List of Governors of Oregon

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This article lists the individuals who have served as Governor of Oregon from the establishment of the Provisional Government in 1843 to the present day.

Number of Governors of Oregon by party affiliation
Party Governors
Democratic 21
Republican 20
Whig 1
Independent 1


Contents

[edit] Provisional Government (1843-1848)

Meetings at Champoeg led up to the first constitution of the Oregon Country, and several petitions for U.S. territorial status. The resulting acts also created this body as a provisional government for the region. The first executives of this government were a three-person, elected committee known as the Executive Committee. In 1845, elections for a chief executive were held. The first person in Oregon to hold the title of governor was George Abernethy, a prominent businessman.

# Name Picture Term
1 First Executive Committee 1843–1844
2 Second Executive Committee 1844–1845
3 George Abernethy 1845–1848

[edit] U.S. Territorial Governors (1848-1859)

Oregon became a U.S. Territory in 1848. Like most other U.S. territorial governments, Oregon's territorial governor was appointed by the President of the United States. As transportation and communications were not as reliable and fast as today's methods, there were times when a departing governor left office, but a new governor could not yet take over. This resulted in several local individuals acting as territorial governor until the new executive was appointed and arrived to take office.

# Name Picture Party Term Appointed By
1 Joseph Lane Democratic 1848–1850 James Polk
2 Kintzing Prichette Democratic 1850 Acting Governor
3 John P. Gaines Whig 1850–1853 Zachary Taylor
4 Joseph Lane Democratic 1853 Acting Governor
5 George Law Curry Democratic 1853 Acting Governor
6 John W. Davis Democratic 1853–1854 Franklin Pierce
7 George Law Curry Democratic 1854–1859 Franklin Pierce

[edit] State Governors (1859-Present)

# Governor Picture Party Took office Left office
1 John Whiteaker Democratic March 3, 1859 September 10, 1862
2 A. C. Gibbs Republican September 10, 1862 September 12, 1866
3 George L. Woods Republican September 12, 1866 September 14, 1870
4 La Fayette Grover[R] Democratic September 14, 1870 February 1, 1877
5 Stephen F. Chadwick Democratic February 1, 1877 September 11, 1878
6 W. W. Thayer Democratic September 11, 1878 September 13, 1882
7 Z. F. Moody Republican September 13, 1882 January 12, 1887
8 Sylvester Pennoyer Democratic Populist January 12, 1887 January 14, 1895
9 William Paine Lord Republican January 14, 1895 January 9, 1899
10 T. T. Geer Republican January 9, 1899 January 15, 1903
11 George Chamberlain[R] Democratic January 15, 1903 March 1, 1909
12 Frank W. Benson[U] Republican March 1, 1909 June 17, 1910
13 Jay Bowerman[A] Republican June 17, 1910 January 11, 1911
14 Oswald West Democratic January 11, 1911 January 12, 1915
15 James Withycombe[D] Republican January 12, 1915 March 3, 1919
16 Ben W. Olcott Republican March 3, 1919 January 8, 1923
17 Walter M. Pierce Democratic January 8, 1923 January 10, 1927
18 I. L. Patterson[D] Republican January 10, 1927 December 22, 1929
19 A. W. Norblad Republican December 22, 1929 January 12, 1931
20 Julius L. Meier Independent January 12, 1931 January 14, 1935
21 Charles H. Martin Democratic January 14, 1935 January 9, 1939
22 Charles A. Sprague Republican January 9, 1939 January 11, 1943
23 Earl Snell[D] Republican January 11, 1943 October 30, 1947
24 John H. Hall Republican October 30, 1947 January 10, 1949
25 Douglas McKay[R] Republican January 10, 1949 December 17, 1952
26 Paul L. Patterson[D] Republican December 27, 1952 February 1, 1956
27 Elmo Smith Republican February 1, 1956 January 14, 1957
28 Robert D. Holmes Democratic January 14, 1957 January 12, 1959
29 Mark Hatfield Republican January 12, 1959 January 9, 1967
30 Tom McCall Republican January 9, 1967 January 13, 1975
31 Robert W. Straub Democratic January 13, 1975 January 8, 1979
32 Victor G. Atiyeh Republican January 8, 1979 January 12, 1987
33 Neil Goldschmidt Democratic January 12, 1987 January 14, 1991
34 Barbara Roberts Democratic January 14, 1991 January 9, 1995
35 John Kitzhaber Democratic January 9, 1995 January 13, 2003
36 Ted Kulongoski Democratic January 13, 2003 Incumbent
  • Left office early:
[U] Transferred powers to Acting Governor.
[D] Died in office of natural causes.
[R] Resigned.
  • Special circumstances:
[A]Acting Governor

[edit] References

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v • d • e
Governors of Oregon
Whiteaker • Gibbs • Woods • Grover • Chadwick • Thayer • Moody • Pennoyer • Lord • Geer • Chamberlain • Benson • Bowerman • West • Withycombe • Olcott • Pierce • I. Patterson • Norblad • Meier • Martin • Sprague • Snell • Hall • McKay • P. Patterson • Smith • Holmes • Hatfield • McCall • Straub • Atiyeh • Goldschmidt • Roberts • Kitzhaber • Kulongoski
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