List of governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
Head of state and of government the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands
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The following is a list of persons who served as governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The term of office is 4 years. The longest-serving governors in the territory's history are Pedro Tenorio, who served 12 years in office from 1982 to 1990 and from 1998 to 2002, and Benigno Fitial, who served 7 years, one month, and 11 days from 2006 to 2013. The Northern Mariana Islands is one of the few U.S. states or territories that currently does not have a governor's mansion or other official residence.
| Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | |
|---|---|
| |
| Residence | Juan A. Sablan Memorial Bldg. |
| Term length | 4 years single term, eligible for second. |
| Inaugural holder | Carlos S. Camacho |
| Formation | January 9, 1978 |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands |
| Salary | $120,000 per year[1] |
| Website | governor |
The current governor is David M. Apatang, since July 23, 2025.
List
- Parties
Democratic (2) Republican (7) Covenant (1) Independent (2)
Resident Commissioners
| No. | Portrait | Officeholder (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) |
Erwin Canham (1904–1982) |
July 19, 1975 | January 9, 1978 | Republican | |
Governors
| No. | Portrait | Officeholder (Birth–Death) |
Elected | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Carlos S. Camacho (born 1937) |
1977 | January 9, 1978 | January 11, 1982 | Democratic | |
| 2 |  |
Pedro Tenorio (1934–2018) |
1981
1985 |
January 11, 1982 | January 8, 1990 | Republican | |
| 3 |  |
Lorenzo I. De Leon Guerrero (1935–2006) |
1989 | January 8, 1990 | January 10, 1994 | Republican | |
| 4 |  |
Froilan Tenorio (1939–2020) |
1993 | January 10, 1994 | January 12, 1998 | Democratic | |
| 5 | |
Pedro Tenorio (1934–2018) |
1997 | January 12, 1998 | January 14, 2002 | Republican | |
| 6 | .jpg) |
Juan Babauta (born 1953) |
2001 | January 14, 2002 | January 9, 2006 | Republican | |
| 7 |  |
Benigno Fitial (born 1945) |
2005
|
January 9, 2006 | February 20, 2013[b] | Covenant (2006–2011)[c] | |
| Republican (2011–2013) | |||||||
| 8 |  |
Eloy Inos (1949–2015) |
–
|
February 20, 2013[d] | December 29, 2015[e] | Covenant (2013) | |
| Republican (2013–2015)[f] | |||||||
| 9 |  |
Ralph Torres (born 1979) |
–
|
December 29, 2015[g] | January 9, 2023 | Republican | |
| 10 |  |
Arnold Palacios (1955–2025) |
2022 | January 9, 2023 | July 23, 2025[h] | Independent (2023–2024) | |
| Republican (2024–2025)[i] | |||||||
| 11 |  |
David M. Apatang (born 1948) |
– | July 23, 2025[j] | Incumbent | Independent | |
Succession
See also
Footnotes
- Fitial resigned following impeachment by the House of Representatives and prior to likely conviction in an impeachment trial by the Senate.[3][4]
- As lieutenant governor, Inos became governor following the resignation of Benigno Fitial.[3][4]
- As lieutenant governor, Torres became governor following the death of Eloy Inos.[6][7]
- As lieutenant governor, Apatang became governor following the death of Arnold Palacios.[9]