Governor of Louisiana
Gouverneur de la Louisiane
Great Seal of the State of Louisiana
Incumbent John Bel Edwards since January 11, 2016
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Louisiana Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively[1]
Precursor	Governor of Orleans Territory
Inaugural holder	William C. C. Claiborne
Formation	April 30, 1812 (210 years ago) (1812-04-30)
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Salary	US$130,000 per year (2013)[2]
Website	Official Website

The governor of Louisiana (French: Gouverneur de la Louisiane) is the head of state and head of government of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Louisiana's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws.

Democrat John Bel Edwards has held the office since January 2016.

Qualifications

Anyone who seeks to be elected Governor of Louisiana must meet the following qualifications:^[3]

• have attained the age of 25 years
• be an elector
• have been a citizen of the United States and a citizen of Louisiana for at least the preceding five years

Governors

For Governors of Louisiana before the territory was transferred to United States control, see List of colonial governors of Louisiana.

Governor of the Territory of Orleans

Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803.^[4] On October 1, 1804, Orleans Territory was organized from the southern part of the Purchase, with the remainder being made the District of Louisiana and placed under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory.^[5] The District of Louisiana would later become Louisiana Territory, but after Orleans Territory became the state of Louisiana, Louisiana Territory was renamed Missouri Territory.^[6]

Governor of the Territory of Orleans

Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
	William C. C. Claiborne     1773 or 1775 – December 18, 1817    (aged 42 or 44)	December 20, 1803[a] – July 30, 1812	Thomas Jefferson
			James Madison

Governors of the State of Louisiana

Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.^[8] It seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861,^[9] and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861.^[10] However, since substantial parts of the state remained in Union hands throughout the war, there were 2 lines of governors elected. Following the end of the American Civil War, Louisiana during Reconstruction was part of the Fifth Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections.^[11] Louisiana was readmitted to the Union on July 9, 1868.^[12]

The 1812 constitution established the office of governor, to serve for four years^[13] starting from the fourth Monday after the election.^[14] In 1845, the start date was moved to the fourth Monday of the January after the election;^[15] in 1864, it was moved to the second Monday of the January after the election;^[16] in 1879 it was moved to the first Monday after the General Assembly announced the election result; the 1921 Constitution fixed the new inauguration date as the second Tuesday in May.^[17] The 1974 Constitution changed the date, effective in 1980, to the second Monday of the March following the election; this was amended in 1987, to become effective in 1992, to the second Monday of January.^[18] Governors were not allowed to succeed themselves^[19] until 1864, when the constitution held no term limits. The restriction on governors succeeding themselves was reintroduced in 1868,^[20] removed again in 1879, and again added in 1898.^[21] An amendment to the constitution passed in 1966 allowed governors to succeed themselves once before requiring a gap before they can be elected again. Governors of Louisiana can only serve two consecutive terms, but can serve again after being out of office for one term;^[22] more than half of one full four year term is considered a term as well.^[22] Five governors have served nonconsecutive terms. Andre B. Roman, Francis T. Nicholls, and Jimmie Davis each served two non-consecutive terms, while Earl Long and Edwin Edwards both served in three distinct stints.

In the event of a vacancy, the President of the Senate originally acted as governor.^[23] The 1845 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor, to be elected at the same time and manner as the governor^[24] and who would act as governor in the event of a vacancy.^[25] The 1913 constitution established that the lieutenant governor would become governor in case of a vacancy.^[26] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on a ticket.^[27]

Governors of the State of Louisiana^[b]

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[c]
1			William C. C. Claiborne     1773 or 1775 – December 18, 1817    (aged 42 or 44)	July 30, 1812[d] – December 17, 1816 (term limited)	Democratic- Republican	1812	Office did not exist
2			Jacques Villeré     April 28, 1761 – March 7, 1830    (aged 68)	December 17, 1816[e] – December 18, 1820 (term limited)	Democratic- Republican	1816
3			Thomas B. Robertson     February 27, 1779 – October 5, 1828    (aged 49)	December 18, 1820 – November 15, 1824 (resigned)[f]	Democratic- Republican	1820
4			Henry S. Thibodaux     September 24, 1769 – October 24, 1827    (aged 58)	November 15, 1824 – December 13, 1824 (successor took office)	National Republican	President of the Senate acting as Governor
5			Henry Johnson     September 14, 1783 – September 4, 1864    (aged 80)	December 13, 1824 – December 15, 1828 (term limited)	Democratic- Republican	1824
6			Pierre Derbigny     June 30, 1769 – October 6, 1829    (aged 60)	December 15, 1828 – October 6, 1829 (died in office)	National Republican	1828
7			Armand Beauvais     September 6, 1783 – November 18, 1843    (aged 60)	October 6, 1829 – January 14, 1830 (senate term ended)[g]	National Republican	President of the Senate acting as Governor
8			Jacques Dupré     February 12, 1773 – September 14, 1846    (aged 73)	January 14, 1830 – January 31, 1831 (not candidate for election)	National Republican	President of the Senate acting as Governor
9			Andre B. Roman     March 5, 1795 – January 26, 1866    (aged 70)	January 31, 1831 – February 2, 1835	National Republican	1830 (special)[h]
10			Edward Douglass White Sr.     March 3, 1795 – April 18, 1847    (aged 52)	February 2, 1835[34] – February 4, 1839 (term limited)	Whig	1834
9			Andre B. Roman     March 5, 1795 – January 26, 1866    (aged 70)	February 4, 1839 – January 30, 1843 (term limited)	Whig	1838
11			Alexandre Mouton     November 19, 1804 – February 12, 1885    (aged 80)	January 30, 1843 – February 12, 1846 (term limited)	Democratic	1842[i]
12			Isaac Johnson     November 1, 1803 – March 15, 1853    (aged 49)	February 12, 1846[j] – January 28, 1850 (term limited)	Democratic	1846		Trasimond Landry
13			Joseph Marshall Walker     July 1, 1784 – January 20, 1856    (aged 71)	January 28, 1850 – January 18, 1853 (resigned)[k]	Democratic	1849[l]		Jean Baptiste Plauché
14			Paul Octave Hébert     December 12, 1818 – August 29, 1880    (aged 61)	January 18, 1853[m] – January 28, 1856 (term limited)	Democratic	1852		William W. Farmer (died October 29, 1854)
								Robert C. Wickliffe
15			Robert C. Wickliffe     January 6, 1819 – April 18, 1895    (aged 76)	January 28, 1856[n] – January 23, 1860 (term limited)	Democratic	1855		Charles Homer Mouton (resigned 1856)
								William F. Griffin
16			Thomas Overton Moore     April 10, 1804 – June 25, 1876    (aged 72)	January 23, 1860 – January 25, 1864 (term limited)	Democratic	1859[o]		Henry M. Hyams
17			George Foster Shepley     January 1, 1819 – July 20, 1878    (aged 59)	June 2, 1862 – March 4, 1864 (successor took office)	Military	— (Union)[o][p]	Vacant
18			Henry Watkins Allen     April 29, 1820 – April 22, 1866    (aged 45)	January 25, 1864 – June 2, 1865 (resigned)[q]	Democratic	1863 (Confederate)[o]		Benjamin W. Pearce
19			Michael Hahn     November 24, 1830 – March 15, 1886    (aged 55)	March 4, 1864 – March 4, 1865 (resigned)[r]	Republican	1864 (Union)[o]		James Madison Wells
20			James Madison Wells     January 7, 1808 – February 28, 1899    (aged 91)	March 4, 1865 – June 3, 1867 (removed)[s]	Republican	Lieutenant Governor acting as Governor	Vacant
						1865[o]		Albert Voorhies[t]
21			Benjamin Flanders     January 26, 1816 – March 13, 1896    (aged 80)	June 6, 1867[u] – January 2, 1868 (resigned)[v]	Republican	Provisional governor appointed by military occupation	Vacant
22			Joshua Baker     March 23, 1799 – April 16, 1885    (aged 86)	January 8, 1868[w] – June 27, 1868 (removed)[x]	Democratic	Provisional governor appointed by military occupation
23			Henry C. Warmoth     May 9, 1842 – September 30, 1931    (aged 89)	June 27, 1868 – December 9, 1872 (removed from office)[y]	Republican	Provisional governor appointed by military occupation[52]		Oscar Dunn (died November 22, 1871)
						1868
							Vacant
								P. B. S. Pinchback (appointed December 6, 1871)
24			P. B. S. Pinchback     May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921    (aged 84)	December 9, 1872 – January 13, 1873 (successor took office)	Republican	Lieutenant Governor acting as Governor	Vacant
25			John McEnery     March 31, 1833 – March 28, 1891    (aged 57)	January 13, 1873 – May 22, 1873 (removed)[z]	Democratic	1872[z]		Davidson B. Penn
26			William Pitt Kellogg     December 8, 1830 – August 10, 1918    (aged 87)	January 13, 1873 – January 8, 1877 (term limited)	Republican			Caesar Antoine
27			Stephen B. Packard     April 25, 1839 – January 31, 1922    (aged 82)	January 8, 1877 – April 25, 1877 (removed)[aa]	Republican	1876[aa][ab]
28			Francis T. Nicholls     August 20, 1834 – January 4, 1912    (aged 77)	January 8, 1877 – January 14, 1880 (term limited)	Democratic			Louis A. Wiltz
29			Louis A. Wiltz     January 21, 1843 – October 16, 1881    (aged 38)	January 14, 1880[ac] – October 16, 1881 (died in office)	Democratic	1879		Samuel D. McEnery
30			Samuel D. McEnery     May 28, 1837 – June 28, 1910    (aged 73)	October 16, 1881 – May 21, 1888 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	Lieutenant Governor acting as Governor		William A. Robertson (removed December 24, 1881)
								George L. Walton
						1884		Clay Knobloch
28			Francis T. Nicholls     August 20, 1834 – January 4, 1912    (aged 77)	May 21, 1888[ad] – May 16, 1892 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1888		James Jeffries
31			Murphy J. Foster     January 12, 1849 – June 12, 1921    (aged 72)	May 16, 1892[ae] – May 21, 1900 (term limited)	Democratic	1892		Charles Parlange (resigned December 11, 1893)
								Hiram R. Lott (died June 2, 1895)
								Robert H. Snyder
						1896
32			William Wright Heard     April 28, 1853 – May 31, 1926    (aged 73)	May 21, 1900[af] – May 16, 1904 (term limited)	Democratic	1900		Albert Estopinal
33			Newton C. Blanchard     January 29, 1849 – June 22, 1922    (aged 73)	May 16, 1904[ag] – May 18, 1908 (term limited)	Democratic	1904		Jared Y. Sanders Sr.
34			Jared Y. Sanders Sr.     January 29, 1869 – March 23, 1944    (aged 75)	May 18, 1908[ah] – May 20, 1912 (term limited)	Democratic	1908		Paul M. Lambremont
35			Luther E. Hall     August 30, 1869 – November 6, 1921    (aged 52)	May 20, 1912[ai] – May 15, 1916 (term limited)	Democratic	1912		Thomas C. Barret
36			Ruffin G. Pleasant     June 2, 1871 – September 12, 1937    (aged 66)	May 15, 1916[aj] – May 17, 1920 (term limited)	Democratic	1916		Fernand Mouton
37			John M. Parker     March 16, 1863 – May 20, 1939    (aged 76)	May 17, 1920[ak] – May 19, 1924 (term limited)	Democratic	1920		Hewitt Bouanchaud (resigned April 12, 1924)
								Delos R. Johnson
38			Henry L. Fuqua     November 8, 1865 – October 11, 1926    (aged 60)	May 19, 1924[al] – October 11, 1926 (died in office)	Democratic	1924		Oramel H. Simpson
39			Oramel H. Simpson     March 20, 1870 – November 17, 1932    (aged 62)	October 11, 1926 – May 21, 1928 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Philip H. Gilbert
40			Huey Long     August 30, 1893 – September 10, 1935    (aged 42)	May 21, 1928 – January 25, 1932 (resigned)[am]	Democratic	1928		Paul N. Cyr (removed March 4, 1931)[am]
								Alvin Olin King
41			Alvin Olin King     June 21, 1890 – February 21, 1958    (aged 67)	January 25, 1932 – May 16, 1932 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	Vacant
42			Oscar K. Allen     August 8, 1882 – January 28, 1936    (aged 53)	May 16, 1932 – January 28, 1936 (died in office)	Democratic	1932		John B. Fournet (resigned January 2, 1935)
								James A. Noe
43			James A. Noe     December 21, 1890 – October 18, 1976    (aged 85)	January 28, 1936 – May 12, 1936 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	Vacant
44			Richard W. Leche     May 17, 1898 – February 22, 1965    (aged 66)	May 12, 1936 – June 26, 1939 (resigned)[an]	Democratic	1936		Earl Long
45			Earl Long     August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1960    (aged 65)	June 26, 1939 – May 14, 1940 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Coleman Lindsey
46			Sam H. Jones     July 15, 1897 – February 8, 1978    (aged 80)	May 14, 1940 – May 9, 1944 (term limited)	Democratic	1940		Marc M. Mouton
47			Jimmie Davis     September 11, 1899 – November 5, 2000    (aged 101)	May 9, 1944 – May 11, 1948 (term limited)	Democratic	1944		J. Emile Verret
45			Earl Long     August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1960    (aged 65)	May 11, 1948 – May 13, 1952 (term limited)	Democratic	1948		Bill Dodd
48			Robert F. Kennon     August 21, 1902 – January 11, 1988    (aged 85)	May 13, 1952 – May 8, 1956 (term limited)	Democratic	1952		C. E. "Cap" Barham
45			Earl Long     August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1960    (aged 65)	May 8, 1956 – May 10, 1960 (term limited)	Democratic	1956		Lether Frazar
47			Jimmie Davis     September 11, 1899 – November 5, 2000    (aged 101)	May 10, 1960 – May 12, 1964 (term limited)	Democratic	1960		Taddy Aycock
49			John McKeithen     May 28, 1918 – June 4, 1999    (aged 81)	May 12, 1964 – May 9, 1972 (term limited)	Democratic	1964
						1968
50			Edwin Edwards     August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021    (aged 93)	May 9, 1972 – March 10, 1980 (term limited)	Democratic	1972		Jimmy Fitzmorris
						1975
51			Dave Treen     July 16, 1928 – October 29, 2009    (aged 81)	March 10, 1980 – March 12, 1984 (lost election)	Republican	1979		Bobby Freeman
50			Edwin Edwards     August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021    (aged 93)	March 12, 1984 – March 14, 1988 (lost election)	Democratic	1983
52			Buddy Roemer     October 4, 1943 – May 17, 2021    (aged 77)	March 14, 1988 – January 13, 1992 (lost election)	Democratic	1987		Paul Hardy
					Republican
50			Edwin Edwards     August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021    (aged 93)	January 13, 1992 – January 8, 1996 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1991		Melinda Schwegmann
53			Mike Foster     July 11, 1930 – October 4, 2020    (aged 90)	January 8, 1996 – January 12, 2004 (term limited)	Republican	1995		Kathleen Blanco
						1999
54			Kathleen Blanco     December 15, 1942 – August 18, 2019    (aged 76)	January 12, 2004 – January 14, 2008 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	2003		Mitch Landrieu (resigned May 3, 2010)
55			Bobby Jindal     (1971-06-10) June 10, 1971 (age 51)	January 14, 2008 – January 11, 2016 (term limited)	Republican	2007
								Scott Angelle
								Jay Dardenne (elected November 22, 2010)
						2011
56			John Bel Edwards     (1966-09-16) September 16, 1966 (age 56)	January 11, 2016 – Incumbent[ao]	Democratic	2015		Billy Nungesser
						2019

Succession

Living former governors of Louisiana

As of January 2022, there is one living former U.S. governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal (served 2008–2016, born 1971). The most recent U.S. governor of Louisiana to die was Edwin Edwards (served 1972–1980, 1984–1988, 1992–1996, born 1927), on July 12, 2021.^[60] The most recently serving governor to die was Kathleen Blanco (served 2004–2008, born 1942) on August 18, 2019.^[61]