Jump to content

List of governors of New Jersey

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Governor of New Jersey is the head of the executive branch of New Jersey's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

List

[change | change source]
Governors of the State of New Jersey
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[a]
1   William Livingston August 31, 1776
–
July 25, 1790 		Federalist 1776 Office did not exist
1777
1778
1779
1780
1781
1782
1783
1784
1785
1786
1787
1788
1789
[b]
— Elisha Lawrence July 25, 1790
–
October 29, 1790[c] 		Federalist
2 William Paterson October 29, 1790[c]
–
March 30, 1793 		Federalist 1790
1791
1792
[d]
— Thomas Henderson March 30, 1793
–
June 3, 1793 		Federalist
3 Richard Howell June 3, 1793
–
October 31, 1801 		Federalist 1793
1794
[e]
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799
1800
4 Joseph Bloomfield October 31, 1801
–
October 28, 1802 		Democratic-
Republican 		1801
— John Lambert October 28, 1802
–
October 29, 1803 		Democratic-
Republican 		1802
[f]
4 Joseph Bloomfield October 29, 1803
–
October 29, 1812 		Democratic-
Republican 		1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
1810
1811
[g]
5 Aaron Ogden October 29, 1812
–
October 29, 1813 		Federalist 1812
6 William Sanford Pennington October 29, 1813
–
June 19, 1815 		Democratic-
Republican 		1813
1814
[h][i]
— William Kennedy June 19, 1815
–
October 26, 1815 		Democratic-
Republican
7 Mahlon Dickerson October 26, 1815
–
February 1, 1817 		Democratic-
Republican 		1815
1816
[j]
8 Isaac Halstead Williamson February 6, 1817
–
October 30, 1829 		Federalist[k]
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
— Garret D. Wall — Democratic 1829
[l]
9 Peter Dumont Vroom November 6, 1829
–
October 26, 1832 		Democratic
1830
1831
10 Samuel L. Southard October 26, 1832
–
February 27, 1833 		Whig 1832
[m]
11 Elias P. Seeley February 27, 1833
–
October 25, 1833 		Whig
9 Peter Dumont Vroom October 25, 1833
–
November 3, 1836 		Democratic 1833
1834
1835
12 Philemon Dickerson November 3, 1836
–
October 27, 1837 		Democratic 1836
13 William Pennington October 27, 1837
–
October 27, 1843 		Whig 1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
14 Daniel Haines October 27, 1843
–
January 21, 1845 		Democratic 1843
15 Charles C. Stratton January 21, 1845
–
January 18, 1848 		Whig 1844
[n]
14 Daniel Haines January 18, 1848
–
January 21, 1851 		Democratic 1847
16 George Franklin Fort January 21, 1851
–
January 17, 1854 		Democratic 1850
17 Rodman M. Price January 17, 1854
–
January 20, 1857 		Democratic 1853
18 William A. Newell January 20, 1857
–
January 17, 1860 		Republican 1856
19 Charles Smith Olden January 17, 1860
–
January 20, 1863 		Republican 1859
20 Joel Parker January 20, 1863
–
January 16, 1866 		Democratic 1862
21 Marcus Lawrence Ward January 16, 1866
–
January 19, 1869 		Republican 1865
22 Theodore Fitz Randolph January 19, 1869
–
January 16, 1872 		Democratic 1868
20 Joel Parker January 16, 1872
–
January 19, 1875 		Democratic 1871
23 Joseph D. Bedle January 19, 1875
–
January 15, 1878 		Democratic 1874
24 George B. McClellan January 15, 1878
–
January 18, 1881 		Democratic 1877
25 George C. Ludlow January 18, 1881
–
January 15, 1884 		Democratic 1880
26 Leon Abbett January 15, 1884
–
January 18, 1887 		Democratic 1883
27 Robert Stockton Green January 18, 1887
–
January 21, 1890 		Democratic 1886
26 Leon Abbett January 21, 1890
–
January 17, 1893 		Democratic 1889
28 George Theodore Werts January 17, 1893
–
January 21, 1896 		Democratic 1892
29 John W. Griggs January 21, 1896
–
January 31, 1898 		Republican 1895
[o]
— Foster McGowan Voorhees January 31, 1898
–
October 18, 1898 		Republican
— David Ogden Watkins October 18, 1898
–
January 17, 1899 		Republican
30 Foster McGowan Voorhees January 17, 1899
–
January 21, 1902 		Republican 1898
[p]
31 Franklin Murphy January 21, 1902
–
January 17, 1905 		Republican 1901
[q]
32 Edward C. Stokes January 17, 1905
–
January 21, 1908 		Republican 1904
33 John Franklin Fort January 21, 1908
–
January 17, 1911 		Republican 1907
[r]
34 Woodrow Wilson January 17, 1911
–
March 1, 1913 		Democratic 1910
[s][t]
— James Fairman Fielder March 1, 1913
–
October 28, 1913 		Democratic
— Leon R. Taylor October 28, 1913
–
January 20, 1914 		Democratic
35 James Fairman Fielder January 20, 1914
–
January 16, 1917 		Democratic 1913
[u][v]
36 Walter Evans Edge January 16, 1917
–
May 16, 1919 		Republican 1916
[v][w][x]
— William Nelson Runyon May 16, 1919
–
January 13, 1920 		Republican
— Clarence E. Case January 13, 1920
–
January 20, 1920 		Republican
37 Edward I. Edwards January 20, 1920
–
January 15, 1923 		Democratic 1919
38 George Sebastian Silzer January 15, 1923
–
January 19, 1926 		Democratic 1922
39 A. Harry Moore January 19, 1926
–
January 15, 1929 		Democratic 1925
40 Morgan Foster Larson January 15, 1929
–
January 19, 1932 		Republican 1928
39 A. Harry Moore January 19, 1932
–
January 3, 1935 		Democratic 1931
[y]
— Clifford Ross Powell January 3, 1935
–
January 8, 1935 		Republican
— Horace Griggs Prall January 8, 1935
–
January 15, 1935 		Republican
41 Harold G. Hoffman January 15, 1935
–
January 18, 1938 		Republican 1934
39 A. Harry Moore January 18, 1938
–
January 21, 1941 		Democratic 1937
42 Charles Edison January 21, 1941
–
January 18, 1944 		Democratic 1940
36 Walter Evans Edge January 18, 1944
–
January 21, 1947 		Republican 1943
43 Alfred E. Driscoll January 21, 1947
–
January 19, 1954 		Republican 1946
1949
[z]
44 Robert B. Meyner January 19, 1954
–
January 16, 1962 		Democratic 1953
1957
45 Richard J. Hughes January 16, 1962
–
January 20, 1970 		Democratic 1961
1965
46 William T. Cahill January 20, 1970
–
January 15, 1974 		Republican 1969
47 Brendan Byrne January 15, 1974
–
January 19, 1982 		Democratic 1973
1977
48 Thomas Kean January 19, 1982
–
January 16, 1990 		Republican 1981
1985
49 James Florio January 16, 1990
–
January 18, 1994 		Democratic 1989
50 Christine Todd Whitman January 18, 1994
–
January 31, 2001 		Republican 1993
1997
[aa]
51 Donald DiFrancesco January 31, 2001
–
January 8, 2002 		Republican
— John Farmer Jr. January 8, 2002
–
January 8, 2002 		Republican
— John O. Bennett January 8, 2002
–
January 12, 2002 		Republican
— Richard Codey January 12, 2002
–
January 15, 2002 		Democratic
52 Jim McGreevey January 15, 2002
–
November 15, 2004 		Democratic 2001
[ab]
53 Richard Codey November 15, 2004
–
January 17, 2006 		Democratic
54 Jon Corzine January 17, 2006
–
January 19, 2010 		Democratic 2005
[ac]
55 Chris Christie January 19, 2010
–
January 16, 2018 		Republican 2009   Kim Guadagno
2013
56 Phil Murphy
(b. 1957)
[34] 		January 16, 2018[35]
–
Incumbent[ad] 		Democratic[34] 2017 Sheila Oliver
(died August 1, 2023)
2021
Vacant
Tahesha Way
(appointed September 8, 2023)

Notes

[change | change source]
  1. ↑ The office of lieutenant governor was created in 2006 and was first filled in 2010.
  2. ↑ Livingston died in office; as vice-president of the Legislative Council, Lawrence acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The National Governors Association states Paterson took office on October 30; however, older books specify that he took office on October 29.[1]
  4. ↑ Paterson resigned to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; as vice-president of the Legislative Council, Henderson acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  5. ↑ Howell was in Pennsylvania in command of the New Jersey militia during the Whiskey Rebellion; during his absence, Thomas Henderson, as vice-president of the Legislative Council, acted as governor from September 20 to December 25, 1794.[2]
  6. ↑ The 1802 election was deadlocked, with the legislature unable to pick a candidate, giving up on November 25, 1802. Lambert, as vice-president of the Legislative Council, acted as governor until the next election.[3]
  7. ↑ Bloomfield was in New York in command of Military District 3 during the War of 1812; during his absence, Charles Clark, as vice-president of the Legislative Council, acted as governor from June 1 to October 29, 1812, when Bloomfield's term ended.[4]
  8. ↑ Pennington resigned to be a federal judge in the District of New Jersey; as vice-president of the Legislative Council, Kennedy acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  9. ↑ All official listings omit Kennedy, who acted as governor for four months.[5]
  10. ↑ Dickerson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; Williamson was elected by the legislature to succeed him.[6] No source mentions anyone acting as governor between Dickerson's resignation and Williamson's election; the vice-president of the Legislative Council at the time was Jesse Upson, so he likely acted as governor.[7]
  11. ↑ Williamson was known to be a Federalist; though the Federalist Party ceased existing around 1820, no sources say Williamson changed his party affiliation, perhaps choosing to remain loyal to the Federalist ideals.[8] One source describes him as an "ex-Federalist" before he was even elected.[9] A contemporary source says he remained in office until the "Jackson party" controlled the legislature; as this is a reference to the Democratic-Republican Party, it can be assumed Williamson did not switch to that party.[10]
  12. ↑ Wall was elected on October 30, 1829; however, he declined the post, effective November 6, 1829.[11] Vroom was then elected by the legislature to replace him.
  13. ↑ Southard resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; Seeley was vice-president of the Legislative Council at the time, but he was elected governor rather than simply acting in the post for the rest of the term.[12]
  14. ↑ The constitution increased term lengths from one to three years beginning with this term.[13]
  15. ↑ Griggs resigned to be United States Attorney General. As president of the senate, Voorhees acted as governor until he resigned from the senate; he had been nominated for governor for the 1898 election, but the constitution prohibited governors from succeeding themselves, so he resigned to run, winning the race.[14] This left Watkins, as speaker of the house of representatives, acting as governor for the remainder of the term.
  16. ↑ Voorhees was out of the country in Europe for several weeks in 1900; William M. Johnson, as president of the Senate, formally acted as governor from May 21 to June 19.[15][16][17]
  17. ↑ Murphy was out of the state twice in 1904; Edmund W. Wakelee, as president of the Senate, formally acted as governor twice, and according to page 284 the 1905 Manual of the Legislature, served from April 25 to June 5, when Murphy was in Europe, and from June 14 to June 27, when Murphy was visiting Chicago and St. Louis.[18] However, page 16 of the same book states that he served from April 25 to June 5, and June 15 to June 27.[15] He actually took the oaths of office on April 26 and June 14.[17]
  18. ↑ Fort was out of the state for some time in 1909; Joseph Sherman Frelinghuysen, Sr., as president of the Senate, acted as governor for an unknown period.[19]
  19. ↑ Wilson resigned to be President of the United States. As president of the senate, Fielder acted as governor until he resigned from the senate; he had been nominated for governor for the 1898 election, but the constitution prohibited governors from succeeding themselves, so he resigned to run, winning the race.[20] This left Taylor, as speaker of the house of representatives, acting as governor for the remainder of the term.
  20. ↑ Wilson was out of the state for multiple periods during his administration.[16] Documented episodes include from May 3 to June 3, 1911, during which time Ernest R. Ackerman, as president of the Senate, acted as governor,[21][22] though another source states he took the oath on May 4.[23] Ackerman also acted as governor from October 25, 1911, for about a week, and again for about a week in mid-November, 1911.[24] John Dyneley Prince became president of the Senate in 1912, and is known to have acted as governor on at least 11 different occasions.[24]
  21. ↑ Fielder was out of the state for a time in June 1914; John W. Slocum, as president of the Senate, acted as governor for an unknown period.[25] Walter Evans Edge later became president of the Senate, and acted as governor for five weeks in 1915.[26] Later again, George W. F. Gaunt became president of the Senate and acted as governor, though only two days are specifically known: September 19, 1916 and October 9, 1916.[27]
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 One source states that George W. F. Gaunt, as president of the Senate, acted as governor in 1917, but it is unknown if he was acting in place of James Fairman Fielder or Walter Evans Edge.[16]
  23. ↑ Edge resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as president of the senate, Runyon acted as governor until his senate term ended, then Case acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  24. ↑ Edge was out of the state for a time in 1918; Thomas F. McCran, as president of the Senate, is known to have acted as governor, but for an unknown period.[16]
  25. ↑ Moore resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As president of the senate, Powell acted as governor until his senate term expired, at which point Prall, as the new president of the senate, acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  26. ↑ This was the first term under the 1947 constitution, which increased term lengths to four years.[28]
  27. ↑ Whitman resigned to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. As president of the senate, DiFrancesco acted as governor until his senate term expired. However, a 2006 law considers anyone who has acted as governor longer than 180 days to be considered a full governor, retroactive to January 1, 2001, and as such, DiFrancesco is considered to have fully succeeded to the post. However, there were 90 minutes between the end of the senate term and the beginning of the next one; during this time, Attorney General Farmer acted as governor.[29] The new state senate was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.[30] The compromise to pick a senate president – and therefore, an acting governor – was to have John Bennett, a Republican, act as governor from 1:30pm January 8 to 12:01am January 12, and Democrat Richard Codey would then act from 12:01am January 12 to noon on January 15, at which point the elected governor took office.[31]
  28. ↑ McGreevey resigned due to a sex scandal. As president of the senate, Codey acted as governor until his senate term expired. However, a 2006 law considers anyone who has acted as governor longer than 180 days to be considered a full governor, retroactive to January 1, 2001, and as such, Codey is considered to have fully succeeded to the post.
  29. ↑ Corzine was severely injured in a car accident on April 12, 2007; Richard Codey, as president of the Senate, acted as governor until May 7, 2007.[32] Corzine also left the country in 2010 for a vacation to Switzerland; Stephen M. Sweeney, as president of the Senate, acted as governor from January 14 to around January 17.[33]
  30. ↑ Murphy's second term will expire on January 20, 2026; he will be term-limited.

References

[change | change source]
  1. ↑ Report p. 122
  2. ↑ Report p. 123
  3. ↑ Lee pp. 155–156
  4. ↑ Report p. 124
  5. ↑ Report pp. 125–126
  6. ↑ Lee pp. 160–161
  7. ↑ Lundy et al. (1921) p. 127
  8. ↑ Whitehead, John (1897). The Civil and Judicial History of New Jersey, Volume I. The Boston History Company. p. 361. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  9. ↑ Birkner, Michael (1984). Samuel L. Southard: Jeffersonian Whig. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8386-3160-7. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  10. ↑ Elmer, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus (1872). Collections of the New Jersey Historical Society, Volume VII. M.R. Dennis. p. 175. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  11. ↑ Lee pp. 377–378
  12. ↑ "Elias Pettit Seeley" (PDF). New Jersey State Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  13. ↑ 1844 Constitution article V, § 3
  14. ↑ "Foster McGowan Voorhees" (PDF). New Jersey State Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lundy et al. (1905) p. 16
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Lundy et al. (1921) p. 22
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Governor's Oaths". New Jersey Department of State. Archived from the original on January 15, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  18. ↑ Lundy et al. (1905) p. 284
  19. ↑ Lundy et al. (1921) p. 252
  20. ↑ "James Fairman Fielder" (PDF). New Jersey State Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  21. ↑ Legislature, New Jersey. (1912). Documents of the One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the State of New Jersey and the Sixty-Eighth Under the New Constitution. Vol. I. Trenton, New Jersey: State Gazette Publishing Company. p. 475. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  22. ↑ Lundy et al. (1921) p. 262
  23. ↑ Kerney p. 140
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Kerney p. 141
  25. ↑ Lundy et al. (1921) p. 361
  26. ↑ Congress, United States (1920). Official Congressional Directory, 2nd Edition, February 1920. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 64. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  27. ↑ Acts of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey. New Jersey Secretary of State. 1916. pp. 1009–1010. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  28. ↑ NJ Constitution article V, § 1, cl. 5
  29. ↑ David Kocieniewski (January 8, 2002). "Newark Stadium Bill Dies in Final Session". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2010. During the 90 minutes between Mr. DiFrancesco's departure and Mr. Bennett's swearing in, Attorney General John J. Farmer Jr. will formally hold the title of acting governor.
  30. ↑ David Kocieniewski (January 12, 2002). "The Hours of Power of an Acting Governor: Deconstructing Bennett's 3-Day Legacy". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  31. ↑ "New Jersey Governor John O. Bennett". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  32. ↑ David W. Chen (May 6, 2007). "Corzine to Resume Duties as Governor on Monday". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  33. ↑ "New Jersey's New Senate President Fills in for Corzine". WNYC. January 15, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Phil Murphy". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  35. ↑ Racioppi, Dustin (January 16, 2018). "Phil Murphy Becomes Governor of New Jersey, Plans New Direction for State". NorthJersey. Retrieved 2023-05-05.




Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_governors_of_New_Jersey&oldid=9279509"