List of governors of North Dakota explained

The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The governor is the head of the executive branch of North Dakota's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. There have been 32 governors since North Dakota became a state, serving 33 distinct terms, with William Langer having been elected to multiple terms. The current officeholder is Republican Doug Burgum.

Governors

Dakota Territory was organized on March 2, 1861; on November 2, 1889, it was split into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.

The Constitution of North Dakota originally provided for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every two years, which was changed to four years in 1964.^[1] A limit of two terms was added in 2023.^[2] The governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on a ticket,^[3] and should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.^[4] The term of office begins on the December 15 following the election.^[5]

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Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	data-sort-value="Miller, John"				John Miller ^[6]	^[7]  - January 7, 1891	Republican	1889
2	data-sort-value="Burke, Andrew"				Andrew H. Burke ^[8]	^[9]  - January 4, 1893	Republican	1890
3	data-sort-value="Shortridge, Eli"				Eli C. D. Shortridge ^[10]	- January 9, 1895	Populist	1892
4	data-sort-value="Allin, Roger"				Roger Allin ^[11]	^[12]  - January 7, 1897 ^[13]	Republican	1894
5	data-sort-value="Briggs, Frank"				Frank A. Briggs ^[14]	- August 9, 1898	Republican	1896
6	data-sort-value="Devine, Joseph"				Joseph M. Devine ^[15]	^[16]  - January 3, 1899	Republican		Vacant
7	data-sort-value="Fancher, Frederick"				Frederick B. Fancher ^[17]	^[18]  - January 7, 1901	Republican	1898
8		Frank White ^[19]			^[20]  - January 4, 1905	Republican	1900
							1902
9	data-sort-value="Sarles, Elmore"				Elmore Y. Sarles ^[21]	^[22]  - January 9, 1907	Republican				1904
10				John Burke ^[23]	^[24]  - January 8, 1913	Democratic	1906
							1908
							1910
11				L. B. Hanna ^[25]	^[26]  - January 3, 1917	Republican	1912
							1914
12				Lynn Frazier ^[27]	^[28]  - November 23, 1921	Republican/ Nonpartisan League	1916
							1918
							1920
13				Ragnvald Nestos ^[29]	^[30]  - January 7, 1925	Republican/ Independent Voters	1921
							1922
14				Arthur G. Sorlie ^[31]	^[32]  - August 28, 1928	Republican/ Nonpartisan League	1924
							1926
15	data-sort-value="Maddock, Walter"				Walter Maddock ^[33]	^[34]  - January 9, 1929	Republican/ Nonpartisan League		Vacant
16				George F. Shafer ^[35]	^[36]  - January 4, 1933	Republican/ Independent Voters	1928
							1930
17	data-sort-value="Langer, William"				William Langer ^[37]	- July 19, 1934	Republican/ Nonpartisan League			1932
18	data-sort-value="Olson, Ole"				Ole H. Olson ^[38]	- January 7, 1935	Republican/ Nonpartisan League		Vacant
19	data-sort-value="Moodie, Thomas"				Thomas H. Moodie ^[39]	^[40]  - February 2, 1935	Democratic	1934
20	data-sort-value="Welford, Walter"				Walter Welford ^[41]	^[42]  - January 6, 1937	Republican/ Nonpartisan League		Vacant
21	data-sort-value="Langer, William"				William Langer	^[43]  - January 2, 1939	Independent	1936
22				John Moses ^[44]	^[45]  - January 2, 1945	Democratic	1938
							1940
							1942
23				Fred G. Aandahl ^[46]	^[47]  - January 3, 1951	Republican	1944
							1946
							1948
24				Norman Brunsdale ^[48]	^[49]  - January 7, 1957	Republican	1950
							1952
							1954
25				John E. Davis ^[50]	^[51]  - January 3, 1961	Republican	1956
							1958
26				William L. Guy ^[52]	^[53]  - January 2, 1973	Democratic– Nonpartisan League	1960
							1962
							1964
							1968
27				Arthur A. Link ^[54]	^[55]  - January 6, 1981	Democratic– Nonpartisan League	1972
							1976
28	data-sort-value="Olson, Allen"				Allen I. Olson ^[56]	^[57]  - December 31, 1984	Republican	1980
29				George A. Sinner ^[58]	- December 15, 1992	Democratic– Nonpartisan League	1984
							1988
30				Ed Schafer ^[59]	^[60]  - December 15, 2000	Republican	1992
							1996
31				John Hoeven ^[61]	^[62]  - December 7, 2010	Republican	2000
							2004
							2008
32				Jack Dalrymple ^[63]	^[64]  - December 15, 2016	Republican
							2012
33				Doug Burgum ^[65]	^[66]  - Incumbent	Republican	2016
							2020

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#North Dakota
• List of North Dakota Legislative Assemblies

References

General

• Web site: Former North Dakota Governors . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466008 . May 9, 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 North Dakota - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of North Dakota
• State Historical Society of North Dakota, North Dakota Governors

Notes and References

1. Web site: North Dakota State and County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 5 (1964) . May 30, 2023.
2. Web site: North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1, Term Limits for Governor and State Legislators Initiative (2022) . May 30, 2023.
3. ND Const. art. V, § 3
4. ND Const. art. V, § 11
5. ND Const. art. V, § 5
6. Web site: John Miller . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
7. News: 1889-11-22 . The Legislature . 8 . Bismarck Weekly Tribune . 2023-05-30.
8. Web site: Andrew Horace Burke . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
9. North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1891 sess., 34, accessed May 30, 2023
10. Web site: Eli C. D. Shortridge . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
11. Web site: Roger Allin . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
12. North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1895 sess., 35, accessed May 30, 2023
13. News: 1896-07-25 . Briggs the Man . 4 . The Washburn Leader . 2023-05-30.
14. Web site: Frank Arlington Briggs . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
15. Web site: Joseph McMurray Devine . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. News: 1898-08-11 . Briggs Is Dead! . 1 . The Hope Pioneer . 2023-05-30.
17. Web site: Frederick Bartlett Fancher . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. News: 1899-01-07 . North Dakota Officers Inaugurated . 1 . The Bottineau Courant . 2023-05-30.
19. Web site: Frank White . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
20. News: 1901-01-07 . The New Officers . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
21. Web site: Elmore Yocum Sarles . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
22. News: 1905-01-05 . New Administration Is Nicely Launched . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
23. Web site: John Burke . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
24. News: 1907-01-10 . Now Gov. Burke . 5 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
25. Web site: Louis Benjamin Hanna . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
26. News: 1913-01-09 . A Republican Administration . 4 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
27. Web site: Lynn Joseph Frazier . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
28. News: 1917-01-03 . Intense Enthusiasm Marks New Regime at State Capitol . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
29. Web site: Ragnvold Anderson Nestos . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
30. News: 1921-11-23 . New Governor Kindles Pride in State, Pledges Economy. Asks Strife Be Forgotten . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
31. Web site: Arthur Gustav Sorlie . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
32. News: 1925-01-07 . Sorlie, Nestos Both Speak; New Governor Inaugurated Before Joint Session Today . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
33. Web site: Walter Maddock . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
34. News: 1928-08-28 . Governor Sorlie Dead from Fight with Heart Disease . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
35. Web site: George Frederick Shafer . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
36. News: 1929-01-09 . Governor Shafer Takes Post . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-30.
37. Web site: William Langer . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
38. Web site: Ole H. Olson . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
39. Web site: Thomas Hilliard Moodie . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
40. News: 1935-01-07 . Moodie Becomes N.D. Governor . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
41. Web site: Walter Welford . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
42. News: 1935-02-02 . Supreme Court Holds Moodie Disqualified by Constitution . 9 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
43. News: 1937-01-07 . Grand March Climaxes Inaugural . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
44. Web site: John Moses . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
45. News: 1939-01-02 . Langer Ends His Regime . 2 . Reno Gazette-Journal . Associated Press . 2023-05-31.
46. Web site: Fred George Aandahl . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
47. News: 1945-01-02 . Aandahl, Other New State Officers Begin Duties . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
48. Web site: C. Norman Brunsdale . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
49. News: 1951-01-03 . Family, Friends of New Governor Attend Inaugural . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
50. Web site: John Edward Davis . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
51. News: 1957-01-09 . John Davis Is Sworn In at Capitol . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
52. Web site: William Lewis Guy . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
53. News: 1961-01-04 . Guy Urges Austerity for N.D. . 1 . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-05-31.
54. Web site: Arthur Albert Link . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. News: 1973-01-03 . Link Takes Oath As State Head . 24 . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-05-31.
56. Web site: Allen Ingvar Olson . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. News: Baenen . Jeff . 1981-01-07 . Olson Begins Term . 3 . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-05-31.
58. Web site: George Albert Sinner . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
59. Web site: Edward Thomas Schafer . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
60. News: Donatelle . Kristine . 1992-12-16 . Governor Fills Key Posts . en . 1A . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
61. Web site: John Hoeven . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
62. News: Wetzel . Dale . 2000-12-16 . Hoeven's First Day Full of Decisions . 1A . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-05-31.
63. Web site: Jack Dalrymple . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
64. News: Beitsch . Rebecca . 2010-12-08 . It's Official, Governor . 1A . The Bismarck Tribune . 2023-05-31.
65. Web site: Doug Burgum . May 30, 2023 . National Governors Association.
66. News: Holgate . Julie . 2016-12-15 . Doug Burgum Takes Office As Nd Governor Today . en . Valley News Live . 2023-05-31.