List of governors of New York explained

The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York, the head of the executive branch of New York's state government, and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[1] The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, to convene the New York State Legislature, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the legislature,[2] as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[3]

Fifty-seven people have served as state governor, four of whom served non-consecutive terms (George Clinton, DeWitt Clinton, Horatio Seymour, and Al Smith); the official numbering lists each governor only once. There has only been one female governor so far: Kathy Hochul. This numbering includes one acting governor: the lieutenant governor who filled the vacancy after the resignation of the governor, under the 1777 Constitution.[4] The list does not include the prior colonial governors nor those who have acted as governor when the governor was out of state, such as Lieutenant Governor Timothy L. Woodruff during Theodore Roosevelt's vice presidential campaign in 1900, or Acting Speaker of the New York State Assembly Moses M. Weinstein, who acted as governor for 10 days in 1968 while the governor, the lieutenant governor and the senate majority leader were out of the state, attending the Republican National Convention in Miami.[5]

Four men have become president of the United States after serving as governor of New York: Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and six were vice president. Van Buren and Theodore Roosevelt held both offices. Numerous Governors have also sought the Presidency, and won their party's respective nomination, but lost the general election, such as Al Smith, Samuel J. Tilden, Horatio Seymour, Thomas E. Dewey, and Charles Evans Hughes. Two governors have been chief justice: John Jay held that position when he was elected governor in 1795, and Charles Evans Hughes became chief justice in 1930, two decades after leaving the governorship.

The longest-serving governor was the first, George Clinton, who first took office on July 30, 1777, and served seven terms in two different periods, totaling just under 21 years in office. As 18 of those years were consecutive, Clinton also served the longest consecutive period in office for a New York governor. Charles Poletti had the shortest term, serving 29 days following the resignation of the previous governor, Herbert H. Lehman in 1942. David Paterson was the first African American governor of New York, and the first legally blind governor as well. Paterson is only the fourth African American to hold the office of governor in the United States. The current governor is Democrat Kathy Hochul, the state's first female governor, who assumed the office on August 24, 2021, upon the resignation of Andrew Cuomo. Hochul went on to be elected as governor for a full term, after beating Republican Lee Zeldin in the 2022 election.

Governors

New York was one of the original Thirteen Colonies on the east coast of North America, and was admitted as a state on July 26, 1788. Prior to declaring its independence, New York was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, which it in turn obtained from the Dutch as the colony of New Netherland; see the list of colonial governors and the list of directors-general of New Netherland for the pre-statehood period.

The office of the governor was established by the first New York Constitution in 1777. The governor originally served for a term of three years,[6] though the constitution did not specify when the term began. A 1787 law set the start of the term at July 1.[7] The New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821 amended the state constitution, reducing the term of office to two years,[8] moving the election to November,[9] and moving the beginning and the end of the term to coincide with the calendar year.[10] An 1874 amendment extended the term of office back to three years,[11] but the 1894 constitution again reduced it to two years.[12] The most recent New York Constitution of 1938 extended the term to the current four years.[13] There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms a governor may serve.

The Constitution has provided since 1777 for the election of a lieutenant governor of New York, who is ex officio President of the Senate, to the same term (keeping the same term lengths as the governor throughout all the constitutional revisions). Originally, in the event of the death, resignation or impeachment of the governor, the lieutenant governor would become acting governor until the end of the yearly legislative term, the office being filled in a special election, if there was a remainder of the term.[14] Since the 1821 Constitution, the lieutenant governor explicitly becomes governor upon such vacancy in the office and serves for the entire remainder of the term.[15] Should the office of lieutenant governor become vacant, the president pro tempore of the State Senate performs all the duties of the lieutenant governor until the vacancy is filled either at the next gubernatorial election or by appointment. Likewise, should both offices become vacant at the same time, the president pro tempore acts as governor, with the office of lieutenant governor remaining vacant. Should the presidency pro tempore be vacant too, or the incumbent unable to fulfill the duties, the Speaker of the State Assembly is next in the line of succession.[16] The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor, since the 1954 election with a single joint vote cast for both offices, but is nominated separately.[17]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"
GovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor
1 George Clinton

[18]
[19]

July 1, 1795
No parties1777 
1780
1783
1786
1789
Anti-Federalist1792
2John Jay

[20]
[21]

July 1, 1801
Federalist1795
1798
1data-sort-value="Clinton, George"George Clinton

[22]

July 1, 1804
Democratic–
Republican
1801
3data-sort-value="Lewis, Morgan"Morgan Lewis

[23]


July 1, 1807
Democratic–
Republican
1804
4Daniel D. Tompkins

[24]


February 24, 1817
Democratic–
Republican
1807
1810
Vacant


1813
1816
5data-sort-value="Tayler, John"John Tayler

[25]
[26]

July 1, 1817
Democratic–
Republican

6DeWitt Clinton

[27]
[28]

January 1, 1823
Democratic–
Republican
1817
1820
7data-sort-value="Yates, Joseph"Joseph C. Yates

[29]
[30]

January 1, 1825
Democratic–
Republican
1822
6DeWitt Clinton

[31]

February 11, 1828
Democratic–
Republican
1824
1826
8Nathaniel Pitcher

[32]


January 1, 1829
Democratic–
Republican


9data-sort-value="Van Buren, Martin"Martin Van Buren

[33]
[34]

March 12, 1829
Democratic–
Republican
1828
10Enos T. Throop

[35]
[36]

January 1, 1833
Democratic

1830
11William L. Marcy

[37]


January 1, 1839
Democratic1832
1834
1836
12William H. Seward

[38]
[39]

January 1, 1843
Whig1838
1840
13data-sort-value="Bouck, William"William C. Bouck

[40]


January 1, 1845
Democratic1842
14data-sort-value="Wright, Silas"Silas Wright

[41]
[42]

January 1, 1847
Democratic1844
15John Young

[43]
[44]

January 1, 1849
Whig1846


16data-sort-value="Fish, Hamilton"Hamilton Fish

[45]
[46]

January 1, 1851
Whig1848
17data-sort-value="Hunt, Washington"Washington Hunt

[47]
[48]

January 1, 1853
Whig1850
18data-sort-value="Seymour, Horatio"Horatio Seymour

[49]
[50]

January 1, 1855
Democratic1852
19data-sort-value="Clark, Myron"Myron H. Clark

[51]
[52]

January 1, 1857
Whig/
Free Soil
(fusion)
1854
20data-sort-value="King, John"John A. King

[53]
[54]

January 1, 1859
Republican1856
21Edwin D. Morgan

[55]
[56]

January 1, 1863
Republican1858
1860
18data-sort-value="Seymour, Horatio"Horatio Seymour

[57]

January 2, 1865
Democratic1862
22Reuben Fenton

[58]


January 1, 1869
Union1864
1866
23John T. Hoffman

[59]
[60]

January 1, 1873
Democratic1868
1870
24data-sort-value="Dix, John Adams"John Adams Dix

[61]
[62]

January 1, 1875
Republican1872
25data-sort-value="Tilden, Samuel"Samuel J. Tilden

[63]
[64]

January 1, 1877
Democratic1874
26data-sort-value="Robinson, Lucius"Lucius Robinson

[65]
[66]

January 1, 1880
Democratic1876
27data-sort-value="Cornell, Alonzo"Alonzo B. Cornell

[67]
[68]

January 1, 1883
Republican1879
28data-sort-value="Cleveland, Grover"Grover Cleveland

[69]
[70]

January 6, 1885
Democratic1882
29David B. Hill

[71]
[72]

January 1, 1892
Democratic
1885
1888
30data-sort-value="Flower, Roswell"Roswell P. Flower

[73]
[74]

January 1, 1895
Democratic1891
31data-sort-value="Morton, Levi"Levi P. Morton

[75]

January 1, 1897
Republican1894
32data-sort-value="Black, Frank"Frank S. Black

[76]
[77]

December 31, 1898
Republican1896
33data-sort-value="Roosevelt, Theodore"Theodore Roosevelt

[78]
[79]

January 1, 1901
Republican1898
34Benjamin Odell

[80]
[81]

December 31, 1904
Republican1900
1902
35Frank W. Higgins

[82]
[83]

January 1, 1907
Republican1904

36Charles Evans Hughes

[84]
[85]

October 6, 1910
Republican1906
1908
37data-sort-value="White, Horace"Horace White

[86]
[87]

December 31, 1910
Republican
38data-sort-value="Dix, John Alden"John Alden Dix

[88]
[89]

January 1, 1913
[90]
Democratic1910
39data-sort-value="Sulzer, William"William Sulzer

[91]
[92]

October 17, 1913
Democratic1912
40data-sort-value="Glynn, Martin"Martin H. Glynn

[93]
[94]

December 31, 1914
Democratic
41Charles Seymour Whitman

[95]
[96]

January 1, 1919
Republican1914
1916
42data-sort-value="Smith, Al"Al Smith

[97]
[98]

December 31, 1920
Democratic1918
43Nathan L. Miller

[99]
[100]

December 31, 1922
Republican1920

42Al Smith

[101]

December 31, 1928
Democratic1922
1924
1926
44Franklin D. Roosevelt

[102]
[103]

December 31, 1932
Democratic1928
1930
45Herbert H. Lehman

[104]
[105]

December 2, 1942
Democratic1932
1934
1936
1938
46data-sort-value="Poletti, Charles"Charles Poletti

[106]
[107]

December 31, 1942
Democratic
47Thomas E. Dewey

[108]
[109]

December 31, 1954
Republican1942
1946
1950


48data-sort-value="Harriman, W. Averell"W. Averell Harriman

[110]
[111]

December 31, 1958
Democratic1954
49Nelson Rockefeller

[112]
[113]

December 18, 1973
Republican1958
1962
1966
1970
50data-sort-value="Wilson, Malcolm"Malcolm Wilson

[114]
[115]

December 31, 1974
Republican
51Hugh Carey

[116]
[117]

December 31, 1982
Democratic1974
1978
52Mario Cuomo

[118]
[119]

December 31, 1994
Democratic1982

1986
1990
53George Pataki

[120]
[121]

December 31, 2006
Republican1994
1998
2002
54data-sort-value="Spitzer, Eliot"Eliot Spitzer

[122]
[123]

March 17, 2008
Democratic2006
55David Paterson

[124]
[125]

December 31, 2010
Democratic





56Andrew Cuomo

[126]
[127]

August 23, 2021
Democratic2010
2014
2018
57Kathy Hochul

[128]
[129]

Incumbent
Democratic



2022

See also

References

General
Specific

External links

Notes and References

  1. New York Constitution article IV, § 3.
  2. New York Constitution article IV, § 7.
  3. New York Constitution article IV, § 4.
  4. Web site: Governors of New York . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080315162911/http://www.ny.gov/governor/nygovs/index.html . March 15, 2008 . March 28, 2008 . State of New York.
  5. News: McFadden . Robert D. . December 3, 2007 . Moses Weinstein, 95, Legislator and Judge, Dies . . September 7, 2008.
  6. 1777 New York Constitution, article XVIII.
  7. Web site: Governors of New York . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080321190055/http://www.dos.state.ny.us/kidsroom/nysfacts/nysgovs.html . March 21, 2008 . March 28, 2008 . New York Department of State.
  8. 1821 New York Constitution article III, § 1.
  9. 1821 New York Constitution article I, § 15.
  10. 1821 New York Constitution article I, § 16.
  11. Encyclopedia: 1883 . New York . Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States . Melbert B. Cary & Company . Chicago . March 28, 2008 . . II . 1017.
  12. 1894 New York Constitution article IV, § 1
  13. New York Constitution article IV, § 1.
  14. 1777 New York Constitution, article X.
  15. New York Constitution, article IV § 5.
  16. New York Constitution, article IV § 6.
  17. Web site: Executive Branch of the Several States . March 28, 2008 . The Green Papers.
  18. Web site: George Clinton . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  19. News: Faber . Harold . 1989-09-25 . Remembering a Governor Almost Forgotten . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-11 . 0362-4331.
  20. Web site: John Jay . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  21. Book: Senate, New York (State) Legislature . Documents of the Senate of the State of New York . 1901 . E. Croswell . 303 . en.
  22. Book: Williams, Edwin . The New York Annual Register . 1831 . J. Leavitt . 35 . en.
  23. Web site: Morgan Lewis . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  24. Web site: Daniel D. Tompkins . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  25. Web site: John Tayler . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  26. News: 1817-03-11 . none . His honor Lt. Gov. Tayler, before assuming the executive functions, took an affectionate leave of the Senate. . 2 . Buffalo Gazette . 2023-09-29.
  27. Web site: Dewitt Clinton . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  28. News: 1817-07-09 . none . Yesterday, his Excellency Dewitt Clinton, elected governor, and his honor John Taylor, Lieutenant Governor took the oaths of their respective offices. . 2 . The Long-Island Star . 2023-09-29.
  29. Web site: Joseph Christopher Yates . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  30. News: 1823-01-06 . none . On Wednesday last... his Excellency Joseph H. Yates was sworn into office as Governor of this state... . 2 . The Evening Post . 2023-09-29.
  31. News: 1825-01-05 . New Governor . 3 . Poughkeepsie Journal . 2023-09-29.
  32. Web site: Nathaniel Pitcher . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  33. Web site: Martin Van Buren . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  34. News: 1829-01-07 . none . On the first instant the oaths of office were administered to Martin Van Buren, Governor... . 3 . Poughkeepsie Journal . 2023-09-29.
  35. Web site: Enos Thompson Throop . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  36. New York State Legislature. Journal of the Senate. 1829 sess., 307, accessed May 12, 2023.
  37. Web site: William Learned Marcy . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  38. Web site: William Henry Seward . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  39. News: 1839-01-02 . none . Yesterday the new Governor, Mr. Seward, came into office. . 2 . The Evening Post . 2023-09-29.
  40. Web site: William C. Bouck . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  41. Web site: Silas Wright . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  42. News: 1845-01-04 . Albany . 1 . New York Daily Herald . 2023-09-29.
  43. Web site: John Young . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  44. News: 1847-01-03 . The Inauguration of John Young As Governor of New York . 3 . New York Daily Herald . 2023-09-29.
  45. Web site: Hamilton Fish . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  46. News: 1849-01-04 . Affairs in Albany . 4 . New York Daily Herald . 2023-09-29.
  47. Web site: Washington Hunt . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  48. News: 1851-01-02 . Inauguration of Governor Hunt, Interesting Proceedings . 3 . The Evening Post . 2023-09-29.
  49. Web site: Horatio Seymour . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  50. News: 1853-01-01 . The Inauguration of Gov. Seymour - The Opening of the Legislature, etc. . 4 . New York Daily Herald . 2023-09-29.
  51. Web site: Myron Holley Clark . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  52. News: 1855-01-01 . Inauguration of the New Governor . 3 . New York Daily Herald . 2023-09-29.
  53. Web site: John Alsop King . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  54. News: 1857-01-03 . Inauguration of Gov. King . 2 . The Buffalo Commercial . 2023-09-29.
  55. Web site: Edwin Denison Morgan . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  56. News: 1859-01-03 . Affairs in Albany . 2 . The Buffalo Daily Republic . 2023-09-29.
  57. News: 1863-01-02 . Inauguration of Governor Horatio Seymour . 2 . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . 2023-09-29.
  58. Web site: Reuben Eaton Fenton . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  59. Web site: John Thompson Hoffman . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  60. News: 1869-01-02 . Inauguration of the New State Government . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  61. Web site: John Adams Dix . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  62. News: 1873-01-02 . State Inaugurations . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  63. Web site: Samuel Jones Tilden . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  64. News: 1875-01-02 . The New Governor Sworn . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  65. Web site: Lucius Robinson . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  66. News: 1877-01-02 . The New Governor Installed . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  67. Web site: Alonzo Barton Cornell . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  68. News: 1880-01-02 . A New Governor in Office . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  69. Web site: Steven Grover Cleveland . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  70. News: 1883-01-02 . Governor Cleveland . 1 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  71. Web site: David Bennett Hill . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  72. News: 1885-01-06 . The New Regime . 1 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  73. Web site: Roswell Pettibone Flower . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  74. News: 1892-01-02 . Oath of Office . 11 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  75. News: 1895-01-02 . Levi P. Morton, Governor . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  76. Web site: Frank Swett Black . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  77. News: 1897-01-02 . Black Is Now Governor . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  78. Web site: Theodore Roosevelt . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  79. News: 1898-12-31 . Col. Roosevelt Takes the Oath of Office . 1 . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . 2023-09-29.
  80. Web site: Benjamin Baker Odell . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  81. News: 1901-01-02 . Gov. Odell Inaugurated . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  82. Web site: Francis Wayland Higgins . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  83. News: 1905-01-01 . It Is Gov. Higgins Now . 1 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  84. Web site: Charles Evans Hughes . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  85. News: 1907-01-01 . Crowds Gather at Albany for Inauguration . 1 . Buffalo Courier . 2023-09-29.
  86. Web site: Horace White . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  87. News: 1910-10-06 . Horace White Is Governor of New York . 1 . The Buffalo Enquirer . 2023-09-29.
  88. Web site: John Alden Dix . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  89. News: 1911-01-01 . Dix Sworn In As Governor . 1 . The Sun . 2023-09-29.
  90. News: 1912-10-03 . Sulzer Wins on Fourth Phase, Dix Withdraws . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-11 . 0362-4331.
  91. Web site: William Sulzer . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  92. News: 1913-01-02 . New York's Governor-Elect Took the Oath of Office Yesterday . 1 . Buffalo Progressive . 2023-09-29.
  93. Web site: Martin Henry Glynn . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  94. News: 1913-10-18 . Glynn Is Sworn In . 2 . The New York Times . 2023-09-29.
  95. Web site: Charles Seymour Whitman . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  96. News: 1915-01-01 . Midnight Appointments Made by New Governor . 1 . The Post-Star . 2023-09-29.
  97. Web site: Alfred Emanuel Smith . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  98. News: 1919-01-01 . Democratic Weather for Smith's Inauguration . 1 . The Kingston Daily Freeman . 2023-09-29.
  99. Web site: Nathan Lewis Miller . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  100. News: 1921-01-01 . Brilliance to Mark Miller's Inaugural Day . 1 . Poughkeepsie Eagle-News . 2023-09-29.
  101. News: 1923-01-01 . Al E. Smith Given Oath . 1 . Poughkeepsie Eagle-News . 2023-09-29.
  102. Web site: Franklin Delano Roosevelt . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  103. News: 1929-01-01 . Roosevelt Takes First Oath Of Office as State Governor . 1 . Poughkeepsie Eagle-News . Associated Press . 2023-09-29.
  104. Web site: Herbert Henry Lehman . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  105. News: 1933-01-01 . O'Brien Sworn As Mayor; Lehman Now Governor . 1 . Times Union . United Press . 2023-09-29.
  106. Web site: Charles Poletti . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  107. News: Tyler . William W. . 1942-12-03 . Poletti Assumes Governorship; Lehman Resigns . 1 . The Post-Star . Associated Press . 2023-09-29.
  108. Web site: Thomas Edmund Dewey . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  109. News: Lee . Dick . 1943-01-01 . Dewey Sworn In; 20-Year Republican Drout Ends . 2 . Daily News . 2023-09-29.
  110. Web site: William Averell Harriman . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  111. News: 1955-01-01 . Gov. Harriman Sworn; Hungry Dems Swarm . 2 . Daily News . 2023-09-29.
  112. Web site: Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  113. News: Dumas . Charles . 1959-01-01 . Rockefeller Sworn In As 49th Governor . 1 . The Troy Record . Associated Press . 2023-09-29.
  114. Web site: Malcolm Wilson . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  115. News: 1973-12-18 . Wilson Becomes 50th Governor in Quiet Ceremony . 1 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  116. Web site: Hugh Leo Carey . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  117. News: 1975-01-01 . Carey Takes Oath as Governor . 6 . The Post-Standard . United Press International . 2023-09-29.
  118. Web site: Mario Matthew Cuomo . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  119. News: 1983-01-01 . Cuomo Takes Oath, Becomes 52nd Governor . A1 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  120. Web site: George E. Pataki . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  121. News: Humbert . Marc . 1995-01-01 . New Governor in Control of New York . A1 . The Post-Star . Associated Press . 2023-09-29.
  122. Web site: Eliot Spitzer . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  123. News: Spector . Joseph . 2007-01-01 . Glut of Troubles Awaits Spitzer . 1A . Democrat and Chronicle . 2023-09-29.
  124. Web site: David A. Paterson . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  125. News: Precious . Tom . 2008-03-18 . Trust Is Paterson's Mission . A1 . The Buffalo News . 2023-09-29.
  126. Web site: Andrew Cuomo . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  127. News: Reisman . Nick . 2011-01-01 . Cuomo Is 56th Leader of New York . 1A . Poughkeepsie Journal . 2023-09-29.
  128. Web site: Kathy Hochul . May 9, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  129. News: Solomon . Joshua . 2021-08-24 . Kathy Hochul Sworn In After Midnight, Becoming New York's First Female Governor . en-US . Times Union . 2023-05-16.