List of governors of Minnesota

Wikimedia list article

The following is a list of governors of the State of Minnesota and Minnesota Territory, United States.

Territorial governors

Territorial governors of Minnesota
No.GovernorTerm of officePartyPlace of birthAppointed by
1  Alexander RamseyJune 1, 1849

May 15, 1853
WhigPennsylvaniaZachary Taylor
2  Willis A. GormanMay 15, 1853

April 23, 1857
DemocraticKentuckyFranklin Pierce
3  Samuel MedaryApril 23, 1857

May 24, 1858
DemocraticPennsylvaniaJames Buchanan

State governors

Parties

  Democratic  Farmer-Labor  Republican  Reform/Independence

#GovernorTook officeLeft officePartyDate of birthPlace of birthDate of deathLieutenant governor(s)Term
1Henry H. Sibley May 24, 1858January 2, 1860DemocraticFebruary 20, 1811MichiganFebruary 18, 1891William Holcombe1
2Alexander Ramsey January 2, 1860July 10, 1863[1]RepublicanSeptember 8, 1815PennsylvaniaApril 22, 1903Ignatius L. Donnelly2
Henry A. Swift[2]3
3Henry A. Swift July 10, 1863[2]January 11, 1864March 23, 1823OhioFebruary 25, 1869vacant
4Stephen Miller January 11, 1864January 8, 1866January 7, 1816PennsylvaniaAugust 18, 1881Charles D. Sherwood4
5William R. Marshall January 8, 1866January 9, 1870October 17, 1825MissouriJanuary 8, 1896Thomas H. Armstrong5
6
6Horace Austin January 9, 1870January 7, 1874October 15, 1831ConnecticutNovember 2, 1905William H. Yale7
8
7Cushman K. Davis January 7, 1874January 7, 1876June 16, 1838New YorkNovember 27, 1900Alphonso Barto9
8John S. Pillsbury January 7, 1876January 10, 1882July 29, 1827New HampshireOctober 18, 1901James B. Wakefield10
11
Charles A. Gilman12
9Lucius F. Hubbard January 10, 1882January 5, 1887January 26, 1836New YorkFebruary 5, 191313
14
10Andrew R. McGill January 5, 1887January 9, 1889February 19, 1840PennsylvaniaOctober 31, 1905Albert E. Rice15
11William R. Merriam January 9, 1889January 9, 1893July 26, 1849New YorkFebruary 18, 193116
Gideon S. Ives17
12Knute Nelson January 9, 1893January 31, 1895[1]February 2, 1843NorwayApril 28, 1923David M. Clough18
13David M. Clough January 31, 1895[2]January 2, 1899December 27, 1846New HampshireAugust 28, 1924Frank A. Day19
John L. Gibbs20
14John Lind January 2, 1899January 7, 1901Democratic[3]March 25, 1854SwedenSeptember 18, 1930Lyndon A. Smith21
15Samuel R. Van Sant January 7, 1901January 4, 1905RepublicanMay 11, 1844IllinoisOctober 3, 193622
Ray W. Jones23
16John A. Johnson January 4, 1905September 21, 1909[4]DemocraticJuly 28, 1861MinnesotaSeptember 21, 190924
Adolph O. Eberhart25
17Adolph O. Eberhart September 21, 1909[2]January 5, 1915RepublicanJune 23, 1870SwedenDecember 6, 1944Edward E. Smith[2]26
Samuel Y. Gordon27
J. A. A. Burnquist28
18Winfield S. Hammond January 5, 1915December 30, 1915[4]DemocraticNovember 17, 1863MassachusettsDecember 30, 191529
19J. A. A. Burnquist December 30, 1915[2]January 5, 1921RepublicanJuly 21, 1879IowaJanuary 12, 1961George H. Sullivan[2]29
Thomas Frankson30
31
20J. A. O. Preus January 5, 1921January 6, 1925August 28, 1883WisconsinMay 24, 1961Louis L. Collins32
33
21Theodore Christianson January 6, 1925January 6, 1931September 12, 1883MinnesotaDecember 9, 1948William I. Nolan34
35
Charles Edward Adams[2]36
22Floyd B. Olson January 6, 1931August 22, 1936[4]Farmer-LaborNovember 13, 1891MinnesotaAugust 22, 1936Henry M. Arens37
Konrad K. Solberg38
Hjalmar Petersen39
23Hjalmar Petersen August 22, 1936[2]January 4, 1937January 2, 1890DenmarkMarch 29, 1968William B. Richardson (acting)[5]
24Elmer A. Benson January 4, 1937January 2, 1939September 22, 1895MinnesotaMarch 13, 1985Gottfrid T. Lindsten40
25Harold E. Stassen January 2, 1939April 27, 1943[1]RepublicanApril 13, 1907MinnesotaMarch 4, 2001C. Elmer Anderson41
42
Edward J. Thye43
26Edward J. Thye April 27, 1943January 8, 1947April 26, 1896South DakotaAugust 28, 1969Archie H. Miller
C. Elmer Anderson44
27Luther W. Youngdahl January 8, 1947September 27, 1951[1]May 29, 1896MinnesotaJune 21, 197845
46
47
28C. Elmer Anderson September 27, 1951[2]January 5, 1955March 16, 1912MinnesotaJanuary 22, 1998vacant
Ancher Nelsen48
Donald O. Wright
29Orville L. Freeman January 5, 1955January 2, 1961Democratic-Farmer-LaborMay 9, 1918MinnesotaFebruary 20, 2003Karl F. Rolvaag49
50
51
30Elmer L. AndersenJanuary 2, 1961March 25, 1963[6]RepublicanJune 17, 1909IllinoisNovember 15, 200452
31Karl F. Rolvaag March 25, 1963[6]January 2, 1967Democratic-Farmer-LaborJuly 18, 1913MinnesotaDecember 20, 1990Sandy Keith53
32Harold LeVander January 2, 1967January 4, 1971RepublicanOctober 10, 1910NebraskaMarch 30, 1992James B. Goetz54
33Wendell R. Anderson January 4, 1971December 29, 1976[1]Democratic-Farmer-LaborFebruary 1, 1933MinnesotaJuly 17, 2016Rudy Perpich55
56
34Rudy PerpichDecember 29, 1976[2]January 4, 1979June 27, 1928MinnesotaSeptember 21, 1995Alec G. Olson[2]
35Al Quie January 4, 1979January 3, 1983Independent-RepublicanSeptember 18, 1923MinnesotaLou Wangberg57
36Rudy PerpichJanuary 3, 1983January 7, 1991Democratic-Farmer-LaborJune 27, 1928MinnesotaSeptember 21, 1995Marlene Johnson58
59
37Arne H. Carlson January 7, 1991January 4, 1999Independent-Republican/
Republican
September 24, 1934New YorkJoanell M. Dyrstad60
Joanne Benson61
38Jesse Ventura[7] January 4, 1999January 6, 2003Reform/IndependenceJuly 15, 1951MinnesotaMae A. Schunk62
39Tim Pawlenty January 6, 2003January 3, 2011RepublicanNovember 27, 1960MinnesotaCarol Molnau63
64
40Mark Dayton January 3, 2011January 7, 2019Democratic-Farmer-LaborJanuary 26, 1947MinnesotaYvonne Prettner Solon65
Tina Smith66
Michelle Fischbach
41Tim Walz January 7, 2019IncumbentApril 6, 1964NebraskaPeggy Flanagan67

Notes