List of female governors in the United States (Redirected from List of female state governors in the United States)

As of January 2023, the map of all states based on whether their governors are male or female.
 Male
 Female
The number of female governors every state has had as of January 2023. Gray denotes 0
 1
 2
 3
 5

As of January 10, 2023, 49 women have served or are serving as the governor of a U.S. state (2 acting governors due to vacancies) and 3 women have served or are serving as the governor of an unincorporated U.S. territory. 2 women have served or are serving as Mayor of the District of Columbia. Currently, 12 women are serving as governors of U.S. states, along with the Mayor of the District of Columbia Muriel Bowser and territorial governor Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam. Of the current state governors, 8 are Democrats and 4 are Republicans.

Madeleine Kunin is the oldest living former female governor at 90.

History

The first woman to act as governor was Carolyn B. Shelton, who served as Acting Governor of Oregon for one weekend – 9 a.m. Saturday, February 27, through 10 a.m. Monday, March 1, 1909. The outgoing governor, George Earle Chamberlain, had been elected to the U.S. Senate and had to leave for Washington, D.C., before his term was over; the incoming governor, Frank W. Benson, had become ill and could not assume office early. Chamberlain left Shelton, his secretary, in charge for the weekend. It was another three and a half years before women were allowed to vote in Oregon.

The first woman acting governor to be entrusted with substantial duties while in office was Soledad Chávez de Chacón, who held the powers and duties of Governor of New Mexico for two weeks in 1924 while Governor James F. Hinkle attended the Democratic Convention in New York. Lieutenant Governor José A. Baca had died in May, so Chacón, the Secretary of State, filled the position. Chacón said that she believed that her 1924 elevation was the first time in the United States that a woman had been called on to assume the responsibilities of the governor.

The first woman to assume office as governor pursuant to a special election was Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming (widow of late Governor William B. Ross, served from January 1923 to October 1924), who was elected on November 4, 1924, and sworn in on January 5, 1925. Wyoming was the first state to provide women's suffrage after New Jersey had abolished it in 1807. Miriam A. Ferguson of Texas won the general election of November 3, 1924, and was sworn in on January 20, 1925. Her husband, former governor James Edward Ferguson, had been impeached and removed from office in 1917. The first woman elected governor who was not the wife or widow of a past state governor was Ella T. Grasso of Connecticut, elected in 1974 and sworn in on January 8, 1975.

To date, no woman has ever changed parties during her gubernatorial term or has been elected as a third party member or an independent.

Demographics

Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, and New Mexico are the only states to have elected women as governors from both major parties. Arizona was the first state where a woman followed another woman as governor (they were from different parties). Arizona also has had the most with 5, and is the first state to have 3 women in a row serve as governor.

A record 12 out of 50 state governorships have been held by women since Sarah Huckabee Sanders was inaugurated as Governor of Arkansas on January 10, 2023.

As of January 10, 2023, 18 states have never had a female governor: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 4 states (Minnesota, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Utah) have never seen a major party nominate a woman in a gubernatorial election, although one woman has served as governor of Utah and 9 consecutive lieutenant governors have been women in Minnesota, from 1983 to the present day.

3 women of color have been state governors: Susana Martinez and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico (both Hispanic) and Nikki Haley of South Carolina (Asian American). Martinez and Haley are both Republican; Lujan Grisham is a Democrat. Additionally, all 5 women who governed an insular area have been of an ethnic minority group: Sharon Pratt and Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C. (both African American), Sila María Calderón and Wanda Vázquez Garced of Puerto Rico (both Hispanic) and Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam (Pacific Islander), all Democratic, with the exception of Vázquez Garced, who is a Republican.

Histograph

Starting Total Graph
March 4, 1789 0  
January 5, 1925 1
January 20, 1925 2 ❚❚
January 3, 1927 1
January 17, 1927 0  
January 17, 1933 1
January 15, 1935 0  
January 16, 1967 1
May 7, 1968 0  
January 8, 1975 1
January 12, 1977 2 ❚❚
December 31, 1980 1
January 14, 1981 0  
December 13, 1983 1
January 10, 1985 2 ❚❚
January 9, 1987 3 ❚❚❚
December 8, 1987 2 ❚❚
April 4, 1988 3 ❚❚❚
January 9, 1991 2 ❚❚
January 10, 1991 1
January 14, 1991 3 ❚❚❚
January 15, 1991 4 ❚❚❚❚
March 6, 1991 3 ❚❚❚
January 18, 1994 4 ❚❚❚❚
January 9, 1995 2 ❚❚
January 17, 1995 1
January 9, 1997 2 ❚❚
September 5, 1997 3 ❚❚❚
December 31, 1998 4 ❚❚❚❚
January 11, 1999 3 ❚❚❚
January 1, 2001 4 ❚❚❚❚
January 3, 2001 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 31, 2001 4 ❚❚❚❚
April 10, 2001 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
December 2, 2002 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 1, 2003 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 2, 2003 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 9, 2003 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 13, 2003 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
November 5, 2003 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 12, 2004 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
July 1, 2004 9 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 3, 2005 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 12, 2005 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
December 4, 2006 9 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 14, 2008 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 10, 2009 9 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 20, 2009 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
April 28, 2009 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
July 26, 2009 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
December 6, 2010 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 5, 2011 4 ❚❚❚❚
January 10, 2011 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 12, 2011 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 3, 2013 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 5, 2013 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 16, 2013 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 5, 2015 4 ❚❚❚❚
January 6, 2015 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
February 16, 2015 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 2, 2017 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
January 24, 2017 4 ❚❚❚❚
April 10, 2017 5 ❚❚❚❚❚
May 24, 2017 6 ❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 1, 2019 7 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 2, 2019 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 5, 2019 9 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
March 2, 2021 8 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
August 24, 2021 9 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 2, 2023 10 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 5, 2023 11 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
January 10, 2023 12 ❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚

State governors

Image Name
(lifespan)
State Term start Term end Party Notes Departure Time in office
Ref
Nellie Ross
(1876–1977)
Wyoming Wyoming January 5, 1925 January 3, 1927 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Wyoming.
First woman elected in a special election.
Lost reelection 1 year, 363 days
Miriam A. Ferguson
(1875–1961)
Texas Texas January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927 Democratic First woman as Governor of Texas.
First woman elected in a general election.

First woman to serve non-consecutive terms as Governor.

Lost renomination 1 year, 362 days
January 17, 1933 January 15, 1935 Retired 1 year, 363 days
Lurleen Wallace
(1926–1968)
Alabama Alabama January 16, 1967 May 7, 1968 Democratic First woman as Governor of Alabama.
First and only woman to die in office as governor.
Died in office 1 year, 112 days
Ella T. Grasso
(1919–1981)
Connecticut Connecticut January 8, 1975 December 31, 1980 Democratic First woman as Governor of Connecticut. Resigned 5 years, 358 days
Dixy Lee Ray
(1914–1994)
Washington (state) Washington January 12, 1977 January 14, 1981 Democratic First woman as Governor of Washington. Lost renomination 4 years, 2 days
Vesta M. Roy
(1925–2002)
New Hampshire New Hampshire December 29, 1982 January 6, 1983 Republican First and only woman as Acting Governor of New Hampshire.
Elevated while President of the Senate. Shortest serving female governor.
8 days
Martha Collins
(born 1936)
Kentucky Kentucky December 13, 1983 December 8, 1987 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Kentucky. Term-limited 3 years, 360 days
Madeleine Kunin
(born 1933)
Vermont Vermont January 10, 1985 January 10, 1991 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Vermont.
First foreign-born woman as governor.
Retired 6 years, 0 days
Kay A. Orr
(born 1939)
Nebraska Nebraska January 9, 1987 January 9, 1991 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Nebraska.
First woman elected to a governorship over another woman nominated by a major party.
First Republican woman elected to a governorship.
Lost reelection 4 years, 0 days
Rose Mofford
(1922–2016)
Arizona Arizona April 4, 1988 March 6, 1991 Democratic First woman as Governor of Arizona.
Elevated from Secretary of State.
Retired 2 years, 336 days
Joan Finney
(1925–2001)
Kansas Kansas January 14, 1991 January 9, 1995 Democratic First woman as Governor of Kansas.
First woman to defeat an incumbent governor in a general election.
Retired 3 years, 360 days
Barbara Roberts
(born 1936)
Oregon Oregon January 14, 1991 January 9, 1995 Democratic First woman as Governor of Oregon. Retired 3 years, 360 days
Ann Richards
(1933–2006)
Texas Texas January 15, 1991 January 17, 1995 Democratic Lost reelection 4 years, 2 days
Christine Todd Whitman
(born 1946)
New Jersey New Jersey January 18, 1994 January 31, 2001 Republican First and only woman as Governor of New Jersey.
First Republican woman to defeat an incumbent governor in a general election.
Resigned to become EPA Administrator 7 years, 13 days
Jeanne Shaheen
(born 1947)
New Hampshire New Hampshire January 9, 1997 January 9, 2003 Democratic First woman elected Governor of New Hampshire.
First woman elected as both Governor and U.S. Senator.
Retired 6 years, 0 days
Jane Dee Hull
(1935–2020)
Arizona Arizona September 5, 1997 January 6, 2003 Republican Elevated from Secretary of State.
Later elected in her own right.
Term-limited 5 years, 123 days
Nancy Hollister
(born 1949)
Ohio Ohio December 31, 1998 January 11, 1999 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Ohio.
Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Term ended 11 days
Judy Martz
(1943–2017)
Montana Montana January 1, 2001 January 3, 2005 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Montana. Retired 4 years, 2 days
Ruth Ann Minner
(1935–2021)
Delaware Delaware January 3, 2001 January 20, 2009 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Delaware. Longest serving female governor. Term-limited 8 years, 17 days
Jane Swift
(born 1965)
Massachusetts Massachusetts April 10, 2001 January 2, 2003 Republican First woman as Acting Governor of Massachusetts.
Elevated to acting governor while Lieutenant Governor.
First to give birth while in office.
Retired 1 year, 267 days
Linda Lingle
(born 1953)
Hawaii Hawaii December 2, 2002 December 6, 2010 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Hawaii. Term-limited 8 years, 4 days
Jennifer Granholm
(born 1959)
Michigan Michigan January 1, 2003 January 1, 2011 Democratic First woman as Governor of Michigan. Term-limited 8 years, 0 days
Janet Napolitano
(born 1957)
Arizona Arizona January 6, 2003 January 21, 2009 Democratic First woman to succeed another woman Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security 6 years, 15 days
Kathleen Sebelius
(born 1948)
Kansas Kansas January 13, 2003 April 28, 2009 Democratic First woman who is the daughter of a former governor Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services 6 years, 105 days
Olene Walker
(1930–2015)
Utah Utah November 5, 2003 January 3, 2005 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Utah.
Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Lost nomination for full term 1 year, 59 days
Kathleen Blanco
(1942–2019)
Louisiana Louisiana January 12, 2004 January 14, 2008 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Louisiana. Retired 4 years, 2 days
Jodi Rell
(born 1946)
Connecticut Connecticut July 1, 2004 January 5, 2011 Republican Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Later elected in her own right.
Retired 6 years, 188 days
Christine Gregoire
(born 1947)
Washington (state) Washington January 12, 2005 January 16, 2013 Democratic Retired 8 years, 4 days
Sarah Palin
(born 1964)
Alaska Alaska December 4, 2006 July 26, 2009 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Alaska Resigned 2 years, 234 days
Bev Perdue
(born 1947)
North Carolina North Carolina January 10, 2009 January 5, 2013 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of North Carolina. Retired 3 years, 361 days
Jan Brewer
(born 1944)
Arizona Arizona January 21, 2009 January 5, 2015 Republican Elevated from Secretary of State.
Later elected in her own right.
Retired 5 years, 349 days
Susana Martinez
(born 1959)
New Mexico New Mexico January 1, 2011 January 1, 2019 Republican First woman as Governor of New Mexico.
First Latina serving as Governor of a U.S. state.
Term-limited 8 years, 0 days
Mary Fallin
(born 1954)
Oklahoma Oklahoma January 10, 2011 January 14, 2019 Republican First and only woman as Governor of Oklahoma. Term-limited 8 years, 4 days
Nikki Haley
(born 1972)
South Carolina South Carolina January 12, 2011 January 24, 2017 Republican First and only woman as Governor of South Carolina.
First Asian American woman serving as governor.
Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations 6 years, 12 days
Maggie Hassan
(born 1958)
New Hampshire New Hampshire January 3, 2013 January 2, 2017 Democratic Resigned to become a U.S. Senator. 3 years, 365 days
Gina Raimondo
(born 1971)
Rhode Island Rhode Island January 6, 2015 March 2, 2021 Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Rhode Island. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Commerce 6 years, 55 days
Kate Brown
(born 1960)
Oregon Oregon February 18, 2015 January 9, 2023 Democratic First openly bisexual governor and first openly LGBT elected governor.
Elevated from Secretary of State.
Later elected in her own right.
Term-limited 7 years, 325 days
Kay Ivey
(born 1944)
Alabama Alabama April 10, 2017 Incumbent Republican Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Later elected in her own right.
Serving 6 years, 343 days
Kim Reynolds
(born 1959)
Iowa Iowa May 24, 2017 Incumbent Republican First woman as Governor of Iowa.
Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Later elected in her own right.
Serving 6 years, 299 days
Gretchen Whitmer
(born 1971)
Michigan Michigan January 1, 2019 Incumbent Democratic Serving 5 years, 77 days
Michelle Lujan Grisham
(born 1959)
New Mexico New Mexico January 1, 2019 Incumbent Democratic Serving 5 years, 77 days
Janet Mills
(born 1947)
Maine Maine January 2, 2019 Incumbent Democratic First woman as Governor of Maine. Serving 5 years, 76 days
Kristi Noem
(born 1971)
South Dakota South Dakota January 5, 2019 Incumbent Republican First woman as Governor of South Dakota. Serving 5 years, 73 days
Laura Kelly
(born 1950)
Kansas Kansas January 14, 2019 Incumbent Democratic Serving 5 years, 64 days
Kathy Hochul
(born 1958)
New York (state) New York August 24, 2021 Incumbent Democratic First woman as Governor of New York.
Elevated from Lieutenant Governor. Later elected in her own right.
Serving 2 years, 207 days
Katie Hobbs
(born 1969)
Arizona Arizona January 2, 2023 Incumbent Democratic Serving 1 year, 76 days
Maura Healey
(born 1971)
Massachusetts Massachusetts January 5, 2023 Incumbent Democratic First woman elected as Governor of Massachusetts. First openly lesbian governor. Serving 1 year, 73 days
Tina Kotek
(born 1966)
Oregon Oregon January 9, 2023 Incumbent Democratic First openly LGBT governor to succeed another openly LGBT governor. Serving 1 year, 69 days
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
(born 1982)
Arkansas Arkansas January 10, 2023 Incumbent Republican First woman as Governor of Arkansas. Serving 1 year, 68 days

Number of female governors by party

Party Total number Number of incumbents
Democratic 30 8
Republican 19 4
Total: 49 12

Number of female governors per state

# of governors States # of states
5 Arizona 1
3 Kansas, New Hampshire, Oregon 3
2 Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Washington 7
1 Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming 21
0 California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin 18

Pregnancy

Governors who have been pregnant while in office
Governor State Date of delivery Mother's age Notes
Jane Swift Massachusetts May 14, 2001 36 First sitting governor or acting governor to give birth while in office. Gave birth to twin girls one month into her tenure as acting governor.
Sarah Palin Alaska April 18, 2008 44 First elected sitting governor to give birth while in office. Gave birth to son, Trig while in office.

Territories and the District of Columbia

Image Name
(lifespan)
Jurisdiction Term start Term end Party Notes Departure
Sharon Pratt
(born 1944)
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia January 2, 1991 January 2, 1995 Democratic First African American woman elected mayor of a major city.
First woman as Mayor of the District of Columbia.
Lost renomination
Sila Calderón
(born 1942)
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico January 2, 2001 January 2, 2005 Popular Democratic/
Democratic
First woman as Governor of Puerto Rico.
First Hispanic American woman as governor.
Retired
Muriel Bowser
(born 1972)
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia January 2, 2015 Incumbent Democratic Serving
Lou Leon Guerrero
(born 1950)
Guam Guam January 7, 2019 Incumbent Democratic First and only woman as Governor of Guam.
First Pacific Islander American woman as governor.
Serving
Wanda Vázquez Garced
(born 1960)
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico August 7, 2019 January 2, 2021 New Progressive/
Republican
Elevated from Secretary of Justice when Pedro Pierluisi was removed quo warranto. Lost renomination

Number by party

Party Total number Number of incumbents
Democratic 4 2
Republican 1 0
Total: 5 2

Timeline of women serving as governors

Sarah Huckabee SandersTina KotekMaura HealeyKatie HobbsKathy HochulWanda Vázquez GarcedLaura KellyLou Leon GuerreroKristi NoemJanet MillsMichelle Lujan GrishamGretchen WhitmerKim ReynoldsKay IveyKate BrownGina RaimondoMuriel BowserMaggie HassanNikki HaleyMary FallinSusana MartinezJan BrewerBev PerdueSarah PalinChristine GregoireJodi RellKathleen BlancoOlene WalkerKathleen SebeliusJanet NapolitanoJennifer GranholmLinda LingleJane SwiftRuth Ann MinnerSila María CalderónJudy MartzNancy HollisterJane Dee HullJeanne ShaheenChristine Todd WhitmanAnn RichardsBarbara RobertsJoan FinneySharon Pratt KellyRose MoffordKay OrrMadeleine KuninMartha Layne CollinsVesta M. RoyDixy Lee RayElla T. GrassoLurleen WallaceMiriam A. FergusonNellie Tayloe Ross

Elections with two female major party nominees

Incumbent governors are in bold.

Elections with two female major party nominees
Election year State Winner Second place finisher Other female candidate(s)
1986 Nebraska Kay A. Orr Helen Boosalis
2002 Hawaii Linda Lingle Mazie Hirono
2010 New Mexico Susana Martinez Diane Denish
Oklahoma Mary Fallin Jari Askins
2022 Alabama Kay Ivey Yolanda Flowers
Arizona Katie Hobbs Kari Lake
Iowa Kim Reynolds Deidre DeJear
Michigan Gretchen Whitmer Tudor Dixon
Oregon Tina Kotek Christine Drazan Betsy Johnson

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-18 15:01 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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