List of governors of Illinois explained

Post:	Governor
Body:	Illinois
Insignia:	Seal of Illinois.svg
Insigniasize:	110px
Insigniacaption:	Seal of the State of Illinois
Flag:	Flag of Illinois.svg
Flagborder:	yes
Flagcaption:	Flag of Illinois
Incumbent:	J. B. Pritzker
Incumbentsince:	January 14, 2019
Residence:	Illinois Governor's Mansion
Termlength:	Four years, no term limits
Inaugural:	Shadrach Bond
Salary:	$177,412 (2015)^[1]

The governor of Illinois is the head of government of the U.S. state of Illinois. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Illinois's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Illinois Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.^[2] The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

Since becoming a state in 1818, 43 people have served as governor of Illinois; before statehood, it had only one territorial governor, Ninian Edwards. The longest-serving governor was James R. Thompson, who was elected to four terms lasting 14 years, from 1977 to 1991. Only one governor, Richard J. Oglesby, has served multiple non-consecutive terms, having been elected in 1864, 1872, and 1884.

The current governor is J. B. Pritzker, who took office on January 14, 2019.^[3]

List of governors

Territory of Illinois

Illinois Territory was formed on March 1, 1809, from Indiana Territory. It had only two governors appointed by the president of the United States before it became a state, and only one ever took office.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

Governor	Term in office	Appointed by
1	data-sort-value="Boyle, John"		John Boyle	- April 3, 1809
2	data-sort-value="Edwards, Ninian"		Ninian Edwards	- October 6, 1818

State of Illinois

Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, consisting of the southern portion of Illinois Territory; the remainder was assigned to Michigan Territory.

The first Illinois Constitution, ratified in 1818, provided that a governor be elected every 4 years^[4] for a term starting on the first Monday in the December following an election.^[5] The constitution of 1848 moved the start of the term to the second Monday in January starting in 1849, thus shortening the term won in the 1844 election to 2 years.^[6] Governors were not allowed to succeed themselves until the 1870 constitution, which removed this limit.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in the first constitution,^[7] to exercise the power of governor if that office becomes vacant.^[8] The 1848 constitution changed this to say the power "devolves" upon the lieutenant governor in case of a vacancy.^[9] The current constitution of 1970 made it so that, in the event of a vacancy, the lieutenant becomes governor,^[10] and the governor and lieutenant governor are now elected on the same ticket.^[11] If the governor feels seriously impeded in performing their job, they can inform the secretary of state and the next in the line of succession, who becomes acting governor until the governor can resume office.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	data-sort-value="Bond, Shadrach"			Shadrach Bond ^[12]	^[13]  - December 5, 1822	Democratic- Republican	1818
2	data-sort-value="Coles, Edward"			Edward Coles ^[14]	^[15]  - December 6, 1826	Democratic- Republican	1822
3	data-sort-value="Edwards, Ninian"			Ninian Edwards ^[16]	- December 6, 1830	Democratic- Republican	1826
4		John Reynolds ^[17]		- November 17, 1834	Democratic- Republican	1830
5	data-sort-value="Ewing, William"			William Lee D. Ewing ^[18]	^[19]  - December 3, 1834	Democratic		Vacant
6			Joseph Duncan ^[20]	^[21]  - December 7, 1838	Whig	1834
7	data-sort-value="Carlin, Thomas"			Thomas Carlin ^[22]	^[23]  - December 8, 1842	Democratic		1838
8	data-sort-value="Ford, Thomas"			Thomas Ford ^[24]	^[25]  - December 9, 1846	Democratic		1842
9		Augustus C. French ^[26]		^[27]  - January 10, 1853	Democratic	1846
						1848
10	data-sort-value="Matteson, Joel"			Joel Aldrich Matteson ^[28]	^[29]  - January 12, 1857	Democratic		1852
11	data-sort-value="Bissell, William"			William Henry Bissell ^[30]	^[31]  - March 18, 1860	Republican	1856
12	data-sort-value="Wood, John"			John Wood ^[32]	^[33]  - January 14, 1861	Republican
13	data-sort-value="Yates, Richard 1"			Richard Yates ^[34]	^[35]  - January 16, 1865	Republican	1860
14	data-sort-value="Oglesby, Richard"			Richard J. Oglesby ^[36]	^[37]  - January 11, 1869	Republican	1864
15	data-sort-value="Palmer, John"			John M. Palmer ^[38]	^[39]  - January 13, 1873	Republican	1868
14	data-sort-value="Oglesby, Richard"			Richard J. Oglesby	^[40]  - January 23, 1873	Republican	1872
16		John Lourie Beveridge ^[41]		^[42]  - January 8, 1877	Republican
17		Shelby Moore Cullom ^[43]		^[44]  - February 6, 1883	Republican	1876
						1880
18	data-sort-value="Hamilton, John"			John Marshall Hamilton ^[45]	^[46]  - January 30, 1885	Republican
14	data-sort-value="Oglesby, Richard"			Richard J. Oglesby	^[47]  - January 14, 1889	Republican		1884
19	data-sort-value="Fifer, Joseph"			Joseph W. Fifer ^[48]	^[49]  - January 10, 1893	Republican		1888
20	data-sort-value="Altgeld, John"			John Peter Altgeld ^[50]	^[51]  - January 11, 1897	Democratic	1892
21	data-sort-value="Tanner, John"			John Riley Tanner ^[52]	^[53]  - January 14, 1901	Republican	1896
22	data-sort-value="Yates, Richard 2"			Richard Yates Jr. ^[54]	^[55]  - January 9, 1905	Republican	1900
23		Charles S. Deneen ^[56]		^[57]  - February 3, 1913	Republican	1904
						1908
24	data-sort-value="Dunne, Edward"			Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne ^[58]	^[59]  - January 8, 1917	Democratic	1912
25	data-sort-value="Lowden, Frank"			Frank Orren Lowden ^[60]	^[61]  - January 10, 1921	Republican	1916
26		Len Small ^[62]		^[63]  - January 14, 1929	Republican	1920
						1924
27	data-sort-value="Emmerson, Louis"			Louis Lincoln Emmerson ^[64]	^[65]  - January 9, 1933	Republican			1928
28			Henry Horner ^[66]	^[67]  - October 6, 1940	Democratic	1932
						1936
29	data-sort-value="Stelle, John"			John Henry Stelle ^[68]	^[69]  - January 13, 1941	Democratic		Vacant
30			Dwight H. Green ^[70]	^[71]  - January 10, 1949	Republican	1940
						1944
31	data-sort-value="Stevenson, Adlai"			Adlai Stevenson II ^[72]	^[73]  - January 12, 1953	Democratic	1948
32			William Stratton ^[74]	^[75]  - January 9, 1961	Republican	1952
						1956
33			Otto Kerner Jr. ^[76]	^[77]  - May 20, 1968	Democratic	1960
						1964
34	data-sort-value="Shapiro, Samuel"			Samuel H. Shapiro ^[78]	^[79]  - January 13, 1969	Democratic		Vacant
35	data-sort-value="Ogilvie, Richard"			Richard B. Ogilvie ^[80]	^[81]  - January 8, 1973	Republican	1968
36	data-sort-value="Walker, Dan"			Dan Walker ^[82]	^[83]  - January 10, 1977	Democratic	1972
37			James R. Thompson ^[84]	^[85]  - January 14, 1991	Republican	1976
						1978
							Vacant
						1982
						1986
38			Jim Edgar ^[86]	^[87]  - January 11, 1999	Republican	1990
						1994
							Vacant
39	data-sort-value="Ryan, George"			George Ryan ^[88]	^[89]  - January 13, 2003	Republican	1998
40			Rod Blagojevich ^[90]	^[91]  - January 29, 2009	Democratic	2002
						2006
41			Pat Quinn ^[92]	^[93]  - January 12, 2015	Democratic		Vacant
						2010
42	data-sort-value="Rauner, Bruce"			Bruce Rauner ^[94]	^[95]  - January 14, 2019	Republican	2014
43			J. B. Pritzker ^[96]	^[97] – Incumbent	Democratic	2018
						2022

See also

• List of Illinois state legislatures
• List of commandants of the Illinois Country

References

General

• Web site: Former Illinois Governors . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Web site: Illinois Blue Book . April 26, 2018 . . 359–360.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. I . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466015 . July 10, 2019.
• Book: McMullin, Thomas A. . Biographical directory of American territorial governors . 1984 . Westport, CT : Meckler . 978-0-930466-11-4 . January 19, 2023.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County . 2003 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-1439-0.
• 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: Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest . American State Governors, 1776-1976 . 1977 . Oceana Publications . 978-0-379-00665-0 . September 23, 2023.
• 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 Illinois - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Constitutions

• Web site: 1818 . Constitution of the State of Illinois .
• Web site: 1848 . Constitution of the State of Illinois .
• Web site: 1870 . Constitution of the State of Illinois .
• Web site: 1970 . Constitution of the State of Illinois .

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Illinois

Notes and References

1. Web site: June 25, 2013 . Governors' Salaries, 2015 . January 9, 2016 . The Council of State Governments.
2. IL Const. art. V
3. Web site: Election Results . January 1, 2021 . Elections.il.gov.
4. 1818 Const. art. III, § 2
5. 1818 Const. art. III, § 3
6. 1848 Const. art. IV, § 3
7. 1818 Const. art. III, § 13
8. 1818 Const. art. III, § 18
9. 1848 Const. art. IV, § 19
10. IL Const. art. V, § 6
11. IL Const. art. V, § 4
12. Web site: Shadrack Bond . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
13. Kallenbach pp. 161 - 162
14. Web site: Edward Coles . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
15. News: 1822-12-14 . Illinois Legislature . 1 . Edwardsville Spectator . 2023-08-16.
16. Web site: Ninian Edwards . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
17. Web site: John Reynolds . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. Web site: William Lee Davidson Ewing . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
19. News: 1834-11-27 . Resignation . 2 . Vandalia Whig and Illinois Intelligencer . 2023-08-16.
20. Web site: Joseph Duncan . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
21. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1834 sess., 21, accessed August 16, 2023
22. Web site: Thomas Carlin . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
23. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1838 sess., 16, accessed August 16, 2023
24. Web site: Thomas Ford . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
25. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1842 sess., 33, accessed August 16, 2023
26. Web site: Augustus C. French . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
27. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1846 sess., 13, accessed August 16, 2023
28. Web site: Joel Aldrich Matteson . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
29. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1853 sess., 46, accessed August 16, 2023
30. Web site: William Henry Bissell . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
31. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1857 sess., 60, accessed August 16, 2023
32. Web site: John Wood . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
33. News: 1860-03-21 . Death of Gov. Bissell . 2 . The Rock Island Argus . 2023-08-17.
34. Web site: Richard Yates Sr. . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
35. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1861 sess., 58, accessed August 16, 2023
36. Web site: Richard James Oglesby . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
37. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1865 sess., 163, accessed August 16, 2023
38. Web site: John McAuley Palmer . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
39. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1869 sess., 186, accessed August 16, 2023
40. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 52, accessed August 16, 2023
41. Web site: John Lourie Beveridge . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
42. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 138, accessed August 16, 2023
43. Web site: Shelby Moore Cullom . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
44. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1877 sess., 39, accessed August 16, 2023
45. Web site: John Marshall Hamilton . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
46. News: 1883-02-07 . Down and Out: The Governor's Resignation . 3 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-02-24.
47. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1885 sess., 122, accessed August 16, 2023
48. Web site: Joseph Wilson Fifer . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
49. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1889 sess., 99, accessed August 16, 2023
50. Web site: John Peter Altgeld . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
51. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1893 sess., 113, accessed August 16, 2023
52. Web site: John Riley Tanner . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
53. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1897 sess., 167, accessed August 16, 2023
54. Web site: Richard Yates Jr. . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1901 sess., 173, accessed August 16, 2023
56. Web site: Charles Samuel Deneen . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1905 sess., 237, accessed August 16, 2023
58. Web site: Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
59. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1913 sess., 395, accessed August 16, 2023
60. Web site: Frank Orren Lowden . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
61. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1917 sess., 239, accessed August 16, 2023
62. Web site: Lennington Small . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
63. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1921 sess., 313, accessed August 16, 2023
64. Web site: Louis Lincoln Emmerson . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
65. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1929 sess., 104, accessed August 16, 2023
66. Web site: Henry Horner . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
67. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1933 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023
68. Web site: John Henry Stelle . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
69. News: 1940-10-07 . Gov. Henry Horner Dies – Stelle Automatically Becomes Governor . 1 . The Pantagraph . Associated Press . 2023-08-18.
70. Web site: Dwight Herbert Green . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
71. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1941 sess., 27, accessed August 16, 2023
72. Web site: Adlai Ewing Stevenson . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
73. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1949 sess., 40, accessed August 16, 2023
74. Web site: William Grant Stratton . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
75. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1953 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023
76. Web site: Otto Kerner, Jr. . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
77. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1961 sess., Volume 1, 35, accessed August 16, 2023
78. Web site: Samuel H. Shapiro . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
79. News: 1968-05-21 . Kerner Resigns Post to Shapiro . 1 . Daily Republican-Register . United Press International . 2023-02-24.
80. Web site: Richard Buell Ogilvie . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
81. Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1969 sess., Volume 1, 33, accessed August 16, 2023
82. Web site: Daniel Walker . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
83. News: Lahey . Bob . 1973-01-09 . Walker Inaugurated, Promises 'People Government' . 1 . The Daily Herald . 2023-08-19.
84. Web site: James Robert Thompson . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
85. News: Mehler . Neil . Elmer . John . 1977-01-11 . It's Gov Thompson Now . 1 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-08-19.
86. Web site: Jim Edgar . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
87. News: Pearson . Rick . Hardy . Thomas . 1991-01-15 . Edgar Takes Helm in Illinois . 1 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-08-19.
88. Web site: George H. Ryan . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
89. News: 1999-01-12 . Ryan Pledges Cooperation . A1 . The Pantagraph . Associated Press . 2023-08-19.
90. Web site: Rod R. Blagojevich . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
91. News: Pearson . Rick . Parsons . Christi . 2003-01-14 . Blagojevich Takes Over, Puts Deficit at $5 Billion . 1 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-08-19.
92. Web site: Pat Quinn . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
93. News: Garcia . Monique . Huppke . Rex . 2009-01-30 . Low-Key Quinn Facing Challenge of a Lifetime With Ailing State . 1 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-08-19.
94. Web site: Bruce Rauner . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
95. News: Pearson . Rick . Garcia . Monique . Geiger . Kim . 2015-01-13 . Rauner, Sworn In As Governor, Says Business As Usual Would Be 'Morally Corrupt' . 6 . Chicago Tribune . 2023-08-19.
96. Web site: JB Pritzker . February 23, 2023 . National Governors Association.
97. News: O'Connor . John . 2019-01-15 . 43rd Governor Sees an Illinois 'Of Promise' . A1 . The Pantagraph . 2023-08-19.