List of third-party and independent United States state governors

This is a list of third party and independent United States state governors, that is, governors that have not been members of the Democratic, Republican, Whig, National Republican, Democratic-Republican, or Federalist parties.

Since its founding, the United States has been a two-party system, and it is rare for independents or members of third parties to be elected to high offices such as the governorship. However, it has happened on several occasions, which are documented below. The most recent-serving independent governor is Bill Walker of Alaska, who served 2014–2018. The most recent member of a third party (not an independent) elected to a governorship is Jesse Ventura, a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota who was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998.

While there have been few third parties that have gained traction at the national level, several states have been three-party systems at one point or another. These include Minnesota with the Farmer–Labor Party from 1918–1944, North Dakota with the Nonpartisan League from 1915–1956, Wisconsin with the Progressive Party from 1934–1946, Nevada with the Silver Party from 1892–1911, Virginia with the Readjuster Party from 1877–1895, and South Carolina with the Nullifier Party from 1828–1839.

Not included are governors who were elected before the state's ratification of the United States Constitution or governors of U.S. territories prior to their admission to the Union. Also not included are military or appointed governors of former Confederate states after the American Civil War.

Pre-Reconstruction (1787–1865)

State Portrait Governor Party Start of term End of term Notes
Massachusetts John Hancock Independent May 30, 1787 October 8, 1793 Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution on February 6, 1788, died in office
Georgia George Handley Independent January 26, 1788 January 7, 1789
Pennsylvania Thomas Mifflin Independent November 5, 1788 December 17, 1799 Titled "President" 1788–90
Virginia Beverley Randolph Independent December 1, 1788 December 1, 1791
Delaware Jehu Davis Independent March 29, 1789 June 2, 1789 Titled "President"
Rhode Island Arthur Fenner Country May 5, 1790 October 15, 1805 Rhode Island ratified the U.S. Constitution on May 29, 1790, died in office
Massachusetts Samuel Adams Independent October 8, 1793 June 2, 1797 Acting Governor from 1793–94
Rhode Island Henry Smith Country October 15, 1805 May 7, 1806
Rhode Island Isaac Wilbour Country May 7, 1806 May 6, 1807 Acting governor
Vermont Thomas Chittenden Independent March 4, 1791 August 25, 1797 Governor of the Vermont Republic 1778–89; 90–91, died in office
Maryland George Plater Independent November 14, 1791 February 10, 1792 Died in office
Massachusetts Moses Gill Independent June 7, 1799 May 20, 1800 Acting Governor, died in office
Virginia Hardin Burnley Independent December 7, 1799 December 11, 1799 Acting governor
Virginia John Pendleton Jr. Independent December 11, 1799 December 19, 1799 Acting governor
Connecticut Oliver Wolcott Jr. Toleration May 8, 1817 May 2, 1827
Illinois Shadrach Bond Independent October 6, 1818 December 5, 1822
Illinois Edward Coles Independent December 5, 1822 December 6, 1826
North Carolina Hutchins Gordon Burton Independent December 7, 1824 December 8, 1827
Indiana James B. Ray Independent February 12, 1825 December 7, 1831
South Carolina Stephen Decatur Miller Nullifier December 10, 1828 December 9, 1830
South Carolina James Hamilton Jr. Nullifier December 9, 1830 December 10, 1832
Vermont William A. Palmer Anti-Masonic October 18, 1831 November 2, 1835
South Carolina Robert Y. Hayne Nullifier December 10, 1832 December 9, 1834
Pennsylvania Joseph Ritner Anti-Masonic December 15, 1835 January 15, 1839
Rhode Island Samuel Ward King Rhode Island Party May 2, 1839 May 2, 1843 Governorship disputed 1842–43, see Dorr Rebellion
Rhode Island Thomas Wilson Dorr Dorr Rebellion May 1, 1842 January 23, 1843 Extralegal governor, disputed with Samuel Ward King, see Dorr Rebellion
Rhode Island James Fenner Law and Order May 2, 1843 May 6, 1845
Alabama Joshua L. Martin Independent December 10, 1845 December 16, 1847
Rhode Island Byron Diman Law and Order May 6, 1846 May 4, 1847
Georgia Howell Cobb Constitutional Union November 5, 1851 November 9, 1853
Mississippi Henry S. Foote Union January 10, 1852 January 5, 1854
Massachusetts Henry Gardner American January 4, 1855 January 7, 1858
Connecticut William T. Minor American May 2, 1855 May 6, 1857
New Hampshire Ralph Metcalf American June 7, 1855 June 4, 1857
Kentucky Charles S. Morehead American September 4, 1855 August 30, 1859
California J. Neely Johnson American January 6, 1856 January 8, 1858
Maryland Thomas Holliday Hicks American January 13, 1858 January 8, 1862
Texas Sam Houston Independent[1] December 31, 1859 March 28, 1861 Previously served as President of the Republic of Texas 1836–1838; 1841–1844 and Governor of Tennessee from 1827–1829
Maryland Augustus Bradford Union January 8, 1862 January 10, 1866
Ohio John Brough Union January 11, 1864 August 29, 1865 Died in office

Post-Reconstruction (1865–present)

State Portrait Governor Party Start of term End of term Notes
Alabama Robert M. Patton Independent December 13, 1865 July 24, 1868 Had been a Whig prior to the Civil War
Missouri Benjamin Gratz Brown Liberal Republican January 4, 1871 January 3, 1873
West Virginia John J. Jacob People's Independent Party March 4, 1871 March 4, 1877 Jacob was elected as a Democrat, and reelected under the umbrella of the People's Independent Party in 1872 after failing to win the Democratic nomination.
Maine Harris M. Plaisted Greenback January 13, 1881 January 3, 1883 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Virginia William E. Cameron Readjuster January 1, 1882 January 1, 1886
North Dakota Eli Shortridge Democratic-Independent January 3, 1893 January 10, 1895
Kansas Lorenzo D. Lewelling Populist January 9, 1893 January 14, 1895
Washington John Rankin Rogers Populist January 11, 1897 December 26, 1901 Also endorsed by the Democrats, became a Democrat in 1900, died in office
Colorado Davis Hanson Waite Populist January 10, 1893 January 8, 1895
Nebraska Silas A. Holcomb Populist January 3, 1895 January 5, 1899 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Nevada John Edward Jones Silver January 7, 1895 April 10, 1896 Died in office
Nevada Reinhold Sadler Silver April 10, 1896 January 5, 1903 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Jones
Nevada John Sparks Silver January 5, 1903 May 22, 1908 Also endorsed by the Democrats, died in office
Nevada Denver S. Dickerson Silver May 22, 1908 January 2, 1911 Also endorsed by the Democrats, succeeded to the governorship after the death of Sparks
South Dakota Andrew E. Lee Populist January 1, 1897 January 8, 1901
Kansas John W. Leedy Populist January 11, 1897 January 9, 1899
Nebraska William A. Poynter Populist January 5, 1899 January 3, 1901 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Wyoming Joseph M. Carey Progressive January 2, 1911 January 4, 1915 Elected as a Republican, became a Progressive in 1912
California Hiram Johnson Progressive January 3, 1911 March 15, 1917 Elected as a Republican, became a Progressive in 1912, resigned in 1917 in order to become a U.S. Senator
Florida Sidney Johnston Catts Prohibition January 2, 1917 January 4, 1921
North Dakota Lynn Frazier Nonpartisan League[2] January 3, 1917 November 23, 1921 Recalled
North Dakota Ragnvald Nestos Independent Voters Association[2] November 23, 1921 January 7, 1925 Won the recall election
North Dakota Arthur G. Sorlie Nonpartisan League[2] January 7, 1925 August 28, 1928 Died in office
North Dakota Walter Maddock Nonpartisan League[2] August 28, 1928 January 9, 1929 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Sorlie
North Dakota George F. Shafer Independent Voters Association[2] January 9, 1929 December 31, 1932
Minnesota Floyd B. Olson Farmer–Labor January 6, 1931 August 22, 1936 Died in office
Oregon Julius Meier Independent January 12, 1931 January 14, 1935
North Dakota William Langer Nonpartisan League[2] December 31, 1932 June 21, 1934 Removed from office in 1934, elected again in 1936
North Dakota Ole H. Olson Nonpartisan League[2] June 21, 1934 January 7, 1935 Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Langer
North Dakota Walter Welford Nonpartisan League[2] February 2, 1935 January 6, 1937 Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Thomas H. Moodie due to ineligibility
Minnesota Hjalmar Petersen Farmer–Labor August 22, 1936 January 4, 1937 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Olson
Minnesota Elmer Austin Benson Farmer–Labor January 4, 1937 January 2, 1939
Wisconsin Philip La Follette Progressive January 7, 1935 January 2, 1939
Wisconsin Orland Steen Loomis Progressive N/A N/A Died a month before he was to take office
Maine James B. Longley Independent January 2, 1975 January 3, 1979
Alaska Wally Hickel Alaskan Independence December 3, 1990 December 5, 1994 Previously served as a Republican from 1966–1969, became a Republican in April 1994
Connecticut Lowell P. Weicker A Connecticut Party January 9, 1991 January 4, 1995
Maine Angus King Independent January 5, 1995 January 8, 2003
Minnesota Jesse Ventura Reform/Independence January 4, 1999 January 6, 2003 Elected as Reform, later switched to the Independence Party of Minnesota in 2000
Florida Charlie Crist Independent January 2, 2007 January 4, 2011 Elected as a Republican, became an independent on May 13, 2010
Rhode Island Lincoln Chafee Independent January 4, 2011 January 6, 2015 Switched to the Democratic Party on May 30, 2013
Alaska Bill Walker[3] Independent December 1, 2014 December 3, 2018 Also endorsed by the Democrats

See also

References

  1. ^ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Election, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 264.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h For a time, the Republican Party of North Dakota was split between the progressive Nonpartisan League and the conservative Independent Voters Association. All Republican governors between 1917 and 1939 were affiliated with either one of those parties, and all are listed here.
  3. ^ "Alaska Governor Race: Incumbent Republican Sean Parnell Loses To Independent Bill Walker". The Huffington Post. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.