915[6]	Democratic	1914	Massachusetts		J. A. A. Burnquist
19	J. A. A. Burnquist July 21, 1879 – January 12, 1961 (aged 81)	December 30, 1915[3] – January 5, 1921	Republican	1916	Iowa		George H. Sullivan[3]
19		December 30, 1915[3] – January 5, 1921	Republican	1918	Iowa		Thomas Frankson
20	J. A. O. Preus August 28, 1883 – May 24, 1961 (aged 77)	January 5, 1921 – January 6, 1925	Republican	1920	Wisconsin		Louis L. Collins
20	J. A. O. Preus August 28, 1883 – May 24, 1961 (aged 77)	January 5, 1921 – January 6, 1925	Republican	1922	Wisconsin		Louis L. Collins
21	Theodore Christianson September 12, 1883 – December 9, 1948 (aged 77)	January 6, 1925 – January 6, 1931	Republican	1924	Minnesota		William I. Nolan
				1926			William I. Nolan
				1928			Charles Edward Adams[3]
22	Floyd B. Olson November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936 (aged 44)	January 6, 1931 – August 22, 1936[6]	Farmer-Labor	1930	Minnesota		Henry M. Arens
				1932			Konrad K. Solberg
				1934			Hjalmar Petersen
23	Hjalmar Petersen January 2, 1890 – March 29, 1968 (aged 78)	August 22, 1936[3] – January 4, 1937	Farmer-Labor	1934	Denmark		William B. Richardson (acting)[7]
24	Elmer A. Benson September 22, 1895 – March 13, 1985 (aged 89)	January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939	Farmer-Labor	1936	Minnesota		Gottfrid T. Lindsten
25	Harold E. Stassen April 13, 1907 – March 4, 2001 (aged 93)	January 2, 1939 – April 27, 1943[2]	Republican	1938	Minnesota		C. Elmer Anderson
				1940			C. Elmer Anderson
				1942			Edward J. Thye
26	Edward J. Thye April 26, 1896 – August 28, 1969 (aged 73)	April 27, 1943 – January 8, 1947	Republican	1942	South Dakota		Archie H. Miller
				1944			Archie H. Miller
				1946			C. Elmer Anderson
27	Luther W. Youngdahl May 29, 1896 – June 21, 1978 (aged 82)	January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951[2]	Republican	1948	Minnesota
27		January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951[2]	Republican	1950	Minnesota
28	C. Elmer Anderson March 16, 1912 – January 22, 1998 (aged 85)	September 27, 1951[3] – January 5, 1955	Republican	1950	Minnesota	Vacant
				1952			Ancher Nelsen
				1952			Donald O. Wright
29	Orville L. Freeman May 9, 1918 – February 20, 2003 (aged 84)	January 5, 1955 – January 2, 1961	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1954	Minnesota		Karl F. Rolvaag
				1956
				1958
30	Elmer L. Andersen June 17, 1909 – November 15, 2004 (aged 95)	January 2, 1961 – March 25, 1963[8]	Republican	1960	Illinois
31	Karl Rolvaag July 18, 1913 – December 20, 1990 (aged 77)	March 25, 1963[8] – January 2, 1967	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1962	Minnesota		Sandy Keith
32	Harold LeVander October 10, 1910 – March 30, 1992 (aged 81)	January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971	Republican	1966	Nebraska		James B. Goetz
33	Wendell R. Anderson February 1, 1933 – July 17, 2016 (aged 83)	January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976[2]	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1970	Minnesota		Rudy Perpich
33		January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976[2]	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1974	Minnesota		Rudy Perpich
34	Rudy Perpich June 27, 1928 – September 21, 1995 (aged 67)	December 29, 1976[3] – January 4, 1979	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1974	Minnesota		Alec G. Olson[3]
35	Al Quie (1923-09-18) September 18, 1923	January 4, 1979 – January 3, 1983	Independent-Republican	1978	Minnesota		Lou Wangberg
36	Rudy Perpich June 27, 1928 – September 21, 1995 (aged 67)	January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1982	Minnesota		Marlene Johnson
36		January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	1986	Minnesota		Marlene Johnson
37	Arne H. Carlson (1934-09-24) September 24, 1934	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999	Independent-Republican/ Republican	1990	New York		Joanell M. Dyrstad
37	Arne H. Carlson (1934-09-24) September 24, 1934	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999	Independent-Republican/ Republican	1994	New York		Joanne Benson
38	Jesse Ventura[9] (1951-07-15) July 15, 1951	January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003	Reform/Independence	1998	Minnesota		Mae A. Schunk
39	Tim Pawlenty (1960-11-27) November 27, 1960	January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011	Republican	2002	Minnesota		Carol Molnau
39	Tim Pawlenty (1960-11-27) November 27, 1960	January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011	Republican	2006	Minnesota		Carol Molnau
40	Mark Dayton (1947-01-26) January 26, 1947	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	2010	Minnesota		Yvonne Prettner Solon
				2014			Tina Smith
				2014			Michelle Fischbach
41	Tim Walz (1964-04-06) April 6, 1964	January 7, 2019 – Incumbent[10]	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	2018	Nebraska		Peggy Flanagan

Notes

Table lists John Lind as a member of the Democratic Party. He was also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Republican Party. Jesse Ventura left the Reform Party in the middle of his term and later joined the Independence Party of Minnesota.
Resigned
Succeeded to office following death or resignation of previous officeholder.
Hubbard's second (and Gilman's third) term lasted three years, due to the gubernatorial elections being pushed back a year (to 1886) in accordance with a state constitutional amendment to have state, county, and federal biennial elections all coincide.
Lind was also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Republican Party.
Died in office of natural causes.
Served as acting lieutenant governor and never took the oath of office.
A recount and subsequent litigation lasting 139 days delayed Karl Rolvaag's inauguration as governor.
Ventura's birth and legal name is James George Janos.
Walz's first term expires on January 2, 2023.

Notes on Minnesota political party names

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party: On April 15, 1944, the state Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party merged and created the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party.
Republican Party of Minnesota: From November 15, 1975, to September 23, 1995, the name of the state Republican party was the Independent-Republican party (I-R). The party has always been affiliated with the national Republican Party.
Independence Party of Minnesota: The party was founded under this name in 1992. In 1995 the IPM affiliated with the national Reform Party and renamed itself the Reform Party of Minnesota. In 2000 the Reform Party of Minnesota disaffiliated with the national Reform Party and returned to the name Independence Party.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Minnesota except where noted. * denotes offices that the governor resigned to take.

Governor	Gubernatorial term(s)	U.S. Congress		Other offices held
Governor	Gubernatorial term(s)	House	Senate	Other offices held
Alexander Ramsey	1849–1853 (territorial) 1860–1863	H	S*	U.S. Secretary of War
Willis A. Gorman	1853–1857 (territorial)			U.S. Representative (Indiana)
Henry H. Sibley	1858–1860			U.S. Congressional Delegate (Wisconsin Territory, Minnesota Territory)
Cushman K. Davis	1874–1876		S
Knute Nelson	1893–1895	H	S*
John Lind	1899–1901	H
Winfield S. Hammond	1915	H
Theodore Christianson	1925–1931	H
Elmer A. Benson	1937–1939		S
Edward J. Thye	1943–1947		S
Luther W. Youngdahl	1947–1951			U.S. District Court Judge*
Orville L. Freeman	1955–1961			U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Karl F. Rolvaag	1963–1967			U.S. Ambassador to Iceland
Wendell R. Anderson	1971–1976		S*
Al Quie	1979–1983	H
Mark Dayton	2011–2019		S
Tim Walz	2019–	H

Living former governors of Minnesota

As of 1 May 2022 there are five former governors of Minnesota still living. The oldest is Al Quie (served 1979–1983, born 1923). The most recent U.S. governor of Minnesota to die was Wendell Anderson (served 1971–1976, born 1933), on July 17, 2016. The most recently serving governor of Minnesota to die was Rudy Perpich (served 1976–1979 and 1983–1991, born 1928), on September 21, 1995.

Governor	Gubernatorial term	Date of birth (and age)
Al Quie	1979–1983	(1923-09-18) September 18, 1923
Arne H. Carlson	1991–1999	(1934-09-24) September 24, 1934
Jesse Ventura	1999–2003	(1951-07-15) July 15, 1951
Tim Pawlenty	2003–2011	(1960-11-27) November 27, 1960
Mark Dayton	2011–2019	(1947-01-26) January 26, 1947

References

General

"Governors of Minnesota". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
"Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
"Minnesota Governors, 1849 – present". Office of the Governor, State of Minnesota. Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007.

Specific

^ "Constitution of the State of Minnesota". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2007.
¹ ² "Amendments to the Minnesota Constitution Proposed to the Voters since 1858" (PDF). Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2007.
^ "2007–2008 MN Legislative Manual" (PDF). Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 25, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2007.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Table lists John Lind as a member of the Democratic Party. He was also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Republican Party. Jesse Ventura left the Reform Party in the middle of his term and later joined the Independence Party of Minnesota.

[R-2] Resigned

[S-3] Succeeded to office following death or resignation of previous officeholder.

[H-4] Hubbard's second (and Gilman's third) term lasted three years, due to the gubernatorial elections being pushed back a year (to 1886) in accordance with a state constitutional amendment to have state, county, and federal biennial elections all coincide.

[5] Lind was also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Republican Party.

[D-6] Died in office of natural causes.

[A-7] Served as acting lieutenant governor and never took the oath of office.

[Recount-8] A recount and subsequent litigation lasting 139 days delayed Karl Rolvaag's inauguration as governor.

[9] Ventura's birth and legal name is James George Janos.

[10] Walz's first term expires on January 2, 2023.

[a]

[b]

[c]

[b]

Chief executives of the United States
Federal	President of the United States list
State governors (current list)	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California list Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia list Hawaii list Idaho Illinois list Indiana list Iowa Kansas Kentucky list Louisiana Maine list Maryland list Massachusetts Michigan list Minnesota list Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire list New Jersey list New Mexico list New York list North Carolina list North Dakota list Ohio Oklahoma list Oregon list Pennsylvania Rhode Island list South Carolina list South Dakota list Tennessee list Texas list Utah Vermont list Virginia list Washington West Virginia Wisconsin list Wyoming
Territorial (current list)	American Samoa District of Columbia list Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico list United States Virgin Islands
Defunct	Cuba Dakota Territory Panama Canal Zone Philippine Islands (until 1935) Philippine Commonwealth (until 1946) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Santo Domingo