List of governors of Delaware

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Governor of Delaware (known as the President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of government of Delaware 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 Delaware Legislature, to convene the legislature,[2] and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons.[3]

StyleThe Honorable
ResidenceDelaware Governor's Mansion
Dover, Delaware
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
Inaugural holderJohn McKinly
Quick facts Governor of Delaware, Style ...
Governor of Delaware
Great Seal of the State of Delaware
Incumbent
Matt Meyer
since January 21, 2025
Government of Delaware
StyleThe Honorable
ResidenceDelaware Governor's Mansion
Dover, Delaware
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
Inaugural holderJohn McKinly
FormationFebruary 12, 1777
SuccessionLine of succession
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Delaware
Salary$171,000 (2013)[1]
Websitegovernor.delaware.gov
Close

There have been 71 people who have served as governor, over 74 distinct terms. Three (Joseph Haslet, Charles Polk Jr. and Elbert N. Carvel) served non-consecutive terms. Additionally, Henry Molleston was elected, but died before he could take office. Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms, with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner, who was elected twice after succeeding to the office, serving a total of just over eight years. The shortest term is that of Bethany Hall-Long, who served 15 days following her predecessor's resignation; Dale E. Wolf served 18 days and David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances. The current governor is Democrat Matt Meyer, who took office on January 21, 2025.

Governors

Before 1776, Delaware was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, administered by colonial governors in Pennsylvania as the "Lower Counties on Delaware".

In 1776, soon after Delaware and the other Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Britain, the state adopted its first state constitution. It created the office of President of Delaware, a chief executive to be chosen by the legislature to serve a term of three years, who would be ineligible to be president again until three years had passed after leaving office.[4]

The office of President was renamed Governor by the constitution of 1792,[5] which set the commencement date of the term to the third Tuesday in the January following an election, and limited governors to serving only three out of any six years.[6] The term was lengthened to four years by the 1831 constitution, but governors were limited to a single term.[7] The current constitution of 1897 allows governors to serve two terms.[8]

The 1776 constitution stated that if the presidency were vacant, the speaker of the legislative council would be a vice-president.[9] The 1792 constitution has the speaker of the senate exercising the office when it is vacant, and the 1897 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor,[10] upon whom the office devolves in case of vacancy.[11] The offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket.

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of Delaware
No.[a] Governor[b] Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[c][d]
1   John McKinly
(1721–1796)
[13][14][15]		 February 21, 1777[16]
–
September 12, 1777[e]
(204 days;
arrested and removed)[f]		 No parties 1777 Office did not exist
2 Thomas McKean
(1734–1817)
[20][14][21]		 September 12, 1777[22]
–
October 20, 1777
(39 days; succeeded)		 Speaker of the
Assembly
acting as
vice-president[g]
3 George Read
(1733–1798)
[24][14][25]		 October 20, 1777[22]
–
March 31, 1778
(163 days; retired)		 Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
vice-president[g]
4 Caesar Rodney
(1728–1784)
[26][14][27]		 March 31, 1778[22]
–
November 13, 1781[h]
(1324 days; term-limited)[i]		 1778
5 John Dickinson
(1732–1808)
[29][14][30]		 November 13, 1781[j]
–
January 13, 1783
(427 days; resigned)[k]		 1781
6 John Cook
(1730–1789)
[34][14][35]		 January 13, 1783[33]
–
February 8, 1783
(27 days; retired)		 Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
vice-president
7 Nicholas Van Dyke
(1738–1789)
[36][14][37]		 February 8, 1783[38]
–
October 28, 1786
(1359 days; term-limited)[i]		 1783
(special)
8 Thomas Collins
(1732–1789)
[39][40][41]		 October 28, 1786[42]
–
March 29, 1789
(884 days; died in office)		 1786
9 Jehu Davis
(1738–1802)
[43][44][45]		 March 29, 1789[22]
–
June 2, 1789
(66 days; retired)		 Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
vice-president
10 Joshua Clayton
(1744–1798)
[46][47][44][48]		 June 2, 1789[49]
–
January 13, 1796
(2417 days; term-limited)[l][m]		 Federalist[52] 1789
1792
11 Gunning Bedford Sr.
(1742–1797)
[53][54][44][55]		 January 13, 1796[22]
–
September 28, 1797
(625 days; died in office)[n]		 Federalist[57] 1795
12 Daniel Rogers
(1754–1806)
[58][59][44][56]		 September 28, 1797[n]
–
January 9, 1799
(469 days; retired)		 Federalist[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
13 Richard Bassett
(1745–1815)
[60][61][44][62]		 January 9, 1799[o]
–
March 3, 1801
(784 days; resigned)[p]		 Federalist[57] 1798
14 James Sykes
(1761–1822)
[65][66][44][63]		 March 3, 1801[22]
–
January 19, 1802
(323 days; retired)		 Federalist[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
15 David Hall
(1752–1817)
[67][68][69][70]		 January 19, 1802[71]
–
January 15, 1805
(1093 days; term-limited)[m]		 Democratic-
Republican[57]		 1801
16 Nathaniel Mitchell
(1753–1814)
[72][73][74][75]		 January 15, 1805[76]
–
January 19, 1808
(1100 days; term-limited)[m]		 Federalist[57] 1804
17 George Truitt
(1756–1818)
[77][78][74][79]		 January 19, 1808[80]
–
January 15, 1811
(1093 days; term-limited)[m]		 Federalist[57] 1807
18 Joseph Haslet
(1769–1823)
[81][82][74][83]		 January 15, 1811[84]
–
January 18, 1814
(1100 days; term-limited)[m]		 Democratic-
Republican[57]		 1810
19 Daniel Rodney
(1764–1846)
[85][86][74][83]		 January 18, 1814[87]
–
January 21, 1817
(1100 days; term-limited)[m]		 Federalist[57] 1813
20 John Clark
(1761–1821)
[88][89][74][90]		 January 21, 1817[91]
–
January 15, 1820
(1090 days; resigned)[q]		 Federalist[94] 1816
— Henry Molleston
(1762–1819)
[88][74]		 Died before
taking office[q]		 Federalist[94] 1819
21 Jacob Stout
(1764–1855)
[95][96][74][97]		 January 15, 1820[92]
–
January 16, 1821
(368 days; retired)		 Federalist[95] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
22 John Collins
(1776–1822)
[98][99][74][100]		 January 16, 1821[101]
–
April 16, 1822
(456 days; died in office)		 Democratic-
Republican[94]		 1820
(special)[r]
23 Caleb Rodney
(1767–1840)
[102][103][74][100]		 April 16, 1822[s]
–
January 21, 1823
(218 days; retired)		 Federalist[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
24 Joseph Haslet
(1769–1823)
[81][82][74][100]		 January 21, 1823[t]
–
June 20, 1823
(151 days; died in office)		 Democratic-
Republican[94]		 1822
25 Charles Thomas
(1790–1848)
[106][107][74][108]		 June 20, 1823[u]
–
January 20, 1824
(215 days; retired)		 Democratic-
Republican[52]		 Speaker of
the Senate
acting
26 Samuel Paynter
(1768–1845)
[106][110][74][111]		 January 20, 1824[112]
–
January 16, 1827
(1093 days; term-limited)[m]		 Federalist[94] 1823
(special)[v]
27 Charles Polk Jr.
(1788–1857)
[113][114][115][116]		 January 16, 1827[117]
–
January 19, 1830
(1100 days; term-limited)[m]		 Federalist[94] 1826
28 David Hazzard
(1781–1864)
[118][119][120][121]		 January 19, 1830[122]
–
January 15, 1833
(1093 days; term-limited)[w]		 National
Republican[94]		 1829
29 Caleb P. Bennett
(1758–1836)
[124][125][120][126]		 January 15, 1833[127]
–
May 9, 1836
(1211 days; died in office)		 Democratic[94] 1832[x]
30 Charles Polk Jr.
(1788–1857)
[113][114][120][128]		 May 9, 1836[129]
–
January 17, 1837
(254 days; retired)		 Whig[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
31 Cornelius P. Comegys
(1780–1851)
[130][131][120][132]		 January 17, 1837[133]
–
January 19, 1841
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Whig[94] 1836
32 William B. Cooper
(1771–1849)
[134][135][120][136]		 January 19, 1841[137]
–
January 21, 1845
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Whig[94] 1840
33 Thomas Stockton
(1781–1846)
[138][139][140][141]		 January 21, 1845[142]
–
March 2, 1846
(406 days; died in office)		 Whig[94] 1844
34 Joseph Maull
(1781–1846)
[143][144][145][146]		 March 2, 1846[147]
–
May 3, 1846
(63 days; died in office)		 Whig[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
35 William Temple
(1814–1863)
[148][149][145][150]		 May 3, 1846[y]
–
January 19, 1847
(262 days; retired)		 Whig[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
36 William Tharp
(1803–1865)
[152][153][145][154]		 January 19, 1847[155]
–
January 21, 1851
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[156] 1846
(special)[z]
37 William H. H. Ross
(1814–1887)
[157][158][145][159]		 January 21, 1851[160]
–
January 16, 1855
(1457 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[156] 1850
38 Peter F. Causey
(1801–1871)
[161][162][145][163]		 January 16, 1855[164]
–
January 18, 1859
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 American[156] 1854
39 William Burton
(1789–1866)
[165][166][145][167]		 January 18, 1859[168]
–
January 20, 1863
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[156] 1858
40 William Cannon
(1809–1865)
[169][170][145][171]		 January 20, 1863[172]
–
March 1, 1865
(772 days; died in office)		 Union[173] 1862
41 Gove Saulsbury
(1815–1881)
[174][175][145][176]		 March 1, 1865[177]
–
January 17, 1871
(2149 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
1866
42 James Ponder
(1819–1897)
[178][179][180][181]		 January 17, 1871[182]
–
January 19, 1875
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1870
43 John P. Cochran
(1809–1898)
[183][184][180][185]		 January 19, 1875[186]
–
January 21, 1879
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1874
44 John W. Hall
(1817–1892)
[187][188][180][189]		 January 21, 1879[190]
–
January 16, 1883
(1457 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1878
45 Charles C. Stockley
(1819–1901)
[191][192][180][193]		 January 16, 1883[194]
–
January 18, 1887
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1882
46 Benjamin T. Biggs
(1821–1893)
[195][196][180][197]		 January 18, 1887[198]
–
January 20, 1891
(1464 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1886
47 Robert J. Reynolds
(1838–1909)
[199][200][180][201]		 January 20, 1891[202]
–
January 15, 1895
(1457 days; term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[52] 1890
48 Joshua H. Marvil
(1825–1895)
[203][204][180][205]		 January 15, 1895[206]
–
April 8, 1895
(84 days; died in office)		 Republican[52] 1894
49 William T. Watson
(1849–1917)
[207][208][180][209]		 April 8, 1895[210]
–
January 19, 1897
(653 days; retired)		 Democratic[52] Speaker of
the Senate
acting
50 Ebe W. Tunnell
(1844–1917)
[211][212][180][213]		 January 19, 1897[214]
–
January 15, 1901
(1457 days; retired)		 Democratic[52] 1896[aa]
51 John Hunn
(1849–1926)
[216][217][218]		 January 15, 1901[219]
–
January 17, 1905
(1464 days; retired)		 Republican[50] 1900   Philip L. Cannon
52 Preston Lea
(1841–1916)
[220][221][222]		 January 17, 1905[223]
–
January 19, 1909
(1464 days; retired)		 Republican[50] 1904 Isaac T. Parker
53 Simeon S. Pennewill
(1867–1935)
[224][225]		 January 19, 1909[226]
–
January 21, 1913
(1464 days; retired)		 Republican[50] 1908 John M. Mendinhall
54 Charles R. Miller
(1857–1927)
[227][228]		 January 21, 1913[229]
–
January 16, 1917
(1457 days; retired)[227]		 Republican[227] 1912 Colen Ferguson[ab]
55 John G. Townsend Jr.
(1871–1964)
[230][231]		 January 16, 1917[232]
–
January 18, 1921
(1464 days; retired)[230]		 Republican[50] 1916 Lewis E. Eliason[ab]
56 William D. Denney
(1873–1953)
[233][234]		 January 18, 1921[235]
–
January 20, 1925
(1464 days; retired)		 Republican[50] 1920 J. Danforth Bush
57 Robert P. Robinson
(1869–1939)
[236][237]		 January 20, 1925[238]
–
January 15, 1929
(1457 days; retired)[236]		 Republican[50] 1924 James H. Anderson
58 C. Douglass Buck
(1890–1965)
[239][240]		 January 15, 1929[241]
–
January 19, 1937
(2927 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Republican[50] 1928 James H. Hazel
1932 Roy F. Corley
59 Richard McMullen
(1868–1944)
[243][244]		 January 19, 1937[245]
–
January 21, 1941
(1464 days; retired)		 Democratic[50] 1936 Edward W. Cooch
60 Walter W. Bacon
(1880–1962)
[246][247]		 January 21, 1941[248]
–
January 18, 1949
(2920 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Republican[50] 1940 Isaac J. MacCollum[ab]
1944 Elbert N. Carvel[ab]
61 Elbert N. Carvel
(1910–2005)
[249][250]		 January 18, 1949[251]
–
January 20, 1953
(1464 days; lost election)		 Democratic[50] 1948 Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
62 J. Caleb Boggs
(1909–1993)
[252][253]		 January 20, 1953[254]
–
December 30, 1960
(2902 days; resigned)[ad]		 Republican[50] 1952 John W. Rollins
1956 David P. Buckson
63 David P. Buckson
(1920–2017)
[255][256]		 December 30, 1960[257]
–
January 17, 1961
(19 days; succeeded)		 Republican[50] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
64 Elbert N. Carvel
(1910–2005)
[249][250]		 January 17, 1961[258]
–
January 19, 1965
(1464 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Democratic[50] 1960 Eugene Lammot
65 Charles L. Terry Jr.
(1900–1970)
[259][260]		 January 19, 1965[261]
–
January 21, 1969
(1464 days; lost election)		 Democratic[50] 1964 Sherman W. Tribbitt
66 Russell W. Peterson
(1916–2011)
[262][263]		 January 21, 1969[264]
–
January 16, 1973
(1457 days; lost election)		 Republican[50] 1968 Eugene Bookhammer[ae]
67 Sherman W. Tribbitt
(1922–2010)
[265][266]		 January 16, 1973[267]
–
January 18, 1977
(1464 days; lost election)		 Democratic[50] 1972
68 Pete du Pont
(1935–2021)
[268][269]		 January 18, 1977[270]
–
January 15, 1985
(2920 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Republican[269] 1976 James D. McGinnis[ab]
1980 Mike Castle
69 Mike Castle
(1939–2025)
[271]		 January 15, 1985[272]
–
January 2, 1993
(2910 days; resigned)[af]		 Republican[271] 1984 Shien Biau Woo[ab]
1988 Dale E. Wolf
70 Dale E. Wolf
(1924–2021)
[273]		 January 3, 1993[ag]
–
January 19, 1993
(17 days; succeeded)		 Republican[273] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
71 Tom Carper
(b. 1947)
[275]		 January 19, 1993[276]
–
January 3, 2001
(2907 days; resigned)[ah]		 Democratic[275] 1992 Ruth Ann Minner
1996
72 Ruth Ann Minner
(1935–2021)
[278]		 January 3, 2001[279]
–
January 20, 2009
(2940 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Democratic[278] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
2000 John Carney
2004
73 Jack Markell
(b. 1960)
[280]		 January 20, 2009[281]
–
January 17, 2017
(2920 days; term-limited)[ac]		 Democratic[280] 2008 Matthew Denn
(resigned January 6, 2015)
2012
Vacant
74 John Carney
(b. 1956)
[282]		 January 17, 2017[283]
–
January 7, 2025
(2913 days; resigned)[ai]		 Democratic[282] 2016 Bethany Hall-Long
2020
75 Bethany Hall-Long
(b. 1963)
[284]		 January 7, 2025[285]
–
January 21, 2025
(15 days; succeeded)		 Democratic[284] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
76 Matt Meyer
(b. 1971)
[286]		 January 21, 2025[287]
–
Incumbent[aj]
(in office 584 days)		 Democratic[286] 2024 Kyle Evans Gay
Close

Timeline

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    The official website labels John Carney as the 74th governor;[12] this indicates that repeat, non-consecutive terms are numbered.
  2. [b]
    The office was named president until 1792.[5]
  3. [c]
    The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1897,[10] with the first election taking place in 1900.
  4. [d]
    Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  5. [e]
    Most sources do not specify the day McKinly was captured; at least one specifies that McKinly and the city of Wilmington were captured the day after the Battle of Brandywine, which was on September 11, 1777.[17]
  6. [f]
    McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by British forces.[18] He was exchanged for loyalist Governor William Franklin of New Jersey in August 1778.[19]
  7. [g]
    Speaker of the Assembly McKean acted as chief executive until the return of speaker of the Legislative Council Read from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, who then served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.[23]
  8. [h]
    Kallenbach has Rodney leaving office on November 5, with a gap until Dickinson takes office, with no reason given.[22]
  9. [i]
    Under the 1776 constitution, presidents were ineligible to the office until three years had passed after leaving it.[28]
  10. [j]
    Sources disagree on when Dickinson took office; the proceedings of the assembly, published in 1988, says his inaugural address was delivered November 13;[31] the governor's register, published in 1926, says he was elected on November 13 and inaugurated on November 14.[32]
  11. [k]
    Dickinson was elected President of Pennsylvania and took office November 7, 1782, holding both presidencies simultaneously. Criticism of this caused him to turn administration of the state over to Speaker of the Legislative Council Cook, but Dickinson did not formally resign until January 13, 1783.[14][33]
  12. [l]
    Clayton's first term was as president, so he was eligible to run for a term as governor.[50]
  13. [m]
    Under the 1792 constitution, governors could serve no longer than three in any term of six years.[51]
  14. [n]
    Sources disagree on if Bedford died on September 28 or September 30, sometimes within the same source.[56]
  15. [o]
    The constitutional start date for the term in 1799 was January 15; multiple sources say Bassett took office January 9, but it is not known why it was off schedule.[22][63] A few sources do say he took office January 15.[64]
  16. [p]
    Bassett resigned, having been confirmed to the United States Third Circuit Court.[61]
  17. [q]
    Due to the death of Governor-elect Molleston, there was some question as to who should take office when Clark's term ended. To minimize any confusion, Clark resigned a few days ahead of schedule, and the newly elected state senate chose a speaker, John Stout, who would act as governor for one year of Molleston's term before a special election was held for the remaining two years.[92][93]
  18. [r]
    Special election to serve out the last two years of Henry Molleston's term[93]
  19. [s]
    Rodney was formally sworn in on April 23.[104]
  20. [t]
    The governor's register has Haslet being inaugurated on January 22, but it specifies the third Tuesday in January, which in 1823 was the 21st.[105]
  21. [u]
    Thomas was formally sworn in on June 24.[109]
  22. [v]
    Because of the death of Haslet so early in his term, an early election was called. Unlike when Henry Molleston died, where the election was only for the final two years of his term, in this case the new election was for a new three-year term, causing the election schedule to shift.[93]
  23. [w]
    Under the 1831 constitution, governors were not eligible a second time to the office.[123]
  24. [x]
    First term under the 1831 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.[7]
  25. [y]
    Temple was formally sworn in on May 6.[151]
  26. [z]
    Special election called due to the deaths of Stockton and Maull, causing a shift in the election schedule.[156]
  27. [aa]
    Because Marvil died so early in his term, the General Assembly decided to conduct an election for a full term in 1896, changing the election schedule.[215]
  28. [ab]
    Represented the Democratic Party
  29. [ac]
    Under the 1897 constitution, governors were not eligible a third time to the office.[242]
  30. [ad]
    Boggs resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[253]
  31. [ae]
    Represented the Republican Party
  32. [af]
    Castle resigned, having been elected to the United States House of Representatives.[271]
  33. [ag]
    Wolf was sworn in just after midnight.[274]
  34. [ah]
    Carper resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[277]
  35. [ai]
    Carney resigned, having been elected mayor of Wilmington.
  36. [aj]
    Meyer's term expires on January 16, 2029.

References

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI