List of governors of Minnesota facts for kids
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, is empowered to name state commissioners and department heads and to approve or veto bills passed by the Minnesota Legislature. 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. 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. 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 41 governorships, but only 40 men.
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
No. | Governor | 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) |
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Governor | Served | Party | Election | 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 |
Republican | 1859 | Pennsylvania | Ignatius L. Donnelly | |||
1861 | Henry A. Swift | ||||||||
3 | Henry A. Swift March 23, 1823 – February 25, 1869 (aged 45) |
July 10, 1863 – January 11, 1864 |
Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Ohio | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
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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 | |||
1867 | |||||||||
6 | Horace Austin October 13, 1831 – November 2, 1905 (aged 74) |
January 9, 1870 – January 7, 1874 |
Republican | 1869 | Connecticut | William H. Yale | |||
1871 | |||||||||
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 | |||||||||
1879 | Charles A. Gilman | ||||||||
9 | Lucius F. Hubbard January 26, 1836 – February 5, 1913 (aged 74) |
January 10, 1882 – January 5, 1887 |
Republican | 1881 | New York | ||||
1883 | |||||||||
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 | ||||
1890 | Gideon S. Ives | ||||||||
12 | Knute Nelson February 2, 1843 – April 28, 1923 (aged 80) |
January 9, 1893 – January 31, 1895 |
Republican | 1892 | Norway | David M. Clough | |||
1894 | |||||||||
13 | David M. Clough December 27, 1846 – August 28, 1924 (aged 77) |
January 31, 1895 – January 2, 1899 |
Republican | 1896 | New Hampshire | Frank A. Day | |||
1898 | John L. Gibbs | ||||||||
14 | John Lind March 25, 1854 – September 18, 1930 (aged 77) |
January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901 |
Democratic | 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 | ||||
1902 | Ray W. Jones | ||||||||
16 | John A. Johnson July 28, 1861 – September 21, 1909 (aged 48) |
January 4, 1905 – September 21, 1909 |
Democratic | 1904 | Minnesota | ||||
1906 | Adolph O. Eberhart | ||||||||
17 | Adolph Olson Eberhart June 30, 1870 – December 6, 1944 (aged 74) |
September 21, 1909 – January 5, 1915 |
Republican | 1908 | Sweden | Edward E. Smith | |||
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 |
Democratic | 1914 | Massachusetts | ||||
19 | J. A. A. Burnquist July 21, 1879 – January 12, 1961 (aged 81) |
December 30, 1915 – January 5, 1921 |
Republican | 1916 | Iowa | George H. Sullivan | |||
1918 | 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 | |||
1922 | |||||||||
21 | Theodore Christianson September 12, 1883 – December 9, 1948 (aged 77) |
January 6, 1925 – January 6, 1931 |
Republican | 1924 | Minnesota | William I. Nolan | |||
1926 | |||||||||
1928 | Charles Edward Adams | ||||||||
22 | Floyd B. Olson November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936 (aged 44) |
January 6, 1931 – August 22, 1936 |
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 – January 4, 1937 |
Farmer-Labor | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Denmark | William B. Richardson (acting) |
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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 |
Republican | 1938 | Minnesota | C. Elmer Anderson | |||
1940 | |||||||||
1942 | Edward J. Thye | ||||||||
26 | Edward J. Thye April 26, 1896 – August 28, 1969 (aged 73) |
April 27, 1943 – January 8, 1947 |
Republican | South Dakota | Archie H. Miller | ||||
1944 | |||||||||
1946 | C. Elmer Anderson | ||||||||
27 | Luther W. Youngdahl May 29, 1896 – June 21, 1978 (aged 82) |
January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951 |
Republican | 1948 | Minnesota | ||||
1950 | |||||||||
28 | C. Elmer Anderson March 16, 1912 – January 22, 1998 (aged 85) |
September 27, 1951 – January 5, 1955 |
Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Minnesota | Vacant | |||
1952 | Ancher Nelsen | ||||||||
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 |
Republican | 1960 | Illinois | ||||
31 | Karl Rolvaag July 18, 1913 – December 20, 1990 (aged 77) |
March 25, 1963 – 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 |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 1970 | Minnesota | Rudy Perpich | |||
1974 | |||||||||
34 | Rudy Perpich June 27, 1928 – September 21, 1995 (aged 67) |
December 29, 1976 – January 4, 1979 |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Minnesota | Alec G. Olson | |||
35 | Al Quie 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 | |||
1986 | |||||||||
37 | Arne H. Carlson September 24, 1934 |
January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 |
Independent-Republican/ Republican |
1990 | New York | Joanell M. Dyrstad | |||
1994 | Joanne Benson | ||||||||
38 | Jesse Ventura July 15, 1951 |
January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003 |
Reform/Independence | 1998 | Minnesota | Mae A. Schunk | |||
39 | Tim Pawlenty November 27, 1960 |
January 6, 2003 – January 3, 2011 |
Republican | 2002 | Minnesota | Carol Molnau | |||
2006 | |||||||||
40 | Mark Dayton January 26, 1947 |
January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019 |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 2010 | Minnesota | Yvonne Prettner Solon | |||
2014 | Tina Smith | ||||||||
Michelle Fischbach | |||||||||
41 | Tim Walz April 6, 1964 |
January 7, 2019 – Incumbent |
Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 2018 | Nebraska | Peggy Flanagan | |||
2022 |
See also
- List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota
- Minnesota Governor's Residence
- First Ladies and Gentlemen of Minnesota
- U.S. Congressional Delegations from Minnesota
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
House | Senate | |||
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 |