List of governors of Washington
The Governor of Washington is the leader of the Executive branch of the State of Washington's government. Jay Inslee is currently serving as governor .
Governors
Governors of the Territory of Washington
Governor
Took office[ a]
Left office
Appointed by
Notes
Isaac Stevens
December 3, 1853[ 2]
August 11, 1857[ 3]
Franklin Pierce
LaFayette McMullen
September 10, 1857[ 4]
July 1858[ 5]
James Buchanan
Richard D. Gholson
July 15, 1859[ 6]
February 14, 1861[ 7]
James Buchanan
[ b]
William H. Wallace
Appointed April 9, 1861 [ 9]
—
Abraham Lincoln
[ c]
William Pickering
June 1862[ 11]
January 8, 1867[ 12]
Abraham Lincoln
[ d]
George E. Cole
January 8, 1867[ 12]
March 4, 1867[ 12]
Andrew Johnson
[ d]
Marshall F. Moore
August 26, 1867[ 14]
1869
Andrew Johnson
Alvan Flanders
April 5, 1869[ 15]
March 14, 1870[ 16]
Ulysses S. Grant
Edward Selig Salomon
Appointed March 4, 1870 [ 17]
April 1872[ 17]
Ulysses S. Grant
Elisha Peyre Ferry
Appointed April 26, 1872 [ 18]
November 1, 1880[ 19]
Ulysses S. Grant
[ e]
William Augustus Newell
November 1, 1880[ 19]
1884
Rutherford B. Hayes
Watson Carvasso Squire
Appointed July 2, 1884 [ 18]
April 1887[ 21]
Chester A. Arthur
[ e]
Eugene Semple
Appointed April 9, 1887 [ 22]
1889
Grover Cleveland
[ e]
Miles Conway Moore
April 9, 1889[ 23]
November 11, 1889
Benjamin Harrison
Governors of the State of Washington
Washington became a state on November 11, 1889. The term for governor is four years,.[ 24] It begins on the second Monday in the January after the election .[ 25]
Parties
Democratic (11)
Populist (1)
Republican (12) (above numbering includes one governor twice)[ f]
Governors of the State of Washington
No.
Governor
Term in office
Party
Election
Lt. Governor [ g]
1
Elisha P. Ferry (1825–1895) [ 27]
November 18, 1889 [ 28] – January 11, 1893(did not run)
Republican
1889
Charles E. Laughton
2
John McGraw (1850–1910) [ 31]
January 11, 1893 [ 32] – January 13, 1897(did not run)
Republican
1892
F. H. Luce
3
John Rankin Rogers (1838–1901) [ 34]
January 13, 1897 [ 35] – December 26, 1901(died in office)
Populist
1896
Thurston Daniels
Democratic
1900
Henry McBride [ h]
4
Henry McBride (1856–1937) [ 37]
December 26, 1901 [ 38] – January 11, 1905(lost nomination)
Republican
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
5
Albert E. Mead (1861–1913) [ 40]
January 11, 1905 [ 41] – January 27, 1909(lost nomination)
Republican
1904
Charles E. Coon
6
Samuel G. Cosgrove (1847–1909) [ 43]
January 27, 1909 [ 44] – March 28, 1909(died in office)
Republican
1908
Marion E. Hay
7
Marion E. Hay (1865–1933) [ 46]
March 28, 1909 [ 47] – January 15, 1913(lost election)
Republican
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
8
Ernest Lister (1870–1919) [ 49]
January 15, 1913 [ 50] – June 14, 1919(died in office)
Democratic
1912
Louis F. Hart [ h]
1916
9
Louis F. Hart (1862–1929) [ 52]
June 14, 1919 [ 53] – January 14, 1925(did not run)
Republican
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
1920
William J. Coyle
10
Roland H. Hartley (1864–1952) [ 55]
January 14, 1925 [ 56] – January 11, 1933(lost nomination) [ i]
Republican
1924
W. Lon Johnson
1928
John Arthur Gellatly
11
Clarence D. Martin (1886–1955) [ 58]
January 11, 1933 [ 59] – January 15, 1941(lost nomination) [ j]
Democratic
1932
Victor Aloysius Meyers [ k]
1936
12
Arthur B. Langlie (1900–1966) [ 61]
January 15, 1941 [ 62] – January 10, 1945(lost election)
Republican
1940
13
Monrad Wallgren (1891–1961) [ 64]
January 10, 1945 [ 65] – January 12, 1949(lost election)
Democratic
1944
14
Arthur B. Langlie (1900–1966) [ 61]
January 12, 1949 [ 66] – January 16, 1957(did not run)
Republican
1948
1952
Emmett T. Anderson
15
Albert Rosellini (1910–2011) [ 68]
January 16, 1957 [ 69] – January 13, 1965(lost election)
Democratic
1956
John Cherberg [ k]
1960
16
Daniel J. Evans (1925–2024) [ 71]
January 13, 1965 [ 72] – January 12, 1977(did not run)
Republican
1964
1968
1972
17
Dixy Lee Ray (1914–1994) [ 74]
January 12, 1977 [ 75] – January 14, 1981(lost nomination) [ l]
Democratic [ 74]
1976
18
John Spellman (1926–2018) [ 76]
January 14, 1981 [ 77] – January 16, 1985(lost election)
Republican [ 76]
1980
19
Booth Gardner (1936–2013) [ 78]
January 16, 1985 [ 79] – January 13, 1993(did not run)
Democratic [ 78]
1984
1988
Joel Pritchard [ h]
20
Mike Lowry (1939–2017) [ 80]
January 13, 1993 [ 81] – January 15, 1997(did not run)
Democratic [ 80]
1992
21
Gary Locke (b. 1950) [ 82]
January 15, 1997 [ 83] – January 12, 2005(did not run)
Democratic [ 82]
1996
Brad Owen
2000
22
Christine Gregoire (b. 1947) [ 84]
January 12, 2005 [ 85] – January 16, 2013(did not run)
Democratic [ 84]
2004
2008
23
Jay Inslee (b. 1951) [ 86]
January 16, 2013 [ 87] –January 15, 2025 (did not run)
Democratic [ 86]
2012
2016
Cyrus Habib
2020
Denny Heck
24
Bob Ferguson (b. 1965)
January 15, 2025
–
Incumbent
Democratic
2024
Notes
↑ 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.
↑ Received a leave of absence in May 1860 to move his wife from Texas to Kentucky. He never returned to Washington Territory.[ 7] [ 8]
↑ Appointed as governor, but did not take office as he was elected as a delegate from Washington Territory.[ 10]
↑ 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.[ 13]
↑ 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.[ 20]
↑ The official numbering includes ten Democrats, 12 Republicans, and John Rogers, who served as both a Democrat and a Populist. Rogers' term is counted as both Populist and Democratic.
↑ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Represented the Republican Party
↑ Hartley lost the Republican nomination to John Arthur Gellatly .
↑ Martin lost the Democratic nomination to Clarence Dill .
↑ 11.0 11.1 Represented the Democratic Party
↑ Ray lost the Democratic nomination to Jim McDermott .
References
↑ "2013 and 2014 Salary Schedule, Adopted May 22, 2013" (PDF) . Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2014 .
↑ "Glorious News for Washington! Arrival of Governor Stevens" (PDF) . Washington Pioneer . Olympia. December 3, 1853. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ "Letter from Gov. Stevens" (PDF) . Pioneer and Democrat . Olympia. August 14, 1857. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ "Arrival of Governor McMullen" (PDF) . Pioneer and Democrat . Olympia. September 11, 1857. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1890). History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana: 1845–1889, Volume 31 . Washington State Library. p. 209. Retrieved January 27, 2011 .
↑ "Sworn In" (PDF) . Pioneer and Democrat . Olympia. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ 7.0 7.1 McMullin and Walker p. 314
↑ "Granted Leave of Absence" (PDF) . Pioneer and Democrat . Olympia. May 18, 1860. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ McMullin and Walker p. 315
↑ "Wallace, William" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved January 27, 2011 .
↑ "Our New Governor" (PDF) . Puget Sound Herald . June 12, 1862. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Gubernatorial War!" (PDF) . Puget Sound Weekly . January 14, 1867. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ McMullin and Walker pp. 317–318
↑ "Arrival of General Moore" (PDF) . The Vancouver Register . August 31, 1867. Retrieved January 21, 2010 .
↑ "Flanders, Alvan" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved January 27, 2011 .
↑ McMullin and Walker p. 320
↑ 17.0 17.1 McMullin and Walker p. 321
↑ 18.0 18.1 McMullin and Walker p. 322
↑ 19.0 19.1 "Governor Ferry's Retirement" (PDF) . Puget Sound Mail . October 31, 1880. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
↑ McMullin and Walker pp. 322–328.
↑ McMullin and Walker p. 325
↑ McMullin and Walker p. 326
↑ Snowden, Clinton (1911). History of Washington: the rise and progress of an American state . New York: Century History Company. p. 153. Retrieved July 3, 2010 .
↑ WA Const. art. III, § 2
↑ WA Const. art. III, § 4
↑ "Elisha Peyre Ferry" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ "Garb of Statehood" . The Seattle Post-Intelligencer . November 19, 1889. p. 2. Retrieved July 20, 2023 .
↑ "John Harte McGraw" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 3rd legislature, 44 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "John Rankin Rogers" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 5th legislature, 34 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Henry McBride" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ "Gov. McBride of Washington" . The Spokesman-Review . December 27, 1901. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2023 .
↑ "Albert E. Mead" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 9th legislature, 33 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Samuel G. Cosgrove" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 11th legislature, 152 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Marion E. Hay" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ "Governor S. G. Cosgrove Passes Away Suddenly" . The Tacoma Daily Ledger . March 29, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2023 .
↑ "Ernest Lister" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 13th legislature, 44 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Louis Folwell Hart" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ "Louis F. Hart Goes to Executive Chair" . The News Tribune . June 14, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2023 .
↑ "Roland H. Hartley" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 19th legislature, 23 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Clarence Daniel Martin" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ "Martin Takes Oath as New Governor" . The Bellingham Herald . January 11, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2023 .
↑ 61.0 61.1 "Arthur B. Langlie" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 27th legislature, 32 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Monrad Charles Wallgren" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 29th legislature, 31 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 31st legislature, 39 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Albert Dean Rosellini" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 35th legislature, 41 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ "Daniel Jackson Evans" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 39th legislature, 60 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 74.0 74.1 "Dixy Lee Ray" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 45th legislature, 44 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 76.0 76.1 "John Dennis Spellman" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 47th legislature, 52 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 78.0 78.1 "Booth Gardner" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 49th legislature, 44 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 80.0 80.1 "Michael Lowry" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 53rd legislature, 55 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 82.0 82.1 "Gary Locke" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 55th legislature, 96 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 84.0 84.1 "Chris Gregoire" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 59th legislature, 69 , accessed July 20, 2023
↑ 86.0 86.1 "Jay Inslee" . National Governors Association . Retrieved July 19, 2023 .
↑ Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives . 63rd legislature, 50 , accessed July 20, 2023