List of governors of Iowa

The Governor of Iowa is the head of Executive Branch for the Government of Iowa, and commander in chief of military forces in the state. The governor has a term of four years. For being elected, one must be at least 30, and have been a citizen of Iowa for two years. There are no term limits on how long a governor may serve. The current governor is Kim Reynolds since May 24, 2017.

The longest serving governor is Terry Branstad. He served four terms, 1983-99, and was elected again in 2010. He left office in 2017 to become an ambassador. The governors between the terms of Branstad were Tom Vilsack, who served 1999-2007, and Chet Culver.

Governors

These are the Governors who have served Iowa:

#NameTook OfficeLeft OfficeParty#Lt. GovernorNotes1Ansel BriggsDecember 3, 1846December 4, 1850Democraticvacant2Stephen P. HempsteadDecember 4, 1850December 9, 1854Democraticvacant3James W. GrimesDecember 9, 1854January 13, 1858Whigvacant4Ralph P. LoweJanuary 13, 1858January 11, 1860Republican1Oran Faville5Samuel J. KirkwoodJanuary 11, 1860January 14, 1864Republican2Nicholas J. Rusch3John R. Needham6William M. StoneJanuary 14, 1864January 16, 1868Republican4Enoch W. Eastman5Benjamin F. Gue7Samuel MerrillJanuary 16, 1868January 11, 1872Republican6John Scott7Madison Miner Walden8Henry C. Bulis8Cyrus C. CarpenterJanuary 11, 1872January 13, 1876RepublicanHenry C. Bulis9Joseph Dysart9Samuel J. KirkwoodJanuary 13, 1876February 1, 1877Republican10Joshua G. NewboldResigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.10Joshua G. NewboldFebruary 1, 1877January 17, 1878RepublicanvacantAs lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.11John H. GearJanuary 17, 1878January 12, 1882Republican11Frank T. Campbell12Buren R. ShermanJanuary 12, 1882January 14, 1886Republican12Orlando H. Manning13William LarrabeeJanuary 14, 1886February 27, 1890Republican13John A.T. Hull14Horace BoiesFebruary 27, 1890January 11, 1894Democratic14Alfred N. Poyneer15Samuel L. Bestow15Frank D. JacksonJanuary 11, 1894January 16, 1896Republican16Warren S. Dungan16Francis M. DrakeJanuary 16, 1896January 13, 1898Republican17Matt Parrott17Leslie M. ShawJanuary 13, 1898January 16, 1902Republican18James C. Milliman18Albert B. CumminsJanuary 16, 1902November 24, 1908Republican19John HerriottAmendment 11 to the Iowa constitution, passed in 1904, shifted the state's election cycle forward one year, such that terms would begin on odd years. This lengthened Cummins' second term to three years (1904–1907).20Warren Garst19Warren GarstNovember 24, 1908January 14, 1909Republicanvacant20Beryl F. CarrollJanuary 14, 1909January 16, 1913Republican21George W. Clarke21George W. ClarkeJanuary 16, 1913January 11, 1917Republican22William L. Harding22William L. HardingJanuary 11, 1917January 13, 1921Republican23Ernest Robert Moore23Nathan E. KendallJanuary 13, 1921January 15, 1925Republican24John Hammill24John HammillJanuary 15, 1925January 15, 1931Republican25Clem F. Kimball26Arch W. McFarlane25Daniel Webster TurnerJanuary 15, 1931January 12, 1933RepublicanArch W. McFarlane26Clyde L. HerringJanuary 12, 1933January 14, 1937Democratic27Nelson G. Kraschel27Nelson G. KraschelJanuary 14, 1937January 12, 1939Democratic28John K. Valentine28George A. WilsonJanuary 12, 1939January 14, 1943Republican29Bourke B. Hickenlooper29Bourke B. HickenlooperJanuary 14, 1943January 11, 1945Republican30Robert D. Blue30Robert D. BlueJanuary 11, 1945January 13, 1949Republican31Kenneth A. Evans31William S. BeardsleyJanuary 13, 1949November 21, 1954RepublicanKenneth A. EvansDied in office.32William H. Nicholas33Leo Elthon32Leo ElthonNovember 22, 1954January 13, 1955Republicanvacant33Leo A. HoeghJanuary 13, 1955January 17, 1957Republican34Leo Elthon34Herschel C. LovelessJanuary 17, 1957January 12, 1961Democratic35William H. Nicholas36Edward J. McManus35Norman A. ErbeJanuary 12, 1961January 17, 1963Republican37W. L. Mooty36Harold E. HughesJanuary 17, 1963January 1, 1969DemocraticW. L. Mooty38Robert D. Fulton37Robert D. FultonJanuary 1, 1969January 16, 1969Democraticvacant38Robert D. RayJanuary 16, 1969January 14, 1983Republican39Roger Jepsen40Arthur A. Neu41Terry E. Branstad39Terry E. BranstadJanuary 14, 1983January 15, 1999Republican42Robert T. Anderson43Jo Ann Zimmerman44Joy Corning40Tom VilsackJanuary 15, 1999January 12, 2007Democratic45Sally Pederson41Chet CulverJanuary 12, 2007January 14, 2011 Democratic46Patty Judge42Terry E. BranstadJanuary 14, 2011May 24, 2017Republican47Kim Reynolds43Kim ReynoldsMay 24, 2017IncumbentRepublican48VacantGovernor Reynolds' term expires on January 13, 2023.

References

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Iowa