List of Governors of Washington

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Governor of Washington
Seal of the Executive Department of Washington.svg
Seal of the Executive Department of Washington
Jay Inslee Speech (8724201105).jpg
Incumbent
Jay Inslee
since January 16, 2013
Style The Honorable
Residence Washington Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder Elisha P. Ferry
Formation November 11, 1889
Deputy Brad Owen
Salary $166,891 (2014)[1]
Website www.governor.wa.gov

The Governor of Washington is the head of the executive branch of Washington's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2][3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[4] the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Washington Legislature and line-item veto power to cancel specific provisions in spending bills.[5] The governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions".[4]

Washington Territory had 14 territorial governors from its organization in 1853 until the formation of the state of Washington in 1889. Territorial governors were appointed by the President of the United States. Elisha Peyre Ferry had the longest term of eight years and went on to become the state's first governor. William H. Wallace was appointed governor but never took office due to being elected as the territory's congressional delegate. George E. Cole was appointed governor and took office, but his appointment was never ratified by the U.S. Senate and he was replaced as governor after four months.

Twenty-one individuals have held the office of governor of Washington since the state's admission to the Union, with Arthur B. Langlie serving non-consecutive terms. Langlie and Daniel J. Evans are the state's only three term governors. Populist Party candidate John Rankin Rogers is the only non-Democratic or Republican nominee to win office. The current governor is Jay Inslee, who took office on January 16, 2013; his term will expire in January 2017. The last Republican to hold the office was John Spellman in 1985, meaning that Washington has the longest current period of one-party statehouse rule in America.[6]

Governors

Governors of the Territory of Washington

For the period before Washington Territory was formed, see the List of Governors of Oregon Territory.

Washington Territory was created on March 2, 1853 from the northern half of Oregon Territory. At this point, Washington Territory also included the northern panhandle of modern Idaho and parts of Montana.[7] The southern half of Idaho was assigned to the Washington Territory in 1859 after Oregon was admitted as a state.[8] Idaho Territory was split from Washington Territory in 1863 giving Washington Territory its final borders.[9]

Due to the long distance between Washington, D.C. and Olympia, there was often a lengthy gap between a governor being appointed and his arrival in the territory.

Picture Governor Took office[lower-alpha 1] Left office Appointed by Notes
Isaacstevens.jpg Isaac Stevens December 3, 1853[10] August 11, 1857[11] Franklin Pierce
LaFayette McMullen.jpg LaFayette McMullen September 10, 1857[12] July 1858[13] James Buchanan
Richard D. Gholson.jpg Richard D. Gholson July 15, 1859[14] February 14, 1861[15] James Buchanan [lower-alpha 2]
William H. Wallace.jpg William H. Wallace Appointed April 9, 1861[17] — Abraham Lincoln [lower-alpha 3]
William Pickering.jpg William Pickering June 1862[19] January 8, 1867[20] Abraham Lincoln [lower-alpha 4]
George Edward Cole.jpg George E. Cole January 8, 1867[20] March 4, 1867[20] Andrew Johnson [lower-alpha 4]
MFMoore.jpg Marshall F. Moore August 26, 1867[21] 1869 Andrew Johnson
Alvan Flanders.jpg Alvan Flanders April 5, 1869[22] March 14, 1870[23] Ulysses S. Grant
Edward Selig Salomon.jpg Edward Selig Salomon Appointed March 4, 1870[24] April 1872[24] Ulysses S. Grant
Elisha Peyre Ferry.jpg Elisha Peyre Ferry Appointed April 26, 1872[25] November 1, 1880[26] Ulysses S. Grant [lower-alpha 5]
William A Newell.jpg William Augustus Newell November 1, 1880[26] 1884 Rutherford B. Hayes
Watson C Squire.jpg Watson Carvasso Squire Appointed July 2, 1884[25] April 1887[28] Chester A. Arthur [lower-alpha 5]
Eugene Semple.jpg Eugene Semple Appointed April 9, 1887[29] 1889 Grover Cleveland [lower-alpha 5]
Miles C. Moore.jpg Miles Conway Moore April 9, 1889[30] November 11, 1889 Benjamin Harrison

Governors of the State of Washington

Washington was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889. The term for governor is four years,[2] commencing on the second Monday in the January following the election.[31] If the office of governor is vacant or the governor is unable to discharge their duties, the lieutenant governor assumes the office of governor. If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are unable to fulfill their duties, the secretary of state is next in line, and then the treasurer.[32] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.[33] The office of lieutenant governor is not elected on the same ticket as the governor.

Parties

      Democratic (10)       Populist (1)       Republican (12)
(above numbering includes one governor twice)[lower-alpha 6]

# Picture Governor Took office Left office Party Lt. Governor Terms[lower-alpha 7]
1   Elisha Peyre Ferry.jpg Elisha Peyre Ferry November 11, 1889 January 9, 1893 Republican   Charles E. Laughton 1
2 John McGraw 1890.jpg John McGraw January 9, 1893 January 11, 1897 Republican F.H. Luce 1
3 75px John Rogers January 11, 1897 December 26, 1901 Populist Thurston Daniels ​1 1⁄2[lower-alpha 8][lower-alpha 9]
Democratic Henry McBride
4 Governor Henry McBride.jpg Henry McBride December 26, 1901 January 9, 1905 Republican Vacant ​1⁄2[lower-alpha 10]
5 Governor Albert E. Mead.jpg Albert E. Mead January 9, 1905 January 27, 1909 Republican Charles E. Coon 1
6 Samuel Goodlove Cosgrove.jpg Samuel G. Cosgrove January 27, 1909 March 28, 1909 Republican Marion E. Hay ​1⁄2[lower-alpha 9]
7 Governor Marion E. Hay.jpg Marion E. Hay March 28, 1909 January 11, 1913 Republican Vacant ​1⁄2[lower-alpha 10]
8 Governor Ernest Lister.jpg Ernest Lister January 11, 1913 February 13, 1919 Democratic Louis Folwell Hart[lower-alpha 11] ​1 1⁄2[lower-alpha 12]
9 Louis Folwell Hart.jpg Louis Folwell Hart February 13, 1919 January 12, 1925 Republican Vacant ​1 1⁄2[lower-alpha 13]
William J. Coyle
10 Roland Hill Hartley.jpg Roland H. Hartley January 12, 1925 January 9, 1933 Republican W. Lon Johnson 2
John Arthur Gellatly
11 Clarence Daniel Martin.jpg Clarence D. Martin January 9, 1933 January 13, 1941 Democratic Victor A. Meyers 2
12 Arthur Bernard Langlie.jpg Arthur B. Langlie January 13, 1941 January 8, 1945 Republican Victor A. Meyers[lower-alpha 14] 1
13 Governor Monrad Charles Wallgren.jpg Monrad C. Wallgren January 8, 1945 January 12, 1949 Democratic Victor A. Meyers 1
14 Arthur Bernard Langlie.jpg Arthur B. Langlie January 12, 1949 January 14, 1957 Republican Victor A. Meyers[lower-alpha 14] 2
Emmett T. Anderson
15 Albert D. Rosellini.jpg Albert Rosellini January 14, 1957 January 11, 1965 Democratic John A. Cherberg 2
16 Daniel J. Evans.jpg Daniel J. Evans January 11, 1965 January 12, 1977 Republican John A. Cherberg[lower-alpha 14] 3
17 75px Dixy Lee Ray January 12, 1977 January 14, 1981 Democratic John A. Cherberg 1
18 75px John Spellman January 14, 1981 January 16, 1985 Republican John A. Cherberg[lower-alpha 14] 1
19 Booth Gardner.jpg Booth Gardner January 16, 1985 January 13, 1993 Democratic John A. Cherberg 2
Joel Pritchard[lower-alpha 11]
20 Michael E. Lowry.jpg Mike Lowry January 13, 1993 January 15, 1997 Democratic Joel Pritchard[lower-alpha 11] 1
21 Gary Locke official portrait.jpg Gary Locke January 15, 1997 January 12, 2005 Democratic Brad Owen 2
22   ChristineGregoireOfficial.jpg Christine Gregoire January 12, 2005 January 16, 2013 Democratic Brad Owen 2
23 Jay Inslee Speech (8724201105).jpg Jay Inslee January 16, 2013 Incumbent Democratic Brad Owen 1[lower-alpha 15]

Other high offices held

Six of Washington's territorial governors and four of its state governors have served higher federal or confederate offices, or as governors of other states. Three represented Washington Territory as delegates to the U.S. House, and one additionally represented Idaho Territory in the same fashion, as well as serving as Governor of Idaho Territory. Two territorial governors represented eastern states, one as a representative from, and governor of, New Jersey, and one represented Virginia both in the United States and Confederate Houses. Three governors represented the state in the U.S. Senate, and two represented the state in the House. One governor has served in the United States Cabinet. Two of the territorial governors (marked with *) resigned their office to serve as territorial delegates.

Governor Gubernatorial term Other offices held Source
Isaac Stevens 1853–1857 Delegate from Washington Territory* [36]
LaFayette McMullen 1857–1859 Representative and Confederate Representative from Virginia [37]
William H. Wallace 1861–1861 Delegate from Washington Territory*, Delegate from Idaho Territory,
Governor of Idaho Territory		 [38]
Alvan Flanders 1869–1870 Delegate from Washington Territory [39]
William A. Newell 1880–1884 Representative from New Jersey, Governor of New Jersey [40]
Watson C. Squire 1884–1887 Senator from Washington [41]
Monrad Wallgren 1945–1949 Senator and Representative from Washington [42]
Daniel J. Evans 1965–1977 Senator from Washington [43]
Mike Lowry 1993–1998 Representative from Washington [44]
Gary Locke 1997–2005 Secretary of Commerce, Ambassador to China [45]
Jay Inslee 2013–present Representative from Washington

Living former U.S. governors of Washington

As of May 2015, there are five former U.S. governors of Washington who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of Washington being Daniel J. Evans (1965–1977, born 1925). The most recent former U.S. governor of Washington to die was Booth Gardner (1985–1993), on March 15, 2013. The most recently serving U.S. governor of Washington to die was Dixy Lee Ray (1977–1981), on January 2, 1994. Albert Rosellini (1957–1965) lived to be 101 years and 262 days old, making him the longest-lived United States governor.

Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth (and age)
Daniel J. Evans 1965–1977 (1925-10-16) October 16, 1925 (age 99)
John D. Spellman 1981–1985 (1926-12-29) December 29, 1926 (age 97)
Mike Lowry 1993–1997 (1939-03-08) March 8, 1939 (age 85)
Gary Locke 1997–2005 (1950-01-21) January 21, 1950 (age 74)
Christine Gregoire 2005–2013 (1947-03-24) March 24, 1947 (age 77)

Notes

  1. ↑ Due to the long distance between Washington D.C. and Washington Territory, and the slow speed of communications and travel of the day, weeks or months could go by between the appointment of a governor and the governor actually taking office. The actual dates governors took office are sometimes vague; the ones in this list are cited mostly with contemporary news coverage, but other resources and almanacs give slightly different dates.
  2. ↑ Received a leave of absence in May 1860 to move his wife from Texas to Kentucky. He never returned to Washington Territory.[15][16]
  3. ↑ Appointed as governor, but did not take office as he was elected as a delegate from Washington Territory.[18]
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 President Johnson removed Governor Pickering in November 1866. Governor Cole arrived on January 8, 1867 after being appointed governor. Governor Pickering would not relinquish power until the U.S. Senate approved of Governor Cole's nomination on the basis that President Johnson was being impeached. However, the state's legislature looked to Governor Cole as the real governor. The U.S. Senate eventually failed to ratify his nomination.[20]
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Was a resident of Washington Territory at the time of appointment. This could have cut down on the time between appointment and taking office.[27]
  6. ↑ The official numbering includes ten Democrats, 11 Republicans, and John Rogers, who served as both a Democrat and a Populist. Repeat governors are numbered, but Rogers' terms were consecutive, so he is only officially numbered once. Rogers' Populist term is counted so that his party appears in the key.
  7. ↑ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
  8. ↑ Rogers was elected as a Populist for his first term and a Democrat for his second.[34]
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Died in office.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Represented the Republican Party.
  12. ↑ Lister became ill during his second term, relinquished his office to the Lieutenant Governor, and died a few months later.[35]
  13. ↑ As lieutenant governor, Hart filled the unexpired term after Lister relinquished his office due to ill health.[35]
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Represented the Democratic Party.
  15. ↑ Governor Inslee's first term expires in January 2017.

References

General
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Constitution
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Specific
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 WA Const. art. III, § 2
  3. ↑ WA Const. art. III, § 8
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 WA Const. art. III, § 5
  5. ↑ WA Const. art. III, § 12
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 McMullin and Walker p. 314
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ McMullin and Walker p. 315
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "cole" defined multiple times with different content
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ McMullin and Walker p. 320
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 McMullin and Walker p. 321
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 McMullin and Walker p. 322
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ McMullin and Walker pp. 322–328.
  28. ↑ McMullin and Walker p. 325
  29. ↑ McMullin and Walker p. 326
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ WA Const. art. III, § 4
  32. ↑ WA Const. art. III, § 10
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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