List of governors of Nebraska explained

Post:	Governor
Body:	Nebraska
Insignia:	Nebraska-StateSeal.svg
Insigniasize:	100px
Insigniacaption:	Seal of Nebraska
Incumbent:	Jim Pillen
Incumbentsince:	January 5, 2023
Style:	The Honorable
Termlength:	4 years, renewable once consecutively
Residence:	Nebraska Governor's Mansion
Formation:	Constitution of Nebraska
Inaugural:	David Butler
Salary:	$105,000 USD (2022)^[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. The governor may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. The current officeholder is Jim Pillen, a Republican, who was sworn in on January 5, 2023.

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.

The governor's term, along with all other elected statewide officers, begins on the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in the month of January after an election.^[2] 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, who is then followed by the chairs of various committees in the legislature.

List of governors

Nebraska Territory

Nebraska Territory was organized on May 30, 1854. It had five governors appointed by the president of the United States.

On July 26, 1853, William Walker was elected provisional governor of Nebraska Territory; this spurred the federal government into action to organize the territory.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

Governor	Term in office	Appointed by
1	data-sort-value="Burt, Francis"		Francis Burt	- October 18, 1854
2	data-sort-value="Izard, Mark"		Mark W. Izard	- October 25, 1857
3	data-sort-value="Richardson, William"		William Alexander Richardson	- December 5, 1858
4	data-sort-value="Black, Samuel"		Samuel W. Black	- February 24, 1861
5		Alvin Saunders	- March 27, 1867

State of Nebraska

Nebraska was admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			David Butler ^[3]	^[4]  - June 2, 1871	Republican	1866	Office did not exist
						1868
						1870
–	data-sort-value="James, William"			William H. James ^[5]	^[6]  - January 13, 1873	Republican
2	data-sort-value="Furnas, Robert"			Robert Wilkinson Furnas ^[7]	^[8]  - January 12, 1875	Republican			1872
3			Silas Garber ^[9]	^[10]  - January 9, 1879	Republican	1874
						1876
4			Albinus Nance ^[11]	^[12]  - January 4, 1883	Republican	1878
						1880
5			James W. Dawes ^[13]	^[14]  - January 6, 1887	Republican	1882
						1884
6			John Milton Thayer ^[15]	^[16]  - January 15, 1891	Republican	1886
						1888
7	data-sort-value="Boyd, James"			James E. Boyd ^[17]	^[18]  - May 5, 1891	Democratic			1890
6	data-sort-value="Thayer, John"			John Milton Thayer ^[19]	^[20]  - February 8, 1892	Republican
7	data-sort-value="Boyd, James"			James E. Boyd ^[21]	^[22]  - January 13, 1893	Democratic
8	data-sort-value="Crounse, Lorenzo"			Lorenzo Crounse ^[23]	^[24]  - January 3, 1895	Republican			1892
9			Silas A. Holcomb ^[25]	^[26]  - January 5, 1899	Fusion	1894
						1896
10	data-sort-value="Poynter, William"			William A. Poynter ^[27]	^[28]  - January 3, 1901	Fusion		1898
11	data-sort-value="Dietrich, Charles"			Charles Henry Dietrich ^[29]	^[30]  - May 1, 1901	Republican	1900
12	data-sort-value="Savage, Ezra"			Ezra P. Savage ^[31]	^[32]  - January 8, 1903	Republican
13		John H. Mickey ^[33]		^[34]  - January 3, 1907	Republican	1902
						1904
14	data-sort-value="Sheldon, George"			George L. Sheldon ^[35]	^[36]  - January 7, 1909	Republican	1906
15	data-sort-value="Shallenberger, Ashton"			Ashton C. Shallenberger ^[37]	^[38]  - January 5, 1911	Democratic	1908
16			Chester Hardy Aldrich ^[39]	^[40]  - January 9, 1913	Republican	1910
17			John H. Morehead ^[41]	^[42]  - January 4, 1917	Democratic	1912
						1914
18	data-sort-value="Neville, Keith"			Keith Neville ^[43]	^[44]  - January 9, 1919	Democratic		1916
19			Samuel Roy McKelvie ^[45]	^[46]  - January 4, 1923	Republican	1918
						1920
20	data-sort-value="Bryan, Charles"			Charles W. Bryan ^[47]	^[48]  - January 8, 1925	Democratic		1922
21			Adam McMullen ^[49]	^[50]  - January 3, 1929	Republican	1924
						1926
22	data-sort-value="Weaver, Arthur"			Arthur J. Weaver ^[51]	^[52]  - January 8, 1931	Republican			1928
23			Charles W. Bryan	^[53]  - January 3, 1935	Democratic	1930
						1932
24			Robert Leroy Cochran ^[54]	^[55]  - January 9, 1941	Democratic	1934
						1936
							Vacant
						1938
25			Dwight Griswold ^[56]	^[57]  - January 9, 1947	Republican	1940
						1942
						1944
26			Val Peterson ^[58]	^[59]  - January 8, 1953	Republican	1946
						1948
						1950
27	data-sort-value="Crosby, Robert"			Robert B. Crosby ^[60]	^[61]  - January 6, 1955	Republican			1952
28			Victor Emanuel Anderson ^[62]	^[63]  - January 8, 1959	Republican	1954
							Vacant
						1956
29	data-sort-value="Brooks, Ralph"			Ralph G. Brooks ^[64]	^[65]  - September 9, 1960	Democratic			1958
30	data-sort-value="Burney, Dwight"			Dwight W. Burney ^[66]	^[67]  - January 5, 1961	Republican		Vacant
31			Frank B. Morrison ^[68]	^[69]  - January 5, 1967	Democratic	1960
						1962
						1964
32	data-sort-value="Tiemann, Norbert"			Norbert Tiemann ^[70]	^[71]  - January 7, 1971	Republican	1966
33			J. James Exon ^[72]	^[73]  - January 4, 1979	Democratic	1970
						1974
34	data-sort-value="Thone, Charles"			Charles Thone ^[74]	^[75]  - January 6, 1983	Republican	1978
35	data-sort-value="Kerrey, Bob"			Bob Kerrey ^[76]	^[77]  - January 8, 1987	Democratic	1982
36	data-sort-value="Orr, Kay"			Kay A. Orr ^[78]	^[79]  - January 10, 1991	Republican	1986
37			Ben Nelson ^[80]	^[81]  - January 7, 1999	Democratic	1990
						1994
38			Mike Johanns ^[82]	^[83]  - January 20, 2005	Republican	1998
						2002
39			Dave Heineman ^[84]	^[85]  - January 8, 2015	Republican		Vacant
						2006
						2010
							Vacant
							Vacant
40			Pete Ricketts ^[86]	^[87]  - January 5, 2023	Republican	2014
						2018
41	data-sort-value="Pillen, Jim"			Jim Pillen ^[88]	^[89]  - Incumbent	Republican		2022

See also

• United States congressional delegations from Nebraska
• Political party strength in Nebraska
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Nebraska
• List of Nebraska state legislatures

References

General

• Web site: Former Nebraska Governors . March 26, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Book: McMullin, Thomas A. . Biographical directory of American territorial governors . 1984 . Westport, CT : Meckler . 978-0-930466-11-4 . January 19, 2023.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466008 . March 25, 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.
• Web site: Our Campaigns - Governor of Nebraska - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Nebraska

Notes and References

1. Web site: Governor of Nebraska . April 2, 2022 . Ballotpedia.
2. Web site: Nebraska State Constitution Article XVII-5 . Nebraska Legislature.
3. Web site: David Butler . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
4. Book: Morton, Julius Sterling . Illustrated History of Nebraska: A History of Nebraska from the Earliest Explorations of the Trans-Mississippi Region, with Steel Engravings, Photogravures, Copper Plates, Maps, and Tables . 1913 . J. North . 1 . en.
5. Web site: William Hartford James . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
6. Book: Impeachment Trial of David Butler, Governor of Nebraska, at Lincoln . 1871 . Tribune Steam Book and Job Printing House . 54 . en.
7. Web site: Robert Wilkinson Furnas . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
8. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 9th Regular Session, 1873, 62, accessed March 27, 2023.
9. Web site: Silas Garber . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
10. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 11th Regular Session, 1875, 131, accessed March 27, 2023.
11. Web site: Albinus Nance . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
12. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 15th Regular Session, 1879, 90, accessed March 27, 2023.
13. Web site: James William Dawes . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
14. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 18th Regular Session, 1883, 108, accessed March 27, 2023.
15. Web site: John Milton Thayer . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. News: 1887-01-07 . The Oath of Office . 4 . The Nebraska State Journal . 2023-03-28.
17. Web site: James E. Boyd . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. News: 1891-01-16 . Mr. Boyd Rules the Roost . 8 . The Nebraska State Journal . 2023-03-28.
19. Web site: John Milton Thayer . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
20. News: 1891-05-06 . The Decree - Thayer Sworn In May 5 . 1 . Evening World-Herald . 2023-03-28.
21. Web site: James E. Boyd . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
22. News: 1892-02-09 . Boyd Did Not Forget . 1 . Omaha Daily Bee . 2023-03-28.
23. Web site: Lorenzo Crounse . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
24. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 23rd Regular Session, 1893, 74, accessed March 27, 2023.
25. Web site: Silas Alexander Holcomb . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
26. News: 1895-01-05 . Twenty-Fourth Assembly . 1 . Lincoln Newspaper Union . 2023-03-28.
27. Web site: William Amos Poynter . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
28. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 26th Regular Session, 1899, 194, accessed March 27, 2023.
29. Web site: Charles Henry Dietrich . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
30. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 28th Regular Session, 1901, 130, accessed March 27, 2023.
31. Web site: Ezra Perin Savage . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
32. News: 1901-05-01 . Dietrich Steps Out, Savage Takes Hold . 1 . Lincoln Journal Star . 2023-03-28.
33. Web site: John Hopwood Mickey . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
34. Nebraska General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 28th Regular Session, 1903,98, accessed March 27, 2023.
35. Web site: George Lawson Sheldon . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
36. News: 1907-01-04 . Administer Oaths . 1 . The Nebraska State Journal . 2023-03-28.
37. Web site: Ashton Cockayne Shallenberger . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
38. News: 1909-01-08 . New Officials In . 1 . Omaha Daily Bee . 2023-03-28.
39. Web site: Chester Hardy Aldrich . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
40. News: 1911-01-06 . Aldrich Is Governor . 4 . Cambridge Clarion . 2023-03-28.
41. Web site: John Henry Morehead . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
42. News: 1913-01-10 . Inauguration of John H. Morehead, Chief Executive . 1 . Omaha World-Herald . 2023-03-28.
43. Web site: Keith M. Neville . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
44. News: 1917-01-05 . Governor Neville First Native Son in Executive Chair . 1 . Omaha World-Herald . 2023-03-28.
45. Web site: Samuel Roy McKelvie . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
46. News: 1919-01-16 . State Officials Installed . 2 . Danbury News . 2023-03-28.
47. Web site: Charles Wayland Bryan . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
48. News: 1923-01-05 . Bryan Takes His Oath of Office at Joint Session . 1 . Norfolk Daily News . 2023-03-29.
49. Web site: Adam McMullen . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
50. News: 1925-01-08 . M'Mullen Is Inaugurated - New Governor and Officers Are Sworn In . 1 . The Lincoln Star . 2023-03-29.
51. Web site: Arthur J. Weaver . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
52. News: 1929-01-04 . First Inaugural in New Capitol Goes Over Big . 1 . The Nebraska State Journal . 2023-03-29.
53. News: 1931-01-09 . Hundreds Crowd Assembly While Bryan, Weaver Exchange Places . 1 . Scottsbluff Daily Star-Herald . Associated Press . 2023-03-29.
54. Web site: Robert Leroy (Roy) Cochran . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. News: 1935-01-04 . Inaugural Rites Held Formally . 1 . The Nebraska State Journal . 2023-03-29.
56. Web site: Dwight Palmer Griswold . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 55th Session, 1941, 53, accessed March 28, 2023.
58. Web site: Frederick Valdemar Erastus (Val) Peterson . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
59. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 60th Session, 1947, 58, accessed March 28, 2023.
60. Web site: Robert Berkey Crosby . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
61. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 65th Session, 1953, 81, accessed March 28, 2023.
62. Web site: Victor Emanuel Anderson . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
63. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 67th Session, 1955, 73, accessed March 28, 2023.
64. Web site: Ralph Gilmour Brooks . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
65. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 69th Session, 1959, 56, accessed March 28, 2023.
66. Web site: Dwight Willard Burney . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
67. News: 1960-09-10 . Brooks Rites Likely to Be Monday - Rotunda May Be Setting . 1 . Lincoln Journal Star . 2023-03-29.
68. Web site: Frank Brenner Morrison . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
69. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 72nd Session, 1961, 55, accessed March 28, 2023.
70. Web site: Norbert T. Tiemann . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
71. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 77th Session, 1967, 70, accessed March 28, 2023.
72. Web site: John James Exon . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
73. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 82nd Legislature, First Session, 1971, 64, accessed March 28, 2023.
74. Web site: Charles Thone . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
75. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 86th Legislature, First Session, 1979, 87, accessed March 29, 2023.
76. Web site: Joseph Robert (Bob) Kerrey . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
77. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 88th Legislature, First Session, 1983, 80, accessed March 29, 2023.
78. Web site: Kay A. Orr . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
79. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 90th Legislature, First Session, 1987, 72, accessed March 29, 2023.
80. Web site: E. Benjamin Nelson . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
81. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 92nd Legislature, First Session, 1991, 90, accessed March 29, 2023.
82. Web site: Mike Johanns . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
83. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 96th Legislature, First Session, 1999, 73, accessed March 29, 2023.
84. Web site: Dave Heineman . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
85. News: 2005-01-21 . Heineman Set for 'Greatest Challenge' . 1A . Omaha World-Herald . 2023-03-29.
86. Web site: Pete Ricketts . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
87. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 104th Legislature, First Session, 2015, 71, accessed March 29, 2023.
88. Web site: Jim Pillen . March 27, 2023 . National Governors Association.
89. Nebraska Legislature. Legislative Journal. 108th Legislature, First Session, 2023, 101, accessed March 29, 2023.