List of Governors of Delaware

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Governor of Delaware
150px
Jack Markell.jpg
Incumbent
Jack Markell
since January 20, 2009
Style The Honorable
Residence Delaware Governor's Mansion
Dover, Delaware
Term length Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder John McKinly
Formation February 12, 1777
Deputy Matthew P. Denn
Salary $171,000 (2013)[1]
Website governor.delaware.gov

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 governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Delaware Legislature, to convene the legislature,[2] and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons.[3]

There have been 70 people who have served as governor, over 73 distinct terms. Additionally, Henry Molleston was elected, but died before he could take office. Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms, with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner, who was elected twice after succeeding to the office, serving a total of just over eight years. The shortest term is that of Dale E. Wolf, who served 18 days following his predecessor's resignation; David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances. The current governor is Jack Markell, who took office on January 20, 2009; his second term expires on January 17, 2017.

Governors

For the period before independence, see the List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania.

Between 1681 and 1776, Delaware was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, administered by colonial governors in Pennsylvania as the "Lower Counties on Delaware".

In 1776, soon after Delaware and the other Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Britain, the state adopted its first state constitution. It created the office of President of Delaware, a chief executive to be chosen by the legislature to serve a term of three years.[4]

The office of President was renamed Governor by the constitution of 1792,[5] which set the commencement date of the term to the third Tuesday in the January following an election, and limited governors to serving only three out of any six years.[6] The term was lengthened to four years by the 1831 constitution, but governors were limited to a single term.[7] The current constitution of 1897 allows governors to serve two terms.[8]

The 1776 constitution stated that if the presidency were vacant, the speaker of the legislative council would be a vice-president.[9] The 1792 constitution has the speaker of the senate exercising the office when it is vacant, and the 1897 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor,[10] upon whom the office devolves in case of vacancy.[11] The offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket.

Parties

      American (1)       Democratic (21)[lower-alpha 1]       Democratic-Republican (5)[lower-alpha 1]       Federalist (13)[lower-alpha 2]       National Republican (1)       No party (9)       Republican (17)       Whig (6)[lower-alpha 1]

#[lower-alpha 3] Portrait Governor[lower-alpha 4] Term in office Party Term[lower-alpha 5] Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 6][lower-alpha 7]
1 75px   John McKinly February 12, 1777 — September 12, 1777 No parties 1[lower-alpha 8] Office did not exist
2 ThomasMcKean.gif Thomas McKean September 22, 1777 — October 20, 1777
3 75px George Read October 20, 1777 — March 31, 1778
4 75px Caesar Rodney March 31, 1778 — November 6, 1781 2
5 75px John Dickinson November 13, 1781 — January 12, 1783 3[lower-alpha 9]
6 75px John Cook November 4, 1782 — February 1, 1783
7 75px Nicholas Van Dyke February 1, 1783 — October 28, 1786 4
8 75px Thomas Collins October 28, 1786 — March 29, 1789 5[lower-alpha 10]
9 75px Jehu Davis March 29, 1789 — June 2, 1789
10 75px Joshua Clayton June 2, 1789 — January 19, 1796 Federalist 6
7
11 75px Gunning Bedford, Sr. January 19, 1796 — September 30, 1797 Federalist 8[lower-alpha 11]
12 75px Daniel Rogers September 30, 1797 — January 9, 1799 Federalist
13 75px Richard Bassett January 9, 1799 — March 3, 1801 Federalist 9[lower-alpha 12]
14 75px James Sykes March 3, 1801 — January 19, 1802 Federalist
15 75px David Hall January 19, 1802 — January 15, 1805 Democratic-Republican 10
16 75px Nathaniel Mitchell January 15, 1805 — January 19, 1808 Federalist 11
17 75px George Truitt January 19, 1808 — January 15, 1811 Federalist 12
18 75px Joseph Haslet January 15, 1811 — January 18, 1814 Democratic-Republican 13
19 75px Daniel Rodney January 18, 1814 — January 21, 1817 Federalist 14
20 75px John Clark January 21, 1817 — January 18, 1820 Federalist 15
— 75px Henry Molleston — Federalist 16[lower-alpha 13]
21 75px Jacob Stout January 18, 1820 — January 16, 1821 Federalist
22 75px John Collins January 16, 1821 — April 16, 1822 Democratic-Republican
23 75px Caleb Rodney April 23, 1822 — January 21, 1823 Federalist
24 75px Joseph Haslet January 21, 1823 — June 20, 1823 Democratic-Republican 17[lower-alpha 14]
25 75px Charles Thomas June 23, 1823 — January 20, 1824 Democratic-Republican
26 75px Samuel Paynter January 20, 1824 — January 16, 1827 Federalist 18
27 75px Charles Polk, Jr. January 16, 1827 — January 19, 1830 Federalist 19
28 75px David Hazzard January 19, 1830 — January 15, 1833 National Republican 20
29 75px Caleb P. Bennett January 15, 1833 — July 11, 1836 Democratic 21[lower-alpha 15][lower-alpha 16]
30 75px Charles Polk, Jr. July 11, 1836 — January 17, 1837 Whig
31 75px Cornelius P. Comegys January 17, 1837 — January 19, 1841 Whig 22
32 75px William B. Cooper January 19, 1841 — January 21, 1845 Whig 23
33 75px Thomas Stockton January 21, 1845 — March 2, 1846 Whig 24[lower-alpha 17]
34 75px Joseph Maull March 2, 1846 — May 3, 1846 Whig
35 75px William Temple May 6, 1846 — January 19, 1847 Whig
36 75px William Tharp January 19, 1847 — January 21, 1851 Democratic 25
37 75px William H. H. Ross January 21, 1851 — January 16, 1855 Democratic 26
38 75px Peter F. Causey January 16, 1855 — January 18, 1859 American 27
39 75px William Burton January 18, 1859 — January 20, 1863 Democratic 28
40 75px William Cannon January 20, 1863 — March 1, 1865 Republican 29[lower-alpha 18]
41 75px Gove Saulsbury March 1, 1865 — January 17, 1871 Democratic
42 75px James Ponder January 17, 1871 — January 19, 1875 Democratic 30
43 75px John P. Cochran January 19, 1875 — January 21, 1879 Democratic 31
44 75px John W. Hall January 21, 1879 — January 16, 1883 Democratic 32
45 75px Charles C. Stockley January 16, 1883 — January 18, 1887 Democratic 33
46 BenjaminBiggs.png Benjamin T. Biggs January 18, 1887 — January 20, 1891 Democratic 34
47 75px Robert J. Reynolds January 20, 1891 — January 15, 1895 Democratic 35
48 75px Joshua H. Marvil January 15, 1895 — April 8, 1895 Republican 36[lower-alpha 19]
49 75px William T. Watson April 8, 1895 — January 19, 1897 Democratic
50 75px Ebe W. Tunnell January 19, 1897 — January 15, 1901 Democratic 37
51 75px John Hunn January 15, 1901 — January 17, 1905 Republican 38   Philip L. Cannon
52 75px Preston Lea January 17, 1905 — January 19, 1909 Republican 39 Isaac T. Parker
53 75px Simeon S. Pennewill January 19, 1909 — January 21, 1913 Republican 40 John M. Mendinhall
54 75px Charles R. Miller January 21, 1913 — January 16, 1917 Republican 41 Colen Ferguson[lower-alpha 20]
55 75px John G. Townsend, Jr. January 16, 1917 — January 18, 1921 Republican 42 Lewis T. Eliason[lower-alpha 20]
56 75px William D. Denney January 18, 1921 — January 20, 1925 Republican 43 J. Danforth Bush
57 75px Robert P. Robinson January 20, 1925 — January 15, 1929 Republican 44 James H. Anderson
58 75px C. Douglass Buck January 15, 1929 — January 19, 1937 Republican 45 James H. Hazel
46 Roy F. Corley
59 75px Richard C. McMullen January 19, 1937 — January 21, 1941 Democratic 47 Edward W. Cooch
60 75px Walter W. Bacon January 21, 1941 — January 18, 1949 Republican 48 Isaac J. MacCollum[lower-alpha 20]
49 Elbert N. Carvel[lower-alpha 20]
61 75px Elbert N. Carvel January 18, 1949 — January 20, 1953 Democratic 50 Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
62 75px J. Caleb Boggs January 20, 1953 — December 30, 1960 Republican 51 John W. Rollins
52[lower-alpha 21] David P. Buckson
63 75px David P. Buckson December 30, 1960 — January 17, 1961 Republican Vacant
64 75px Elbert N. Carvel January 17, 1961 — January 19, 1965 Democratic 53 Eugene Lammot
65 75px Charles L. Terry, Jr. January 19, 1965 — January 21, 1969 Democratic 54 Sherman W. Tribbitt
66 75px Russell W. Peterson January 21, 1969 — January 16, 1973 Republican 55 Eugene Bookhammer[lower-alpha 22]
67 75px Sherman W. Tribbitt January 16, 1973 — January 18, 1977 Democratic 56
68 75px Pierre S. du Pont, IV January 18, 1977 — January 15, 1985 Republican 57 James D. McGinnis[lower-alpha 20]
58 Michael Castle
69 75px Michael Castle January 15, 1985 — December 31, 1992 Republican 59 Shien Biau Woo[lower-alpha 20]
60[lower-alpha 23] Dale E. Wolf
70 75px Dale E. Wolf December 31, 1992 — January 19, 1993 Republican Vacant
71 75px Thomas R. Carper January 19, 1993 — January 3, 2001 Democratic 61 Ruth Ann Minner
62[lower-alpha 24]
72 75px Ruth Ann Minner January 3, 2001 — January 20, 2009 Democratic Vacant
63 John Carney
64
73 Jack Markell.jpg Jack Markell January 20, 2009 — Incumbent Democratic 65 Matthew P. Denn[lower-alpha 25]
66[lower-alpha 26]
Vacant

Other high offices held

Seventeen of Delaware's governors have held other high offices, with six representing Delaware in the Continental Congress and twelve representing the state in the U.S. Congress. Two have served as President of Pennsylvania. Four (marked with *) resigned to take other offices, three in the U.S. Congress and one to be President of Pennsylvania.

All representatives and senators listed represented Delaware except where noted.

Governor Gubernatorial term Other offices held Source
Thomas McKean 1777 Continental Delegate (including President of the Continental Congress), President of Pennsylvania [20]
George Read 1777–1778 Continental Delegate, Senator [21]
Caesar Rodney 1778–1781 Continental Delegate [22]
John Dickinson 1781–1783 Continental Delegate, Continental Delegate from Pennsylvania, President of Pennsylvania* [23]
Nicholas Van Dyke 1783–1786 Continental Delegate [24]
Joshua Clayton 1789–1796 Senator [25]
Richard Bassett 1799–1801 Senator [26]
Nathaniel Mitchell 1805–1808 Continental Delegate [27]
Daniel Rodney 1814–1817 Representative, Senator [28]
William Temple 1846–1847 Representative [29]
Benjamin T. Biggs 1887–1891 Representative [30]
John G. Townsend, Jr. 1917–1921 Senator [31]
C. Douglass Buck 1929–1937 Senator [32]
J. Caleb Boggs 1953–1960 Senator* [33]
Pierre S. du Pont, IV 1977–1985 Representative [34]
Michael Castle 1985–1992 Representative* [35]
Thomas R. Carper 1993–2001 Representative, Senator* [36]

Living former U.S. governors of Delaware

As of May 2015, there are six former U.S. governors who are currently living at this time, the oldest being David P. Buckson (1960–1961, born 1920). The most recent death of a former U.S. governor of Delaware was that of Russell W. Peterson (1969–1973), who died on February 20, 2011. The most recently serving U.S. governor of Delaware to die was Sherman W. Tribbitt (1973–1977), who died on August 14, 2010.

Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth (and age)
David P. Buckson 1960–1961 (1920-07-25) July 25, 1920 (age 104)
Pierre S. du Pont, IV 1977–1985 (1935-01-22) January 22, 1935 (age 89)
Michael Castle 1985–1992 (1939-07-02) July 2, 1939 (age 85)
Dale E. Wolf 1992–1993 (1924-09-06) September 6, 1924 (age 100)
Thomas R. Carper 1993–2001 (1947-01-23) January 23, 1947 (age 77)
Ruth Ann Minner 2001–2009 (1935-01-17) January 17, 1935 (age 89)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Includes one term served by a repeat governor.
  2. ↑ Includes one term served by a repeat governor. Henry Molleston, having never taken office, is not included in this number.
  3. ↑ The official numbering includes repeat and acting governors.
  4. ↑ The highest office of Delaware was named president until 1792.
  5. ↑ Each term for which a governor is elected is listed here; if multiple governors served in a single term, due to resignations, deaths, and the like, then that term will be shared among those governors. If a governor was elected multiple times, then there will be multiple terms listed for that governor.
  6. ↑ The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1897 constitution, with the first election taking place in 1900.
  7. ↑ Lieutenant governors were members of the same party as the governor except where noted.
  8. ↑ McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by British forces.[12] He was exchanged for loyalist Governor William Franklin of New Jersey in August 1778.[13] Most sources do not specify the day McKinly was captured; at least one specifies that McKinly and the city of Wilmington were captured the day after the Battle of Brandywine, which was on September 11, 1777.[14] As Speaker of the Assembly, McKean acted as chief executive until the return of Speaker of the Legislative Council Read from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, who then served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.[15]
  9. ↑ Dickinson was elected President of Pennsylvania and took office November 7, 1782, holding both presidencies simultaneously; criticism of this let him to resign from the Delaware presidency. As Speaker of the Legislative Council, Cook served as vice-president until a special election was held.
  10. ↑ Collins died in office; as speaker of the legislative council, Davis served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.
  11. ↑ Bedford died in office; as speaker of the senate, Rogers acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  12. ↑ Bassett resigned to take a seat on the United States Third Circuit Court. As speaker of the senate, Sykes acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  13. ↑ Governor-elect Molleston died on November 11, 1819, before taking office. The newly elected state senate chose a speaker, Stout, who would act as governor for one year of Molleston's term before a special election was held to pick a governor for the remaining two years.[16] Collins was chosen in that special election, but died in office, and as speaker of the senate, Rodney acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  14. ↑ Haslet died in office; as speaker of the senate, Thomas acted as governor until a special election was held. There is disagreement over when Haslet died and Thomas became acting governor. Most modern sources say Haslet died on June 20, and Thomas became acting governor on June 23; however, some sources say Thomas became acting governor on June 20,[17] and others say Haslet died on June 23,[18] both situations meaning there was no gap in power. Because of the death of Haslet so early in his term, early elections were call. Unlike when elections were called due to Henry Molleston's death, where the election was only for the final two years of his term, in this case the new election was for a new three-year term, causing the election schedule to shift.[16]
  15. ↑ Bennett died in office; As speaker of the senate, Polk acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  16. ↑ This term was the first under the terms of the 1831 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.
  17. ↑ Stockton died in office. As speaker of the senate, Maull acted as governor until he too died. The new speaker of the senate, Temple, acted as governor for the remainder of the term, which was shortened due to a new election schedule.
  18. ↑ Cannon died in office; as speaker of the senate, Saulsbury acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  19. ↑ Marvil died in office; as speaker of the senate, Watson acted as governor for the remainder of the term. Because Marvil died so early in his term, the General Assembly decided to conduct an election for a full term in 1896, changing the election schedule.[19]
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 Represented the Democratic Party.
  21. ↑ Boggs resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Buckson became governor.
  22. ↑ Represented the Republican Party.
  23. ↑ Castle resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives; as lieutenant governor, Wolf become governor.
  24. ↑ Carper resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Minner became governor.
  25. ↑ Resigned to be Attorney General of Delaware.
  26. ↑ Governor Markell's second term expires on January 17, 2017; he will be term limited.

References

General
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Constitutions
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  • Constitution of the State of Delaware (1831)[37]
  • Constitution of the State of Delaware (1792)[38]
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Specific
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ DE Const. art. III
  3. ↑ DE Const. art. VII, § 1
  4. ↑ 1776 Const. art 7
  5. ↑ 1792 Const. art. III, § 1
  6. ↑ 1792 Const. art. III, § 3
  7. ↑ 1831 Const. art III, § 3
  8. ↑ DE Const. art. III, § 5
  9. ↑ 1776 Const. art. 7
  10. ↑ DE Const. art. III, § 19
  11. ↑ DE Const. art. III, § 20
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Thorpe pp. 582–600
  38. ↑ Thorpe pp. 568–582

External links

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