List of governors of Nebraska
Governor of Nebraska | |
---|---|
Incumbent Pete Ricketts since January 8, 2015 | |
Style | The Honorable |
Residence | Nebraska Governor's Mansion |
Term length | 4 years, renewable once |
Inaugural holder | David Butler |
Formation | Constitution of Nebraska |
Salary | $105,000 (2013)[1] |
The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential elections. He or she may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. The current officeholder is Pete Ricketts, a Republican, who was sworn in on January 8, 2015. The current Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska is Mike Foley, who also assumed office on January 8, 2015.
Governors of Nebraska must be at least 30 years old and have been citizens and residents of the state for five years before being elected. Before 1966, the governor was elected to a two-year term. In 1962, a constitutional amendment extended the gubernatorial term to four years, effective with the 1966 election. In 1966, another amendment imposed a term limit of two consecutive terms. The lieutenant governor is subject to the same limitations and runs on a combined ticket with the governor. Charles W. Bryan is the only Governor of Nebraska to serve non-consecutive terms. Dave Heineman holds the record as Nebraska's longest-serving Governor with 10 years.
If the governor becomes incapacitated or is out of the state, the lieutenant governor acts as governor; if there is a vacancy or permanent incapacitation, the lieutenant governor becomes governor and serves the balance of the term. However, if both offices become vacant, the next person in the line of succession is the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature.
Territorial governors[]
- See List of governors of Missouri for the period from 1805 to 1821. Between 1821 and 1854, the land was unorganized territory.
Before statehood, governors were appointed to a four-year term by the President of the United States.[A]
- Parties
Democratic (8) Republican (2)
# | Governor (Birth–Death) |
Party | Took office | Left office | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
William Walker (1800–1874) |
July 23, 1853 | October 16, 1854 | Not recognized by the federal government | ||||
1 | Francis Burt (1807–1854) |
Democratic | October 16, 1854 | October 18, 1854 | Died | ||
Thomas B. Cuming (1827–1858) |
Democratic | October 18, 1854 | February 23, 1855 | Acting | |||
2 | Mark W. Izard (1799–1866) |
Democratic | February 23, 1855 | October 25, 1857 | Resigned | ||
Thomas B. Cuming (1827–1858) |
Democratic | October 25, 1857 | January 12, 1858 | Acting | |||
3 | William A. Richardson (1811–1875) |
Democratic | January 12, 1858 | December 5, 1858 | Resigned | ||
J. Sterling Morton (1832–1902) |
Democratic | December 5, 1858 | May 2, 1859 | Acting | |||
4 | Samuel W. Black (1816–1862) |
Democratic | May 2, 1859 | February 24, 1861 | Resigned | ||
J. Sterling Morton (1832–1902) |
Democratic | February 24, 1861 | March 6, 1861 | Acting | |||
Algernon S. Paddock (1830–1897) |
Republican | March 6, 1861 | May 15, 1861 | Acting | |||
5 | Alvin Saunders (1817–1899) |
Republican | May 15, 1861 | March 1, 1867 |
State governors[]
Popularly elected, beginning in 1866, to a two-year term. In 1962, the voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding terms beginning in 1966 to four years. In 1966, the voters limited the number of consecutive full terms that any one governor could serve to two (i.e. only one possible re-election while still in office after election to a full term.)[B]
- Parties
Republican (26) Democratic (12) Fusion (Democratic/Populist) (2)
# | Governor (Birth–Death) |
Party | Took office | Left office | Lt. Governor | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | David Butler (1829–1891) |
Republican | February 21, 1867 | June 2, 1871 | None | [2] | ||
William H. James (1831–1920) |
Republican | June 2, 1871 | January 13, 1873 | None | Secretary of State[3] | |||
2 | Robert Wilkinson Furnas (1824–1905) |
Republican | January 13, 1873 | January 11, 1875 | None | |||
3 | Silas Garber (1833–1905) |
Republican | January 11, 1875 | January 9, 1879 | None Othman A. Abbott |
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4 | Albinus Nance (1848–1911) |
Republican | January 9, 1879 | January 4, 1883 | Edmund C. Carns | |||
5 | James W. Dawes (1844–1918) |
Republican | January 4, 1883 | January 6, 1887 | Alfred W. Agee Hibbard H. Shedd |
|||
6 | John Milton Thayer (1820–1906) |
Republican | January 6, 1887 | February 8, 1892 | Hibbard H. Shedd George D. Meiklejohn Thomas J. Majors |
[4] | ||
7 | James E. Boyd (1834–1906) |
Democratic | February 8, 1892 | January 13, 1893 | Thomas J. Majors | [4] | ||
8 | Lorenzo Crounse (1834–1909) |
Republican | January 13, 1893 | January 3, 1895 | Thomas J. Majors | |||
9 | Silas A. Holcomb (1858–1920) |
Fusion (Democratic/Populist) |
January 3, 1895 | January 5, 1899 | Robert E. Moore James E. Harris |
|||
10 | William A. Poynter (1848–1909) |
Fusion (Democratic/Populist) |
January 5, 1899 | January 3, 1901 | Edward A. Gilbert | |||
11 | Charles H. Dietrich (1853–1924) |
Republican | January 3, 1901 | May 1, 1901 | Ezra P. Savage | Resigned[5] | ||
12 | Ezra P. Savage (1842–1920) |
Republican | May 1, 1901 | January 8, 1903 | None | Lieutenant Governor[6] | ||
13 | John H. Mickey (1845–1910) |
Republican | January 8, 1903 | January 3, 1907 | Edmund G. McGilton | |||
14 | George L. Sheldon (1870–1960) |
Republican | January 3, 1907 | January 7, 1909 | Melville R. Hopewell | |||
15 | Ashton C. Shallenberger (1862–1938) |
Democratic | January 7, 1909 | January 5, 1911 | Melville R. Hopewell | |||
16 | Chester H. Aldrich (1863–1924) |
Republican | January 5, 1911 | January 9, 1913 | Melville R. Hopewell | |||
17 | John H. Morehead (1861–1942) |
Democratic | January 9, 1913 | January 4, 1917 | Samuel R. McKelvie (Republican) James Pearson (Democratic) |
|||
18 | Keith Neville (1884–1959) |
Democratic | January 4, 1917 | January 9, 1919 | Edgar Howard | |||
19 | Samuel R. McKelvie (1881–1956) |
Republican | January 9, 1919 | January 3, 1923 | Pelham A. Barrows | |||
20 | Charles W. Bryan (1867–1945) |
Democratic | January 3, 1923 | January 8, 1925 | Fred Gustus Johnson (Republican) | |||
21 | Adam McMullen (1872–1959) |
Republican | January 8, 1925 | January 3, 1929 | George A. Williams | |||
22 | Arthur J. Weaver (1873–1945) |
Republican | January 3, 1929 | January 8, 1931 | George A. Williams | |||
23 | Charles W. Bryan (1867–1945) |
Democratic | January 8, 1931 | January 3, 1935 | Theodore Metcalfe (Republican) Walter H. Jurgensen (Democratic) |
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24 | Robert Leroy Cochran (1886–1963) |
Democratic | January 3, 1935 | January 9, 1941 | Walter H. Jurgensen (Democratic) Nate M. Parsons (Democratic) William E. Johnson (Republican) |
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25 | Dwight Griswold (1893–1954) |
Republican | January 9, 1941 | January 9, 1947 | William E. Johnson Roy W. Johnson |
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26 | Val Peterson (1903–1983) |
Republican | January 9, 1947 | January 8, 1953 | Robert B. Crosby Charles J. Warner |
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27 | Robert B. Crosby (1911–2000) |
Republican | January 8, 1953 | January 6, 1955 | Charles J. Warner | |||
28 | Victor E. Anderson (1902–1962) |
Republican | January 6, 1955 | January 8, 1959 | Charles J. Warner Dwight W. Burney |
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29 | Ralph G. Brooks (1898–1960) |
Democratic | January 8, 1959 | September 9, 1960 | Dwight W. Burney | Died[7] | ||
30 | Dwight W. Burney (1892–1987) |
Republican | September 9, 1960 | January 5, 1961 | Dwight W. Burney | Lieutenant Governor[6] | ||
31 | Frank B. Morrison (1905–2004) |
Democratic | January 5, 1961 | January 5, 1967 | Dwight W. Burney (Republican) Philip C. Sorensen (Democratic) |
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32 | Norbert Tiemann (1924–2012) |
Republican | January 5, 1967 | January 7, 1971 | John E. Everroad | |||
33 | J. James Exon (1921–2005) |
Democratic | January 7, 1971 | January 4, 1979 | Frank Marsh (Republican) Gerald T. Whelan (Democratic) |
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34 | Charles Thone (1924–2018) |
Republican | January 4, 1979 | January 6, 1983 | Roland A. Luedtke | |||
35 | J. Robert Kerrey (b. 1943) |
Democratic | January 6, 1983 | January 9, 1987 | Donald F. McGinley | |||
36 | Kay A. Orr (b. 1939) |
Republican | January 9, 1987 | January 9, 1991 | William E. Nichol | [8] | ||
37 | Ben Nelson (b. 1941) |
Democratic | January 9, 1991 | January 7, 1999 | Maxine B. Moul Kim M. Robak |
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38 | Mike Johanns (b. 1950) |
Republican | January 7, 1999 | January 20, 2005 | David I. Maurstad Dave Heineman |
Resigned[9] | ||
39 | Dave Heineman (b. 1948) |
Republican | January 20, 2005 | January 8, 2015 | Rick Sheehy Lavon Heidemann John E. Nelson |
Lieutenant Governor[10] | ||
40 | Pete Ricketts (b. 1964) |
Republican | January 8, 2015 | Incumbent[11] | Mike Foley |
Notes[]
- ^ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ Elected, but not inaugurated, before Nebraska's statehood. Impeached and removed from office for misappropriation of state funds; the impeachment was expunged six years later.
- ^ As state secretary of state, acted as governor for unexpired term.
- ^ Jump up to: a b James Boyd won the 1890 election, and was sworn in on January 8, 1891. However, due to a question of his U.S. citizenship and eligibility for the office, he did not take office until February 8, 1892.
- ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Jump up to: a b As lieutenant governor, became governor for unexpired term.
- ^ Died in office.
- ^ First and (as of June 2016) only female governor of Nebraska
- ^ Resigned to become United States Secretary of Agriculture.
- ^ As lieutenant governor, succeeded to the office of governor for Johann's unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
- ^ Ricketts's second term began on January 10, 2019 and will expire on January 12, 2023; he will be term-limited.
Succession[]
Other high offices held[]
This is a table of other governorships, congressional seats and other national public offices held by governors of Nebraska. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Nebraska except where noted.
- * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
- p. = Political Party; D = Democrat; R = Republican;
- the footnotes [P 1], etc., indicate the presidential administration(s) under which an unelected Federal office was held (see Appointing presidents below the table).
Name | p. | Service as Governor |
U.S. Congress | Other offices held (beyond Nebraska) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
House | Senate | ||||
William A. Richardson | D | 1858 (territorial) | U.S. Representative & Senator from Illinois (D, 1847–1856; 1861-1865) | ||
J. Sterling Morton | D | 1858–1859 1861 (territorial) |
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture[P 1] | ||
Algernon Paddock | R | 1861 (territorial) | S | ||
Alvin Saunders | R | 1861–1867 (territorial) | S | ||
John Milton Thayer | R | 1887–1892 | S | Governor of Wyoming Territory (1875-1878) [P 2] | |
Lorenzo Crounse | R | 1893–1895 | H | ||
Charles Henry Dietrich | R | 1901 | S * | ||
Ashton C. Shallenberger | D | 1909–1911 | H | ||
John H. Morehead | D | 1913–1917 | H | ||
Charles W. Bryan | D | 1923–1925 1931–1935 |
1924 Democratic nominee for Vice President (lost) | ||
Robert Leroy Cochran | D | 1935–1941 | Ambassador (UNRRA; Am. Mission for Aid to Greece)[P 3][C] | ||
Dwight Griswold | R | 1941–1947 | S | ||
Val Peterson | R | 1947–1953 | Ambassador to Denmark;[P 4] Ambassador to Finland[P 5] | ||
J. James Exon | D | 1971–1979 | S | ||
Charles Thone | R | 1979–1983 | H | ||
Bob Kerrey | D | 1983–1987 | S | ||
Ben Nelson | D | 1991–1999 | S | ||
Mike Johanns | R | 1999–2005 | S | U.S. Secretary of Agriculture * [P 6] |
Appointing presidents[]
Living former governors of Nebraska[]
As of January 2019, 5 former U.S. governors of Nebraska are still living. The oldest of these is Kay A. Orr (born 1939; served 1987–1991). The most recent Governor to die was Charles Thone (born 1924; served 1979–1983), on March 7, 2018.
Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Bob Kerrey | 1983–1987 | August 27, 1943 |
Kay A. Orr | 1987–1991 | January 2, 1939 |
Ben Nelson | 1991–1999 | May 17, 1941 |
Mike Johanns | 1999–2005 | June 18, 1950 |
Dave Heineman | 2005–2015 | May 12, 1948 |
See also[]
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Nebraska
- United States congressional delegations from Nebraska
- Political party strength in Nebraska
References[]
- ^ 2012-13 Nebraska Blue Book (Nebraska State Government) Archived 2013-05-15 at the Wayback Machine, page 418
- ^ 2012-13 Nebraska Blue Book Archived 2013-05-15 at the Wayback Machine, pages 418–419
- ^ Nebraska Governor Robert Leroy (Roy) Cochran at the National Governors Association web site, retrieved May 27, 2013.
External links[]
- Semi-Centennial History of Nebraska (1904)
- Nebraska Blue Book
- specifically (in the 2012-13 Blue Book), State Executive Branch (PDF), page 421, "Nebraska Governors, 1854–2013"
- Lists of state governors of the United States
- Governors of Nebraska
- Lists of Nebraska politicians