List of governors of Illinois

This is a list of the governors of Illinois. Illinois is a state in America. Illinois became a state in 1818.

List
Territory of Illinois
It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state.  From March to June, 1809, Territorial Secretary Nathaniel Pope was the acting governor. Edwards' arrival in Illinois ended Pope's brief administration.Robert P. Howard (1988), Mostly Good and Competent Men: Illinois Governors, 1818–1988, Illinois Issues and the Illinois State Historical Society, 39–40.

+ Governors of Illinois Territory GovernorTerm in officeAppointed by–99x99pxJohn Boyle–April 3, 18091100x100pxNinian Edwards–October 6, 1818

State of Illinois
+ Governors of the State of IllinoisGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor175px Shadrach BondKallenbach pp. 161–162–December 5, 1822Democratic-Republican1818 298x98pxEdward Coles–December 6, 1826Independent18223100x100pxNinian Edwards–December 6, 1830Democratic-Republican1826499x99pxJohn Reynolds–November 17, 1834Democratic1830598x98pxWilliam Lee D. Ewing–December 3, 1834DemocraticVacant6100x100pxJoseph DuncanIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1834 sess., 21, accessed August 16, 2023–December 7, 1838Whig18347100x100pxThomas CarlinIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1838 sess., 16, accessed August 16, 2023–December 8, 1842Democratic1838899x99pxThomas FordIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1842 sess., 33, accessed August 16, 2023–December 9, 1846Democratic1842999x99pxAugustus C. FrenchIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1846 sess., 13, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1853Democratic184618481099x99pxJoel Aldrich MattesonIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1853 sess., 46, accessed August 16, 2023–January 12, 1857Democratic18521199x99pxWilliam Henry BissellIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1857 sess., 60, accessed August 16, 2023–March 18, 1860Republican185612100x100pxJohn Wood–January 14, 1861Republican13100x100pxRichard Yates Sr.Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1861 sess., 58, accessed August 16, 2023–January 16, 1865Republican186014100x100pxRichard J. OglesbyIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1865 sess., 163, accessed August 16, 2023–January 11, 1869Republican186415100x100pxJohn M. PalmerIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1869 sess., 186, accessed August 16, 2023–January 13, 1873Republican18681499x99pxRichard J. OglesbyIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 52, accessed August 16, 2023–January 23, 1873Republican18721675pxJohn Lourie BeveridgeIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 138, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1877Republican1799x99pxShelby Moore CullomIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1877 sess., 39, accessed August 16, 2023–February 6, 1883Republican187618801875pxJohn Marshall Hamilton–January 30, 1885Republican1499x99pxRichard J. OglesbyIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1885 sess., 122, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1889Republican18841975pxJoseph W. FiferIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1889 sess., 99, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1893Republican188820100x100pxJohn Peter AltgeldIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1893 sess., 113, accessed August 16, 2023–January 11, 1897Democratic18922175pxJohn Riley TannerIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1897 sess., 167, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1901Republican18962299x99pxRichard Yates Jr.Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1901 sess., 173, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1905Republican19002399x99pxCharles S. DeneenIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1905 sess., 237, accessed August 16, 2023–February 3, 1913Republican190419082499x99pxEdward Fitzsimmons DunneIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1913 sess., 395, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1917Democratic19122599x99pxFrank Orren LowdenIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1917 sess., 239, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1921Republican19162675pxLen SmallIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1921 sess., 313, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1929Republican1920192427100x100pxLouis Lincoln EmmersonIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1929 sess., 104, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1933Republican19282899x99pxHenry HornerIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1933 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023–October 6, 1940Democratic193219362975pxJohn Henry Stelle–January 13, 1941DemocraticVacant30100x100pxDwight H. GreenIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1941 sess., 27, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1949Republican194019443199x99pxAdlai Stevenson IIIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1949 sess., 40, accessed August 16, 2023–January 12, 1953Democratic19483299x99pxWilliam StrattonIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1953 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1961Republican1952195633100x100pxOtto Kerner Jr.Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1961 sess., Volume 1, 35, accessed August 16, 2023–May 20, 1968Democratic196019643499x99pxSamuel H. Shapiro–January 13, 1969DemocraticVacant3575pxRichard B. OgilvieIllinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1969 sess., Volume 1, 33, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1973Republican19683699x99pxDan Walker–January 10, 1977Democratic19723775pxJim Thompson–January 14, 1991Republican19761978Vacant198219863875pxJim Edgar–January 11, 1999Republican19901994Vacant3975pxGeorge Ryan–January 13, 2003Republican19984075pxRod Blagojevich–January 29, 2009Democratic200220064196x96pxPat Quinn–January 12, 2015DemocraticVacant20104275pxBruce Rauner–January 14, 2019Republican201443 75pxJB Pritzker–IncumbentDemocratic20182022

Living former governors
, three former governors were alive. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Jim Edgar (R, 1991-1999), who died on Sept 14, 2025, at age 79.
GovernorTermDate of birthRod Blagojevich2003–2009Pat Quinn2009–2015 Bruce Rauner2015–2019

References



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Illinois
governors