List of Governors of New Jersey

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This is a list of those who have served as Governor of New Jersey from 1776 to the present. Traditionally, only elected governors are considered in the numeration of the governors, hence William Livingston is often given the honor of being the first Governor of New Jersey. However, legislation signed on January 10, 2006 allowed those acting governors who had served at least 180 days to drop the "acting" from their title to become "Governor". This changed Donald DiFrancesco and Richard Codey's titles retroactively and also affected Jim McGreevey's numbering.[1]

Acting governors are listed only where there is a permanent gubernatorial vacancy, not when a sitting Governor is out-of-state or temporarily unable to perform their duties as Governor.

Contents

[edit] Colonial governors

Further information: List of colonial governors of New Jersey

[edit] Governors under representative government (1776—)

[edit] Governors under the 1776 N.J. Constitution (1776–1844)

# Name Term Notes
1 William Livingston August 27, 1776–July 25, 1790
NA Elisha Lawrence July 25, 1790–October 30, 1790
2 William Paterson October 30, 1790–March 30, 1793
NA Thomas Henderson March 30, 1793–June 3, 1793
3 Richard Howell June 3, 1793–October 31, 1801
4 Joseph Bloomfield October 31, 1801–November 15, 1802
John Lambert November 15, 1802–October 29, 1803 Acting Governor
Joseph Bloomfield October 29, 1803–October 29, 1812
5 Aaron Ogden October 29, 1812–October 29, 1813
6 William Sanford Pennington October 29, 1813–June 19, 1815
7 Mahlon Dickerson June 19, 1815–February 1, 1817
8 Isaac Halstead Williamson February 1, 1817–October 30, 1829
9 Peter Dumont Vroom October 30, 1829–October 26, 1832
10 Samuel Lewis Southard October 26, 1832–February 27, 1833
11 Elias P. Seeley February 27, 1833–October 23, 1833
Peter Dumont Vroom October 23, 1833–October 28, 1836
12 Philemon Dickerson October 28, 1836–October 27, 1837
13 William Pennington October 27, 1837–October 27, 1843
14 Daniel Haines October 27, 1843–January 21, 1845

[edit] Governors under the 1844 N.J. Constitution (1844–1946)

# Name Term Party Notes
15 Charles C. Stratton January 21, 1845–January 18, 1848 Whig Elected Governor
Daniel Haines January 18, 1848–January 21, 1851 Democrat Elected Governor
16 George F. Fort January 21, 1851–January 17, 1854 Democrat Elected Governor
17 Rodman M. Price January 17, 1854–January 20, 1857 Democrat Elected Governor
18 William A. Newell January 20, 1857–January 17, 1860 Republican Elected Governor
19 Charles S. Olden January 17, 1860–January 20, 1863 Republican Elected Governor
20 Joel Parker January 20, 1863–January 16, 1866 Democrat Elected Governor
21 Marcus L. Ward January 16, 1866–January 19, 1869 Republican Elected Governor
22 Theodore F. Randolph January 19, 1869–January 16, 1872 Democrat Elected Governor
Joel Parker January 16, 1872–January 19, 1875 Democrat Elected Governor
23 Joseph D. Bedle January 19, 1875–January 15, 1878 Democrat Elected Governor
24 George Brinton McClellan January 15, 1878–January 18, 1881 Democrat Elected Governor
25 George C. Ludlow January 18, 1881–January 15, 1884 Democrat Elected Governor
26 Leon Abbett January 15, 1884–January 18, 1887 Democrat Elected Governor
27 Robert Stockton Green January 18, 1887–January 21, 1890 Democrat Elected Governor
Leon Abbett January 21, 1890–January 17, 1893 Democrat Elected Governor
28 George T. Werts January 17, 1893–January 21, 1896 Democrat Elected Governor
29 John W. Griggs1 January 21, 1896–February 1, 1898 Republican Elected Governor
Foster M. Voorhees February 1, 1898–October 18, 1898 Republican Acting Governor
David Ogden Watkins October 18, 1898–January 21, 1899 Acting Governor
30 Foster M. Voorhees January 21, 1899–January 21, 1902 Republican Elected Governor
31 Franklin Murphy January 21, 1902–January 17, 1905 Republican Elected Governor
32 Edward C. Stokes January 17, 1905–January 21, 1908 Republican Elected Governor
33 John Franklin Fort January 21, 1908–1910 Republican Elected Governor
Horace Baker 1910–January 17, 1911 Republican Acting Governor
34 Woodrow Wilson2 January 17, 1911–March 1, 1913 Democrat Elected Governor
James F. Fielder March 1, 1913–October 28, 1913 Democrat Acting Governor
Leon R. Taylor October 28, 1913–January 20, 1914 Acting Governor
35 James F. Fielder January 20, 1914–January 15, 1917 Democrat Elected Governor
36 Walter Evans Edge3 January 15, 1917–May 16, 1919 Republican Elected Governor
William Nelson Runyon May 16, 1919–January 13, 1920 Republican Acting Governor
Clarence E. Case January 13, 1920–January 20, 1920 Republican Acting Governor
37 Edward I. Edwards January 20, 1920–January 15, 1923 Democrat Elected Governor
38 George Sebastian Silzer January 15, 1923–January 19, 1926 Democrat Elected Governor
39 A. Harry Moore January 19, 1926–January 15, 1929 Democrat Elected Governor
40 Morgan Foster Larson January 15, 1929–January 19, 1932 Republican Elected Governor
A. Harry Moore3 January 19, 1932–January 3, 1935 Democrat Elected Governor
Clifford Ross Powell January 3, 1935–January 8, 1935 Republican Acting Governor
Horace Griggs Prall January 8, 1935–January 15, 1935 Republican Acting Governor
41 Harold G. Hoffman January 15, 1935–January 18, 1938 Republican Elected Governor
A. Harry Moore January 18, 1938–January 21, 1941 Democrat Elected Governor
42 Charles Edison January 21, 1941–January 18, 1944 Democrat Elected Governor
Walter Evans Edge January 18, 1944–January 21, 1947 Republican Elected Governor

1 Resigned as Governor to become Attorney General of the United States

2 Resigned as Governor to become President of the United States

3 Resigned as Governor to become a United States Senator

[edit] Governors under the 1947 N.J. Constitution (1947—)

# Name Term Party Notes
43 Alfred E. Driscoll January 21, 1947–January 19, 1954 Republican Governor
44 Robert B. Meyner January 19, 1954–January 16, 1962 Democrat Governor
45 Richard J. Hughes January 16, 1962–January 20, 1970 Democrat Governor
46 William T. Cahill January 20, 1970–January 15, 1974 Republican Governor
47 Brendan Byrne January 15, 1974–January 19, 1982 Democrat Governor
48 Thomas Kean January 19, 1982–January 16, 1990 Republican Governor
49 James Florio January 16, 1990–January 18, 1994 Democrat Governor
50 Christine Todd Whitman1 January 18, 1994–January 31, 2001 Republican Governor
51 Donald DiFrancesco2 January 31, 2001–January 8, 2002 Republican Governor6
John Farmer Jr.3 January 8, 2002 Republican Acting Governor
John O. Bennett2 January 8, 2002–January 12, 2002 Republican Acting Governor
Richard Codey2 January 12, 2002–January 15, 2002 Democrat Acting Governor
52 Jim McGreevey4 January 15, 2002–November 15, 2004 Democrat Governor
53 Richard Codey5 November 15, 2004–January 17, 2006 Democrat Governor6
54 Jon Corzine January 17, 2006- Democrat Governor

1 Resigned as Governor to become Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

2 Was one of three New Jersey State Senate Presidents who held the position of Acting Governor during this time

3 As the New Jersey Attorney General, assumed the office of Governor for 90 minutes while a new Senate President was being sworn in for the new session

4 Resigned as Governor in August 2004, effective November 15, 2004.

5 Became Governor on November 15, 2004, following resignation of Gov. McGreevey. He served until January 17, 2006 when Jon Corzine was sworn into office

6 As per legislation signed by Governor Codey on January 10, 2006, any acting Governor who serves for at least 6 months would officially have the title "Governor." This law was applied retroactively to DiFrancesco as well.[1]

[edit] Living former governors

As of November 2007, seven former governors and two former acting governors were alive, the oldest being Brendan Byrne (1974–1982, born 1924). The most recent governor to die was William T. Cahill (1970–1974), on July 1, 1996.

Brendan Byrne 1974–1982 April 1, 1924
Thomas Kean 1982–1990 April 21, 1935
James Florio 1990–1994 August 29, 1937
Christine Todd Whitman 1994–2001 September 26, 1946
Donald DiFrancesco 2001–2002 November 20, 1944
John Farmer Jr. 2002 (acting) June 24, 1957
John O. Bennett 2002 (acting) August 16, 1948
Richard Codey 2002 (acting),
2004–2006		 November 27, 1946
Jim McGreevey 2002–2004 August 6, 1957

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b New Jersey Legislature. P.L.2005, c.282.: Provides title of person who serves as Acting Governor for continuous period of at least 180 days will be "Governor of the State of New Jersey" for official and historical purposes. Approved January 9, 2006, retroactive to January 1, 2001. Accessed January 6, 2008.
  • Governors of New Jersey - source for numbering of governors, with William Livingston counted as the first governor, and reflecting legislative changes regarding Acting Governors.me

[edit] External links

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