List of governors of Vermont facts for kids
The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. Since 1994, Vermont is one of only two U.S. states (New Hampshire being the other) that elects governors for two-year terms. Until 1870, Vermont elected its governors for one-year terms. Isaac Tichenor, Jonas Galusha, Erastus Fairbanks, and Richard A. Snelling each served non-consecutive terms, while Thomas Chittenden served non consecutive terms as Governor of the Vermont Republic.
Mountain Rule
From the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s, only Republicans won general elections for Vermont's statewide offices. One method that made this possible was the Republican Party's imposition of the "Mountain Rule," an informal mechanism which restricted the pool of candidates.
Under the original provisions of the Mountain Rule, one U.S. senator was a resident of the east side of the Green Mountains and one resided on the west side. The expanded version of the rule called for the governorship and lieutenant governorship to alternate between residents of the east and west side. Nominees for governor and lieutenant governor were originally allowed two one-year terms, and later one two-year term. For nearly 100 years, likely Republican candidates for office in Vermont agreed to abide by the expanded Mountain Rule in the interests of party unity. Several factors led to the eventual weakening of the Mountain Rule, including the long political dispute between the Proctor (conservative) and Aiken–Gibson (progressive) wings of the party; primaries rather than conventions to select nominees; the direct election of U.S. Senators; and several active third parties, including the Progressives, the Prohibition Party, and the Local Option movement. In the 1960s, the rise of the Vermont Democratic Party and the construction of Interstate 89 also contributed to the end of the Mountain Rule. Although I-89 is a north–south route, it traverses Vermont from southeast to northwest for the majority of its length within the state and changed the way residents view how it is divided.
List of governors
Vermont Republic
The Vermont Republic declared independence from Great Britain on January 15, 1777.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) |
March 13, 1778 – October 13, 1789 (lost election) |
No party | 1778 | Joseph Marsh | |
1779 | Benjamin Carpenter | |||||
1780 | ||||||
1781 | Elisha Payne | |||||
1782 | Paul Spooner | |||||
1783 | ||||||
1784 | ||||||
1785 | ||||||
1786 | Joseph Marsh | |||||
1787 | ||||||
1788 | ||||||
2 | Moses Robinson (1741–1813) |
October 13, 1789 – October 20, 1790 (lost election) |
No party | 1789 | ||
3 | Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) |
October 20, 1790 – March 4, 1791 (became state governor) |
No party | 1790 | Peter Olcott |
State of Vermont
Vermont was admitted to the Union on March 4, 1791.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thomas Chittenden (1730–1797) |
March 5, 1791 – August 25, 1797 (died in office) |
No party | 1791 | Peter Olcott | |||
1792 | ||||||||
1793 | ||||||||
1794 | Jonathan Hunt | |||||||
1795 | ||||||||
1796 | Paul Brigham | |||||||
2 | Paul Brigham (1746–1824) |
August 25, 1797 – October 16, 1797 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | |||
3 | Isaac Tichenor (1754–1838) |
October 16, 1797 – October 9, 1807 (lost election) |
Federalist | 1797 | Paul Brigham | |||
1798 | ||||||||
1799 | ||||||||
1800 | ||||||||
1801 | ||||||||
1802 | ||||||||
1803 | ||||||||
1804 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
1806 | ||||||||
4 | Israel Smith (1759–1810) |
October 9, 1807 – October 14, 1808 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1807 | ||||
5 | Isaac Tichenor (1754–1838) |
October 14, 1808 – October 14, 1809 (lost election) |
Federalist | 1808 | ||||
6 | Jonas Galusha (1753–1834) |
October 14, 1809 – October 23, 1813 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1809 | ||||
1810 | ||||||||
1811 | ||||||||
1812 | ||||||||
7 | Martin Chittenden (1763–1840) |
October 23, 1813 – October 14, 1815 (lost election) |
Federalist | 1813 | William Chamberlain | |||
1814 | ||||||||
8 | Jonas Galusha (1753–1834) |
October 14, 1815 – October 13, 1820 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1815 | Paul Brigham | |||
1816 | ||||||||
1817 | ||||||||
1818 | ||||||||
1819 | ||||||||
9 | Richard Skinner (1778–1833) |
October 13, 1820 – October 10, 1823 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1820 | William Cahoon | |||
1821 | ||||||||
1822 | Aaron Leland | |||||||
10 | Cornelius P. Van Ness (1782–1852) |
October 10, 1823 – October 13, 1826 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1823 | ||||
1824 | ||||||||
1825 | ||||||||
11 | Ezra Butler (1763–1838) |
October 13, 1826 – October 10, 1828 (did not run) |
National Republican |
1826 | ||||
1827 | Henry Olin | |||||||
12 | Samuel C. Crafts (1768–1853) |
October 10, 1828 – October 18, 1831 (did not run) |
National Republican |
1828 | ||||
1829 | ||||||||
1830 | Mark Richards | |||||||
13 | William A. Palmer (1781–1860) |
October 18, 1831 – November 2, 1835 (lost election) |
Anti-Masonic | 1831 | Lebbeus Egerton | |||
1832 | ||||||||
1833 | ||||||||
1834 | ||||||||
14 | Silas H. Jennison (1791–1849) |
November 2, 1835 – October 18, 1841 (did not run) |
Whig | 1835 | Acting as governor | |||
1836 | David M. Camp | |||||||
1837 | ||||||||
1838 | ||||||||
1839 | ||||||||
1840 | ||||||||
15 | Charles Paine (1799–1853) |
October 18, 1841 – October 13, 1843 (did not run) |
Whig | 1841 | Waitstill R. Ranney | |||
1842 | ||||||||
16 | John Mattocks (1777–1847) |
October 13, 1843 – October 11, 1844 (did not run) |
Whig | 1843 | Horace Eaton | |||
17 | William Slade (1786–1859) |
October 11, 1844 – October 9, 1846 (did not run) |
Whig | 1844 | ||||
1845 | ||||||||
18 | Horace Eaton (1804–1855) |
October 9, 1846 – October 19, 1848 (did not run) |
Whig | 1846 | Leonard Sargeant | |||
1847 | ||||||||
19 | Carlos Coolidge (1792–1866) |
October 19, 1848 – October 12, 1850 (did not run) |
Whig | 1848 | Robert Pierpoint | |||
1849 | ||||||||
20 | Charles K. Williams (1782–1853) |
October 12, 1850 – October 18, 1852 (did not run) |
Whig | 1850 | Julius Converse | |||
1851 | ||||||||
21 | Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864) |
October 18, 1852 – November 1, 1853 (lost election) |
Whig | 1852 | William C. Kittredge | |||
22 | John S. Robinson (1804–1860) |
November 1, 1853 – October 13, 1854 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1853 | Jefferson P. Kidder | |||
23 | Stephen Royce (1787–1868) |
October 13, 1854 – October 10, 1856 (did not run) |
Whig | 1854 | Ryland Fletcher | |||
Republican | 1855 | |||||||
24 | Ryland Fletcher (1799–1885) |
October 10, 1856 – October 15, 1858 (did not run) |
Republican | 1856 | James M. Slade | |||
1857 | ||||||||
25 | Hiland Hall (1795–1885) |
October 15, 1858 – October 12, 1860 (did not run) |
Republican | 1858 | Burnham Martin | |||
1859 | ||||||||
26 | Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864) |
October 12, 1860 – October 22, 1861 (did not run) |
Republican | 1860 | Levi Underwood | |||
27 | Frederick Holbrook (1813–1909) |
October 22, 1861 – October 9, 1863 (did not run) |
Republican | 1861 | ||||
1862 | Paul Dillingham | |||||||
28 | J. Gregory Smith (1818–1891) |
October 9, 1863 – October 13, 1865 (did not run) |
Republican | 1863 | ||||
1864 | ||||||||
29 | Paul Dillingham (1799–1891) |
October 13, 1865 – October 13, 1867 (did not run) |
Republican | 1865 | Abraham B. Gardner | |||
1866 | ||||||||
30 | John B. Page (1826–1885) |
October 13, 1867 – October 16, 1869 (did not run) |
Republican | 1867 | Stephen Thomas | |||
1868 | ||||||||
31 | Peter T. Washburn (1814–1870) |
October 16, 1869 – February 7, 1870 (died in office) |
Republican | 1869 | George W. Hendee | |||
32 | George Whitman Hendee (1832–1906) |
February 7, 1870 – October 6, 1870 (did not run) |
Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | |||
33 | John Wolcott Stewart (1825–1915) |
October 6, 1870 – October 3, 1872 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1870 | George N. Dale | |||
34 | Julius Converse (1798–1885) |
October 3, 1872 – October 8, 1874 (did not run) |
Republican | 1872 | Russell S. Taft | |||
35 | Asahel Peck (1803–1879) |
October 8, 1874 – October 5, 1876 (did not run) |
Republican | 1874 | Lyman G. Hinckley | |||
36 | Horace Fairbanks (1820–1888) |
October 5, 1876 – October 3, 1878 (did not run) |
Republican | 1876 | Redfield Proctor | |||
37 | Redfield Proctor (1831–1908) |
October 3, 1878 – October 7, 1880 (did not run) |
Republican | 1878 | Eben Pomeroy Colton | |||
38 | Roswell Farnham (1827–1903) |
October 7, 1880 – October 5, 1882 (did not run) |
Republican | 1880 | John L. Barstow | |||
39 | John L. Barstow (1832–1913) |
October 5, 1882 – October 2, 1884 (did not run) |
Republican | 1882 | Samuel E. Pingree | |||
40 | Samuel E. Pingree (1832–1922) |
October 2, 1884 – October 7, 1886 (did not run) |
Republican | 1884 | Ebenezer J. Ormsbee | |||
41 | Ebenezer J. Ormsbee (1834–1924) |
October 7, 1886 – October 4, 1888 (did not run) |
Republican | 1886 | Levi K. Fuller | |||
42 | William P. Dillingham (1843–1923) |
October 4, 1888 – October 2, 1890 (did not run) |
Republican | 1888 | Urban A. Woodbury | |||
43 | Carroll S. Page (1843–1925) |
October 2, 1890 – October 6, 1892 (did not run) |
Republican | 1890 | Henry A. Fletcher | |||
44 | Levi K. Fuller (1841–1896) |
October 6, 1892 – October 4, 1894 (did not run) |
Republican | 1892 | F. Stewart Stranahan | |||
45 | Urban A. Woodbury (1838–1915) |
October 4, 1894 – October 8, 1896 (did not run) |
Republican | 1894 | Zophar M. Mansur | |||
46 | Josiah Grout (1841–1925) |
October 8, 1896 – October 6, 1898 (did not run) |
Republican | 1896 | Nelson W. Fisk | |||
47 | Edward Curtis Smith (1854–1935) |
October 6, 1898 – October 4, 1900 (did not run) |
Republican | 1898 | Henry C. Bates | |||
48 | William W. Stickney (1853–1932) |
October 4, 1900 – October 3, 1902 (did not run) |
Republican | 1900 | Martin F. Allen | |||
49 | John G. McCullough (1835–1915) |
October 3, 1902 – October 6, 1904 (did not run) |
Republican | 1902 | Zed S. Stanton | |||
50 | Charles J. Bell (1845–1909) |
October 6, 1904 – October 4, 1906 (did not run) |
Republican | 1904 | Charles H. Stearns | |||
51 | Fletcher D. Proctor (1860–1911) |
October 4, 1906 – October 8, 1908 (did not run) |
Republican | 1906 | George H. Prouty | |||
52 | George H. Prouty (1862–1918) |
October 8, 1908 – October 6, 1910 (did not run) |
Republican | 1908 | John A. Mead | |||
53 | John A. Mead (1841–1920) |
October 6, 1910 – October 3, 1912 (did not run) |
Republican | 1910 | Leighton P. Slack | |||
54 | Allen M. Fletcher (1853–1922) |
October 3, 1912 – January 7, 1915 (did not run) |
Republican | 1912 | Frank E. Howe | |||
55 | Charles W. Gates (1856–1927) |
January 7, 1915 – January 4, 1917 (did not run) |
Republican | 1914 | Hale K. Darling | |||
56 | Horace F. Graham (1862–1941) |
January 4, 1917 – January 10, 1919 (did not run) |
Republican | 1916 | Roger W. Hulburd | |||
57 | Percival W. Clement (1846–1927) |
January 10, 1919 – January 7, 1921 (did not run) |
Republican | 1918 | Mason S. Stone | |||
58 | James Hartness (1861–1934) |
January 7, 1921 – January 4, 1923 (did not run) |
Republican | 1920 | Abram W. Foote | |||
59 | Redfield Proctor Jr. (1879–1957) |
January 4, 1923 – January 8, 1925 (did not run) |
Republican | 1922 | Franklin S. Billings | |||
60 | Franklin S. Billings (1862–1935) |
January 8, 1925 – January 6, 1927 (did not run) |
Republican | 1924 | Walter K. Farnsworth | |||
61 | John E. Weeks (1853–1949) |
January 6, 1927 – January 8, 1931 (did not run) |
Republican | 1926 | Hollister Jackson (died November 2, 1927) |
|||
Vacant | ||||||||
1928 | Stanley C. Wilson | |||||||
62 | Stanley C. Wilson (1879–1967) |
January 8, 1931 – January 10, 1935 (did not run) |
Republican | 1930 | Benjamin Williams | |||
1932 | Charles Manley Smith | |||||||
63 | Charles Manley Smith (1868–1937) |
January 10, 1935 – January 7, 1937 (did not run) |
Republican | 1934 | George D. Aiken | |||
64 | George Aiken (1892–1984) |
January 7, 1937 – January 9, 1941 (did not run) |
Republican | 1936 | William Henry Wills | |||
1938 | ||||||||
65 | William Henry Wills (1882–1946) |
January 9, 1941 – January 4, 1945 (did not run) |
Republican | 1940 | Mortimer R. Proctor | |||
1942 | ||||||||
66 | Mortimer R. Proctor (1889–1968) |
January 4, 1945 – January 9, 1947 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1944 | Lee E. Emerson | |||
67 | Ernest W. Gibson Jr. (1901–1969) |
January 9, 1947 – January 16, 1950 (resigned) |
Republican | 1946 | ||||
1948 | Harold J. Arthur | |||||||
68 | Harold J. Arthur (1904–1971) |
January 16, 1950 – January 4, 1951 (did not run) |
Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | |||
69 | Lee E. Emerson (1898–1976) |
January 4, 1951 – January 6, 1955 (did not run) |
Republican | 1950 | Joseph B. Johnson | |||
1952 | ||||||||
70 | Joseph B. Johnson (1893–1986) |
January 6, 1955 – January 15, 1959 (did not run) |
Republican | 1954 | Consuelo N. Bailey | |||
1956 | Robert T. Stafford | |||||||
71 | Robert Stafford (1913–2006) |
January 15, 1959 – January 5, 1961 (did not run) |
Republican | 1958 | Robert S. Babcock | |||
72 | F. Ray Keyser Jr. (1927–2015) |
January 5, 1961 – January 10, 1963 (lost election) |
Republican | 1960 | Ralph A. Foote | |||
73 | Philip H. Hoff (1924–2018) |
January 10, 1963 – January 9, 1969 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1962 | ||||
1964 | John J. Daley | |||||||
1966 | ||||||||
74 | Deane C. Davis (1900–1990) |
January 9, 1969 – January 4, 1973 (did not run) |
Republican | 1968 | Thomas L. Hayes | |||
1970 | John S. Burgess | |||||||
75 | Thomas P. Salmon (b. 1932) |
January 4, 1973 – January 6, 1977 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1972 | ||||
1974 | Brian D. Burns | |||||||
76 | Richard A. Snelling (1927–1991) |
January 6, 1977 – January 10, 1985 (did not run) |
Republican | 1976 | T. Garry Buckley | |||
1978 | Madeleine Kunin | |||||||
1980 | ||||||||
1982 | Peter P. Smith | |||||||
77 | Madeleine Kunin (b. 1933) |
January 10, 1985 – January 10, 1991 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1984 | ||||
1986 | Howard Dean | |||||||
1988 | ||||||||
78 | Richard A. Snelling (1927–1991) |
January 10, 1991 – August 13, 1991 (died in office) |
Republican | 1990 | ||||
79 | Howard Dean (b. 1948) |
August 13, 1991 – January 9, 2003 (did not run) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | |||
1992 | Barbara W. Snelling | |||||||
1994 | ||||||||
1996 | Doug Racine | |||||||
1998 | ||||||||
2000 | ||||||||
80 | Jim Douglas (b. 1951) |
January 9, 2003 – January 6, 2011 (did not run) |
Republican | 2002 | Brian Dubie | |||
2004 | ||||||||
2006 | ||||||||
2008 | ||||||||
81 | Peter Shumlin (b. 1956) |
January 6, 2011 – January 5, 2017 (did not run) |
Democratic | 2010 | Phil Scott | |||
2012 | ||||||||
2014 | ||||||||
82 | Phil Scott (b. 1958) |
January 5, 2017 – Incumbent |
Republican | 2016 | David Zuckerman | |||
2018 | ||||||||
2020 | Molly Gray | |||||||
2022 | David Zuckerman |
See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Vermont