List of governors of Mississippi

Governor of Mississippi
Incumbent
Tate Reeves
since January 14, 2020
Style
Status
ResidenceMississippi Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
FormationConstitution of Mississippi
SuccessionEvery four years, unless reelected
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Salary$122,160
Websitegovernor.ms.gov

The governor of Mississippi is the head of government of Mississippi and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature, to convene the legislature at any time, and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.

To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years at the time of inauguration. The Constitution of Mississippi, ratified in 1890, calls for a four-year term for the governor, elected via the two-round system since a 2020 referendum. Prior to this, the governor was elected by an electoral college composed of the districts represented in the Mississippi House of Representatives, with a contingent election held in the House in the event no candidate received a majority of district electors. The term length was originally two years, with no limit on how many terms they could serve. The 1832 constitution limited governors to serving no more than four out of every six years. When terms were lengthened to four years in 1868, this limit was removed. The 1890 constitution forbid governors from succeeding themselves, but a 1986 amendment allows them to succeed themselves once. The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1817 constitution, abolished in 1832, and recreated in 1868. When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor exercises the powers of governor for the remainder of the term.

The current governor is Republican Tate Reeves, who took office January 14, 2020.

List of governors

Mississippi Territory

Mississippi Territory was organized on April 7, 1798, from land ceded to the federal government by Georgia. It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States during its 19-year history, including one, David Holmes, who would later serve as state governor.

Governors of Mississippi Territory
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 Winthrop Sargent
(1753–1820)
May 7, 1798

May 25, 1801
(successor appointed)
John Adams
2 William C. C. Claiborne
(d. 1817)
May 25, 1801

March 2, 1805
(successor appointed)
Thomas Jefferson
3 Robert Williams
(1770–1836)
March 2, 1805

March 7, 1809
(successor appointed)
Thomas Jefferson
4 David Holmes
(1769–1832)
March 7, 1809

October 7, 1817
(elected state governor)
James Madison

State of Mississippi

Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817. It seceded from the Union on January 9, 1861, and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, Mississippi during Reconstruction was part of the Fourth Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870.

Governors of the State of Mississippi
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1   David Holmes
(1769–1832)
October 7, 1817

January 5, 1820
(did not run)
Democratic-
Republican
1817   Duncan Stewart
2 George Poindexter
(1779–1853)
January 5, 1820

January 7, 1822
(did not run)
Democratic-
Republican
1819 James Patton
3 Walter Leake
(1762–1825)
January 7, 1822

November 17, 1825
(died in office)
Democratic-
Republican
1821 David C. Dickson
1823 Gerard Brandon
4 Gerard Brandon
(1788–1850)
November 17, 1825

January 7, 1826
(successor took office)
Democratic-
Republican
Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
5 David Holmes
(1769–1832)
January 7, 1826

July 25, 1826
(resigned)
Democratic-
Republican
1825 Gerard Brandon
6 Gerard Brandon
(1788–1850)
July 25, 1826

January 9, 1832
(did not run)
Democratic-
Republican
Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
1827 Abram M. Scott
1829
7 Abram M. Scott
(1785–1833)
January 9, 1832

June 12, 1833
(died in office)
National
Republican
1831 Fountain Winston
(office abolished
October 26, 1832)
Office did not exist
8 Charles Lynch
(1783–1853)
June 12, 1833

November 21, 1833
(successor took office)
Whig President of
the Senate
acting
9 Hiram Runnels
(1796–1857)
November 21, 1833

November 21, 1835
(lost election)
Democratic 1833
10 John A. Quitman
(1798–1858)
December 3, 1835

January 7, 1836
(successor took office)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting
11 Charles Lynch
(1783–1853)
January 7, 1836

January 8, 1838
(did not run)
Whig 1835
12 Alexander G. McNutt
(1802–1848)
January 8, 1838

January 9, 1842
(term-limited)
Democratic 1837
1839
13 Tilghman Tucker
(1802–1859)
January 10, 1842

January 10, 1844
(lost nomination)
Democratic 1841
14 Albert G. Brown
(1813–1880)
January 10, 1844

January 10, 1848
(term-limited)
Democratic 1843
1845
15 Joseph W. Matthews
(1812–1862)
January 10, 1848

January 10, 1850
(did not run)
Democratic 1847
16 John A. Quitman
(1798–1858)
January 10, 1850

February 3, 1851
(resigned)
Democratic 1849
17 John Isaac Guion
(1802–1855)
February 3, 1851

November 4, 1851
(senate term expired)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting
18 James Whitfield
(1791–1875)
November 25, 1851

January 10, 1852
(successor took office)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting
19 Henry S. Foote
(1804–1880)
January 10, 1852

January 5, 1854
(resigned)
Union
Democratic
1851
20 John J. Pettus
(1813–1867)
January 5, 1854

January 10, 1854
(successor took office)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting
21 John J. McRae
(1815–1868)
January 10, 1854

November 16, 1857
(term-limited)
Democratic 1853
1855
22 William McWillie
(1795–1869)
November 16, 1857

November 21, 1859
(did not run)
Democratic 1857
23 John J. Pettus
(1813–1867)
November 21, 1859

November 16, 1863
(term-limited)
Democratic 1859
1861
24 Charles Clark
(1811–1877)
November 16, 1863

May 22, 1865
(arrested and removed)
Democratic 1863
25 William L. Sharkey
(1798–1873)
June 13, 1865

October 16, 1865
(successor took office)
Provisional governor
appointed by President
26 Benjamin G. Humphreys
(1808–1882)
October 16, 1865

June 15, 1868
(removed)
Non-partisan 1865
27 Adelbert Ames
(1835–1933)
June 15, 1868

March 10, 1870
(state readmitted)
Provisional governor
appointed by military occupation
28 James L. Alcorn
(1816–1894)
March 10, 1870

November 30, 1871
(resigned)
Republican 1869 Ridgley C. Powers
29 Ridgley C. Powers
(1836–1912)
November 30, 1871

January 22, 1874
(successor took office)
Republican Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
30 Adelbert Ames
(1835–1933)
January 22, 1874

March 29, 1876
(resigned)
Republican 1873 Alexander Kelso Davis
(impeached and removed)
Vacant
31 John Marshall Stone
(1830–1900)
March 29, 1876

January 9, 1882
(lost nomination)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting
1877 William H. Sims
32 Robert Lowry
(1829–1910)
January 9, 1882

January 13, 1890
(did not run)
Democratic 1881 G. D. Shands
1885
33 John Marshall Stone
(1830–1900)
January 13, 1890

January 21, 1896
(term-limited)
Democratic 1889 M. M. Evans
34 Anselm J. McLaurin
(1848–1909)
January 21, 1896

January 16, 1900
(term-limited)
Democratic 1895 J. H. Jones
35 Andrew H. Longino
(1854–1942)
January 16, 1900

January 19, 1904
(term-limited)
Democratic 1899 James T. Harrison
36 James K. Vardaman
(1861–1930)
January 19, 1904

January 21, 1908
(term-limited)
Democratic 1903 John Prentiss Carter
37 Edmond Noel
(1856–1927)
January 21, 1908

January 16, 1912
(term-limited)
Democratic 1907 Luther Manship
38 Earl L. Brewer
(1869–1942)
January 16, 1912

January 18, 1916
(term-limited)
Democratic 1911 Theodore G. Bilbo
39 Theodore G. Bilbo
(1877–1947)
January 18, 1916

January 18, 1920
(term-limited)
Democratic 1915 Lee M. Russell
40 Lee M. Russell
(1875–1943)
January 20, 1920

January 22, 1924
(term-limited)
Democratic 1919 Homer Casteel
41 Henry L. Whitfield
(1868–1927)
January 22, 1924

March 18, 1927
(died in office)
Democratic 1923 Dennis Murphree
42 Dennis Murphree
(1886–1949)
March 18, 1927

January 17, 1928
(lost nomination)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
43 Theodore G. Bilbo
(1877–1947)
January 17, 1928

January 19, 1932
(term-limited)
Democratic 1927 Bidwell Adam
44 Martin Sennet Conner
(1891–1950)
January 19, 1932

January 21, 1936
(term-limited)
Democratic 1931 Dennis Murphree
45 Hugh L. White
(1881–1965)
January 21, 1936

January 16, 1940
(term-limited)
Democratic 1935 Jacob Buehler Snider
46 Paul B. Johnson Sr.
(1880–1943)
January 16, 1940

December 26, 1943
(died in office)
Democratic 1939 Dennis Murphree
47 Dennis Murphree
(1886–1949)
December 26, 1943

January 18, 1944
(successor took office)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
48 Thomas L. Bailey
(1888–1946)
January 18, 1944

November 2, 1946
(died in office)
Democratic 1943 Fielding L. Wright
49 Fielding L. Wright
(1895–1956)
November 2, 1946

January 22, 1952
(term-limited)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
50 1947 Sam Lumpkin
51 Hugh L. White
(1881–1965)
January 22, 1952

January 17, 1956
(term-limited)
Democratic 1951 Carroll Gartin
52 James P. Coleman
(1914–1991)
January 17, 1956

January 19, 1960
(term-limited)
Democratic 1955
53 Ross Barnett
(1898–1987)
January 19, 1960

January 21, 1964
(term-limited)
Democratic 1959 Paul B. Johnson Jr.
54 Paul B. Johnson Jr.
(1916–1985)
January 21, 1964

January 16, 1968
(term-limited)
Democratic 1963 Carroll Gartin
(died December 19, 1966)
Vacant
55 John Bell Williams
(1918–1983)
January 16, 1968

January 18, 1972
(term-limited)
Democratic 1967 Charles L. Sullivan
56 Bill Waller
(1926–2011)
January 18, 1972

January 20, 1976
(term-limited)
Democratic 1971 William F. Winter
57 Cliff Finch
(1927–1986)
January 20, 1976

January 22, 1980
(term-limited)
Democratic 1975 Evelyn Gandy
58 William F. Winter
(1923–2020)
January 22, 1980

January 10, 1984
(term-limited)
Democratic 1979 Brad Dye
59 William Allain
(1928–2013)
January 10, 1984

January 12, 1988
(did not run)
Democratic 1983
60 Ray Mabus
(b. 1948)
January 12, 1988

January 14, 1992
(lost election)
Democratic 1987
61 Kirk Fordice
(1934–2004)
January 14, 1992

January 11, 2000
(term-limited)
Republican 1991 Eddie Briggs
1995 Ronnie Musgrove
62 Ronnie Musgrove
(b. 1956)
January 11, 2000

January 13, 2004
(lost election)
Democratic 1999 Amy Tuck
63 Haley Barbour
(b. 1947)
January 13, 2004

January 10, 2012
(term-limited)
Republican 2003
2007 Phil Bryant
64 Phil Bryant
(b. 1954)
January 10, 2012

January 14, 2020
(term-limited)
Republican 2011 Tate Reeves
2015
65 Tate Reeves
(b. 1974)
January 14, 2020

Incumbent
Republican 2019 Delbert Hosemann
2023

See also


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