List of governors of Delaware

The Governor of Delaware (President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of the executive branch of Delaware's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

The current governor is Democrat Matt Meyer, who took office on January 21, 2025.

List of Governors
+ Governors of the State of DelawareGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor175px John McKinly–September 12, 1777No parties1777Office did not exist275pxThomas McKean–October 20, 1777375pxGeorge Read–March 31, 1778475pxCaesar Rodney–November 13, 17811778575pxJohn Dickinson–January 13, 17831781675pxJohn Cook–February 8, 1783775pxNicholas Van Dyke–October 28, 178617838Thomas Collins–March 29, 17891786975pxJehu Davis–June 2, 17891075pxJoshua Clayton–January 13, 1796Federalist178917921175pxGunning Bedford Sr.–September 28, 1797Federalist17951275pxDaniel Rogers–January 9, 1799Federalist1375pxRichard Bassett–March 3, 1801Federalist17981475pxJames Sykes–January 19, 1802Federalist1575pxDavid Hall–January 15, 1805Democratic-Republican18011675pxNathaniel Mitchell–January 19, 1808Federalist18041775pxGeorge Truitt–January 15, 1811Federalist18071875pxJoseph Haslet–January 18, 1814Democratic-Republican18101975pxDaniel Rodney–January 21, 1817Federalist18132075pxJohn Clark–January 15, 1820Federalist1816—75pxHenry MollestonDied beforetaking officeFederalist18192175pxJacob Stout–January 16, 1821Federalist2275pxJohn Collins–April 16, 1822Democratic-Republican18202375pxCaleb Rodney–January 21, 1823Federalist2475pxJoseph Haslet–June 20, 1823Democratic-Republican18222575pxCharles Thomas–January 20, 1824Democratic-Republican2675pxSamuel Paynter–January 16, 1827Federalist18232775pxCharles Polk Jr.–January 19, 1830Federalist18262875pxDavid Hazzard–January 15, 1833NationalRepublican18292975pxCaleb P. Bennett–May 9, 1836Democratic18323075pxCharles Polk Jr.–January 17, 1837Whig3175pxCornelius P. Comegys–January 19, 1841Whig18363275pxWilliam B. Cooper–January 21, 1845Whig18403375pxThomas Stockton–March 2, 1846Whig18443475pxJoseph Maull–May 3, 1846Whig3575pxWilliam Temple–January 19, 1847Whig3675pxWilliam Tharp–January 21, 1851Democratic18463775pxWilliam H. H. Ross–January 16, 1855Democratic185038Peter F. Causey–January 18, 1859American18543975pxWilliam Burton–January 20, 1863Democratic18584075pxWilliam Cannon–March 1, 1865Republican18624175pxGove Saulsbury–January 17, 1871Democratic18664275pxJames Ponder–January 19, 1875Democratic18704375pxJohn P. Cochran–January 21, 1879Democratic18744475pxJohn W. Hall–January 16, 1883Democratic18784575pxCharles C. Stockley–January 18, 1887Democratic18824675pxBenjamin T. Biggs–January 20, 1891Democratic18864775pxRobert J. Reynolds–January 15, 1895Democratic18904875pxJoshua H. Marvil–April 8, 1895Republican18944975pxWilliam T. Watson–January 19, 1897Democratic5075pxEbe W. Tunnell–January 15, 1901Democratic18965175pxJohn Hunn–January 17, 1905Republican1900 5275pxPreston Lea–January 19, 1909Republican19045375pxSimeon S. Pennewill–January 21, 1913Republican19085475pxCharles R. Miller–January 16, 1917Republican19125575pxJohn G. Townsend Jr.–January 18, 1921Republican19165675pxWilliam D. Denney–January 20, 1925Republican19205775pxRobert P. Robinson–January 15, 1929Republican19245875pxC. Douglass Buck–January 19, 1937Republican192819325975pxRichard McMullen–January 21, 1941Democratic19366075pxWalter W. Bacon–January 18, 1949Republican194019446175pxElbert N. Carvel–January 20, 1953Democratic19486275pxJ. Caleb Boggs–December 30, 1960Republican195219566375pxDavid P. Buckson–January 17, 1961RepublicanVacant6475pxElbert N. Carvel–January 19, 1965Democratic19606575pxCharles L. Terry Jr.–January 21, 1969Democratic196466 75pxRussell W. Peterson–January 16, 1973Republican19686775pxSherman W. Tribbitt–January 18, 1977Democratic19726875pxPete du Pont–January 15, 1985Republican197619806975pxMike Castle–January 2, 1993Republican198419887075pxDale E. Wolf–January 19, 1993RepublicanVacant7175pxTom Carper–January 3, 2001Democratic199219967275pxRuth Ann Minner–January 20, 2009DemocraticVacant200020047375pxJack Markell–January 17, 2017Democratic20082012Vacant7475pxJohn Carney–January 7, 2025Democratic2016202075109x109pxBethany Hall-Long–January 21, 2025DemocraticVacant7675pxMatt Meyer–IncumbentDemocratic2024

 Living former Governors of Delaware 
As of February 2026, there are four living former Governors of Delaware, the oldest being Tom Carper, who served as the 71st Governor of Delaware from 1993-2001 and then as a U.S. Senator for the state from 2001-2025, at 70. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Mike Castle, who served as the 69th Governor of Connecticut (served 1985-1992) on August 14, 2025.

Notes

References

Other websites
 Office of the Governor of Delaware
 Delaware Hall of Governors

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