List of governors of Georgia

The governor of Georgia is the head of the executive branch of Georgia's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The current officeholder is Republican Brian Kemp, who assumed office on January 14, 2019.

There have officially been 77 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. One man, Eugene Talmadge, died before taking office in his second distinct term, leading to a dispute in which three people claimed the office.

Governors

Governors of the State of Georgia[lower-alpha 1]

No.[lower-alpha 2]	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 3]
7			Archibald Bulloch	January 22, 1776 – February 22, 1777 (died in office)	None	—[lower-alpha 4]	Office did not exist
8			Button Gwinnett	March 4, 1777 – May 8, 1777	None	—[lower-alpha 5]
9			John A. Treutlen	May 8, 1777 – January 10, 1778	None	—
10			John Houstoun	January 10, 1778 – December 29, 1778[lower-alpha 6]	None	—
—	Vacant Chairman of the Executive Council (Governor) John Houstoun January 10,1778 – January 7, 1779 William Glascock January 7, 1779 – July 24, 1779 Seth John Cuthbert July 24, 1779 – August 6, 1779			December 29, 1778 – August 6, 1779	—	Government in chaos after fall of Savannah[lower-alpha 7]
11			John Wereat	August 6, 1779 – November 1779[lower-alpha 7]	None	—
12			George Walton	November 1779[lower-alpha 7] – January 4, 1780	None	—
13			Richard Howly	January 4, 1780 – February 5, 1780 (resigned)[lower-alpha 8]	—
			George Wells	February 6, 1780 – February 16, 1780	None	[lower-alpha 9]
14			Stephen Heard	February 18, 1780 – August 18, 1781	None
			Myrick Davies	August 1780 – August 16, 1781	None	-[lower-alpha 10]
15			Nathan Brownson	August 18, 1781 – January 3, 1782 (term limited)	None	1781
16			John Martin	January 3, 1782 – January 8, 1783 (term limited)	None	1782
17			Lyman Hall	January 8, 1783 – January 9, 1784 (term limited)	None	1783
10			John Houstoun	January 9, 1784 – January 6, 1785 (term limited)	None	1784
18			Samuel Elbert	January 6, 1785 – January 9, 1786 (term limited)	None	1785
19			Edward Telfair	January 9, 1786 – January 9, 1787 (term limited)	None	1786
20			George Mathews	January 9, 1787 – January 26, 1788 (term limited)	None	1787
21			George Handley	January 26, 1788 – January 7, 1789 (term limited)	None	1788[lower-alpha 11]
12			George Walton	January 7, 1789 – November 9, 1789 (term limited)	Democratic- Republican	Jan. 1789
19			Edward Telfair	November 9, 1789 – November 7, 1793 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican	Nov. 1789[lower-alpha 12]
						1791
20			George Mathews	November 7, 1793 – January 15, 1796 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1793
22			Jared Irwin	January 15, 1796 – January 12, 1798 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1795
23			James Jackson	January 12, 1798 – March 3, 1801 (resigned)[lower-alpha 13]	Democratic- Republican	1797
						1799
24			David Emanuel	March 3, 1801 – November 7, 1801 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from President of the Senate
25			Josiah Tattnall	November 7, 1801 – November 4, 1802 (resigned)[lower-alpha 14]	Democratic- Republican	1801
26			John Milledge	November 4, 1802 – September 23, 1806 (resigned)[lower-alpha 15]	Democratic- Republican	1802 (special)[lower-alpha 16]
						1803
						1805
22			Jared Irwin	September 23, 1806 – November 10, 1809 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from President of the Senate
						1807
27			David Brydie Mitchell	November 10, 1809 – November 5, 1813 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1809
						1811
28			Peter Early	November 5, 1813 – November 20, 1815 (lost election)	Democratic- Republican	1813
27			David Brydie Mitchell	November 20, 1815 – March 4, 1817 (resigned)[lower-alpha 17]	Democratic- Republican	1815
29			William Rabun	March 4, 1817 – October 24, 1819 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from President of the Senate
						1817
30			Matthew Talbot	October 24, 1819 – November 5, 1819 (successor took office)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from President of the Senate
31			John Clark	November 5, 1819 – November 7, 1823 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1819
						1821
32			George Troup	November 7, 1823 – November 7, 1827 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1823
						1825
33			John Forsyth	November 7, 1827 – November 4, 1829 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1827
34			George Rockingham Gilmer	November 4, 1829 – November 9, 1831 (not candidate for election)	Democratic- Republican	1829
35			Wilson Lumpkin	November 9, 1831 – November 4, 1835 (not candidate for election)	Union (Democratic)	1831
						1833
36			William Schley	November 4, 1835 – November 8, 1837 (not candidate for election)	Union (Democratic)	1835
34			George Rockingham Gilmer	November 8, 1837 – November 6, 1839 (not candidate for election)	State Rights (Whig)	1837
37			Charles James McDonald	November 6, 1839 – November 8, 1843 (not candidate for election)	Union (Democratic)	1839
						1841
38			George W. Crawford	November 8, 1843 – November 3, 1847 (not candidate for election)	Whig	1843
						1845
39			George W. Towns	November 3, 1847 – November 5, 1851 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1847
						1849
40			Howell Cobb	November 5, 1851 – November 9, 1853 (not candidate for election)	Constitutional Union	1851
41			Herschel Vespasian Johnson	November 9, 1853 – November 6, 1857 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1853
						1855
42			Joseph E. Brown	November 6, 1857 – June 17, 1865[lower-alpha 18] (resigned)[lower-alpha 19]	Democratic	1857
						1859
						1861
						1863
43			James Johnson	June 17, 1865 – December 14, 1865[lower-alpha 20] (provisional term ended)	Democratic	Provisional governor appointed by President[lower-alpha 21]
44			Charles J. Jenkins	December 14, 1865 – January 13, 1868 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1865[lower-alpha 22]
45			Thomas H. Ruger	January 13, 1868 – July 4, 1868 (state readmitted)	—	Military occupation[lower-alpha 23]
46			Rufus Bullock	July 4, 1868[lower-alpha 24] – October 30, 1871[lower-alpha 25] (resigned)[lower-alpha 26]	Republican	1868[lower-alpha 27]
47			Benjamin F. Conley	October 30, 1871 – January 12, 1872	Republican	President of the Senate acting as Governor
48			James Milton Smith	January 12, 1872 – January 12, 1877 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1871 (special)[lower-alpha 28]
						1872
49			Alfred H. Colquitt	January 12, 1877 – November 4, 1882 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1876
						1880[lower-alpha 29]
50			Alexander H. Stephens	November 4, 1882 – March 4, 1883 (died in office)	Democratic	1882
51			James S. Boynton	March 4, 1883 – May 10, 1883 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting as Governor
52			Henry Dickerson McDaniel	May 10, 1883 – November 9, 1886 (not candidate for election)[lower-alpha 30]	Democratic	1883 (special)[lower-alpha 31]
						1884
53			John Brown Gordon	November 9, 1886 – November 8, 1890 (term limited)	Democratic	1886
						1888
54			William J. Northen	November 8, 1890 – October 27, 1894 (term limited)	Democratic	1890
						1892
55			William Yates Atkinson	October 27, 1894 – October 29, 1898 (term limited)	Democratic	1894
						1896
56			Allen D. Candler	October 29, 1898 – October 25, 1902 (term limited)	Democratic	1898
						1900
57			Joseph M. Terrell	October 25, 1902 – June 29, 1907 (term limited)	Democratic	1902
						1904[lower-alpha 32]
58			M. Hoke Smith	June 29, 1907 – June 26, 1909 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1906
59			Joseph Mackey Brown	June 26, 1909 – July 1, 1911 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1908
58			M. Hoke Smith	July 1, 1911 – November 15, 1911[lower-alpha 33] (resigned)[lower-alpha 34]	Democratic	1910
60			John M. Slaton	November 16, 1911 – January 25, 1912 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting as Governor
59			Joseph Mackey Brown	January 25, 1912 – June 28, 1913 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1912 (special)[lower-alpha 35]
60			John M. Slaton	June 28, 1913 – June 26, 1915 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1912
61			Nathaniel Edwin Harris	June 26, 1915 – June 30, 1917 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1914
62			Hugh Dorsey	June 30, 1917 – June 25, 1921 (term limited)	Democratic	1916
						1918
63			Thomas W. Hardwick	June 25, 1921 – June 30, 1923 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1920
64			Clifford Walker	June 30, 1923 – June 25, 1927 (term limited)	Democratic	1922
						1924
65			Lamartine Griffin Hardman	June 25, 1927 – June 27, 1931 (term limited)	Democratic	1926
						1928
66			Richard Russell Jr.	June 27, 1931 – January 10, 1933 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1930[lower-alpha 36]
67			Eugene Talmadge	January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (term limited)	Democratic	1932
						1934
68			Eurith D. Rivers	January 12, 1937 – January 14, 1941 (term limited)	Democratic	1936
						1938
67			Eugene Talmadge	January 14, 1941 – January 12, 1943 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1940
69			Ellis Arnall	January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (term limited)	Democratic	1942[lower-alpha 37]
—			Eugene Talmadge	Died before taking office	Democratic	1946[lower-alpha 38]		Melvin E. Thompson
—			Herman Talmadge	January 14, 1947 – March 18, 1947 (removed from office)	Democratic
70			Melvin E. Thompson	March 18, 1947 – November 17, 1948 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	Vacant
71			Herman Talmadge	November 17, 1948 – January 11, 1955 (term limited)	Democratic	1948 (special)[lower-alpha 39]		Marvin Griffin
						1950
72			Marvin Griffin	January 11, 1955 – January 13, 1959 (term limited)	Democratic	1954		Ernest Vandiver
73			Ernest Vandiver	January 13, 1959 – January 15, 1963 (term limited)	Democratic	1958		Garland T. Byrd
74			Carl Sanders	January 15, 1963 – January 11, 1967 (term limited)	Democratic	1962		Peter Zack Geer
75			Lester Maddox	January 11, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (term limited)	Democratic	1966		George T. Smith
76			Jimmy Carter	January 12, 1971 – January 14, 1975 (term limited)	Democratic	1970		Lester Maddox
77			George Busbee	January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983 (term limited)	Democratic	1974		Zell Miller
						1978
78			Joe Frank Harris	January 11, 1983 – January 14, 1991 (term limited)	Democratic	1982
						1986
79			Zell Miller	January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 (term limited)	Democratic	1990		Pierre Howard
						1994
80			Roy Barnes	January 11, 1999 – January 13, 2003 (lost election)	Democratic	1998		Mark Taylor[lower-alpha 40]
81			Sonny Perdue	January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011 (term limited)	Republican	2002
						2006		Casey Cagle
82			Nathan Deal	January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019 (term limited)	Republican	2010
						2014
83			Brian Kemp	January 14, 2019 – present[lower-alpha 41]	Republican	2018		Geoff Duncan

Succession

See also

• First Ladies of Georgia
• List of colonial governors of Georgia

Notes

1. Data is sourced from the Official and Statistical Register of Georgia,[1] unless supplemental references are required.
2. The state says Brian Kemp is the 83rd governor; this number is derived from the Official and Statistical Register of Georgia, last published by the Office of Secretary of State in 1978. It continues the numbering from the colonial governors and omits repeat governors, thus marking Archibald Bulloch as 7th and George Busbee as 77th.[1]
3. The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in 1945, first being filled in 1947.
4. The revolutionary government did not necessarily follow any schedule or term lengths, and thus the election year is omitted until 1781, when it becomes easier to determine.
5. Gwinnett was elected by the council to succeed Bulloch.[2]
6. The date given is the capture of Savannah, where the New Georgia Encyclopedia says his last official act as governor was to flee.[3]
7. The capture of Savannah threw the government into disarray and exile, and records are scarce as to dates and leadership. William Glascock (elected January 21, 1779)[4] and Seth John Cuthbert (elected July 24, 1779), while often included in lists of governors, are omitted from the official state register, likely because of this reason. A school pamphlet from 1977 notes, "This confusing situation resulted in a number of radical Whigs, mainly from Wilkes County, organizing a second government with George Walton as governor and Glascock as speaker of the assembly. ... As a result of this makeshift election, there were two Whig governments plus the restored loyalist government."[5]
8. Howly resigned to be a delegate to the Continental Congress.[6]
9. George Wells succeeded Howly, but was killed in a duel on February 16, 1780; he is omitted from nearly every list of governors, including the official register. Stephen Heard then became governor.
10. Some sources say Myrick Davies was elected in August 1780 and served until his death;[7] however, he is omitted from the official state register.
11. James Jackson was elected in 1788, but declined the position, citing inexperience.[8]
12. First term under the 1789 constitution, which lengthened terms to two years.[9]
13. Jackson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[8]
14. Tattnall resigned due to declining health.[10]
15. Milledge resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[11]
16. Special election for the remainder of Josiah Tattnall's term[12]
17. Mitchell resigned to be agent to the Creek Indians.[13]
18. One source states Brown left office on June 25, which could make sense as it would take several days for news of Johnson's appointment to reach Georgia. However, this source has not been corroborated.[14]
19. Brown resigned following the defeat of the Confederate States of America.[15]
20. At least one source states Johnson left office "five days after" Jenkins took office, which would be December 19.[16] However, more contemporary sources say he left office on December 14.[17]
21. Johnson was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation.[16]
22. Jenkins was removed from office by the military because he refused to allow state funds to be used for a racially integrated state constitutional convention; the state was still under military occupation during Reconstruction.[18]
23. Provisional governor appointed by General George Meade[19]
24. Some sources state Bullock took office on July 21, but more contemporary sources say July 4.[17]
25. Some sources state Bullock resigned on October 23, but that is when he secretly submitted his resignation; it did not take effect until October 30.[20]
26. Bullock resigned and fled the state to avoid impeachment; he was arrested in 1876 and found not guilty of embezzlement.[20]
27. First term under the 1868 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.[21]
28. Special election for the remainder of Rufus Bullock's term[22]
29. First term under the 1877 constitution, which shortened terms to two years.[23]
30. McDaniel's first term was shortened, so it is not known if he can be considered term limited.
31. Special election for the remainder of Alexander Stephens' term[24]
32. The start of a gubernatorial term has always been set by the legislature, rather than the constitution; it appears the start of this term changed from the last Saturday in October to the last Saturday in June, lengthening it by eight months.
33. Sources are split on whether Smith resigned on November 15 or November 16, with contemporary sources leaning towards November 15.[25]
34. Smith resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[26]
35. Special election for the remainder of Hoke Smith's term[27]
36. The start of the term changed from the last Saturday in June to the second Tuesday in January, shortening this term by five months.[28]
37. First term under the 1941 amendment to the constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.[29]
38. Eugene Talmadge was elected to a third term in 1946, but died before taking office. Ellis Arnall, governor at the time, claimed the office, as did Lieutenant Governor Melvin Thompson. The state legislature chose Eugene Talmadge's son, Herman Talmadge, to be governor, but during what came to be called the "Three Governors controversy", the state supreme court declared this unconstitutional and declared Thompson rightful governor, and Talmadge stepped down after 67 days. Talmadge later defeated Thompson in a special election.[30]
39. Special election to fill Eugene Talmadge's term[30]
40. Represented the Democratic Party
41. Kemp's first term expires January 9, 2023.

References

General

• "Former Georgia Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
• "The New Georgia Encyclopedia". Retrieved June 21, 2019.
• A History of Georgia, second ed. Kenneth Coleman, general editor. University of Georgia Press: 1991.
• Candler, Allen Daniel (1908). The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia Volume 1. ISBN 9780404073008. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
• Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. I. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466015. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

Constitutions

• "Constitution of the State of Georgia, as amended" (PDF). Secretary of State of Georgia. 1983. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia, as ratified". University of Georgia. 1983. Archived from the original on November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1976. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1945. Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1877. Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1868. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1865. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1861. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1798. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1789. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Constitution of the State of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1777. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
• "Rules and Regulations of the Colony of Georgia". University of Georgia. 1776. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.

Specific

1. "Georgia Official and Statistical Register, 1977-1978 - page 1145". Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
2. "Button Gwinnett". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
3. "John Houstoun". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
4. Autobiography of a Colony: The First Half-Century of Augusta, Georgia. University of Georgia Press. 2009. p. 127. ISBN 9780820334424. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
5. "Political Changes in Georgia 1775-1787" (PDF). Georgia Department of Education. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
6. "Richard Howley". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
7. "Stephen Heard". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
8. "James Jackson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
10. "Josiah Tattnall". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
11. "John Milledge". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
12. "Georgia 1802 Governor, Special". Tufts University. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
13. "David Brydie Mitchell". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
14. Otto, John Henry (2004). Memoirs of a Dutch Mudsill. Kent State University Press. ISBN 9780873387996.
15. "Joseph Emerson Brown". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
16. "James Johnson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
17. McPherson, John Hanson Thomas (1896). The Government of the People of the State of Georgia. pp. 184–186. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
18. "Charles Jones Jenkins (1805-1883)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
19. "Thomas Ruger (1833-1907)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
20. "This Day in Georgia History - October 23, 1871: Rufus Bullock Resigned". Georgia Library Learning Online. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
22. "James Milton Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
24. "Henry Dickerson McDaniel". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
25. Congress, United States (1919). Official Congressional Directory. p. 17. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
26. "Hoke Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
27. "Joseph Mackey Brown". National Governors Association. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
28. "Richard Brevard Russell". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
30. "Three Governors Controversy". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 21, 2019.