List of Governors of Nevada

Governor of Nevada

Flag of the Governor
Incumbent
Brian Sandoval
since January 3, 2011
Style The Honorable
Residence Nevada Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder James W. Nye
1864
Formation Constitution of Nevada
Salary $149,573 (2013)[1]

The Governor of Nevada is the chief magistrate of the U.S. state of Nevada,[2] the head of the executive department of Nevada's state government[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[4] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Nevada Legislature,[5] to convene the legislature at any time,[6] and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.[7]

The governor has a four-year term.[8] To be elected governor, a person must be at least 25 years old, and must have been a citizen of Nevada for at least two years, at the time of election.[9] The lieutenant governor is not elected on the same ticket as the governor.

History

The first provisional governor of the proposed Territory of Nevada was Whig Isaac Roop, who was elected in September 1859 and took office on December 15 of that year in Genoa.[10] When the territory was incorporated on March 2, 1861, Republican James W. Nye was appointed Territorial Governor by President Abraham Lincoln and served until statehood in 1864. Mark Twain's brother Orion Clemens served as Territorial Secretary to Nye. Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864, and Nye remained acting governor until the first governor, Henry G. Blasdel, took office on December 5, 1864.

There have been 29 governors of the state. The longest-serving governor was Bob Miller, who served two and a half terms from 1989 to 1999. The shortest-serving governor was acting governor Frank Bell, who served the remaining four months of Charles C. Stevenson's term upon the governor's death. The current governor is Republican Brian Sandoval, who took office on January 3, 2011.

List of Governors

Prior to becoming a territory, parts of Nevada were part of Utah Territory and New Mexico Territory; see List of Governors of Utah and List of Governors of New Mexico.
Parties

      Democratic (11)       Silver (4)       Republican (15)       Whig (1)

# Picture Governor Party Term start Term end Term Lt. Governor Notes
—   Isaac Roop (provisional) Whig December 15, 1859 March 2, 1861 —
—   James W. Nye (territorial) Republican March 2, 1861 December 5, 1864 —
1   Henry G. Blasdel Republican December 5, 1864 January 2, 1871 1 John S. Crosman
2 James S. Slingerland
2   Lewis R. Bradley Democratic January 2, 1871 January 6, 1879 3 Frank Denver
— Pressly C. Hyman (acting)
4 Jewett W. Adams
3   John H. Kinkead Republican January 6, 1879 January 1, 1883
4   Jewett W. Adams Democratic January 1, 1883 January 3, 1887 5 Charles E. Laughton
5   Charles C. Stevenson Republican January 3, 1887 September 21, 1890 6 Henry C. Davis[N 1] [N 1]
7 Samuel W. Chubbuck[N 2]
8 Frank Bell
6   Frank Bell Republican September 21, 1890 January 5, 1891 — [N 3]
7   Roswell K. Colcord Republican January 5, 1891 January 7, 1895 9 Joseph Poujade
8   John E. Jones Silver January 7, 1895 April 10, 1896 10 Reinhold Sadler [N 1]
9   Reinhold Sadler Silver April 10, 1896 January 5, 1903 — [N 4]
11 James R. Judge
10   John Sparks Silver-Democratic January 5, 1903 May 22, 1908 12 Lemuel Allen [N 1]
13 Denver S. Dickerson
11   Denver S. Dickerson Silver-Democratic May 22, 1908 January 2, 1911 — [N 3]
12   Tasker L. Oddie Republican January 2, 1911 January 4, 1915 14 Gilbert C. Ross
13   Emmet D. Boyle Democratic January 4, 1915 January 1, 1923 15 Maurice J. Sullivan
14   James G. Scrugham Democratic January 1, 1923 January 3, 1927
15   Fred B. Balzar Republican January 3, 1927 March 21, 1934 16 Morley Griswold [N 1]
16   Morley Griswold Republican March 21, 1934 January 7, 1935 — [N 3]
17   Richard Kirman, Sr. Democratic January 7, 1935 January 2, 1939 17 Fred S. Alward
18   Edward P. Carville Democratic January 2, 1939 July 24, 1945 18 Maurice J. Sullivan [N 5]
19 Vail M. Pittman
19   Vail M. Pittman Democratic July 24, 1945 January 1, 1951 — [N 4]
20 Clifford A. Jones
20   Charles H. Russell Republican January 1, 1951 January 5, 1959  
21 Rex Bell [N 1]
21   Grant Sawyer Democratic January 5, 1959 January 2, 1967 22 Maude Frazier
23 Paul Laxalt
22   Paul Laxalt Republican January 2, 1967 January 4, 1971 24 Edward Fike
23   Mike O'Callaghan Democratic January 4, 1971 January 1, 1979 25 Harry Reid
26 Robert E. Rose
24   Robert List Republican January 1, 1979 January 3, 1983 27 Myron E. Leavitt
25   Richard Bryan Democratic January 3, 1983 January 3, 1989 28 Bob Cashell [N 6]
29 Bob Miller
26   Bob Miller Democratic January 3, 1989 January 4, 1999 —
30 Sue Wagner
31 Lonnie Hammargren
27   Kenny Guinn Republican January 4, 1999 January 1, 2007 32 Lorraine Hunt
28   Jim Gibbons Republican January 1, 2007 January 3, 2011 33 Brian Krolicki
29   Brian Sandoval Republican January 3, 2011 Incumbent 34 Mark Hutchison [N 7]
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Died in office.
  2. ↑ Resigned.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  5. ↑ Resigned to take an appointed seat in the United States Senate.
  6. ↑ Resigned after being elected to the United States Senate.
  7. ↑ Governor Brian Sandoval's second term ends on January 7, 2019; he is term limited.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional and other offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Nevada.

Governor Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
James W. Nye 1861–1864 (territorial) S
John Henry Kinkead 1879–1883 Governor of District of Alaska
Tasker Oddie 1911–1915 S
James G. Scrugham 1923–1927 H S
Edward P. Carville 1939–1945 S*
Charles H. Russell 1951–1959 H
Paul Laxalt 1967–1971 S
Richard Bryan 1983–1989 S* Attorney General of Nevada
Jim Gibbons 2007–2011 H
Brian Sandoval 2011–present Attorney General of Nevada

* denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Living former governors

As of May 2015, five former governors are alive, the oldest being Paul Laxalt (1967–1971, born 1922). The most recent governor to die was Kenny Guinn (1999–2007), on July 22, 2010; he is also the most recently serving governor of any US state to have died.

GovernorGubernatorial termDate of birth
Paul Laxalt 1967–1971 August 2, 1922
Robert List 1979–1983 September 1, 1936
Richard Bryan 1983–1989 July 16, 1937
Bob Miller 1989–1999 March 30, 1945
Jim Gibbons 2007–2011 December 16, 1944

Electoral History of Nevada's Governors

Nevada gubernatorial election, 1864
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henry G. Blasdel 9,834 59.69
Democratic D. E. Buell 6,552 39.77
Undervotes 89 0.54
Total votes 16,475 100
Republican win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1866
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henry G. Blasdel (inc.) 5,125 55.27
Democratic John D. Winters 4,105 22.27
Undervotes 43 0.46
Total votes 9,273 100
Republican hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1870
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lewis R. Bradley 7,200 53.83
Republican F.A. Tritle 6,148 45.97
Undervotes 27 0.20
Total votes 13,375 100
Democratic win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1874
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lewis R. Bradley (inc.) 10,310 56.98
Republican J.C. Hazlett 7,785 43.02
Total votes 9,273 100
Democratic hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1878
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Henry Kinkead 9,747 51.24
Democratic Lewis R. Bradley (inc.) 9,252 48.64
Undervotes 23 0.12
Total votes 19,022 100
Republican gain from Democratic
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1882
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jewett W. Adams 7,770 54.11
Republican Enoch Strother 6,535 45.52
Undervotes 54 0.37
Total votes 14,359 100
Democratic win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1886
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles C. Stevenson 6,463 52.23
Democratic Jewett W. Adams (inc.) 5,869 47.43
Undervotes 42 0.34
Total votes 12,374 100
Republican gain from Democratic
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1890
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roswell K. Colcord 6,601 53.20
Democratic Theodore Winters 5,791 46.67
Undervotes 16 0.13
Total votes 19,022 100
Republican hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1894
Party Candidate Votes %
Silver John E. Jones 5,223 49.87
Republican A. C. Cleveland 3,861 36.87
Populist George E. Peckham 711 6.79
Democratic Theodore Winters 678 6.47
Total votes 10,473 100
Silver win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1898
Party Candidate Votes %
Silver Reinhold Sadler (inc.) 3,570 35.67
Republican William McMillan 3,548 35.45
Democratic George Russell 2,057 20.55
Populist J.B. McCullough 833 8.82
Total votes 10,008 100
Silver hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1902
Party Candidate Votes %
Silver John Sparks 6,540 57.78
Republican A.C. Cleveland 4,778 42.22
Total votes 11,318 100
Silver win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1906
Party Candidate Votes %
Silver John Sparks (inc.) 8,686 58.64
Republican James F. Mitchell 5,336 35.96
Socialist Thomas B. Casey 815 5.49
Total votes 14,837 100
Silver hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1910
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tasker Oddie 10,435 50.59
Democratic Denver S. Dickerson (inc.) 8,798 42.65
Socialist Henry F. Gegax 1,393 6.75
Total votes 20,626 100
Republican gain from Democratic
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1914
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emmet D. Boyle 9,623 44.62
Republican Tasker Oddie (inc.) 8,537 39.58
Socialist W.A. Morgan 3,391 15.72
Undervotes 16 0.07
Total votes 21,567 100
Democratic gain from Republican
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1918
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emmet D. Boyle (inc.) 12,875 50.37
Republican Tasker Oddie 11,845 46.37
Undervote 843 3.26
Total votes 25,563 100
Democratic hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1922
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James G. Scrugham 15,437 53.28
Republican John H. Miller 12,084 41.71
Undervotes 1450 5.01
Total votes 28,971 100
Democratic win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1926
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fred B. Balzar 16,374 52.40
Democratic James G. Scrugham (inc.) 14,521 46.47
Undervotes 351 1.12
Total votes 31,246 100
Republican gain from Democratic
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1930
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fred B. Balzar (inc.) 18,442 53.25
Democratic C. L. Richards 16,192 46.75
Total votes 34,634 100
Republican hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1934
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Kirman, Sr. 23,088 53.94
Republican Morley Griswold (inc.) 14,778 35.52
Independent Lindley C. Branson 4,940 11.54
Total votes 42,806 100
Democratic gain from Republican
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1938
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward P. Carville 28,528 61.37
Republican John Fulton 17,586 37.83
Undervotes 370 0.80
Total votes 46,484 100
Democratic win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1942
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward P. Carville (inc.) 24,505 60.25
Republican A.V. Tallman 16,164 39.75
Total votes 40,669 100
Democratic hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1946
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Vail M. Pittman (inc.) 28,655 57.42
Republican M. E. Jepson 21,247 42.58
Total votes 49,902 100
Democratic hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1950
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles H. Russell 35,609 57.64
Democratic Vail M. Pittman (inc.) 26,164 42.36
Total votes 61,773 100
Republican gain from Democratic
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1954
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles H. Russell (inc.) 41,665 53.10
Democratic Vail M. Pittman 36,797 46.90
Total votes 78,462 100
Republican hold
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1958
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Grant Sawyer 50,864 59.92
Republican Charles H. Russell (inc.) 34,025 40.08
Total votes 84,889 100
Democratic gain from Republican
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1962[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Grant Sawyer (inc.) 64,784 66.84%
Republican Oran K. Gragson 32,145 33.16%
N/A Undervotes 263 0.27%
Total votes 97,192 100
Democratic hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1966[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Paul Laxalt 71,807 52.16%
Democratic Grant Sawyer (inc.) 65,870 47.84%
Total votes 137,677 100
Republican gain from Democratic Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1970[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mike O'Callaghan 70,697 48.10%
Republican Ed Fike 64,400 43.81%
Independent Charles E. Springer 6,479 4.41%
Independent American Daniel M. Hansen 5,415 3.68%
N/A Undervotes 777 0.53%
Total votes 147,768 100
Democratic win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1974[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mike O'Callaghan (inc.) 114,114 67.38%
Republican Shirley Crumpler 28,959 17.10%
Independent American James Ray Houston 26,285 15.52%
N/A Undervotes 142 0.08%
Total votes 169,473 100
Democratic hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1978[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Robert List 108,097 56.17%
Democratic Robert E. Rose 76,361 39.68%
Independent American Thomas F. Jefferson 3,282 1.71%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 3,218 1.67%
Libertarian John W. Grayson, Jr. 1,487 0.77%
Total votes 192,445 100
Republican win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1982[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Bryan 128,132 53.44%
Republican Robert List (inc.) 100,104 41.75%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 6,894 2.88%
Libertarian Dan Becan 4,621 1.93%
N/A Undervotes 643 0.27
Total votes 240,394 100
Democratic gain from Republican Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1986[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Bryan (inc.) 187,268 71.92%
Republican Patty Cafferata 65,081 25.00%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 5,471 2.10%
Libertarian Lou Tomburello 2,555 0.98%
N/A Undervotes 1,557 0.59%
Total votes 261,932 100
Democratic hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1990[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Miller (inc.) 207,878 64.81%
Republican Jim Gallaway 95,789 29.86%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 9,017 2.81%
Libertarian James Frye 8,059 2.51%
Total votes 320,743 100
Democratic hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1994[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Miller (inc.) 200,026 52.68%
Republican Jim Gibbons 156,875 41.32%
Independent American Daniel Hansen 10,012 2.64%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 8,785 2.31%
Libertarian Denis Sholty 3,978 1.05%
Total votes 379,676 100
Democratic hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 1998[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kenny Guinn 223,892 51.63%
Democratic Jan Laverty Jones 182,281 42.04%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 12,641 2.92%
Independent American Chuck Horne 7,509 1.73%
Libertarian Terry C. Savage 7,307 1.69%
Total votes 433,630 100
Republican win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 2002[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kenny Guinn (inc.) 344,001 68.24% +16.61%
Democratic Joe Neal 110,935 22.01% -20.03%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 23,674 4.70% +1.78%
Libertarian Dick Geyer 8,104 1.61% -0.08%
Independent American David G. Holmgren 7,047 1.40% -0.33%
Independent Jerry L. Norton 5,543 1.10%
Green Charles Laws 4,775 0.95%
Majority 233,066 46.24% +36.64%
Turnout 504,079
Republican hold Swing
Nevada gubernatorial election, 2006[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Gibbons 279,003 47.93% -20.32%
Democratic Dina Titus 255,684 43.92% +21.91%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 20,699 3.56% -1.14%
Independent American Christopher H. Hansen 20,019 3.44% +2.04%
Green Craig Bergland 6,753 1.16% +0.21%
Majority 23,319 4.01% -42.23%
Turnout 582,158
Republican win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 2010[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Brian Sandoval 382,350 53.36% +5.44%
Democratic Rory Reid 298,171 41.61% -2.31%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 12,231 1.71% -1.85%
Independent Eugene DiSimone 6,403 0.89%
Independent American Floyd Fitzgibbons 5,049 0.70% -2.73%
Libertarian Arthur Forest Lampitt, Jr. 4,672 0.65%
Green David Scott Curtis 4,437 0.62% -0.54%
Independent Aaron Y. Honig 3,216 0.45%
Majority 84,179 11.75% +7.74%
Turnout 716,529
Republican win (new seat)
Nevada gubernatorial election, 2014[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Brian Sandoval (inc.) 386,340 70.58%
Democratic Bob Goodman 130,722 23.88%
None of These Candidates None of These Candidates 15,751 2.88%
Independent American David Lory VanDerBeek 14,536 2.66%
Majority 547,349 100%
Turnout
Republican hold Swing

Notes

  1. ↑ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NV Const. art. V, § 1.
  3. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 5.
  4. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 7.
  5. ↑ NV Const. art. IV, § 35.
  6. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 9.
  7. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 13.
  8. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 2.
  9. ↑ NV Const. art. V, § 3.
  10. ↑ Bruce, A. T. (October 16, 1937). "An Editorial Estimate Seventy Years Ago 1886". Lassen Advocate. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  11. ↑ "1962 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  12. ↑ "1966 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  13. ↑ "1970 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  14. ↑ "1974 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  15. ↑ "1978 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  16. ↑ "1982 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  17. ↑ "1986 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  18. ↑ "1990 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  19. ↑ "1994 General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  20. ↑ "1998 Official General Election Returns". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Elections Results: Official 2002 General Election Results". Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  22. ↑ "nvsos.gov". nvsos.gov. 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  23. ↑ "2010 Unofficial Statewide General Election Coverage and Reports". Nvsos.gov. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  24. ↑ "OFFICIAL RESULTS 2014 Statewide Results". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved December 24, 2014.

References

General
Constitutions