list of governors of massachusetts

Governor of Massachusetts

Part the Second, Chapter II, Section I, Article I of the Massachusetts Constitution reads,

There shall be a supreme executive magistrate, who shall be styled, 'The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and whose title shall be — His Excellency'. With the writing of that sentence in 1780, the executive branch of the new Commonwealth came into being. The Governor of Massachusetts is the chief executive of the Commonwealth, and is supported by a number of subordinate officers. He, like most other state officers, senators, and representatives, was originally elected annually. Eventually this was changed to a two-year term, and currently rests at a four-year term. The Governor of Massachusetts does not receive a palace, other official residence, or housing allowance. Instead, he continues to reside in his private residence. The title of "His Excellency" is a throwback to the executives of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Province of New England, and Royal Colony of Massachusetts, all of whom as royal appointees were afforded this title. The governor also serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth's armed forces, a position the power of which has declined as the states of the United States have become less individual nations and more subnational units.

Succession

According to the constitution, whenever the chair of the governor is vacant, the lieutenant governor shall take over as governor. The first time this came into use was five years after the constitution's adoption, when in 1785 Governor John Hancock resigned his post with five months remaining before the inauguration of Gov. James Bowdoin.

No Single Governor

Whenever both the governor and his lieutenant left their offices vacant, the Governor's Council was charged with acting as governor. Gov. Increase Sumner died in office on June 7, 1799, leaving Lt. Gov. Moses Gill as Governor of the Commonwealth. Governor Gill never received a lieutenant, and died himself on May 20, 1800. For the ten days between Governor Gill's death and Gov. Caleb Strong's inauguration, the Governor's Council became the executive arm of the Commonwealth's government. Its chair, Thomas Dawes, was the closest person to governor during this time, but was at no point named governor.

New and Current Line of Succession

Article LV of the Constitution annulled this line of succession and created a new line that did not entrust the governorship to an eight-member council. The new and current line of succession is as follows:

Governor (Mitt Romney)
Lieutenant Governor (Kerry Healey)
Secretary of the Commonwealth (William Francis Galvin)
Attorney General (Thomas C. Reilly)
Treasurer and Receiver-General (Tim Cahill)
Auditor (A. Joseph DeNucci)

List of Massachusetts Governors

Colonial governors can be found at page for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Took Office	Left Office	Party
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Hancock" title="John Hancock">John Hancock	align=center\| 1780	align=center\| 1785	None
a href="/encyclopedia/Thomas-Cushing" title="Thomas Cushing">Thomas Cushing	align=center\| 1785	align=center\| 1785	None
a href="/encyclopedia/James-Bowdoin" title="James Bowdoin">James Bowdoin	align=center\| 1785	align=center\| 1787	None
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Hancock" title="John Hancock">John Hancock	align=center\| 1787	align=center\| 1793	None
a href="/encyclopedia/Samuel-Adams" title="Samuel Adams">Samuel Adams	align=center\| 1793	align=center\| 1797	None
a href="/encyclopedia/Increase-Sumner" title="Increase Sumner">Increase Sumner	align=center\| 1797	align=center\| 1799	Federalist
a href="/encyclopedia/Moses-Gill" title="Moses Gill">Moses Gill	align=center\| 1799	align=center\| 1800	None
a href="/encyclopedia/Caleb-Strong" title="Caleb Strong">Caleb Strong	align=center\| 1800	align=center\| 1807	Federalist
a href="/encyclopedia/James-Sullivan" title="James Sullivan">James Sullivan	align=center\| 1807	align=center\| 1808	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Levi-Lincoln" title="Levi Lincoln">Levi Lincoln	align=center\| 1808	align=center\| 1809	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Christopher-Gore" title="Christopher Gore">Christopher Gore	align=center\| 1809	align=center\| 1810	Federalist
a href="/encyclopedia/Elbridge-Gerry" title="Elbridge Gerry">Elbridge Gerry	align=center\| 1810	align=center\| 1812	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Caleb-Strong" title="Caleb Strong">Caleb Strong	align=center\| 1812	align=center\| 1816	Federalist
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Brooks" title="John Brooks">John Brooks	align=center\| 1816	align=center\| 1823	Federalist
a href="/encyclopedia/William-Eustis" title="William Eustis">William Eustis	align=center\| 1823	align=center\| 1825	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Marcus-Morton" title="Marcus Morton">Marcus Morton	align=center\| 1825	align=center\| 1825	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Levi-Lincoln,-Jr." title="Levi Lincoln, Jr.">Levi Lincoln, Jr.	align=center\| 1825	align=center\| 1834	Democratic-Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Davis-(Massachusetts-Governor)" title="John Davis (Massachusetts Governor)">John Davis	align=center\| 1834	align=center\| 1835	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Samuel-Armstrong" title="Samuel Armstrong">Samuel Armstrong	align=center\| 1835	align=center\| 1836	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Edward-Everett" title="Edward Everett">Edward Everett	align=center\| 1836	align=center\| 1840	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Marcus-Morton" title="Marcus Morton">Marcus Morton	align=center\| 1840	align=center\| 1841	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Davis-(Massachusetts-Governor)" title="John Davis (Massachusetts Governor)">John Davis	align=center\| 1841	align=center\| 1843	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Marcus-Morton" title="Marcus Morton">Marcus Morton	align=center\| 1843	align=center\| 1844	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/George-N.-Briggs" title="George N. Briggs">George N. Briggs	align=center\| 1844	align=center\| 1851	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/George-S.-Boutwell" title="George S. Boutwell">George S. Boutwell	align=center\| 1851	align=center\| 1853	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/John-H.-Clifford" title="John H. Clifford">John H. Clifford	align=center\| 1853	align=center\| 1854	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Emory-Washburn" title="Emory Washburn">Emory Washburn	align=center\| 1854	align=center\| 1855	Whig
a href="/encyclopedia/Henry-J.-Gardner" title="Henry J. Gardner">Henry J. Gardner	align=center\| 1855	align=center\| 1858	Know-Nothing
a href="/encyclopedia/Nathaniel-P.-Banks" title="Nathaniel P. Banks">Nathaniel P. Banks	align=center\| 1858	align=center\| 1861	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/John-A.-Andrew" title="John A. Andrew">John A. Andrew	align=center\| 1861	align=center\| 1866	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Alexander-H.-Bullock" title="Alexander H. Bullock">Alexander H. Bullock	align=center\| 1866	align=center\| 1869	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/William-Claflin" title="William Claflin">William Claflin	align=center\| 1869	align=center\| 1872	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/William-B.-Washburn" title="William B. Washburn">William B. Washburn	align=center\| 1872	align=center\| 1874	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Thomas-Talbot-(Massachusetts)" title="Thomas Talbot (Massachusetts)">Thomas Talbot	align=center\| 1874	align=center\| 1875	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/William-Gaston" title="William Gaston">William Gaston	align=center\| 1875	align=center\| 1876	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Alexander-H.-Rice" title="Alexander H. Rice">Alexander H. Rice	align=center\| 1876	align=center\| 1879	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Thomas-Talbot-(Massachusetts)" title="Thomas Talbot (Massachusetts)">Thomas Talbot	align=center\| 1879	align=center\| 1880	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/John-D.-Long" title="John D. Long">John D. Long	align=center\| 1880	align=center\| 1883	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Benjamin-Franklin-Butler-(politician)" title="Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)">Benjamin F. Butler	align=center\| 1883	align=center\| 1884	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/George-D.-Robinson" title="George D. Robinson">George D. Robinson	align=center\| 1884	align=center\| 1887	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Oliver-Ames" title="Oliver Ames">Oliver Ames	align=center\| 1887	align=center\| 1890	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/John-Q.-A.-Brackett" title="John Q. A. Brackett">John Q. A. Brackett	align=center\| 1890	align=center\| 1891	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/William-Russell-(governor)" title="William Russell (governor)">William E. Russell	align=center\| 1891	align=center\| 1894	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Frderic-T.-Greenhalge" title="Frderic T. Greenhalge">Frderic T. Greenhalge	align=center\| 1894	align=center\| 1896	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Roger-Wolcott" title="Roger Wolcott">Roger Wolcott	align=center\| 1896	align=center\| 1900	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Winthrop-M.-Crane" title="Winthrop M. Crane">Winthrop M. Crane	align=center\| 1900	align=center\| 1903	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/John-L.-Bates" title="John L. Bates">John L. Bates	align=center\| 1903	align=center\| 1905	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/William-L.-Douglas" title="William L. Douglas">William L. Douglas	align=center\| 1905	align=center\| 1906	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Curtis-Guild,-Jr." title="Curtis Guild, Jr.">Curtis Guild, Jr.	align=center\| 1906	align=center\| 1909	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Ebenezer-Sumner-Draper" title="Ebenezer Sumner Draper">Ebenezer S. Draper	align=center\| 1909	align=center\| 1911	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Eugene-N.-Foss" title="Eugene N. Foss">Eugene N. Foss	align=center\| 1911	align=center\| 1914	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/David-I.-Walsh" title="David I. Walsh">David I. Walsh	align=center\| 1914	align=center\| 1916	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Samuel-W.-McCall" title="Samuel W. McCall">Samuel W. McCall	align=center\| 1916	align=center\| 1919	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Calvin-Coolidge" title="Calvin Coolidge">Calvin Coolidge	align=center\| 1919	align=center\| 1921	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Channing-H.-Cox" title="Channing H. Cox">Channing H. Cox	align=center\| 1921	align=center\| 1925	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Alvan-T.-Fuller" title="Alvan T. Fuller">Alvan T. Fuller	align=center\| 1925	align=center\| 1929	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Frank-G.-Allen" title="Frank G. Allen">Frank G. Allen	align=center\| 1929	align=center\| 1931	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Joseph-B.-Ely" title="Joseph B. Ely">Joseph B. Ely	align=center\| 1931	align=center\| 1935	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/James-Michael-Curley" title="James Michael Curley">James Michael Curley	align=center\| 1935	align=center\| 1937	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Charles-F.-Hurley" title="Charles F. Hurley">Charles F. Hurley	align=center\| 1937	align=center\| 1939	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Leverett-Saltonstall" title="Leverett Saltonstall">Leverett Saltonstall	align=center\| 1939	align=center\| 1945	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Maurice-J.-Tobin" title="Maurice J. Tobin">Maurice J. Tobin	align=center\| 1945	align=center\| 1947	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Robert-F.-Bradford" title="Robert F. Bradford">Robert F. Bradford	align=center\| 1947	align=center\| 1949	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Paul-A.-Dever" title="Paul A. Dever">Paul A. Dever	align=center\| 1949	align=center\| 1953	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Christian-Herter" title="Christian Herter">Christian Herter	align=center\| 1953	align=center\| 1957	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Foster-Furcolo" title="Foster Furcolo">Foster Furcolo	align=center\| 1957	align=center\| 1961	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/John-A.-Volpe" title="John A. Volpe">John A. Volpe	align=center\| 1961	align=center\| 1963	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Endicott-Peabody" title="Endicott Peabody">Endicott Peabody	align=center\| 1963	align=center\| 1965	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/John-A.-Volpe" title="John A. Volpe">John A. Volpe	align=center\| 1965	align=center\| 1969	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Francis-W.-Sargent" title="Francis W. Sargent">Francis W. Sargent	align=center\| 1969	align=center\| 1975	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Michael-Dukakis" title="Michael Dukakis">Michael Dukakis	align=center\| 1975	align=center\| 1979	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Edward-J.-King" title="Edward J. King">Edward J. King	align=center\| 1979	align=center\| 1983	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/Michael-Dukakis" title="Michael Dukakis">Michael Dukakis	align=center\| 1983	align=center\| 1991	Democrat
a href="/encyclopedia/William-Weld" title="William Weld">William F. Weld	align=center\| 1991	align=center\| 1997	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Paul-Cellucci" title="Paul Cellucci">Argeo Paul Cellucci	align=center\| 1997	align=center\| 2001	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Jane-Swift" title="Jane Swift">Jane M. Swift	align=center\| 2001	align=center\| 2003	Republican
a href="/encyclopedia/Mitt-Romney" title="Mitt Romney">Willard Mitt Romney	align=center\| 2003	align=center\| present	Republican

Massachusetts

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