List of governors of Montana explained

Post:	Governor
Body:	Montana
Insignia:	Montana-StateSeal.svg
Insigniasize:	110px
Insigniacaption:	State seal
Flag:	Flag of Montana.svg
Flagsize:	145px
Flagcaption:	State flag
Incumbent:	Greg Gianforte
Incumbentsince:	January 4, 2021
Style:	The Honorable
Department:	Government of Montana
Residence:	Montana Governor's Residence
Termlength:	Four years, renewable once (limited to eight years in a sixteen year period)
Constituting Instrument:	Montana Constitution of 1889
Succession:	Every four years, unless re-elected.
Inaugural:	Joseph K. Toole
Salary:	$108,167 (2022)^[1]

The governor of Montana is the head of government of Montana^[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Montana State Legislature,^[4] to convene the legislature at any time,^[5] and to grant pardons and reprieves.^[6]

Montana has had 24 governors, consisting of 9 Republicans and 15 Democrats. The longest-serving governor was Joseph Toole, who served from 1889 to 1893 and again from 1901 until his resignation in 1908 with 11 years in office. He is the only governor to serve nonconsecutive terms. The shortest-serving governor was Elmer Holt, who served less than 13 months when the previous governor died. The current governor is Republican Greg Gianforte, who took office on January 4, 2021.

List of governors

Territory of Montana

Montana Territory was organized from Idaho Territory on May 26, 1864. During its 35-year history, it had nine governors appointed by the president of the United States, and three acting governors, all of whom had been appointed territorial secretary before becoming acting governor. The first, Thomas Francis Meagher, served as acting governor from 1865 until 1867.^[7] The second, James Tufts, served in for one month in 1869,^[8] and was succeeded by Wiley Scribner, who served 1869–1870.^[9]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

Governor	Term in office	Appointed by
1	data-sort-value="Edgerton, Sidney"		Sidney Edgerton	– July 13, 1866
2	data-sort-value="Smith, Green"		Green Clay Smith	– April 9, 1869
3	data-sort-value="Ashley, James"		James Mitchell Ashley	– December 17, 1869
4		Benjamin F. Potts	– August 4, 1882
5	data-sort-value="Crosby, John"		John Schuyler Crosby	– November 11, 1884
6	data-sort-value="Carpenter, B."		B. Platt Carpenter	– July 3, 1885
7	data-sort-value="Hauser, Samuel"		Samuel Thomas Hauser	– January 13, 1887
8	data-sort-value="Leslie, Preston"		Preston Leslie	– March 27, 1889
9	data-sort-value="White, Benjami"		Benjamin F. White	– November 8, 1889

State of Montana

Montana was admitted to the Union on November 8, 1889.

The current Montana Constitution, ratified in 1972, calls for a 4-year term for the governor, commencing on the first Monday in January following an election.^[10] A 1992 amendment limits the governor to 8 years in any 16-year period.^[11] The constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor for the same term as the governor. The two offices are elected on the same ticket; a provision which did not appear in the state's first constitution, ratified in 1889. In the event of a vacancy in the office of governor due to resignation, disqualification, or death, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term. If the governor is unable to perform his duties for any other reason, the lieutenant governor may become acting governor at the discretion of the state legislature.^[12]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	data-sort-value="Toole, Joseph"			Joseph Toole ^[13]	^[14] – January 2, 1893	Democratic
2	data-sort-value="Rickards, John"			John E. Rickards ^[15]	^[16] – January 4, 1897	Republican
3	data-sort-value="Smith, Robert"			Robert Burns Smith ^[17]	^[18] – January 7, 1901	Democratic
4		Joseph Toole		^[19] – April 1, 1908	Democratic
5		Edwin L. Norris ^[20]		^[21] – January 6, 1913	Democratic
6		Sam V. Stewart ^[22]		^[23] – January 3, 1921	Democratic
7	data-sort-value="Dixon, Joseph"			Joseph M. Dixon ^[24]	^[25] – January 5, 1925	Republican
8			John E. Erickson ^[26]	^[27] – March 13, 1933	Democratic
9			Frank Henry Cooney ^[28]	^[29] – December 15, 1935	Democratic
10	data-sort-value="Holt, Elmer"			Elmer Holt ^[30]	^[31] – January 4, 1937	Democratic
11	data-sort-value="Ayers, Roy"			Roy E. Ayers ^[32]	^[33] – January 6, 1941	Democratic
12			Sam C. Ford ^[34]	^[35] – January 3, 1949	Republican
13	data-sort-value="Bonner, John"			John W. Bonner ^[36]	^[37] – January 5, 1953	Democratic
14			J. Hugo Aronson ^[38]	^[39] – January 2, 1961	Republican
15	data-sort-value="Nutter, Donald"			Donald Grant Nutter ^[40]	^[41] – January 25, 1962	Republican
16			Tim Babcock ^[42]	^[43] – January 6, 1969	Republican
17	data-sort-value="Anderson, Forrest"			Forrest H. Anderson ^[44]	^[45] – January 1, 1973	Democratic
18	75px	Thomas Lee Judge ^[46]		^[47] – January 5, 1981	Democratic
19		Ted Schwinden ^[48]		^[49] – January 2, 1989	Democratic	1980
						1984
20			Stan Stephens ^[50]	^[51] – January 4, 1993	Republican	1988
21			Marc Racicot ^[52]	^[53] – January 2, 2001	Republican
						1996
22	data-sort-value="Martz, Judy"			Judy Martz ^[54]	^[55] – January 3, 2005	Republican		2000
23			Brian Schweitzer ^[56]	^[57] – January 7, 2013	Democratic	2004
24			Steve Bullock ^[58]	^[59] – January 4, 2021	Democratic	2012
						2016
25	data-sort-value="Gianforte, Greg"			Greg Gianforte ^[60]	^[61] – Incumbent	Republican	2020

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Montana
• First Ladies and Gentlemen of Montana
• List of Montana state legislatures

References

General

• Web site: Former Montana Governors . March 24, 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 Montana - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Montana

Notes and References

1. Web site: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries . The Council of State Governments . August 7, 2024.
2. [Montana Constitution]
3. [Montana Constitution]
4. [Montana Constitution]
5. [Montana Constitution]
6. [Montana Constitution]
7. Web site: Allen, Fredrick . Spring 2001 . Montana Vigilantes: and the Origins of the 3-7-77 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121162139/http://travel.mt.gov/history/Montana_the_Magazine_of_Western_History/montanavigilantes2.htm . 21 November 2008 . 17 April 2008 . Governor of the State of Montana . Montana The Magazine of Western History . 3–19.
8. Book: Burlingame, Merrill Gildea . The Montana Frontier . 1942 . State Publishing Company . Helena, MT . 166.
9. News: September 29, 1889 . Recorder Scribner Dead . 11 . The Inter Ocean . October 19, 2017 . Newspapers.com.
10. [Montana Constitution]
11. [Montana Constitution]
12. [Montana Constitution]
13. Web site: Joseph Kemp Toole . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
14. News: 1889-11-09 . For Joseph K. Toole . 1 . The Butte Miner . 2023-03-27.
15. Web site: John Ezra Rickards . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. News: 1893-01-03 . The Lower House . 1 . The Anaconda Standard . 2023-03-27.
17. Web site: Robert Burns Smith . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. News: 1897-01-04 . The Governor Sworn In . 1 . The Butte Daily Post . 2023-03-27.
19. News: 1901-01-07 . Governor Toole Takes Office . 1 . The Butte Daily Post . 2023-03-27.
20. Web site: Edwin Lee Norris . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
21. News: 1908-04-01 . It Will Be Gov. Norris Today . 4 . The Butte Miner . 2023-03-27.
22. Web site: Samuel Vernon Stewart . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
23. News: 1913-01-07 . Stewart Sworn In As Governor . 1 . The Anaconda Standard . 2023-03-27.
24. Web site: Joseph Moore Dixon . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
25. News: 1921-01-04 . Joseph M. Dixon Is Inaugurated Chief Executive . 1 . The Anaconda Standard . 2023-03-27.
26. Web site: John Edward Erickson . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
27. News: 1925-01-06 . Wheels Wait to Turn at Capital . 1 . The Billings Gazette . 2023-03-27.
28. Web site: Frank Henry Cooney . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
29. News: 1933-03-14 . Erickson Is Montana Senator - Appointed by Cooney After Resignation . 1 . The Missoulian . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
30. Web site: William Elmer Holt . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
31. News: 1935-12-16 . Senator Holt, Miles City, Is Governor, Following Demise of Frank H. Cooney . 1 . Great Falls Tribune . 2023-03-27.
32. Web site: Roy Elmer Ayers . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
33. News: 1937-01-05 . Governor Moves Inaugural Rite Ahead to Allay Excitement of Father, Who Administered Oath . 1 . Great Falls Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
34. Web site: Samuel Clarence Ford . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
35. News: 1941-01-07 . Governor Is Paid Tribute At Reception . 1 . The Missoulian . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
36. Web site: John Woodrow Bonner . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
37. News: 1949-01-04 . New, Reelected State Officers Are Given Oath . 1 . The Billings Gazette . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
38. Web site: John Hugo Aronson . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
39. News: 1953-01-06 . Hundreds Attend Reception for Governor . 1 . The Missoulian . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
40. Web site: Donald Grant Nutter . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
41. News: 1961-01-03 . Donald G. Nutter, State's 15th Governor, "On Job" . 9 . The Independent-Record . 2023-03-27.
42. Web site: Tim M. Babcock . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
43. News: 1962-01-26 . Babcock, Close Friend of Nutter, Becomes State's 15th Governor . 1 . Great Falls Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
44. Web site: Forrest H. Anderson . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
45. News: Van Swearingen . Hugh . 1969-01-07 . It's Gov. Forrest Now . 1 . The Billings Gazette . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
46. Web site: Thomas Lee Judge . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
47. News: 1973-01-02 . Tom Judge Is Inaugurated As State's 17th Governor . 1 . Great Falls Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
48. Web site: Ted Schwinden . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
49. News: 1981-01-06 . Schwinden Says Job a Challenge . 7 . The Montana Standard . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
50. Web site: Stan Stephens . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
51. News: O'Connell . Sue . 1989-01-03 . State Officials Sworn In, Given Solemn Charge . 3A . Great Falls Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.
52. Web site: Marc Racicot . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
53. News: Salemy . Shirley . 1993-01-05 . Racicot Sworn In As 20th Governor . 1A . Great Falls Tribune . 2023-03-27.
54. Web site: Judy Martz . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. News: Johnson . Charles S. . 2001-01-03 . Martz Sworn In As Governor, Seeks To Unify Montanans . 1A . The Billings Gazette . 2023-03-27.
56. Web site: Brian Schweitzer . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. News: McKee . Jennifer . 2005-01-04 . Fanfare, Drums Mark Ceremony . 1A . The Billings Gazette . 2023-03-27.
58. Web site: Steve Bullock . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
59. News: Johnson . Charles S. . Bullock Sworn In As 24th Governor of Montana . en . Billings Gazette . 2023-03-27.
60. Web site: Greg Gianforte . March 25, 2023 . National Governors Association.
61. News: Samuels . Iris . 2021-04-20 . Greg Gianforte Sworn In As Montana's 25th Governor . en . Associated Press . 2023-03-27.