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Governor of Washington
Seal of the governor
Incumbent Jay Inslee since January 16, 2013
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	Washington Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder	Elisha P. Ferry
Formation	November 11, 1889
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Washington
Salary	$182,179 (2019)
Website	Official website

The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Washington Legislature and line-item veto power to cancel specific provisions in spending bills. The Washington governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions".

Washington Territory had 14 territorial governors from its organization in 1853 until the formation of the state of Washington in 1889. Territorial governors were appointed by the president of the United States. Elisha P. Ferry had the longest term of eight years and went on to become the state's first governor. William H. Wallace was appointed governor but never took office due to being elected as the territory's congressional delegate. George Edward Cole was appointed governor and took office, but his appointment was never ratified by the U.S. Senate and he was replaced as governor after four months.

Twenty-two individuals have held the office of Governor of Washington since the state's admission to the Union, with Arthur B. Langlie serving non-consecutive terms. Populist Party candidate John Rankin Rogers is the only non-Democratic or Republican nominee to win office. The most recent governor to be from Eastern Washington was Clarence Martin, elected in 1932. The current governor is Democrat Jay Inslee, who took office on January 16, 2013, and was reelected in 2016 and 2020; his term will expire on January 15, 2025 as Inslee announced on May 1, 2023 that he will not be seeking re-election to an unprecedented fourth term in 2024. Washington has had the longest current streak of Democratic governors in the nation, with the last Republican to hold the office being John Spellman in 1985.

With the re-election of Inslee in 2020, Langlie, Daniel J. Evans and Inslee are the only three Washington governors to be elected to three terms with 12 years respectively.

Governors

Governors of the Territory of Washington

Washington Territory was organized on March 2, 1853, from the northern half of Oregon Territory.

Governors of the Territory of Utah

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointing President
1		Isaac Stevens (1818–1862)	March 17, 1853 – August 11, 1857 (resigned)	Franklin Pierce
2		Fayette McMullen (1805–1880)	September 10, 1857	July 1858	James Buchanan
3		Richard D. Gholson (1804–1862)	July 15, 1859	February 14, 1861
4		William H. Wallace (1811–1879)	Appointed April 9, 1861	—	Abraham Lincoln
5		William Pickering (1798–1873)	June 1862	January 8, 1867
6		George Edward Cole (1826–1906)	January 8, 1867	March 4, 1867	Andrew Johnson
7		Marshall F. Moore (1829–1870)	August 26, 1867	April 5, 1869
8		Alvan Flanders (1825–1894)	April 5, 1869	March 14, 1870	Ulysses S. Grant
9		Edward S. Salomon (1836–1913)	Appointed March 4, 1870	April 1872
10		Elisha P. Ferry (1825–1895)	Appointed April 26, 1872	November 1, 1880
11		William A. Newell (1817–1901)	November 1, 1880	July 2, 1884	Rutherford B. Hayes
12		Watson C. Squire (1838–1926)	Appointed July 2, 1884	April 9, 1887	Chester A. Arthur
13		Eugene Semple (1840–1908)	Appointed April 9, 1887	April 9, 1889	Grover Cleveland
14		Miles Conway Moore (1845–1919)	April 9, 1889	November 11, 1889	Benjamin Harrison

Governors of the State of Washington

Washington was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889. The term for governor is four years, commencing on the second Monday in the January following the election. If the office of governor is vacant or the governor is unable to discharge their duties, the lieutenant governor assumes the duties of governor, though still officially retains the office of lieutenant governor. If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are unable to fulfill their duties, the secretary of state is next in line, and then the treasurer. There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve. The office of lieutenant governor is not elected on the same ticket as the governor.

Parties

  Democratic (11)   Populist (1)   Republican (12)
(above numbering includes one governor twice)

#	Governor			Took office	Left office	Office Prior to Ascension	Party	Election	Terms
1			Elisha P. Ferry August 9, 1825 – October 14, 1895 (aged 70)	November 11, 1889	January 11, 1893	10th Governor of the Washington Territory	Republican	1889	1
2			John McGraw October 4, 1850 – June 23, 1910 (aged 59)	January 11, 1893	January 13, 1897	King County Sheriff		1892	1
3			John Rankin Rogers September 4, 1838 – December 26, 1901 (aged 63)	January 13, 1897	December 26, 1901	Washington House of Representatives	Populist	1896	1+1⁄2
							Democratic	1900
4			Henry McBride February 7, 1856 – October 7, 1937 (aged 81)	December 26, 1901	January 11, 1905	Lieutenant Governor of Washington	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	1⁄2
5			Albert E. Mead December 14, 1861 – March 19, 1913 (aged 51)	January 11, 1905	January 27, 1909	Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney		1904	1
6			Samuel G. Cosgrove April 10, 1847 – March 28, 1909 (aged 61)	January 27, 1909	March 28, 1909	Mayor of Pomeroy		1908	1⁄2
7			Marion E. Hay December 9, 1865 – November 21, 1933 (aged 67)	March 28, 1909	January 15, 1913	Lieutenant Governor of Washington		Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	1⁄2
8			Ernest Lister June 15, 1870 – June 14, 1919 (aged 48)	January 15, 1913	February 13, 1919	Chairman of the State Board of Control	Democratic	1912	1+1⁄2
								1916
9			Louis F. Hart January 4, 1862 – December 4, 1929 (aged 67)	February 13, 1919	January 14, 1925	Lieutenant Governor of Washington	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	1+1⁄2
								1920
10			Roland H. Hartley June 26, 1864 – September 21, 1952 (aged 88)	January 14, 1925	January 11, 1933	Washington House of Representatives		1924	2
								1928
11			Clarence D. Martin June 29, 1886 – August 11, 1955 (aged 69)	January 11, 1933	January 15, 1941	Mayor of Cheney	Democratic	1932	2
								1936
12			Arthur B. Langlie July 25, 1900 – July 24, 1966 (aged 65)	January 15, 1941	January 10, 1945	Mayor of Seattle	Republican	1940	1
13			Monrad Wallgren April 17, 1891 – September 18, 1961 (aged 70)	January 10, 1945	January 12, 1949	U.S. Senator from Washington	Democratic	1944	1
14			Arthur B. Langlie July 25, 1900 – July 24, 1966 (aged 65)	January 12, 1949	January 16, 1957	12th Governor of Washington	Republican	1948	2
								1952
15			Albert Rosellini January 21, 1910 – October 10, 2011 (aged 101)	January 16, 1957	January 13, 1965	Washington State Senate	Democratic	1956	2
								1960
16			Daniel J. Evans (1925-10-16) October 16, 1925 (age 99)	January 13, 1965	January 12, 1977	Washington House of Representatives	Republican	1964	3
								1968
								1972
17			Dixy Lee Ray September 3, 1914 – January 2, 1994 (aged 79)	January 12, 1977	January 14, 1981	Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs	Democratic	1976	1
18			John Spellman December 29, 1926 – January 15, 2018 (aged 91)	January 14, 1981	January 16, 1985	King County Executive	Republican	1980	1
19			Booth Gardner August 21, 1936 – March 15, 2013 (aged 76)	January 16, 1985	January 13, 1993	Pierce County Executive	Democratic	1984	2
								1988
20			Mike Lowry March 8, 1939 – May 1, 2017 (aged 78)	January 13, 1993	January 15, 1997	U.S. Representative from WA-7th		1992	1
21			Gary Locke (1950-01-21) January 21, 1950 (age 74)	January 15, 1997	January 12, 2005	King County Executive		1996	2
								2000
22			Christine Gregoire (1947-03-24) March 24, 1947 (age 77)	January 12, 2005	January 16, 2013	Attorney General of Washington		2004	2
								2008
23			Jay Inslee (1951-02-09) February 9, 1951 (age 73)	January 16, 2013	Incumbent	U.S. Representative from WA-01		2012	3
								2016
								2020

See also

• List of Washington state legislatures
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Washington

Notes

1. The District of Columbia has been led by elected Democrats since 1975, but is not a state and does not have governors.
2. The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
3. Stevens was nominated and confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 1853, and arrived in Olympia on November 25.
4. Stevens resigned, having been elected to the United States House of Representatives.
5. Received a leave of absence in May 1860 to move his wife from Texas to Kentucky. He never returned to Washington Territory.
6. Appointed as governor, but did not take office as he was elected as a delegate from Washington Territory.
7. ^ President Johnson removed Governor Pickering in November 1866. Governor Cole arrived on January 8, 1867, after being appointed governor. Governor Pickering would not relinquish power until the U.S. Senate approved of Governor Cole's nomination on the basis that President Johnson was being impeached. However, the state's legislature looked to Governor Cole as the real governor. The U.S. Senate eventually failed to ratify his nomination.
8. ^ Was a resident of Washington Territory at the time of appointment. This could have cut down on the time between appointment and taking office.
9. The official numbering includes ten Democrats, 12 Republicans, and John Rogers, who served as both a Democrat and a Populist. Rogers' term is counted as both Populist and Democratic.
10. The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
11. Rogers was elected as a Populist for his first term and a Democrat for his second.
12. ^ Died in office.
13. ^ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
14. Lister became ill during his second term, relinquished his office to the Lieutenant Governor, and died a few months later.
15. As lieutenant governor, Hart filled the unexpired term after Lister relinquished his office due to ill health.
16. Inslee's third term expires on January 15, 2025.

References

General

• "Former Washington Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
• Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. IV. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
• Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
• McMullin, Thomas A. (1984). Biographical directory of American territorial governors. Westport, CT : Meckler. ISBN 978-0-930466-11-4. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
• Ficken, Robert E. (Winter 2005–2006). "Figureheads of State". Columbia Magazine. 19 (4). Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
• Meany, Edmond S (1915). Governors of Washington : territorial and state. Seattle: University of Washington. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
• "Washington Territorial and State Governors". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved July 1, 2010.

Specific

1. "2013 and 2014 Salary Schedule, Adopted May 22, 2013" (PDF). Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
2. ^ WA Const. art. III, § 2.
3. WA Const. art. III, § 8.
4. ^ WA Const. art. III, § 5.
5. WA Const. art. III, § 12.
6. Brunner, Jim (September 20, 2020). "Meet".
7. Brunner, Jim (August 11, 2012). "McKenna win would end drought for GOP in races for governor". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
8. ^ McMullin pp. 311–312
9. U.S. Senate Exec. Journal. 33rd Cong., special sess., 17 March 1853, 77. Accessed July 19, 2023.
10. U.S. Senate Exec. Journal. 33rd Cong., special sess., 17 March 1853, 81. Accessed July 19, 2023.
11. Stevens, Hazard (1901). The Life of Isaac Ingalls Stevens. Houghton, Mifflin. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-598-28143-2.
12. "Stevens resigns August 11". Pioneer and Democrat. August 14, 1857. p. 2. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
13. McMullin pp. 312–313
14. "Arrival of Governor McMullen" (PDF). The Pioneer and Democrat. Olympia. September 11, 1857. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
15. Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1890). History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana: 1845–1889, Volume 31. Washington State Library. p. 209. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
16. McMullin pp. 313–315
17. "Sworn In" (PDF). The Pioneer and Democrat. Olympia. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
18. ^ McMullin and Walker p. 314
19. "Granted Leave of Absence" (PDF). The Pioneer and Democrat. Olympia. May 18, 1860. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
20. McMullin pp. 315&nmdash;316
21. McMullin and Walker p. 315
22. "Wallace, William". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
23. McMullin pp. 316–317
24. "Our New Governor" (PDF). Puget Sound Herald. June 12, 1862. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
25. ^ "Gubernatorial War!" (PDF). Puget Sound Weekly. January 14, 1867. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
26. McMullin and Walker pp. 317–318
27. McMullin pp. 317–318
28. ^ McMullin pp. 318–319 Cite error: The named reference "mcmullin-moore" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
29. "Arrival of General Moore" (PDF). The Vancouver Register. August 31, 1867. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
30. McMullin pp. 319–320
31. "Flanders, Alvan". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
32. McMullin and Walker p. 320
33. McMullin pp. 320–321
34. ^ McMullin and Walker p. 321
35. McMullin pp. 321–323
36. ^ McMullin and Walker p. 322
37. ^ "Governor Ferry's Retirement" (PDF). Puget Sound Mail. October 31, 1880. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
38. McMullin and Walker pp. 322–328.
39. McMullin pp. 323–324
40. McMullin pp. 324–326
41. McMullin and Walker p. 325
42. McMullin pp. 326–327
43. McMullin and Walker p. 326
44. Snowden, Clinton (1911). History of Washington: the rise and progress of an American state. New York: Century History Company. p. 153. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
45. WA Const. art. III, § 4
46. "AG, Secretary of State issue joint statement regarding gubernatorial succession in the event of a vacancy". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
47. WA Const. art. III, § 10
48. "Constitutional and Statutory Provisions for Number of Consecutive Terms of Elected State Officials" (PDF). National Governor's Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
49. "John Rankin Rogers". Washington State University Libraries. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
50. ^ "Change of Governor in Washington". The Christian Science Monitor. February 14, 1919. Retrieved January 21, 2011.

External links

• Office of the Governor of Washington

v t e Governors of Washington
Territorial (1853–1889)	Stevens McMullen Gholson Wallace Pickering Cole M. F. Moore Flanders Salomon Ferry Newell Squire Semple M. C. Moore
State (since 1889)	Ferry McGraw Rogers McBride Mead Cosgrove Hay Lister Hart Hartley Martin Langlie Wallgren Langlie Rosellini Evans Ray Spellman Gardner Lowry Locke Gregoire Inslee Ferguson (elect)

v t e Washington statewide elected officials (list)
Governor Lieutenant Governor Secretary of State Attorney General Treasurer Auditor Insurance Commissioner Superintendent of Public Instruction Commissioner of Public Lands

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Category:Lists of state governors of the United States * Governors Governors of Washington Territory Category:1889 establishments in Washington (state)