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List of governors of Delaware

The Governor of Delaware (President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of the executive branch of Delaware's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

Governor of Delaware
Seal of Delaware.svg
Great Seal of the State of Delaware
John C. Carney Jr. official portrait 112th Congress (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
John Carney
since January 17, 2017
StyleThe Honorable
ResidenceDelaware Governor's Mansion
Dover, Delaware
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
Inaugural holderJohn McKinly
FormationFebruary 12, 1777
DeputyBethany Hall-Long
Salary$171,000 (2013)[1]
Websitegovernor.delaware.gov

The current governor is Democrat John Carney, who took office on January 17, 2017.

List of Governors

Governors of the State of Delaware[a]
No.[b] Governor[c] Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[d][e]
1   John McKinly February 12, 1777
–
September 12, 1777[f]
(arrested and removed)[g]		 No parties 1777 Office did not exist
— Vacant September 12, 1777
–
September 22, 1777 		Office vacant
due to war[g]
2     Thomas McKean September 22, 1777
–
October 20, 1777
(successor took office) 		Speaker of the
Assembly
acting as
Vice-President[h]
3   George Read October 20, 1777
–
March 31, 1778
(not candidate for election) 		Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
Vice-President[h]
4   Caesar Rodney March 31, 1778
–
November 6, 1781
(not candidate for election) 		1778
5   John Dickinson November 13, 1781
–
January 12, 1783
(resigned)[i]		 1781
6 John Cook November 4, 1782
–
February 1, 1783
(not candidate for election) 		Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
Vice-President
7 Nicholas Van Dyke February 1, 1783
–
October 28, 1786
(not candidate for election) 		1783
(special)
8 Thomas Collins October 28, 1786
–
March 29, 1789
(died in office) 		1786
9 Jehu Davis March 29, 1789
–
June 2, 1789
(not candidate for election) 		Speaker of the
Legislative
Council
serving as
Vice-President
10   Joshua Clayton June 2, 1789
–
January 19, 1796
(not candidate for election) 		Federalist 1789
1792
11 Gunning Bedford Sr. January 19, 1796
–
September 30, 1797
(died in office) 		Federalist 1795
12 Daniel Rogers September 30, 1797
–
January 9, 1799
(not candidate for election) 		Federalist Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
13   Richard Bassett January 9, 1799[j]
–
March 3, 1801
(resigned)[k]		 Federalist 1798
14 James Sykes March 3, 1801
–
January 19, 1802
(not candidate for election) 		Federalist Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
15 David Hall January 19, 1802
–
January 15, 1805
(term limited) 		Democratic-Republican 1801
16 Nathaniel Mitchell January 15, 1805
–
January 19, 1808
(term limited) 		Federalist 1804
17 George Truitt January 19, 1808
–
January 15, 1811
(term limited) 		Federalist 1807
18 Joseph Haslet January 15, 1811
–
January 18, 1814
(term limited) 		Democratic-Republican 1810
19   Daniel Rodney January 18, 1814
–
January 21, 1817
(term limited) 		Federalist 1813
20 John Clark January 21, 1817
–
January 18, 1820
(term limited) 		Federalist 1816
— Henry Molleston Died before
taking office[l]		 Federalist 1819
21 Jacob Stout January 18, 1820
–
January 16, 1821
(not candidate for election) 		Federalist Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
22 John Collins January 16, 1821
–
April 16, 1822
(died in office) 		Democratic-Republican 1820
(special)[m]
23 Caleb Rodney April 23, 1822
–
January 21, 1823
(not candidate for election) 		Federalist Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
24 Joseph Haslet January 21, 1823
–
June 20, 1823
(died in office) 		Democratic-Republican 1822
25 Charles Thomas June 23, 1823[n]
–
January 20, 1824
(not candidate for election) 		Democratic-Republican Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
26   Samuel Paynter January 20, 1824
–
January 16, 1827
(term limited) 		Federalist 1823
(special)[o]
27   Charles Polk Jr. January 16, 1827
–
January 19, 1830
(term limited) 		Federalist 1826
28   David Hazzard January 19, 1830
–
January 15, 1833
(term limited) 		National Republican 1829
29   Caleb P. Bennett January 15, 1833
–
May 9, 1836
(died in office) 		Democratic 1832[p]
30   Charles Polk Jr. May 9, 1836
–
January 17, 1837
(not candidate for election) 		Whig Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
31   Cornelius P. Comegys January 17, 1837
–
January 19, 1841
(term limited) 		Whig 1836
32 William B. Cooper January 19, 1841
–
January 21, 1845
(term limited) 		Whig 1840
33   Thomas Stockton January 21, 1845
–
March 2, 1846
(died in office) 		Whig 1844
34 Joseph Maull March 2, 1846
–
May 3, 1846
(died in office) 		Whig Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
35   William Temple May 6, 1846
–
January 19, 1847
(not candidate for election) 		Whig Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
36   William Tharp January 19, 1847
–
January 21, 1851
(term limited) 		Democratic 1846
(special)[q]
37   William H. H. Ross January 21, 1851
–
January 16, 1855
(term limited) 		Democratic 1850
38 bgcolor=Template:United States political party color| Peter F. Causey January 16, 1855
–
January 18, 1859
(term limited) 		American 1854
39   William Burton January 18, 1859
–
January 20, 1863
(term limited) 		Democratic 1858
40   William Cannon January 20, 1863
–
March 1, 1865
(died in office) 		Republican 1862
41   Gove Saulsbury March 1, 1865
–
January 17, 1871
(term limited) 		Democratic Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
1866
42   James Ponder January 17, 1871
–
January 19, 1875
(term limited) 		Democratic 1870
43   John P. Cochran January 19, 1875
–
January 21, 1879
(term limited) 		Democratic 1874
44   John W. Hall January 21, 1879
–
January 16, 1883
(term limited) 		Democratic 1878
45   Charles C. Stockley January 16, 1883
–
January 18, 1887
(term limited) 		Democratic 1882
46   Benjamin T. Biggs January 18, 1887
–
January 20, 1891
(term limited) 		Democratic 1886
47   Robert J. Reynolds January 20, 1891
–
January 15, 1895
(term limited) 		Democratic 1890
48   Joshua H. Marvil January 15, 1895
–
April 8, 1895
(died in office) 		Republican 1894
49   William T. Watson April 8, 1895
–
January 19, 1897
(not candidate for election) 		Democratic Speaker of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
50   Ebe W. Tunnell January 19, 1897
–
January 15, 1901
(not candidate for election) 		Democratic 1896[r]
51   John Hunn January 15, 1901
–
January 17, 1905
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1900   Philip L. Cannon
52   Preston Lea January 17, 1905
–
January 19, 1909
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1904 Isaac T. Parker
53   Simeon S. Pennewill January 19, 1909
–
January 21, 1913
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1908 John M. Mendinhall
54   Charles R. Miller January 21, 1913
–
January 16, 1917
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1912 Colen Ferguson[s]
55   John G. Townsend Jr. January 16, 1917
–
January 18, 1921
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1916 Lewis E. Eliason[s]
56 William D. Denney January 18, 1921
–
January 20, 1925
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1920 J. Danforth Bush
57 Robert P. Robinson January 20, 1925
–
January 15, 1929
(not candidate for election) 		Republican 1924 James H. Anderson
58   C. Douglass Buck January 15, 1929
–
January 19, 1937
(term limited) 		Republican 1928 James H. Hazel
1932 Roy F. Corley
59 Richard McMullen January 19, 1937
–
January 21, 1941
(not candidate for election) 		Democratic 1936 Edward W. Cooch
60 Walter W. Bacon January 21, 1941
–
January 18, 1949
(term limited) 		Republican 1940 Isaac J. MacCollum[s]
1944 Elbert N. Carvel[s]
61   Elbert N. Carvel January 18, 1949
–
January 20, 1953
(lost election) 		Democratic 1948 Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
62   J. Caleb Boggs January 20, 1953
–
December 30, 1960
(resigned)[t]		 Republican 1952 John W. Rollins
1956 David P. Buckson
63   David P. Buckson December 30, 1960
–
January 17, 1961
(successor took office) 		Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor 		Vacant
64   Elbert N. Carvel January 17, 1961
–
January 19, 1965
(term limited) 		Democratic 1960 Eugene Lammot
65 Charles L. Terry Jr. January 19, 1965
–
January 21, 1969
(lost election) 		Democratic 1964 Sherman W. Tribbitt
66 Russell W. Peterson January 21, 1969
–
January 16, 1973
(lost election) 		Republican 1968 Eugene Bookhammer[u]
67 Sherman W. Tribbitt January 16, 1973
–
January 18, 1977
(lost election) 		Democratic 1972
68   Pete du Pont January 18, 1977
–
January 15, 1985
(term limited) 		Republican 1976 James D. McGinnis[s]
1980 Mike Castle
69   Mike Castle January 15, 1985
–
December 31, 1992
(resigned)[v]		 Republican 1984 Shien Biau Woo[s]
1988 Dale E. Wolf
70 Dale E. Wolf December 31, 1992
–
January 19, 1993
(successor took office) 		Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor 		Vacant
71   Tom Carper January 19, 1993
–
January 3, 2001
(resigned)[w]		 Democratic 1992 Ruth Ann Minner
1996
72   Ruth Ann Minner January 3, 2001
–
January 20, 2009
(term limited) 		Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor 		Vacant
2000 John Carney
2004
73   Jack Markell January 20, 2009
–
January 17, 2017
(term limited) 		Democratic 2008 Matthew Denn
(resigned January 6, 2015)
2012
Vacant
74   John Carney January 17, 2017
–
present[x]		 Democratic 2016 Bethany Hall-Long

Notes

  1. ↑ Data is sourced from the National Governors Association, unless supplemental references are required.
  2. ↑ The official website labels John Carney as the 74th governor;[2] this indicates that repeat, non-consecutive terms are numbered.
  3. ↑ The office was named president until 1792.
  4. ↑ The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1897 constitution, with the first election taking place in 1900.
  5. ↑ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  6. ↑ Most sources do not specify the day McKinly was captured; at least one specifies that McKinly and the city of Wilmington were captured the day after the Battle of Brandywine, which was on September 11, 1777.[3]
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by British forces.[4] He was exchanged for loyalist Governor William Franklin of New Jersey in August 1778.[5]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Speaker of the Assembly McKean acted as chief executive until the return of Speaker of the Legislative Council Read from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, who then served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.[6]
  9. ↑ Dickinson was elected President of Pennsylvania and took office November 7, 1782, holding both presidencies simultaneously. Criticism of this caused him to turn administration of the state over to Speaker of the Legislative Council Cook, but Dickinson didn't formally resign until January 12, 1783.[7]
  10. ↑ The constitutional start date for the term in 1799 was January 15; multiple sources say Bassett took office January 9, but it is not known why it was off schedule.[8][9] A few sources do say he took office January 15.[10]
  11. ↑ Bassett resigned to take a seat on the United States Third Circuit Court.[8]
  12. ↑ Governor-elect Molleston died on November 11, 1819, before taking office. The newly elected state senate chose a speaker, Stout, who would act as governor for one year of Molleston's term before a special election was held to pick a governor for the remaining two years.[11]
  13. ↑ Special election to serve out the last two years of Henry Molleston's term[11]
  14. ↑ There is disagreement over when Haslet died and Thomas became acting governor. Most modern sources say Haslet died on June 20, and Thomas became acting governor on June 23; however, some sources say Thomas became acting governor on June 20,[12] and others say Haslet died on June 23,[13] both situations meaning there was no gap in power.
  15. ↑ Because of the death of Haslet so early in his term, an early election was called. Unlike when Henry Molleston died, where the election was only for the final two years of his term, in this case the new election was for a new three-year term, causing the election schedule to shift.[11]
  16. ↑ First term under the 1831 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.[14]
  17. ↑ Special election called due to the deaths of Stockton and Maull[15]
  18. ↑ Because Marvil died so early in his term, the General Assembly decided to conduct an election for a full term in 1896, changing the election schedule.[16]
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Represented the Democratic Party
  20. ↑ Boggs resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[17]
  21. ↑ Represented the Republican Party
  22. ↑ Castle resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives.[18]
  23. ↑ Carper resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[19]
  24. ↑ Carney's first term expires on January 19, 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. ↑ "About Governor John Carney". Governor of Delaware. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  3. ↑ Delaware Federal Writers' Project (1938). Delaware: A Guide to the First State. US History Publishers. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-60354-008-7. Retrieved August 4, 2010. {{cite book}}: More than one of |author1= and |author= specified (help)
  4. ↑ McGuire, Thomas J. (2006). The Philadelphia Campaign. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. p. 278. ISBN 978-0-8117-0206-5.
  5. ↑ Rowe, Gail Stuart (1978). Thomas McKean: The Shaping of an American Republicanism. Olympic Marketing Corporation. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-87081-100-5.
  6. ↑ Conrad, Henry Clay (1908). History of the State of Delaware, Volume 3. The author. p. 821. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  7. ↑ Conrad, Henry Clay (1908). History of the State of Delaware, Volume 1. The author. p. 153. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Richard Bassett". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  9. ↑ Conrad, Henry Clay (1908). History of the State of Delaware, Volume 3. The author. p. 829. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ Wolcott, James L. (1896). Argument in Opposition to Henry A. Du Pont's Claim to the Office of United States Senator for the State of Delaware. B.H. Tyrrel. pp. 44–45. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Luxon, Norval Neil (1824). Niles' Weekly Register. Vol. Volume I, Third Series. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-8371-3045-3. Retrieved October 25, 2009. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  12. ↑ The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge. Encyclopedia Americana Corporation. 1918. p. 614.
  13. ↑ Messersmith, G.S. (1908). Government of Delaware. Amer. Bk. Company. p. 283. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  14. ↑ 1831 Const. art III, § 3
  15. ↑ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776–1860: The Official Results by State and County. McFarland & Company. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7864-1439-0. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Delaware's Change in Elections". The New York Times. April 14, 1895. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950DE6DB133DE433A25757C1A9629C94649ED7CF. Retrieved October 25, 2009. 
  17. ↑ "James Caleb Boggs". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Michael Newbold Castle". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  19. ↑ "About Tom Carper". United States Senate. Retrieved December 20, 2018.

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