List of third-party and independent United States state governors

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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 File:John Hancock 1770.jpg 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 File:Thomas Mifflin.jpg 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 File:ArthurFenner.jpg Arthur Fenner Country May 5, 1790 October 15, 1805 Rhode Island ratified the U.S. Constitution on May 29, 1790, died in office
Massachusetts File:J S Copley - Samuel Adams.jpg 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 File:Isaac Wilbour (Rhode Island Governor) 2.jpg Isaac Wilbour Country May 7, 1806 May 6, 1807 Acting governor
Vermont File:ThomasChittenden.png Thomas Chittenden Independent March 4, 1791 August 25, 1797 Governor of the Vermont Republic 1778–89; 90–91, died in office
Maryland File:George Plater portrait.jpg George Plater Independent November 14, 1791 February 10, 1792 Died in office
Massachusetts File:Moses Gill - John S Copley.jpg 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 File:Oliver Wolcott Jr by Gilbert Stuart circa 1820.jpeg Oliver Wolcott Jr. Toleration May 8, 1817 May 2, 1827
Illinois File:Shadrach.Bond.png Shadrach Bond Independent October 6, 1818 December 5, 1822
Illinois File:Edward Coles.png Edward Coles Independent December 5, 1822 December 6, 1826
North Carolina File:Hutchins Gordon Burton.jpg Hutchins Gordon Burton Independent December 7, 1824 December 8, 1827
Indiana File:Indiana Governor James B. Ray.jpg James B. Ray Independent February 12, 1825 December 7, 1831
South Carolina File:Stephen Decatur Miller.jpg Stephen Decatur Miller Nullifier December 10, 1828 December 9, 1830
South Carolina File:James Hamilton, Jr.jpg James Hamilton Jr. Nullifier December 9, 1830 December 10, 1832
Vermont File:William A. Palmer.jpg William A. Palmer Anti-Masonic October 18, 1831 November 2, 1835
South Carolina File:Robert Y Hayne.jpg Robert Y. Hayne Nullifier December 10, 1832 December 9, 1834
Pennsylvania File:Joseph Ritner-Governor of Pennsylvania.JPG Joseph Ritner Anti-Masonic December 15, 1835 January 15, 1839
Rhode Island File:GovSamuelKingRI.jpg Samuel Ward King Rhode Island Party May 2, 1839 May 2, 1843 Governorship disputed 1842–43, see Dorr Rebellion
Rhode Island File:Thomas Wilson Dorr engraving.jpg Thomas Wilson Dorr Dorr Rebellion May 1, 1842 January 23, 1843 Extralegal governor, disputed with Samuel Ward King, see Dorr Rebellion
Rhode Island File:GovJamesFenner.jpg James Fenner Law and Order May 2, 1843 May 6, 1845
Alabama File:Gov. Joshua L. Martin.jpg Joshua L. Martin Independent December 10, 1845 December 16, 1847
Rhode Island File:ByronDiman.jpg Byron Diman Law and Order May 6, 1846 May 4, 1847
Georgia File:Howell Cobb-crop.jpg Howell Cobb Union November 5, 1851 November 9, 1853
Mississippi File:Henry S. Foote Brady 1849.jpg Henry S. Foote Union January 10, 1852 January 5, 1854
Texas File:Elisha pease.jpg Elisha M. Pease Union December 21, 1853 December 21, 1857 Later served as Governor as a Republican from 1867–69
Massachusetts File:GovHenryJGardner.jpg Henry Gardner American January 4, 1855 January 7, 1858
Connecticut File:William T. Minor.jpg William T. Minor American May 2, 1855 May 6, 1857
New Hampshire File:Ralph Metcalf.jpg Ralph Metcalf American June 7, 1855 June 4, 1857
Kentucky File:Charles Slaughter Morehead.jpg Charles S. Morehead American September 4, 1855 August 30, 1859
California File:JNeelyJohnson.jpg J. Neely Johnson American January 6, 1856 January 8, 1858
Maryland File:Thomas Holliday Hicks - photo portrait standing.jpg Thomas Holliday Hicks American January 13, 1858 January 8, 1862
Texas File:Sam Houston c1850-crop.jpg Sam Houston Constitutional Union 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 File:Augustus Williamson Bradford - photo portrait standing.jpg Augustus Bradford Union January 8, 1862 January 10, 1866
Ohio File:JohnBrough.jpg 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 File:Robert patton.jpg Robert M. Patton Independent December 13, 1865 July 24, 1868 Had been a Whig prior to the Civil War
Missouri File:BGratzBrown.png Benjamin Gratz Brown Liberal Republican January 4, 1871 January 3, 1873
West Virginia File:GovernorJacob.gif 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 File:HMPlaisted.jpg Harris M. Plaisted Greenback January 13, 1881 January 3, 1883 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Virginia File:WE Cameron.jpg William E. Cameron Readjuster January 1, 1882 January 1, 1886
North Dakota File:Eli Shortridge.jpg Eli Shortridge Democratic-Independent January 3, 1893 January 10, 1895
Kansas File:LDLewelling.jpg Lorenzo D. Lewelling Populist January 9, 1893 January 14, 1895
Washington File:John Rankin Rogers.jpg John Rankin Rogers Populist January 11, 1897 December 26, 1901 Also endorsed by the Democrats, became a Democrat in 1900, died in office
Colorado File:Davis Hanson Waite.gif Davis Hanson Waite Populist January 10, 1893 January 8, 1895
Nebraska File:Silas A. Holcomb.jpg Silas A. Holcomb Populist January 3, 1895 January 5, 1899 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Nevada File:John Edward Jones, governor of Nevada.jpg John Edward Jones Silver January 7, 1895 April 10, 1896 Died in office
Nevada File:Sadler.jpeg Reinhold Sadler Silver April 10, 1896 January 5, 1903 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Jones
Nevada File:JohnSparks.jpg John Sparks Silver January 5, 1903 May 22, 1908 Also endorsed by the Democrats, died in office
Nevada File:Denver-Sylvester-Dickerson.jpg 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 File:Andrew E. Lee.jpg Andrew E. Lee Populist January 1, 1897 January 8, 1901
Kansas File:JWLeedy.gif John W. Leedy Populist January 11, 1897 January 9, 1899
Nebraska File:William.A.Poynter.gif William A. Poynter Populist January 5, 1899 January 3, 1901 Also endorsed by the Democrats
Wyoming File:Joseph Maull Carey (1845–1924).jpg Joseph M. Carey Progressive January 2, 1911 January 4, 1915 Elected as a Republican, became a Progressive in 1912
California File:Hiram Johnson.jpg 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 File:Sidney Johnston Catts in 1916 (cropped).jpg Sidney Johnston Catts Prohibition January 2, 1917 January 4, 1921
North Dakota File:Lynn Frazier.jpg Lynn Frazier Nonpartisan League[1] January 3, 1917 November 23, 1921 Recalled
North Dakota File:RagnvaldANestos.jpg Ragnvald Nestos Independent Voters Association[1] November 23, 1921 January 7, 1925 Won the recall election
North Dakota File:ArthurGSorlie.jpg Arthur G. Sorlie Nonpartisan League[1] January 7, 1925 August 28, 1928 Died in office
North Dakota Walter Maddock Nonpartisan League[1] August 28, 1928 January 9, 1929 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Sorlie
North Dakota George F. Shafer Independent Voters Association[1] January 9, 1929 December 31, 1932
Minnesota File:Painting of Governor Floyd B. Olson.jpg Floyd B. Olson Farmer–Labor January 6, 1931 August 22, 1936 Died in office
Oregon File:Julius L. Meier 1911.png Julius Meier Independent January 12, 1931 January 14, 1935
North Dakota File:William Langer.jpg William Langer Nonpartisan League[1] December 31, 1932 June 21, 1934 Removed from office in 1934, elected again in 1936
North Dakota Ole H. Olson Nonpartisan League[1] June 21, 1934 January 7, 1935 Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Langer
North Dakota Walter Welford Nonpartisan League[1] February 2, 1935 January 6, 1937 Succeeded to the governorship after the removal of Thomas H. Moodie due to ineligibility
Minnesota File:Hjalmar Petersen.jpg Hjalmar Petersen Farmer–Labor August 22, 1936 January 4, 1937 Succeeded to the governorship after the death of Olson
Minnesota File:Elmer A. Benson, 1938.jpg Elmer Austin Benson Farmer–Labor January 4, 1937 January 2, 1939
Wisconsin File:Philip Fox La Follette 1925.jpg Philip La Follette Progressive January 7, 1935 January 2, 1939
Wisconsin File:Orland Steen Loomis (Wisconsin governor-elect).jpg Orland Steen Loomis Progressive N/A N/A Died a month before he was to take office
Maine File:James B. Longley (Maine governor).jpg James B. Longley Independent January 2, 1975 January 3, 1979
Alaska File:Hickel.gif 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 File:Lweicker.jpg Lowell P. Weicker A Connecticut Party January 9, 1991 January 4, 1995
Maine File:Angus King, official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg Angus King Independent January 5, 1995 January 8, 2003
Minnesota File:JesseVentura2.jpg Jesse Ventura Reform/Independence January 4, 1999 January 6, 2003 Elected as Reform, later switched to the Independence Party of Minnesota in 2000
Florida File:Charlie Crist official portrait crop.jpg Charlie Crist Independent January 2, 2007 January 4, 2011 Elected as a Republican, became an independent on May 13, 2010
Rhode Island File:Lincoln Chafee official portrait.jpg Lincoln Chafee Independent January 4, 2011 January 6, 2015 Switched to the Democratic Party on May 30, 2013
Alaska File:Bill Walker.jpg Bill Walker[2] Independent December 1, 2014 December 3, 2018 Also endorsed by the Democrats

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 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.
  2. ↑ "Alaska Governor Race: Incumbent Republican Sean Parnell Loses To Independent Bill Walker". The Huffington Post. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
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