This is a list of third party and independent United States state governors, that is, governors that have not been members of the Democratic, Republican, Whig, National Republican, Democratic-Republican, or Federalist parties.
Since its founding, the United States has been a two-party system, and it is rare for independents or members of third parties to be elected to high offices such as the governorship. However, it has happened on several occasions, which are documented below. The most recent-serving independent governor is Bill Walker of Alaska, who served 2014–2018. The most recent member of a third party (not an independent) elected to a governorship is Jesse Ventura, a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota who was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998.
While there have been few third parties that have gained traction at the national level, several states have been three-party systems at one point or another. These include Minnesota with the Farmer–Labor Party from 1918–1944, North Dakota with the Nonpartisan League from 1915–1956, Wisconsin with the Progressive Party from 1934–1946, Nevada with the Silver Party from 1892–1911, Virginia with the Readjuster Party from 1877–1895, and South Carolina with the Nullifier Party from 1828–1839.
Not included are governors who were elected before the state's ratification of the United States Constitution or governors of U.S. territories prior to their admission to the Union. Also not included are military or appointed governors of former Confederate states after the American Civil War.
| State | Portrait | Governor | Party | Start of term | End of term | width=300px | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | data-sort-value="Hancock, John" | John Hancock | Independent | May 30, 1787 | October 8, 1793 | Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution on February 6, 1788, died in office | |||
| Georgia | data-sort-value="Handley, George" | George Handley | Independent | January 26, 1788 | January 7, 1789 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | data-sort-value="Mifflin, Thomas" | Thomas Mifflin | Independent | November 5, 1788 | December 17, 1799 | Titled "President" 1788–90 | |||
| Virginia | data-sort-value="Randolph, Beverley" | Beverley Randolph | Independent | December 1, 1788 | December 1, 1791 | ||||
| Delaware | data-sort-value="Davis, Jehu" | Jehu Davis | Independent | March 29, 1789 | June 2, 1789 | Titled "President" | |||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Fenner, Arthur" | Arthur Fenner | Country | May 5, 1790 | October 15, 1805 | Rhode Island ratified the U.S. Constitution on May 29, 1790, died in office | |||
| Massachusetts | data-sort-value="Adams, Samuel" | Samuel Adams | Independent | October 8, 1793 | June 2, 1797 | Acting Governor from 1793–94 | |||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Smith, Henry" | Henry Smith | Country | October 15, 1805 | May 7, 1806 | ||||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Wilbour, Isaac" | Isaac Wilbour | Country | May 7, 1806 | May 6, 1807 | Acting governor | |||
| Vermont | data-sort-value="Chittenden, Thomas" | Thomas Chittenden | Independent | March 4, 1791 | August 25, 1797 | Governor of the Vermont Republic 1778–89; 90–91, died in office | |||
| Maryland | data-sort-value="Plater, George" | George Plater | Independent | November 14, 1791 | February 10, 1792 | Died in office | |||
| Massachusetts | data-sort-value="Gill, Moses" | Moses Gill | Independent | June 7, 1799 | May 20, 1800 | Acting Governor, died in office | |||
| Virginia | data-sort-value="Burnley, Hardin" | Hardin Burnley | Independent | December 7, 1799 | December 11, 1799 | Acting governor | |||
| Virginia | data-sort-value="Pendleton, John Jr." | John Pendleton Jr. | Independent | December 11, 1799 | December 19, 1799 | Acting governor | |||
| Connecticut | data-sort-value="Wolcott, Oliver Jr." | Oliver Wolcott Jr. | Toleration | May 8, 1817 | May 2, 1827 | ||||
| Illinois | data-sort-value="Bond, Shadrach" | Shadrach Bond | Independent | October 6, 1818 | December 5, 1822 | ||||
| Illinois | data-sort-value="Coles, Edward" | Edward Coles | Independent | December 5, 1822 | December 6, 1826 | ||||
| North Carolina | data-sort-value="Burton, Hutchins Gordon" | Hutchins Gordon Burton | Independent | December 7, 1824 | December 8, 1827 | ||||
| Indiana | data-sort-value="Ray, James B." | James B. Ray | Independent | February 12, 1825 | December 7, 1831 | ||||
| South Carolina | data-sort-value="Miller, Stephen Decatur" | Stephen Decatur Miller | Nullifier | December 10, 1828 | December 9, 1830 | ||||
| South Carolina | data-sort-value="Hamilton, James Jr." | James Hamilton Jr. | Nullifier | December 9, 1830 | December 10, 1832 | ||||
| Vermont | data-sort-value="Palmer, William A." | William A. Palmer | Anti-Masonic | October 18, 1831 | November 2, 1835 | ||||
| South Carolina | data-sort-value="Hayne, Robert Y." | Robert Y. Hayne | Nullifier | December 10, 1832 | December 9, 1834 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | data-sort-value="Ritner, Joseph" | Joseph Ritner | Anti-Masonic | December 15, 1835 | January 15, 1839 | ||||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="King, Samuel Ward" | Samuel Ward King | Rhode Island Party | May 2, 1839 | May 2, 1843 | Governorship disputed 1842–43, see Dorr Rebellion | |||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Dorr, Thomas Wilson" | Thomas Wilson Dorr | Dorr Rebellion | May 1, 1842 | January 23, 1843 | Extralegal governor, disputed with Samuel Ward King, see Dorr Rebellion | |||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Fenner, James" | James Fenner | Law and Order | May 2, 1843 | May 6, 1845 | ||||
| Alabama | data-sort-value="Martin, Joshua L." | Joshua L. Martin | Independent | December 10, 1845 | December 16, 1847 | ||||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Diman, Byron" | Byron Diman | Law and Order | May 6, 1846 | May 4, 1847 | ||||
| Georgia | data-sort-value="Cobb, Howell" | Howell Cobb | Union | November 5, 1851 | November 9, 1853 | ||||
| Mississippi | data-sort-value="Foote, Henry S." | Henry S. Foote | Union | January 10, 1852 | January 5, 1854 | ||||
| Texas | data-sort-value="Pease, Elisha M." | Elisha M. Pease | Union | December 21, 1853 | December 21, 1857 | Later served as Governor as a Republican from 1867–69 | |||
| Massachusetts | data-sort-value="Gardner, Henry" | Henry Gardner | American | January 4, 1855 | January 7, 1858 | ||||
| Connecticut | data-sort-value="Minor, William T." | William T. Minor | American | May 2, 1855 | May 6, 1857 | ||||
| New Hampshire | data-sort-value="Metcalf, Ralph" | Ralph Metcalf | American | June 7, 1855 | June 4, 1857 | ||||
| Kentucky | data-sort-value="Morehead, Charles S." | Charles S. Morehead | American | September 4, 1855 | August 30, 1859 | ||||
| California | data-sort-value="Johnson, J. Neely" | J. Neely Johnson | American | January 6, 1856 | January 8, 1858 | ||||
| Maryland | data-sort-value="Hicks, Thomas Holliday" | Thomas Holliday Hicks | American | January 13, 1858 | January 8, 1862 | ||||
| Texas | data-sort-value="Houston, Sam" | Sam Houston | Constitutional Union | December 31, 1859 | March 28, 1861 | Previously served as President of the Republic of Texas 1836–1838; 1841–1844 and Governor of Tennessee from 1827–1829 | |||
| Maryland | data-sort-value="Bradford, Augustus" | Augustus Bradford | Union | January 8, 1862 | January 10, 1866 | ||||
| Ohio | data-sort-value="Brough, John" | John Brough | Union | January 11, 1864 | August 29, 1865 | Died in office |
| State | Portrait | Governor | Party | Start of term | End of term | width=300px | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | data-sort-value="Patton, Robert M." | Robert M. Patton | Independent | December 13, 1865 | July 24, 1868 | Had been a Whig prior to the Civil War | |||
| Missouri | data-sort-value="Brown, Benjamin Gratz" | Benjamin Gratz Brown | Liberal Republican | January 4, 1871 | January 3, 1873 | ||||
| West Virginia | data-sort-value="Jacob, John J." | John J. Jacob | People's Independent Party | March 4, 1871 | March 4, 1877 | Jacob was elected as a Democrat, and reelected under the umbrella of the People's Independent Party in 1872 after failing to win the Democratic nomination. | |||
| Maine | data-sort-value="Plaisted, Harris M." | Harris M. Plaisted | Greenback | January 13, 1881 | January 3, 1883 | Also endorsed by the Democrats | |||
| Virginia | data-sort-value="Cameron, William E." | William E. Cameron | Readjuster | January 1, 1882 | January 1, 1886 | ||||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Shortridge, Eli C. D." | Eli Shortridge | Democratic-Independent | January 3, 1893 | January 10, 1895 | ||||
| Kansas | data-sort-value="Lewelling, Lorenzo D." | Lorenzo D. Lewelling | Populist | January 9, 1893 | January 14, 1895 | ||||
| Washington | data-sort-value="Rogers, John Rankin" | John Rankin Rogers | Populist | January 11, 1897 | December 26, 1901 | Also endorsed by the Democrats, became a Democrat in 1900, died in office | |||
| Colorado | data-sort-value="Waite, Davis Hanson" | Davis Hanson Waite | Populist | January 10, 1893 | January 8, 1895 | ||||
| Nebraska | data-sort-value="Holcomb, Silas A." | Silas A. Holcomb | Populist | January 3, 1895 | January 5, 1899 | Also endorsed by the Democrats | |||
| Nevada | data-sort-value="Jones, John Edward" | John Edward Jones | Silver | January 7, 1895 | April 10, 1896 | Died in office | |||
| Nevada | data-sort-value="Sadler, Reinhold" | Reinhold Sadler | Silver | April 10, 1896 | January 5, 1903 | Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Jones | |||
| Nevada | data-sort-value="Sparks, John" | John Sparks | Silver | January 5, 1903 | May 22, 1908 | Also endorsed by the Democrats, died in office | |||
| Nevada | data-sort-value="Dickerson, Denver S." | Denver S. Dickerson | Silver | May 22, 1908 | January 2, 1911 | Also endorsed by the Democrats, succeeded to the governorship after the death of Sparks | |||
| South Dakota | data-sort-value="Lee, Andrew E." | Andrew E. Lee | Populist | January 1, 1897 | January 8, 1901 | ||||
| Kansas | data-sort-value="Leedy, John W." | John W. Leedy | Populist | January 11, 1897 | January 9, 1899 | ||||
| Nebraska | data-sort-value="Poynter, William A." | William A. Poynter | Populist | January 5, 1899 | January 3, 1901 | Also endorsed by the Democrats | |||
| Wyoming | data-sort-value="Carey, Joseph M." | Joseph M. Carey | Progressive | January 2, 1911 | January 4, 1915 | Elected as a Republican, became a Progressive in 1912 | |||
| California | data-sort-value="Johnson, Hiram" | Hiram Johnson | Progressive | January 3, 1911 | March 15, 1917 | Elected as a Republican, became a Progressive in 1912, resigned in 1917 in order to become a U.S. Senator | |||
| Florida | data-sort-value="Catts, Sidney Johnston" | Sidney Johnston Catts | Prohibition | January 2, 1917 | January 4, 1921 | ||||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Frazier, Lynn" | Lynn Frazier | Nonpartisan League[1] | January 3, 1917 | November 23, 1921 | Recalled | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Nestos, Ragnvald" | Ragnvald Nestos | Independent Voters Association | November 23, 1921 | January 7, 1925 | Won the recall election | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Sorlie, Arthur G." | Arthur G. Sorlie | Nonpartisan League | January 7, 1925 | August 28, 1928 | Died in office | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Maddock, Walter" | Walter Maddock | Nonpartisan League | August 28, 1928 | January 9, 1929 | Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Sorlie | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Shafer, George F." | George F. Shafer | Independent Voters Association | January 9, 1929 | December 31, 1932 | ||||
| Minnesota | data-sort-value="Olson, Floyd B." | Floyd B. Olson | Farmer–Labor | January 6, 1931 | August 22, 1936 | Died in office | |||
| Oregon | data-sort-value="Meier, Julius" | Julius Meier | Independent | January 12, 1931 | January 14, 1935 | ||||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Langer, William" | William Langer | Nonpartisan League | December 31, 1932 | June 21, 1934 | Removed from office in 1934, elected again in 1936 | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Olson, Ole H." | Ole H. Olson | Nonpartisan League | June 21, 1934 | January 7, 1935 | Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Langer | |||
| North Dakota | data-sort-value="Welford, Walter" | Walter Welford | Nonpartisan League | February 2, 1935 | January 6, 1937 | Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Thomas H. Moodie due to ineligibility | |||
| Minnesota | data-sort-value="Petersen, Hjalmar" | Hjalmar Petersen | Farmer–Labor | August 22, 1936 | January 4, 1937 | Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Olson | |||
| Minnesota | data-sort-value="Benson, Elmer Austin" | Elmer Austin Benson | Farmer–Labor | January 4, 1937 | January 2, 1939 | ||||
| Wisconsin | data-sort-value="Follette, Philip La" | Philip La Follette | Progressive | January 7, 1935 | January 2, 1939 | ||||
| Wisconsin | data-sort-value="Loomis, Orland Steen" | Orland Steen Loomis | Progressive | N/A | N/A | Died a month before he was to take office | |||
| Maine | data-sort-value="Longley, James B." | James B. Longley | Independent | January 2, 1975 | January 3, 1979 | ||||
| Alaska | data-sort-value="Hickel, Wally" | Wally Hickel | Alaskan Independence | December 3, 1990 | December 5, 1994 | Previously served as a Republican from 1966–1969, became a Republican in April 1994 | |||
| Connecticut | data-sort-value="Weicker, Lowell P. Jr." | Lowell P. Weicker | A Connecticut Party | January 9, 1991 | January 4, 1995 | ||||
| Maine | data-sort-value="King, Angus" | Angus King | Independent | January 5, 1995 | January 8, 2003 | ||||
| Minnesota | data-sort-value="Ventura, Jesse" | Jesse Ventura | Reform/Independence | January 4, 1999 | January 6, 2003 | Elected as Reform, later switched to the Independence Party of Minnesota in 2000 | |||
| Florida | data-sort-value="Crist, Charlie" | Charlie Crist | Independent | January 2, 2007 | January 4, 2011 | Elected as a Republican, became an independent on May 13, 2010 | |||
| Rhode Island | data-sort-value="Chafee, Lincoln" | Lincoln Chafee | Independent | January 4, 2011 | January 6, 2015 | Switched to the Democratic Party on May 30, 2013 | |||
| Alaska | data-sort-value="Walker, Bill" | Bill Walker[2] | Independent | December 1, 2014 | December 3, 2018 | Also endorsed by the Democrats |