Martha Layne Collins

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Martha Layne Collins (born December 7, 1936 in Bagdad, Kentucky) was Governor of the U.S. State of Kentucky from 1983 through 1987; she is a member of the Democratic Party.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Collins began her professional career as a school teacher in the public schools of Louisville and Woodford County. Collins worked in various Democratic campaigns. Her first elected office was that of Clerk of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, where she served from 1975 through 1979. She was elected Lieutenant Governor for the state in 1979 and served in that office until she was elected Governor four years later. Collins was the first and only woman to be elected Governor of Kentucky and only the third woman in United States history to be elected governor of a state and the sixth to serve in that capacity. She served as Governor from 1983 through 1987.

While governor, Collins was chairperson of the 1984 Democratic National Convention. During her term in office, some important educational reforms were enacted. Collins successfully sought state incentives for Toyota to locate its manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky; those incentives were controversial at the time but Toyota has been an important employer and source of numerous other businesses and jobs created in Kentucky since then. Collins' husband Dr. Bill Collins was the cause of an influence-peddling scandal while she was in office.

After her service as governor Collins was president of Saint Catharine College for six years and held various positions in residence at other colleges and universities in Kentucky. She is currently Executive Scholar in Residence at Georgetown College. She has not run for office after her service as governor, though her son ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor of Kentucky in 1987.

Collins is currently on the Board of Directors of Eastman Kodak. She is reportedly considering another run for governor in 2007.

Preceded by John Y. Brown, Jr.	Governor of Kentucky 1983–1987	Succeeded by Wallace G. Wilkinson
Preceded by Thelma Stovall	Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky 1979–1983	Succeeded by Steve Beshear
Preceded by John Y. Brown, Jr.	Democratic nominee for Governor of Kentucky 1983–1983	Succeeded by Wallace G. Wilkinson
Preceded by Thelma Stovall	Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky 1979–1979	Succeeded by Steve Beshear

Governors of Kentucky

Shelby • Garrard • Greenup • Scott • Shelby • Madison • Slaughter • Adair • Desha • Metcalfe • J. Breathitt • J. Morehead • Clark • Wickliffe • Letcher • Owsley • Crittenden • Helm • Powell • C. Morehead • Magoffin • Robinson • Bramlette • Helm • Stevenson • Leslie • McCreary • Blackburn • Knott • Buckner • Brown • Bradley • Taylor • Goebel • Beckham • Willson • McCreary • Stanley • Black • Morrow • Fields • Sampson • Laffoon • Chandler • Johnson • Willis • Clements • Wetherby • Chandler • Combs • E. Breathitt • Nunn • Ford • Carroll • Brown Jr. • Collins • Wilkinson • Jones • Patton • Fletcher Kentucky also had two Confederate Governors: George W. Johnson and Richard Hawes.

Lieutenant Governors of Kentucky

Bullitt • Caldwell • Slaughter • Hickman • Slaughter • Barry • McAfee • Breathitt • J. Morehead • Wickliffe • M. Thomson • Dixon • Helm • J. Thompson • Hardy • Boyd • Jacob • Stevenson • Carlisle • Underwood • Cantrill • Hindman • Bryan • Alford • Worthington • Marshall • Beckham • Thorne • Cox • McDermott • Black • Ballard • Breathitt, Jr. • Chandler • Johnson • Myers • Tuggle • Wetherby • Beauchamp • Waterfield • Wyatt • Waterfield • Ford • Carroll • Stovall • Collins • Beshear • Jones • Patton • Henry • Pence