Governor of Wisconsin | |
---|---|
Gubernatorial seal | |
Residence | Wisconsin Governor's Mansion |
Term length | Four years, no term limits |
Inaugural holder | Nelson Dewey |
Formation | June 7, 1848 |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin |
Salary | $146,597.88[1] |
Website | evers |
The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces.[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wisconsin Legislature,[4] to convene the legislature,[3] and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[5]
Forty-four individuals have held the office of governor of Wisconsin since the state's admission to the Union in 1848, one of whom—Philip La Follette—served non-consecutive terms. Nelson Dewey, the first governor, took office on June 7, 1848. The longest-serving governor was Tommy Thompson, who took office on January 5, 1987 and resigned on February 1, 2001, a total of 14 years and 28 days. Arthur MacArthur, Sr. had the shortest term: he was governor for a total of just 5 days—from March 21, 1856 to March 25, 1856.[6] The current governor is Tony Evers, a Democrat who took office on January 7, 2019.[6]
Initially after the American Revolution, parts of the area now known as Wisconsin were claimed by Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut; however, Virginia ceded its claim in 1784, Massachusetts in 1785 and Connecticut in 1786.[7] On July 13, 1787, the Northwest Territory, including the area now called Wisconsin, was formed; Wisconsin remained part of the territory until 1800.[8] The territorial governor during this period was Arthur St. Clair.[9] As parts of the Northwest Territory were admitted to the Union as states, Wisconsin became part of first the Indiana Territory (1800–1809), then the Illinois Territory (1809–1818), and then the Michigan Territory (1818–1836);[8] see the lists of governors of Indiana, of Illinois, and of Michigan for these periods.
Wisconsin Territory was formed on July 3, 1836. During the time of its existence, the Wisconsin Territory had 3 territorial governors, 1 of whom served non-consecutive terms,[8][10] and 1 who continued on as acting governor after the territory had officially ceased to exist.
# | Governor | Appointed | Left office [note 1] |
Appointed by | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Henry Dodge October 12, 1782 – June 19, 1867 (aged 84) |
April 30, 1836 | September 13, 1841[11] | Andrew Jackson | |||
2 | James Duane Doty November 5, 1799 – June 13, 1865 (aged 65) |
September 30, 1841 | June 21, 1844 | John Tyler | |||
3 | Nathaniel P. Tallmadge February 8, 1795 – November 2, 1864 (aged 69) |
June 21, 1844 | April 8, 1845 | John Tyler | |||
4 | Henry Dodge October 12, 1782 – June 19, 1867 (aged 84) |
April 8, 1845 | June 23, 1848 | James Polk | [note 2] | ||
John Catlin October 13, 1803 – August 4, 1874 (aged 70) |
June 23, 1848 | March 3, 1849 | none (acting governor) |
[note 2] |
Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 45 governors, one of whom served non-consecutive terms.[6]
Originally, governors of Wisconsin served for two-year terms, but in 1967 the state constitution was amended to change this to four.[2] Jeremiah McLain Rusk served 1 3-year term in the 1880s as the constitution was amended during his first term to move elections from odd to even years, and all officers were allowed to serve an extra year, rather than have their terms cut a year short. Patrick Lucey, elected in the 1970 election, was the first governor to serve a 4-year term.[6] Governors of Wisconsin are not term limited.
The state constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor; originally, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on different tickets, and thus were not necessarily of the same party. Since the 1967 amendment, however, the two have been nominated, and voted on, together.[2] Originally, if the office of the governor was vacant for any reason, "the powers and duties of the office . . . devolve[d] upon the lieutenant governor." In 1979, the constitution was amended to make this more specific: if the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor, but becomes acting governor if the governor is absent from the state, impeached, or unable to carry out of duties.[13] If any of these events occur while the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the secretary of state becomes either governor or acting governor.[14] Two Wisconsin governors have died while in office, one has died after being elected but before taking office, and four have resigned.[6]
Democratic (12) Republican (31) Whig (1) Wisconsin Progressive (2)
# | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Lt. Governor[15][note 3] | Term(s) [note 4] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nelson Dewey December 19, 1813 – July 21, 1889 (aged 75) |
June 7, 1848 | January 5, 1852 | Democratic | John E. Holmes | 2 | |||
Samuel W. Beall | |||||||||
2 | Leonard J. Farwell January 5, 1819 – April 11, 1889 (aged 70) |
January 5, 1852 | January 2, 1854 | Whig | Timothy Burns [note 5] |
1 | |||
3 | William A. Barstow September 13, 1813 – December 13, 1865 (aged 52) |
January 2, 1854 | March 21, 1856 | Democratic | James T. Lewis | 1+1⁄3 [note 6] | |||
Arthur MacArthur Sr. | |||||||||
4 | Arthur MacArthur Sr. January 26, 1815 – August 26, 1896 (aged 81) |
March 21, 1856 | March 25, 1856 | Democratic | vacant | 1⁄3 [note 6] | |||
5 | Coles Bashford January 24, 1816 – April 25, 1878 (aged 62) |
March 25, 1856 | January 4, 1858 | Republican | Arthur MacArthur Sr. | 1⁄3 [note 6] | |||
6 | Alexander Randall October 31, 1819 – July 26, 1872 (aged 52) |
January 4, 1858 | January 6, 1862 | Republican | Erasmus D. Campbell | 2 | |||
Butler G. Noble | |||||||||
7 | Louis P. Harvey July 22, 1820 – April 19, 1862 (aged 41) |
January 6, 1862 | April 19, 1862 | Republican | Edward Salomon | 1⁄2 [note 5] | |||
8 | Edward Salomon August 11, 1828 – April 21, 1909 (aged 80) |
April 19, 1862 | January 4, 1864 | Republican | vacant | 1⁄2 [note 7] | |||
9 | James T. Lewis October 30, 1819 – August 5, 1904 (aged 84) |
January 4, 1864 | January 1, 1866 | Republican | Wyman Spooner | 1 | |||
10 | Lucius Fairchild December 27, 1831 – May 23, 1896 (aged 64) |
January 1, 1866 | January 1, 1872 | Republican | Wyman Spooner | 3 | |||
Thaddeus C. Pound | |||||||||
11 | Cadwallader C. Washburn April 22, 1818 – May 14, 1882 (aged 64) |
January 1, 1872 | January 5, 1874 | Republican | Milton H. Pettit [note 5] |
1 | |||
12 | William Robert Taylor July 10, 1820 – March 17, 1909 (aged 88) |
January 5, 1874 | January 3, 1876 | Democratic | Charles D. Parker | 1 | |||
13 | Harrison Ludington July 30, 1812 – June 17, 1891 (aged 78) |
January 3, 1876 | January 7, 1878 | Republican | Charles D. Parker | 1 | |||
14 | William E. Smith June 18, 1824 – February 13, 1883 (aged 58) |
January 7, 1878 | January 2, 1882 | Republican | James M. Bingham | 2 | |||
15 | Jeremiah McLain Rusk June 17, 1830 – November 21, 1893 (aged 63) |
January 2, 1882 | January 7, 1889 | Republican | Sam S. Fifield | 3 [note 8] | |||
George W. Ryland | |||||||||
16 | William D. Hoard October 10, 1836 – November 22, 1918 (aged 82) |
January 7, 1889 | January 5, 1891 | Republican | George W. Ryland | 1 | |||
17 | George Wilbur Peck September 28, 1840 – April 16, 1916 (aged 75) |
January 5, 1891 | January 7, 1895 | Democratic | Charles Jonas | 2 | |||
18 | William H. Upham May 3, 1841 – July 2, 1924 (aged 83) |
January 7, 1895 | January 4, 1897 | Republican | Emil Baensch | 1 | |||
19 | Edward Scofield March 28, 1842 – February 3, 1925 (aged 82) |
January 4, 1897 | January 7, 1901 | Republican | Emil Baensch | 2 | |||
Jesse Stone | |||||||||
20 | Robert M. La Follette, Sr. June 14, 1855 – June 21, 1925 (aged 70) |
January 7, 1901 | January 1, 1906 | Republican | Jesse Stone [note 5] |
2+1⁄2 [note 9] | |||
James O. Davidson | |||||||||
21 | James O. Davidson February 10, 1854 – December 16, 1922 (aged 68) |
January 1, 1906 | January 2, 1911 | Republican | vacant | 2+1⁄2 [note 10] | |||
William D. Connor | |||||||||
John Strange | |||||||||
22 | Francis E. McGovern January 21, 1866 – May 16, 1946 (aged 80) |
January 2, 1911 | January 4, 1915 | Republican | Thomas Morris | 2 | |||
23 | Emanuel L. Philipp March 25, 1861 – June 15, 1925 (aged 64) |
January 4, 1915 | January 3, 1921 | Republican | Edward F. Dithmar | 3 | |||
24 | John J. Blaine May 4, 1875 – April 16, 1934 (aged 75) |
January 3, 1921 | January 3, 1927 | Republican | George F. Comings | 3 | |||
Henry A. Huber | |||||||||
25 | Fred R. Zimmerman November 20, 1880 – December 14, 1954 (aged 74) |
January 3, 1927 | January 7, 1929 | Republican | Henry A. Huber | 1 | |||
26 | Walter J. Kohler Sr. March 5, 1875 – April 21, 1940 (aged 65) |
January 7, 1929 | January 5, 1931 | Republican | Henry A. Huber | 1 | |||
27 | Philip La Follette May 8, 1897 – August 18, 1965 (aged 68) |
January 5, 1931 | January 2, 1933 | Republican | Henry A. Huber | 1 | |||
28 | Albert G. Schmedeman November 25, 1864 – November 26, 1946 (aged 82) |
January 2, 1933 | January 7, 1935 | Democratic | Thomas J. O'Malley | 1 | |||
27 (2) | Philip La Follette May 8, 1897 – August 18, 1965 (aged 68) |
January 7, 1935 | January 2, 1939 | Wisconsin Progressive |
Thomas J. O'Malley [note 5] |
2 | |||
Henry A. Gunderson [note 11] | |||||||||
Herman L. Ekern | |||||||||
29 | Julius P. Heil July 8, 1876 – November 30, 1949 (aged 73) |
January 2, 1939 | January 4, 1943 | Republican | Walter S. Goodland | 2 | |||
— | Orland Steen Loomis November 2, 1893 – December 7, 1942 (aged 49) |
did not take office | Wisconsin Progressive |
Walter S. Goodland | — [note 12] | ||||
30 | Walter Samuel Goodland December 22, 1862 – March 12, 1947 (aged 84) |
January 4, 1943 | March 12, 1947 | Republican | vacant | 2+1⁄2 [note 5] | |||
Oscar Rennebohm | |||||||||
31 | Oscar Rennebohm May 25, 1889 – October 15, 1968 (aged 79) |
March 12, 1947 | January 1, 1951 | Republican | vacant | 1+1⁄2 [note 10] | |||
George M. Smith | |||||||||
32 | Walter J. Kohler Jr. April 4, 1904 – March 21, 1976 (aged 71) |
January 1, 1951 | January 7, 1957 | Republican | George M. Smith | 3 | |||
Warren P. Knowles | |||||||||
33 | Vernon Wallace Thomson November 5, 1905 – April 2, 1988 (aged 82) |
January 7, 1957 | January 5, 1959 | Republican | Warren P. Knowles | 1 | |||
34 | Gaylord Nelson June 4, 1916 – July 3, 2005 (aged 89) |
January 5, 1959 | January 7, 1963 | Democratic | Philleo Nash | 2 | |||
Warren P. Knowles | |||||||||
35 | John W. Reynolds Jr. April 4, 1921 – January 6, 2002 (aged 80) |
January 7, 1963 | January 4, 1965 | Democratic | Jack B. Olson | 1 | |||
36 | Warren P. Knowles August 19, 1908 – May 1, 1993 (aged 84) |
January 4, 1965 | January 4, 1971 | Republican | Patrick J. Lucey | 3 | |||
Jack B. Olson | |||||||||
37 | Patrick Lucey March 21, 1918 – May 10, 2014 (aged 96) |
January 4, 1971 | July 6, 1977 | Democratic | Martin J. Schreiber | 1+1⁄2 [note 13] [note 14] | |||
38 | Martin J. Schreiber April 8, 1939 |
July 6, 1977 | January 3, 1979 | Democratic | vacant | 1⁄2 [note 10] | |||
39 | Lee S. Dreyfus June 20, 1926 – January 2, 2008 (aged 81) |
January 3, 1979 [note 15] |
January 3, 1983 | Republican | Russell A. Olson | 1 | |||
40 | Tony Earl April 12, 1936 |
January 3, 1983 | January 5, 1987 | Democratic | James T. Flynn | 1 | |||
41 | Tommy Thompson November 19, 1941 |
January 5, 1987 | February 1, 2001 | Republican | Scott McCallum | 3+1⁄2 [note 16] | |||
42 | Scott McCallum May 2, 1950 |
February 1, 2001 | January 6, 2003 | Republican | Margaret A. Farrow | 1⁄2 [note 10] | |||
43 | Jim Doyle November 23, 1945 |
January 6, 2003 | January 3, 2011 | Democratic | Barbara Lawton | 2 | |||
44 | Scott Walker November 2, 1967 |
January 3, 2011 | January 7, 2019 | Republican | Rebecca Kleefisch | 2 | |||
45 | Tony Evers November 5, 1951 |
January 7, 2019 | Incumbent [note 17] |
Democratic | Mandela Barnes | 1 |
This is a table of other governorships, congressional and other federal offices, and ranking diplomatic positions in foreign countries held by Wisconsin governors.
As of January 2019[update], there are six former governors of Wisconsin who are currently living at this time, the oldest governor of Wisconsin being Anthony S. Earl (served 1983–1987, born 1936). The most recent death of a former governor of Wisconsin was that of Patrick Lucey (served 1971–1977, born 1918) on May 10, 2014.[6] The most recently serving governor to die was Lee S. Dreyfus (served 1979–1983, born 1926) on January 2, 2008.
Governor | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Martin J. Schreiber | 1977–1979 | April 8, 1939 |
Anthony S. Earl | 1983–1987 | April 12, 1936 |
Tommy Thompson | 1987–2001 | November 19, 1941 |
Scott McCallum | 2001–2003 | May 2, 1950 |
Jim Doyle | 2003–2011 | November 23, 1945 |
Scott Walker | 2011–2019 | November 2, 1967 (age 53) |