List of governors of Washington explained

Post:	Governor
Body:	Washington
Insignia:	Seal of the Executive Department of Washington.svg
Insigniasize:	110px
Insigniacaption:	Seal of the governor
Incumbent:	Jay Inslee
Incumbentsince:	January 16, 2013
Residence:	Washington Governor's Mansion
Termlength:	Four years, no term limit
Inaugural:	Elisha P. Ferry
Formation:	November 11, 1889
Deputy:	Lieutenant Governor of Washington
Salary:	$182,179 (2019)^[1]

The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^{[2] [3]} The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws,^[4] the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Washington Legislature and line-item veto power to cancel specific provisions in spending bills.^[5] The Washington governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions".

Washington Territory had 14 territorial governors from its organization in 1853 until the formation of the state of Washington in 1889. Territorial governors were appointed by the president of the United States. Elisha P. Ferry had the longest term of eight years and went on to become the state's first governor. William H. Wallace was appointed governor but never took office due to being elected as the territory's congressional delegate. George Edward Cole was appointed governor and took office, but his appointment was never ratified by the U.S. Senate and he was replaced as governor after four months.

Twenty-two individuals have held the office of Governor of Washington since the state's admission to the Union, with Arthur B. Langlie serving non-consecutive terms. Populist Party candidate John Rankin Rogers is the only non-Democratic or Republican nominee to win office. The most recent governor to be from Eastern Washington was Clarence D. Martin, elected in 1932.^[6] The current governor is Democrat Jay Inslee, who took office on January 16, 2013, and was reelected in 2016 and 2020; his term will expire on January 15, 2025, as Inslee announced on May 1, 2023, that he will not be seeking re-election to an unprecedented fourth term in 2024.^[7] Washington has had the longest current streak of Democratic governors in the nation, with the last Republican to hold the office being John Spellman in 1985.^[8]

With the re-election of Inslee in 2020, Langlie, Daniel J. Evans and Inslee are the only three Washington governors to be elected to three terms with 12 years respectively.

List of governors

Territory of Washington

Washington Territory was organized on March 2, 1853, from the northern half of Oregon Territory.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

Governor	Term in office	Appointing President
1	data-sort-value="Stevens, Isaac"		Isaac Stevens	– August 11, 1857
2	data-sort-value="McMullen, Fayette"		Fayette McMullen	– March 5, 1859
3	data-sort-value="Gholson, Richard"		Richard D. Gholson	– February 14, 1861
—	data-sort-value="Wallace, William"		William H. Wallace	– July 8, 1861
4		William Pickering	– November 21, 1866
5	data-sort-value="Cole, George"		George Edward Cole	– March 4, 1867
6	data-sort-value="Moore, Marshall"		Marshall F. Moore	– April 5, 1869
7	data-sort-value="Flanders, Alvan"		Alvan Flanders	– March 14, 1870
8	data-sort-value="Salomon, Edward"		Edward S. Salomon	– April 26, 1872
9	data-sort-value="Ferry, Elisha"		Elisha P. Ferry	– April 26, 1880
10	data-sort-value="Newell, William"		William A. Newell	– July 2, 1884
11	data-sort-value="Squire, Watson"		Watson C. Squire	– April 9, 1887
12	data-sort-value="Semple, Eugene"		Eugene Semple	– March 23, 1889
13	data-sort-value="Moore, Miles"		Miles Conway Moore	– November 18, 1889

State of Washington

Washington was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889. The term for governor is four years, commencing on the second Monday in the January following the election.^[9] If the office of governor is vacant or the governor is unable to discharge their duties, the lieutenant governor assumes the duties of governor, though still officially retains the office of lieutenant governor.^[10] If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are unable to fulfill their duties, the secretary of state is next in line, and then the treasurer.^[11] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.^[12] The office of lieutenant governor is not elected on the same ticket as the governor.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	data-sort-value="Ferry, Elisha"			Elisha P. Ferry ^[13]	^[14] – January 11, 1893	Republican	1889
2	data-sort-value="McGraw, John"			John McGraw ^[15]	^[16] – January 13, 1897	Republican	1892
3			John Rankin Rogers ^[17]	^[18] – December 26, 1901	Populist	1896
					Democratic	1900
4	data-sort-value="McBride, Henry"			Henry McBride ^[19]	^[20] – January 11, 1905	Republican		Vacant
5	data-sort-value="Mead, Albert"			Albert E. Mead ^[21]	^[22] – January 27, 1909	Republican	1904
6	data-sort-value="Cosgrove, Samuel"			Samuel G. Cosgrove ^[23]	^[24] – March 28, 1909	Republican	1908
7	data-sort-value="Hay, Marion"			Marion E. Hay ^[25]	^[26] – January 15, 1913	Republican		Vacant
8			Ernest Lister ^[27]	^[28] – June 14, 1919	Democratic	1912
						1916
9			Louis F. Hart ^[29]	^[30] – January 14, 1925	Republican		Vacant
						1920
10			Roland H. Hartley ^[31]	^[32] – January 11, 1933	Republican	1924
						1928
11			Clarence D. Martin ^[33]	^[34] – January 15, 1941	Democratic	1932
						1936
12	data-sort-value="Langlie, Arthur"			Arthur B. Langlie ^[35]	^[36] – January 10, 1945	Republican			1940
13	data-sort-value="Wallgren, Monrad"			Monrad Wallgren ^[37]	^[38] – January 12, 1949	Democratic			1944
14			Arthur B. Langlie	^[39] – January 16, 1957	Republican	1948
						1952
15			Albert Rosellini ^[40]	^[41] – January 13, 1965	Democratic	1956
						1960
16			Daniel J. Evans ^[42]	^[43] – January 12, 1977	Republican	1964
						1968
						1972
17	data-sort-value="Ray, Dixy"			Dixy Lee Ray ^[44]	^[45] – January 14, 1981	Democratic			1976
18	data-sort-value="Spellman, John"			John Spellman ^[46]	^[47] – January 16, 1985	Republican			1980
19			Booth Gardner ^[48]	^[49] – January 13, 1993	Democratic	1984
						1988
20	data-sort-value="Lowry, Mike"			Mike Lowry ^[50]	^[51] – January 15, 1997	Democratic			1992
21			Gary Locke ^[52]	^[53] – January 12, 2005	Democratic	1996
						2000
22			Christine Gregoire ^[54]	^[55] – January 16, 2013	Democratic	2004
						2008
23			Jay Inslee ^[56]	^[57] – Incumbent	Democratic	2012
						2016
						2020

See also

• List of Washington state legislatures
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Washington

References

General

• Web site: Former Washington Governors . July 5, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. IV . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466008 . June 13, 2023.
• Book: McMullin, Thomas A. . Biographical directory of American territorial governors . 1984 . Westport, CT : Meckler . 978-0-930466-11-4 . January 19, 2023.
• Book: Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest . American State Governors, 1776-1976 . 1977 . Oceana Publications . 978-0-379-00665-0 . September 23, 2023.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County . 2014 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-5646-8 . en.
• Book: Glashan, Roy R. . American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . 1979 . Meckler Books . 978-0-930466-17-6.
• Ficken . Robert E. . Winter 2005–2006 . Figureheads of State . dead . Columbia Magazine . 19 . 4 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111008093244/http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/anthology/fromtriballands/figureheads.aspx . October 8, 2011 . January 27, 2011.
• Book: Meany, Edmond S . Governors of Washington : territorial and state . University of Washington . 1915 . Seattle . Meany, Edmond S . June 30, 2010.
• Web site: Washington Territorial and State Governors . July 1, 2010 . Washington Secretary of State.
• Web site: Our Campaigns - Governor of Washington - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Washington

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2013 and 2014 Salary Schedule, Adopted May 22, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130910071351/http://www.salaries.wa.gov/documents/FinalSalarySchedule.pdf . September 10, 2013 . February 12, 2014 . Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials.
2. WA Const. art. III, § 2.
3. WA Const. art. III, § 8.
4. WA Const. art. III, § 5.
5. WA Const. art. III, § 12.
6. News: Brunner . Jim . September 20, 2020 . Meet Loren Culp, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who wants to unseat Jay Inslee . The Seattle Times . August 1, 2023.
7. News: Brunner . Jim . May 1, 2023 . After Jay Inslee, what's next for WA politics? What we know about 2024 . The Seattle Times . August 1, 2023.
8. News: Brunner . Jim . August 11, 2012 . McKenna win would end drought for GOP in races for governor . The Seattle Times . March 28, 2020.
9. WA Const. art. III, § 4
10. Web site: AG, Secretary of State issue joint statement regarding gubernatorial succession in the event of a vacancy . November 25, 2020 . Washington Secretary of State.
11. WA Const. art. III, § 10
12. Web site: Constitutional and Statutory Provisions for Number of Consecutive Terms of Elected State Officials . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629023725/http://www.nga.org/files/pdf/BOS4-9.pdf . June 29, 2011 . July 3, 2010 . National Governor's Association.
13. Web site: Elisha Peyre Ferry . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
14. News: November 19, 1889 . Garb of Statehood . 2 . The Seattle Post-Intelligencer . July 20, 2023.
15. Web site: John Harte McGraw . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 3rd legislature, 44, accessed July 20, 2023
17. Web site: John Rankin Rogers . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 5th legislature, 34, accessed July 20, 2023
19. Web site: Henry McBride . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
20. News: December 27, 1901 . Gov. McBride of Washington . 1 . The Spokesman-Review . July 20, 2023.
21. Web site: Albert E. Mead . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
22. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 9th legislature, 33, accessed July 20, 2023
23. Web site: Samuel G. Cosgrove . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
24. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 11th legislature, 152, accessed July 20, 2023
25. Web site: Marion E. Hay . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
26. News: March 29, 1909 . Governor S. G. Cosgrove Passes Away Suddenly . 1 . The Tacoma Daily Ledger . July 20, 2023.
27. Web site: Ernest Lister . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
28. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 13th legislature, 44, accessed July 20, 2023
29. Web site: Louis Folwell Hart . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
30. News: June 14, 1919 . Louis F. Hart Goes to Executive Chair . 1 . The News Tribune . July 20, 2023.
31. Web site: Roland H. Hartley . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
32. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 19th legislature, 23, accessed July 20, 2023
33. Web site: Clarence Daniel Martin . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
34. News: January 11, 1933 . Martin Takes Oath as New Governor . 1 . The Bellingham Herald . July 21, 2023.
35. Web site: Arthur B. Langlie . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
36. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 27th legislature, 32, accessed July 20, 2023
37. Web site: Monrad Charles Wallgren . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
38. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 29th legislature, 31, accessed July 20, 2023
39. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 31st legislature, 39, accessed July 20, 2023
40. Web site: Albert Dean Rosellini . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
41. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 35th legislature, 41, accessed July 20, 2023
42. Web site: Daniel Jackson Evans . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
43. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 39th legislature, 60, accessed July 20, 2023
44. Web site: Dixy Lee Ray . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
45. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 45th legislature, 44, accessed July 20, 2023
46. Web site: John Dennis Spellman . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
47. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 47th legislature, 52, accessed July 20, 2023
48. Web site: Booth Gardner . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
49. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 49th legislature, 44, accessed July 20, 2023
50. Web site: Michael Lowry . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
51. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 53rd legislature, 55, accessed July 20, 2023
52. Web site: Gary Locke . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
53. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 55th legislature, 96, accessed July 20, 2023
54. Web site: Chris Gregoire . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 59th legislature, 69, accessed July 20, 2023
56. Web site: Jay Inslee . July 19, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. Washington State Legislature. Journal of the House of Representatives. 63rd legislature, 50, accessed July 20, 2023